Onrai

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Yes,the visa company you're referring to is completely wrong.

The 90 days report has NOTHING to do with the so called 90 days check, which is the 800k check 90 days after the 1 year extension based on retirement at Jomtien Immigration. No one will ever ask you about money when doing the 90 days report. The 90 days report is a verification of your last reported address,nothing else. This is a well known fact among expats but you're no expat,right?  

As to the lawyers and immigration services that outline the criteria on their website and make their living by navigating the visa process- well I am not sure I will dismiss their statements as inaccurately. And I don’t know what being an expat has to do with anything. I do live in Thailand, I do have a retirement visa, I did do the whole process myself and I am in compliance with the immigration code as spelled out on 

 

First of all why does everyone who responds always reference Jomtien?  I live in Loei and things may be done differently in Isaan. 

The 90 day check is only applicable after you have been in thailand 90 days. YOu can have a retirement visa, as I do, and since I travel outside the country frequently I am not required to do a 90 day address check because i am never in Thailand for  90 days. And that is clearly outlined and defined on immigration.go.th. And yes I am an expat with a non retirement visa. 

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

My reply to your report about your 90 day address report was that of course they didn't ask you to show your bank book then because 90 address reports are completely SEPARATE from the mandated show bank book reports being mandated by a few offices such as Jomtien 

Ok. Few moving parts here. When I went to do my 1st 90 reporting , from the date I received my retirement visa, immigrations  told me I didn’t need to report since I had left the Thailand and hadn’t been back 90 days. So, essentially if I continued to travel and left Thailand every 90 days , as I do, and never return to my Amphur where I am registered then I wouldn’t have to do my 90 day reporting. My tm-30 is required within 48 hours upon returning to the Amphur I’m registered in. If if stayed in my Amphur I would have had to do my 90 day reporting but wouldn’t have had to report to immigrations about my address since I hadn’t left the Amphur. So as far as I understand -there are 2 separate reporting requirements needed.

1. YOu leave your Amphur you need to report online or in person that you are back within 24 hours

2. You don’t  leave your Amphur for 90 days you need to do your 90 day reporting to immigrations.

Not exactly crystal clear but that is the way it was explained to me.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

My comment which is definitely correct is that 90 day address reports are a completely different report than when immigration at some offices requires people to show up 3 months after their extension to show that their bank book still has at least 800k on it and didn't go under. 

I am not talking bout 90 day address reports in my post. Read the post.

On 1/10/2020 at 12:52 PM, Jingthing said:

You posted false information above. There is NO CONNECTION between 90 day address reports and the mandated SHOW the 800K money written ORDERS given at some immigration offices.  None at all! Nobody credible has said that there is. So your report that this didn't come up at a 90 day address report is 100 percent irrelevant.

So every visa service advertising on the internet must be wrong and you must be right.

Frankly, I think I will choose to believe the companies that make their living running visa services.

If I have learned one thing is regardless of what you read from the Thai consulate or immigration websites it is completely arbitrary on how these rules get enforced. 

Example 1. When I did my 90 day immigration reporting retirement visaI didn’t have to show proof that my 800k was still in the bank.

Extreme example 2- names and places omitted to protect the innocent and guilty. My friend didn’t have 800k in the bank, nor any record of 65k baht being deposited on a monthly basis. He walked into immigration at 3.55 pm and walked out with a one year extension at 4.35 pm. Cost 17,000 baht to the immigration officer. Happened 3 days ago. It was the IO that suggested this method of extending since he didn’t have the money.

19 hours ago, IvorLott said:

I imagine some 'round up', followed by a mass expulsion of foreigners would cause irreparable long-term damage to Thailand's already frail tourist industry, let alone her equally frail international reputation (especially in Human Rights).

Bangkok is the most visited city in the world. Look it up. I wouldn’t categorize Thailand as having a frail tourist economy. 

I got Bronchitis in Africa 45 years ago. Apparently it is very common when you go from 0% humidity ( Sahara desert) to 90-100% humidity (Mali). I had a bout of bronchitis every year for the next 20 years and then it miraculously cured itself. No bronchial issues for years. 

Then I come to South East Asia and I am plagued by bronchial/ lung problems. I attribute it to going from very hot air outside to ,say a 7-11, where they blast the air conditioning just above the door. My throat almost instantaneously fills with a large glob of phlegm. It so unsettling to suddenly being choked with phlegm. My guess is it a mechanism to protect my bronchial passages. I have been sick half a dozen times and have been taking Acetin (Mucolytic) to break up the congestion. I  wear something around my neck almost constantly to avoid any draft or cold air on my neck. I can’t speak for others but the hot air to cold air conditioning is a killer for me.

When you apply for your new passport check the box on the application that you are requesting the large 52 page passport. 
Even then page 8 is the first page you can use for entrance/exit stamps. 

On 12/30/2019 at 4:38 AM, Chazar said:

Buy a  car and expect the  odd bump.

if  they are stupid   enough to be on the road they have to expect the inevitable, I  gave up  caring about this  years  ago

While the above answer in no way addresses the question being asked it completely ignores a phenomena that I have only seen in Thailand. The consensus is that Thai’s get have one of the highest per capital road death rates. Tell that to the dogs. I have never seen so many dogs sleeping on the side of the road, in the middle of the road, crossing the road in the middle of traffic. They don’t seem concerned about Thais driving ability. Some how they are convinced that they aren’t going to get hit. It is amazing that in the the  USA any dog wandering the road immediately causes people to questions the owner’s responsibility and carelessness for letting their dog loose. 

A few observations about dogs in general:

Dogs bark.

Dogs sense fear and if you are afraid of dogs they sense it immediately.

Dogs will run in packs if not controlled and locked up at night.

Small dogs seem to be more vocal than larger breeds.

Dogs are trained to attack, protect and kill in the USA. People have trained pit bulls to be aggressive. 

I don’t like all the barking at night. I don’t like it here and it was just as bad in the USA. 

4 hours ago, 30la said:

With methods like these it's no wonder that Thai is on the verge of bankruptcy!
Hopefully it's a very fast death so it can't harm more people!

Maybe you can explain how a simple airline ticketing error has any bearing on the state of the Thai economy? In my option United Airlines is the worst airlines in the world. They over book flights, don’t honor seat assignments, have terrible food, lose luggage, etc. The USA economy is humming along nicely, actually very well despite crappy service at United. I might also add the reason the Thai bank is so strong is because the economy happens to be doing very nicely at the moment- large trade surplus, tourism on the rise and a per capital gdp almost twice that of Japan. 

3 hours ago, Momofarang said:

Well, since you have only 63 posts you probably assume you are a fast learner. But the very official figure of unpaid medicals bills is 500 000 000 Bahts. So if a deabeat Farang spends, hence brings into this excrement hole 500 000 Bahts a year, 1000 deadbeats will cover the loss for the Thai economy. And most of us spend a lot more then that.

So that is your rationale for not paying medical bills? Even the lowest income expats easily make up for what the thai govt. lost in providing free care to foreigners? What we spent in the economy easily wipes out the Farang that don’t pay. That is probably the least logical exculpatory explanation I’ve ever heard? And if you perceive Thailand as an excrement hole, why in God’s name are you living here?There are 195 countries in the world to choose from. Certainly you could find one that better suits your needs. 

Excrement hole sounds just like a Trump right wing supporter would say. 

12 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

The real annoyance is that the 90 day reporting can't be done online because the system only works when there's a 'z' in the month. Tried it again last week. 

What does that even mean?????

10 hours ago, DUNROAMIN said:

I don't believe the BS that is being spun by the government, as to "farangs" not paying their bills. Can you provide me with written proof that all Expats living here racked up these unpaid bills of billions of barht.

I didn’t say “all” expats are not paying for their insurance. All I can go by is what I have read in the past on the Thai visa forum and news. It seems pretty cavalier to suggest that your conspiracy theory and the thai elite concocting a means to line their pockets is any more plausible. And do you have any proof to substantiate your theory? 

And can you explain why you think it is tourists arriving here with no medical insurance vs. expats living here that cause the problem. 

Logic would suggest that the longer you the higher your chances of needing medical care. 

Your comment about surgery and the hospital demanding payment up front is not my experience. When I went for a minor surgery I paid after the surgery. My girl friend who just had breast cancer surgery paid during a week long visit in the hospital. In the same ward as my girl friend with a 65,000 bill that we could over hear that they didn’t have the money to pay. 

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I think you would find its not unpaid bills that is the major problem. Its the fact that we dont pay taxes and fund the subsidised medical system. Yes, government health care is reasonably priced, because its subsidised. We can pay in full for healthcare and its only ever a percentage of the cost, Thai tax payers are paying the rest.

If you have ever been to hospital for a major procedure or accident care in thailand, its very hard to skip without paying.

 

Although its presented as foreigners are not paying their bills, its more a case of foreigners dont fund the system that pays most of the bill.

 

Insurance will, by default, move foreigners into the private system and out of the subsidised system

Point well taken. 

2 hours ago, theonetrueaussie said:

16 hours ago, impulse said:

 

you can break any 1 year rental agreement with 30 days notice as long as you have a valid reason.

That is patently false. Why would either tenant or landlord sign a 1 year lease if it could be broken at any time with a valid reason. Leases have language about remedying defects, repairs, maintenance, etc. There is absolutely no reason for either party to sign a one year lease if it can be broken at any time with a valid reason. Furthermore, you don’t give any example of a valid reason. 

If you are unsure of your length of stay sign a month to month lease. Leases are complicated documents generally designed to protect the rights of both parties. 

On 12/10/2019 at 2:43 PM, simon43 said:

There's a topic running in another thread where the OP states that he and his wife were 'disrespected' by embassy staff when she applied for a visa to visit the USA.

 

I've got no criticism of that OP, and good luck in getting the visa.

 

But <deleted> does it matter if you were 'disrespected'?  What does it actually mean?  Did the staff fail to doff their hats and bow low to you?  I'm at a loss about this often-stated phrase.  I personally don't give a flying <deleted> how much someone 'disrespects' me.  It seems to be a complaint from sports stars, those with a not-so-white skin and those applying for visas....

 

Is it really such a big issue for some people?  Sticks and stones etc

Yes it is a big deal. The greeting of Wai is so much more refreshing than someone giving you the finger. Everything flows from the mutual respect we have for each other. 

8 hours ago, Solinvictus said:

Both Neo-liberal democrats and republicans (mostly through manufacturing consent via tv).

It sounds like you have been reading Noam Chomsky. Bravo. He is a national treasure and has fought tireless for the rights of common people who make up the vast majority of any society.

If I remember correctly section 214b-assumes that everyone visiting the USA intends on immigrating or staying past their visa. The person applying for the visa must prove otherwise, i.e. substantial assets and ties to their country to convince an immigration officer they are returning.

Clearly this provision is selectively applied or ignored depending on which nationality is applying for a visa. China, India and Mexico are listed as top immigrants to USA. I don’t think Thailand, comparatively speaking, is on the radar of those countries abusing US immigration policies, although they seem to get lumped together with those who more egregiously abuse the system. 

Trump is not helping the situation with his ever changing immigration policies. 

To quote Steven Miller- the guy that participated or wrote many of the new immigration policies under Trump 

Conclusion- The next time my girl friend applies for a US visa I am going to to tell her to wear a tube top and mini skirt. That is something the US immigration officers seem to understand. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

On 12/7/2019 at 2:47 AM, sunnyboy2018 said:

Im sorry to say that the filial piety you describe is a primitive, agrarian,  third world, sexist phenomenon.  In Thailand as in the rest of Asia it's the female who carries the burden of family honour and material support. Never the males. It is wrong and does not exist in modern societies that have justice and social equality as major goals.  East is east and West is west and never the twain shall meet. Im sorry to say the fault lines in the foundation of your relationship that were covered up in Issan are revealed on return to a modern industrial parliamentary democracy and the societal norms that underpin it. Its a very sad situation and one I have been aware of for decades. Its not just Thailand but everywhere where close extended families are the norm women bare the brunt and are negatively impacted. The myth of inter family cross generation support is actually a claustrophobic web of control and emotional dependance. I have noticed this in The Arab world and even Irish,  Italian and Portuguese families. Good luck with everything. You're a better man than I am Gunga Din.

Of course it is an outrage to want to take care of the your family that raised and nurtured you. Best to ship them off to an assisted living facility, grumble about how much it cost and visit them once a year. That is the goal of your post industrial parliamentary democracy. Live your life with no thought, or responsibility for family or elders. What a wonderful dystopia you describe- right out of Animal Farm or 1984.

As a side note you might want to read an in depth study from the Journal on Aging on explaining the factors involved in taking care of the aged in rural Thailand. See link below.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890406514000619 

1 hour ago, Shouldhaveknownbetter said:

Opinions differ.  I to have lived in the bay area for about the same amount of time as you.  I just returned from a 3 month visit.  Frankly I was shocked how much better the roads where and how more relaxed the driving was.  San 

Like I said- we must be talking about a different San Francisco, CA.

Please refer to San Francisco Chronicle article dated October 18, 2018, which ranks San Francisco Roads as the worst roads in the Nation

”The Bay Area has the worst roads in the nation, according to a new report by TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based transportation research group, that seeks to bolster a campaign by California transit officials to preserve the state’s recent gas tax hike”

I have also attached just a Small selection of articles on road rage in the Bay Area.