Robin

Thailand will never go cashless. Expect vendors to accept the deduction made on credit card payments? NO WAY. Only cashless if you pay the surcharge. Also too many in Thailand like the anomality of paying cash, and being able to launder cash so easily.

This year I entered Thailand at SVB and was given 30 day non-visa entry. Subsequently I went to my local I/O (Phayao) and was given a 90 day Non-Imm O visa, but had to show 800K in my bank (as for Retirement visa). Last week this non O vas given an extension for Retirement for 1 year, as normal (I have held Retirement isa before) but again required to get bank letters confirming 800K I never used an agent but did all the work myself I/O was well aware of procedure to change visa exempt entry to Non O. I was charged 10K baht, 2K for visa and 8K for "Services" (they filled in all the forms for me. Considering how many restrictions/requirements RTE in London were asking for a Non IM visa, I am happy with this and consider it a bargain.

Desperate to talk up some new form of Visa. How many are going to qualify for this, and how many of those will be rushing to Thailand for treatment. I have nothing against Thai medicine, but who want to be in hospital in foreign country? Particularly with on with dubious medical malpractice laws? At one time Thailand did very well with simple 'tourist' visas, or non-visa entry, 1 month, 2 month, 3 months, and ech easy to extend.

Wy not ask Immigration? When I went to check on the window for my 90 day O, they were very helpful and insisted in making an appointment for the extension, and giving me a list of documents I needed to provide.

I did the same as you intend, arriving last August. No problems on arrival, given 30 day non-visa entry. First week here, went to local I/O, Phayao, with wife, to do TM30. There told the I/O I wanted to change my non-visa entry to Non IM O for retirement. Had to return with the standard bank documents for retirement, and pay 2000B visa fee, plus 8,000B for 'Services', and return 1 week later. Non IM O stamped in my passport expiring 3 months after my non-visa 30 days ran out. Told to return in the last month of Non O and apply for usual retirement extension. Now due to go back to I/O on 17 Nov with appointment to extend for retirement. Need to get new copies of usual bank documents and photo, as per normal Retirement extension. All very straightforward, except for the 8000B for Serices, seemingly for filling in the forms o change to Non-Im.. Far less trouble than applying for a Non IM. at RTE in London and for that I did not mind he 8,000 B Services fee All at Phayao Immigration seemed to be aware of the procedures to change no visa entry to NonIM I have previously done 2 Retirement extensions at Phayao, and they have all my details on file there

Because this is Thailand, and Thais do not want long term 'residents, but only short term visitors who will spend lots of money and fall for all the scams. Immigration laws are not expected to make sense or be logical. Just smile and do what i aske of you, and you will find life is much easier.

Window dressing.

You can enter on 30 day non-visa exempt and then change to Non O at your local I/O. Saves all the messing about with the London RTE site and stupid requirements I did it 2 months ago; straight in at SVB with 30 day stamp in PP. Conversion at local (Phayao ) I/O easy and now on 90 day Non O, waiting to get Retirement extension.. neededd to show 800K in Thai bank to get Non O, same as for retirement, but otherwise straightforward.

I came back to LOS in August, fling THAI, with an expired Non O retirement in my passport, flying in on 1 way ticket from LHR. Frustrated by the requirements to get a Non IM visa on line, I flew visa exempt , but bought the cheapest onward flight I could find, about 30UKP, I think, not wanting to have any problems at the airport. AS others have noted, not asked about onward ticket at check-in. AT SVB, I/O looked at my expired Non O and told me she could only give me a 30 day visa exempt. At local I/O ( Phayao) I asked to convert this to Non IM for retirement.. Had to go back 3 days later, and sign all the forms, and was given a 90 day Non O, and charged 2000B for the visa, and 8,000 for "Services" ( all the forms were filled in for me and all copies made. I also had to get bank statements as for Retirement visa. Told to come back in the last month of this new visa and get the normal 365 day retirement extension. Now waiting to do this next month. I know the 8,000 was a blatant rip-off, but kept I/O happy and cheaper than using an agent. I'll report the success or otherwise of getting the visa extension next month.

I have just transferred 50Kbaht from UK to a friend in Thailand, using WU. Money has gone through, but WU give the impression they do not know quite what they are doing. I transferred money from my UK bak to WU, to be collected in Thailand. having made the transfer, I checked that money had left my UK bank (on-line banking) I hen received two mails from WU, telling me to sned the money, and "funds have not been received" warning. Checked again ha money had been paid from my bank; OK. Then used WU tracking; Firs told that transfer in progress and then, next day, that money available for collection in Thailand. Money was collected yesterday, and today I receive another WU e-mail, telling me that the transfer had been cancelled. Just what is going on with WU? I thought they were a competent company, but in this case they appear not to have any idea what is going on. Each of the e-mails have WU as sender, so presumably not a scam to get more money from me. None have an e-mail address to reply to, or to question the content of the mail, only a Uk phone number and address o contact, and i am not going to waste money trying to call this from Thailand. This is making me doubtful about using WU again, as it all sems very suspicious. previously, I have used WU for money transfers to Thailand without any problems

I do not believe that DWP are so trusting as to accept that every pensioner is still living in UK and eligible for annual increases. Apart from the letter asking if you are still alive, I think they can check if you are receiving National Health care or prescriptions. My impression has always been that DWP do not want to pay any pension unless they have to, so if they do not see any activity that indicates that you are still alive, they can decide that you are dead and stop your pension To be fair to them, if they find that they were mistaken and that you are still alive, they make up to missed pension with no quibble.. If you are going to keep a UK bank, check that your bank will allow a current account with credit card etc., when you are living in Thailand. Not all will. If you have a UK based credit card, also need to check where the replacement card will be sent when due. Default could be to your (unused ) UK address. Some will not send a credit card to Thailand under any circumstances, other are happy to use DHL at no extra charge.

Checked some air fares from London. All seem to be 50% or more up on what I ws paying before the pandemic. Nothing Thailand can do about that unless they try to get TG to fly a a bigger loss to encourage tourists. Fares published above for Emirates economy are about what I was paying for Business last year. With recession predicted and the UK pound falling, who can afford to trave now?.

Easy answer; Gen Pratyuth will order the situation to improve.

I thought it was usual for banks and building societies in Uk to deduct interest at source n all investment accounts. If you have rented property your rental agent should also deduct UK tax before paying income to you. Do you now make a tax return in the UK? If so HMRC will know if your bank is deducting tax from your investment income. I was told, by my accountant, that to get any income in UK paid gross (free of tax deductions) I had to get a letter from HMRC stating that my tax affairs were considered to be in order and that I was paying tax as I should. Unless you have done thi, it is most likely that Santander will have been deducting tax from your interest. With the interest rates offered in UK you must have a lot on deposit if the tax on interest is enough to bother you

Important thing with UK pension is to be sure that DWP know you are still alive. (It is in their interests to get you declared dead!) Once a year, or so, they will write to you asking if you are still alive! letter might go to your UK address if you still have one. Make sure you get this query, and answer it asap. If not you pension will be stopped. Safest to check your bank account regularly to see that their payment is going in. If not call DWP and ask why not.. Even when you phone them they will not believe that you are actually alive. You will need to get your Thai doctor to certify that you are alive!. NB I have always kept UK address, and UK mobile phone, and still do not get cost of living increases.

I went through the process of getting a "Yellow Book" a few years ago, since CR immigration told me I should. Since then I have not found a single time when it has been needed, or wanted. I have tried showing ti at SVB Immigration when entering, at local I/O whne doing TM30, 90 dy or normal extensions. Nobody is interested in even looking at it, nor can anyone tell me why I need this book.. I do not live in a Condo, but in wife's house. Theoretically, easy enough to get yellow Book, but so much fuss, not worth he effort.

Go to your local I/O and make an appointment for your visa extension. Then ask your friendly I/O to give you a list of paperwork you will need for this extensions, (helpful for getting the right papers from your bank) maybe you do not need to do this, but I find it simplifies the procedure, and you do not have to go back with new papers.. At my local I/O, this also ensures that the right official is at the office when needed to sign of the extension.. Getting the right paperwork fom your bank can be a pain, as some bank's software will not update your statement unles you make a transaction

Plenty of vague qualifications to 'Free Speech' so that action can be taken against virtually anyone.

Can anyone here offer advice on adjustment of the standard carb. for a Honda Dream 125. Ous is becoming difficult to start and keep running on these colder mornings. My feeling is that the tick-over mixture needs to be riche and the tick-over faster, but how to do this. I would expect there to be a mixture screw adjustment and a tick-over speed adjuster. If i could see a picture to the carb with these two adjuster identified, I should be able o set it up to run better fort thing. Any assistance welcome. MY Thai is rudimentary and not up to explaining to Honda mechs., and wife's tech knowledge not up to knowing what I am on about. She just complains it 'won't start properly' "knowledgeable" local has told her to change the oil.

I would think hat your Will is far too important to be done by DIY instructions from the internet. You will not be around when it is being enforced and never underestimate how unscrupulous some can be when money is at stake. My advice would be to contact a reputable firm of solicitors in UK and get them to prepare your will. following your instructions. Thye should point out any errors and lose ends in your draft will. For instance, what if your G/F predeceases you? Or you both die together in an accident. Wha if you separate before you die? What if a 'long lost relative ' of yours appears and claims his share of your assets? I have personal experience of how badly written Wills can go wrong, even in UK, so i advise taking trouble to get it right. Sure it will cost money, but think of the misery that could be caused if your will is wrong.. name your solicitor as executor and take the stress away from your G/F.

Look about you. There is a reason why most rural Thai houses now being built follow a similar design;- That is re-in forced concrete frames with brick or blocks infilling. R/C frames are also foundations, first beam is cast in the ground, about 30 cm deep. Roof beams ae metal with corrugated covers. This is a proven design, which woks and is reasonable cost, proven over time by many Thais, both builders and DIY. Trying to improve on this might not be easy. Why ry to re-invent the wheel, when the design is well proven? Single floor, bungalow will need a high roof or be very hot in the day when the sun is on the roof.. 2 Floors, at least the ground floor stays cool in the day. Wood ,especially Teak wood, is a scarce commodity in Thailand whihs is why there are so few wooden housed.. I have used bamboo for garden furniture and structures, and it does not last. Rots or attached by insects. probably why This only use it for rough building like chicken houses.

"I am confident that I wrote very clear Wills in English language, in both stating my girlfriend as executor and also leaving everything to her. I signed both Wills in the presence of witnesses who then signed." You should check; I think that in UK an executor of a will cannot be a beneficiary in hat will.

it would be interesting to know how many members of T/V Forum actually qualify for the new LTR Visa, either s Work from Thailand, or Wealthy Pensioner, Wealthy Global Citizens. As I se it, the minimum income is 80,000 USD, which I do not think I have ever reached, and certainly not now. OR; an investment of 1 Million USD in Thailand; if I had 1 Million to invest, it would not be in Thailand or a Thai company OR property in Thailand, worth over 1 million USD. Thailand is not where i would consider investing my 1 million in property. I can get a better return and safer investment in my naive UK I have always considered myself to be a 'comfortably off' pensione, and happy to retire to LOS, but no way am I ever going o meet any of these requirements. Nor have ai ever met any other person her in LOS who might qualify. So, is this some 'Pie in the sky' group of people who only exist in Thai government imagination, or are the thousands of these wealthy individuals queueing up to live in Thailand? Will the Thai government ever publish figures of how many LTR visas have been issued? My own circumstances? I have been in LOS for 6 years on Non Imm. O retirement extensions. I am married to a Thai and we own our own house, but it is not worth 1 million USD. I can afford to keep 800,000 baht in the bank and pay the fees fro extending my visa every year, but I could never meet and of these LTR requirements. How many forum member could?

Confused as to what O/P has done. I entered Thailand on visa exempt and went to local I/O and changed this to Non Imm O. Non IM O was stamped in my passport at I/O and I was told that I could do a Retirement extension in the last month of this visa. Not required to leave Thailand to get this isa an assume it is valid for 90 days.; that is what is stamped in my passport. Now waiting out the 60+ days until I can do the Retirement extension. Told by I/O when visa issued that no problems, just had to get all the stuff for retirement visa. .