Adelphi

5 hours ago, mikebell said:

Thank you a weight off my mind.

 

I have all these to hand after applying for UK visitor visa; my question is what web-site provides for this application?

 

A good alternative tho' not sure a Thai lady would cope with clouds of midges.

No midges in Glasgow or Edinburgh and a good train connection between the two cities.  Lots to see and do.  

4 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Do you have a life together in Thailand?  If you can show that you live together in Thailand and are just having a holiday in the UK it would help.  Do you have a work permit/retirement extension for Thailand?

Yes we now live together in Thailand and I have retirement visa.   I think our biggest problem will be that we have only known each other for six months and only recently started living together.  I am concerned that if we apply this year and get turned down that may count against us in the future.   Maybe I should just do a short trip to the UK on my own and put off applying for a visitor visa for my partner until next year.  Next year we will be able to evidence much more of a shared life in Thailand.  

I would like to obtain a UK visitor visa to take my partner to the UK. We have been together about 6 months. My financial position is strong but you could not say the same about my Thai partners position (no property/job).   I will be paying for everything.   Can anyone based on recent experience recommend an Agent who might be able to help us?  Any suggestions on what we might do/say to strengthen the application would also be very welcome e.g. fit in a trip to Singapore, take out a years medical insurance for my partner, have our condo rental put into joint names.  Thank you in advance for all helpful suggestions. 

35 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

Surely immigration only concerned that there is 800k bht in your bank account as shown in bank book. 

 

Hi one further question please. I don’t have a bank book. Will I actually need a bank book when I go to Immigration?  I know I will need a letter from my bank. I operate my account via the internet although I think TTB would issue a bank book if I asked for one. 

I need to transfer Thai Baht 800k to my Thailand bank account for the first extension of my Non O Retirement Visa.  My Immigration Office is Pattaya.  Can I use Wise to do this?   The potential problem is that it shows up in my TTB account as an internal transfer. I can send the money direct from my UK bank which shows up as an international transfer but the exchange rate is not as good as Wise. Any advice much appreciated.  

Hi.  I have applied online and received a 90 day non immigrant O visa for retirement.  I showed funds in my UK bank account to do this.  I arrive in Thailand next week.  My plan is to transfer cash from my UK bank account to my Thai bank account equivalent to not less than THB800k after I arrive.  That would mean that the 800k would have been in my Thai bank account for over two months when I apply for my first 1 year extension.   It has been suggested to me that I have miss understood the rules and that the 800k has to be in my Thai bank account for three months before I apply for my first one year extension.  Can anyone clarify the position for me please?  Thank you.

52 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

If you want to self insure I would agree re  mnot less than 4 million baht.  Note that you will need to be able to replenish it as used. 

 

You are still young enough (assuming no chronic health issues) to get a good internationally issued expat health policy but in a few years will not be so think this through carefully. 

 

Most people who can afford to truly self insure still get health insurance as a means of protecting their assets. Major exception being those who can't get insured due to pre-existing conditions. But up to you. As long as you can put adequate  funds aside and replenish them as used, it'll work. Whether you will end up ahead or behind financially that way is a roll of the dice. Odds favor coming out ahead but you could end up way, way behind and no way to know in advance. 

 

I say "truly self insure" because I have found that most of the expats who describe  themselves as self insured are actually uninsured. 

Thank you Sheryl and others for many well balanced and thoughtful responses.  My health is good.  I tend not to trust insurance companies but I take your point about safeguarding assets.  You suggested that I consider a good international expat health policy.  Can you suggest which companies I might consider?  If you would rather not do this publicly then perhaps you might PM me.  

I am 62 and planning on trying out living permanently (retired) in Thailand.  I now need to decide whether to buy health insurance or self insure.  My preference is to self insure as I instinctively dislike insurance companies.  Two friends have suggested that I should have at least 4M THB immediately available should I need emergency treatment.  I would be grateful to know the views of others on this subject.   Thanks in advance for all helpful contributions.

28 minutes ago, Robin said:

FWIW, I have been on Non O retirement visa for years and never asked for any health insurance.

RTE London web-site is not the most helpful for visa applications; I gave up because of endless requirements, and following some advice from this forum, I intend to enter Thailand on 30 day visa exempt and convert to Non O when in Thailand, and then on to Non O retirement extension for 1 yr.  

I did this some year ago when in Thailand, and I hope o do the same again

Thanks Robin I am aware of that option.  I don't think it is London who do the processing.  As I understand it, it is a web based system which processes and issues the visas for every country.  The downside with your suggestion is that you then need an onward or return flight to guarantee that your airline will board you.  I know some say the risk is low if you don't have an onward ticket etc. but I just don't like sailing close to the wind.  

3 hours ago, OJAS said:

The specific requirement for COVID insurance was for the Thailand Pass, which has now been scrapped. So your existing policy should be OK.

 

Thanks OJAS I hope you are right.  What is bothering me is that the Thai London Embassy on their web site says I need - 

• Confirmation of legal residence in the UK or Ireland. Copy of health insurance that covers COVID-19 related medical expenses, both inpatient and outpatient, no less than 100,000 USD for the whole period of your stay in Thailand.

I will soon be applying for an O type visa (retirement) in the UK.  I have travel/health insurance which meets the requirement to get the visa issued.  The policy document does not specifically say it covers Covid (or any other specific illness) but I have checked with my insurance company and Covid is definitely covered (inpatient and outpatient).  Do you think such a policy will be acceptable or does it specifically have to reference Covid? Thank you in advance for all helpful advice. 

On 1/17/2022 at 5:24 AM, DrJack54 said:

And therein demonstrates why I live in a place opposite to what your describing.

You would be my neighbor from hell.

 

Fortunately you would not be permitted to do any of that in the condo building where I live.

Your "friends" would not be allowed in. 

 

If your music troubled me I would report and problem solved.

Some places have rooms owned by folk that sub rent them (often Airbnb or similar). Often causes problems.

Not possible where I live. No private ownership. 

 

On 5/2/2022 at 2:17 AM, RichardColeman said:

Should read some of the daftest pensioners who cannot be bothered to go back to the UK to reset their pension to current amounts

On 6/2/2022 at 4:44 PM, Chivas said:

Yet another that simply cannot grasp there are two currency pairings making up the bottom line number crunch

There is no "direct" exchange rate between Sterling/Baht

Only the USD as the worlds reserve currency has that privilege against every other fiat currency

 

Start of 2005

Sterling/Dollar was $1.87

Today its $1.25

Therein lays a huge part of your 74 back then and 43 today......

 

Well said Chivas.  In addition, the UK has a huge welfare state to finance which Thailand does not.  Also the Thai debt to GDP is at a manageable 50%.   Whereas the UK debt to GDP is 85% - which is getting close to the point where paying down the debt becomes very difficult.   

Fog in the Channel Europe isolated. ????

55 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

If two males are getting married and they both are wearing suits  , is there any way of knowing which one is the Wife ?

Why does such a weird thought even entre your head?

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

You told only half of the story.

Now, take the case of a guy who introduces his wife... and that's a man.

 

Sorry but I don’t understand. Maybe you could tell the other half of the story so we can all understand what you mean.

The simplest/fastest/most expensive way to get from Heathrow into the "London transport" system is to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington.   Not perfect but in my opinion the best option. £25 standard ticket and £32 first class.  The simplest way to by your ticket IMO is to download the app and buy it before you leave Thailand.  Safe journey.

When I studied economics we were taught that an exports were goods or services sold abroad to obtain foreign currency.  Thus the revenue from foreign tourists were classed as export income.   If you were to include the huge loss of tourist income in these figures they would look a lot less positive.  

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

And therein demonstrates why I live in a place opposite to what your describing.

You would be my neighbor from hell.

 

Fortunately you would not be permitted to do any of that in the condo building where I live.

Your "friends" would not be allowed in. 

 

If your music troubled me I would report and problem solved.

Some places have rooms owned by folk that sub rent them (often Airbnb or similar). Often causes problems.

Not possible where I live. No private ownership. 

 

Hi Dr Jack

I have always rented my condo from an owner - some good some not so good.  I was not aware that there were condos where private ownership was not allowed.  Is this common in Thailand? Have I understood you correctly i.e. that you are not able to invite a friend round for dinner or a drink.  I would be very interested in finding a well managed condo which cracked down on anti-social behaviour but I would also want my friends to be able to visit.  Are you able to tell me how you go about identifying condos which do not allow private owners?  I would be interested in checking out such condos.  Thanks in advance for any advice you are able to provide.