InlandSea

I only visited Danang (2024), for about five weeks, but I really liked it. The food quality and flavor was good and tasty and coffee shops were varied and fun to hang out at, so many of them and the quality is fantastic. I noticed that there are far fewer chain or franchise shops and restaurants than I've noticed in any other country, which made it more of an adventure. Pet peeve was the rampant scooter riding on the sidewalks - I always felt the need to look over my shoulder. Fortunately, never needed any medical care so can't speak to that. For me, Thailand is still tops in the things I value day to day like food and medical and interaction with people. 👍

Vietnam is cheaper, has great food, and attractive women but no retirement visa. That is a huge but with an extra t.

I thought a lot about this for well over 20 years as Thailand was on my radar since visit in the '90s and became sort of a long-term retirement fantasy then a plan over the last 10 years. After moving between Pattaya/Jomtien and Bangkok since I came here two years ago in my late 50s, O Retirement, I noticed a push-pull between being near the best medical care which is in Bangkok and being in an area where you can actually walk on the sidewalks, get some exercise, and have a more relaxing lifestyle, like Jomtien or maybe Hua Hin (haven't been). Now after a year of getting some medical things addressed or at least stabilized in Bangkok, I'm going back out to Jomtien. I have proper international insurance but a high deductible, so I just pay out of pocket. It has not been cheap, but easily less than half what I would have paid in the USA. If I had a truly disastrous health outcome here or mobility issues, however, things might be different. I'll reassess as the years go by, but life is more about the journey than the finish imho.

I'll try not to overthink it and the fix whether it's an agent or not shouldn't be too bad. My next 90-day report is due after the move to Jomtien and before I'll need to overnight in Bangkok again, so it shouldn't come up until the second 90-day report is due in any case.

Thanks both

I have an O Retirement visa. I renewed it myself at Bangkok CW last year. I am moving from Bangkok to Jomtien but will need to travel to Bangkok multiple times and stay at hotels to deal with medical appointments throughout the year. The agent helping with the new Jomtien condo lease said that they'll file one TM-30 to cover the entire lease term, listing the full date of one year on the form. But what happens when a Bangkok hotel files a TM-30 for a short stay there and I subsequently need to file my 90-day report? I assume I'd need to ask the Jomtien condo lease agent to file a new TM30 each time before my 90-day report is due. I sensed that they didn't want to do that a lot. What are my options? Is it possible/legal to do the TM-30s myself or should I just use an agent like TikTok in Jomtien for all of it? I've always met the 800k requirements myself so don't need an agent other than for convenience etc.

For Non O Retirement visa extension, has anyone heard rumors of needing a neighbor to vouch for you as they apparently require for Non O Marriage visa? I saw a YouTube video posted today from the well-known Thai-resident, American-born lawyer's office saying that some viewer said that they needed to get two neighbors to visit Immigration with him for his O Retirement extension in Khon Ken. I'm in a Bangkok condo and have only seen one next door neighbor and they weren't even Thai. The lawyer said not to panic, that there wasn't anything official, and requirements vary by Immigration office.

Yep, thank you 👍

Yes and from my last extension and what I've gleaned, the need to make two visits is fairly common. There's always something else needed.

Yeah, that's probably all I can do and go early enough before visa expiration that there's time to get a contract drafted up if they require one. I keep trying to plan ahead for the unpredictable and need to let that old habit go.

Probably, but it involves getting off my ass and I'm not as good about that as I used to be

Does Bangkok CW immigration require a one-year rental contract when extending a Non-Immigrant O (retirement) visa? Or will a signed letter from the condo owner along with a photocopy of their ID and condo deed be sufficient? The owner is okay with me switching to a month to month arrangement without a new written agreement. I had a one-year contract when I last extended my retirement visa at CW in November. I'd rather not commit to another year at this current condo. I may move to Hua Hin or somewhere else in Bangkok, but I'm not sure yet.

This is from a couple of weeks ago at Bangkok Immigration (CW). It doesn't include everything, but it's what they gave me when I asked for a list of documents needed for retirement extension.

Follow-up: I went back today and, without needing to get another queue ticket, the staff person and the IO both recognized me from last week and promptly reviewed my updated bank book. They'd held onto my application packet from the initial visit. I think the only things of note to others that are also new to doing this by themselves are: 1. I needed to provide both the property owner's ID and deed for the address used when I got the initial visa last year - not just my current address in Bangkok. 2. They had me come back one week later showing my bank book updated that same day (even though I also provided that at the initial visit). I think this is just to make sure that I still had the 800k in my account. Also...not sure if the map-to-residence I provided was necessary, but they kept it.

You're very knowledgeable, this matches closely EDIT: If it's approved, I'll probably move to Hua Hin next year. How is getting renewals down there without an agent?

I went to a Bangkok Chaeng Watthana Immigration last week to renew my O Retirement by myself, no agent. I relocated from Pattaya where I used an agent and that seemed to trigger extra scrutiny. I was told by a woman assisting the immigration officer in the L section that I needed to return in one week after updating my bank book the same day. She said very clearly that I could just come up to the immigration officer's desk next time without a queue ticket. Is that safe to do or do you think I'd better get a queue ticket anyway? Backgound: Even though I used an agent last time, I self-funded the 800k deposit and provided a one-year bank statement and updated bank book to prove it. I assume the reason they're having me come back and show my bank book a second time a week later is to just confirm that there is no agent involved. P.S. Decided to do it myself after being quoted 35K for the renewal from multiple agents for in-Bangkok renewal, even though I have the 800k deposit. I'm all for convenience but $1,000 for a couple of days work seems kind of over the top for me.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Works now 😀 😀 😀

Solved ha! Was an appointment reminder then (moles), nothing to do with OP. Get those moles checked guys!

I missed a call from 020222534 on my AIS sim yesterday (Saturday). I was worried it might have been from Bangkok Bank as my account is still frozen. I put the number into Grok and it didn't find any reference related to Bangkok Bank and said that 02 numbers have been used in scams in the past (for whatever that's worth). I didn't call the number back, to be safe.

Yes, I open the phone app and try a transfer to my other banks every day and get the error code that the recipient account isn't valid (started seeing that error only after the account freezes began, and it seems others have been seeing it too... also get it if trying to send to my landlord). I'll give it the seven days and then maybe I have to hop a bus back out to Pattaya again.

1441 said they cannot help without a reference number from the bank. I didn't get one in August and they aren't answering the phone... I then called the main number for Bangkok Bank. They said that they will contact the Central Pattaya branch themselves and will get back to me within 7 days. I then enthusiastically thanked the agent and hung up without asking for a reference number!

I was able to open a Krungsri account (as a new backup to my backup 555) this week in Bangkok using retirement visa, driver's license, condo lease agreement, and sim card receipt. They asked for work visa at first but realized I cannot work under a retirement visa and allowed it. They also took several days to check with their main office before opening it, so it may take more than one visit. Per stories on social media, it seems it all varies by branch regardless of the bank.

I saw that also but hesitate because my language skills are still very low and I don't currently have anyone to make that type of a sensitive call for me. If this drags on past next week, I'll give it a try.

I'm at three weeks since visiting the Pattaya branch office with all verification documents (was told two weeks). Anyone else? Any value in going to the main office here in Bangkok for status? I tried a nearby branch and they weren't able to look up the status. Don't want to go out to Pattaya again.