whophant

Nick, thanks for your concern. I think people who know Thailand, Chiang Mai and my situation will know what cheap means, but I do not want to quote prices or set limits, since ultimately my wife's health is beyond value. People don't have to know exactly how much we can or can't afford in order to help - they can recommend, suggest, offer, and if it is possible for us and a good fit that's wonderful. I hope I'm not coming across as stubborn or contentious, I just believe the right place will come along because I believe my wife's health and happiness is inevitable.

couchpotato, I want to thank you with all of my heart - your response is overwhelmingly compassionate, helpful and on point!

Thank you rattlesnake, that's an excellent idea that we are already pursuing. I appreciate your input and your confirmation.

KannikaP, I'm not sure if that was supposed to be helpful or aggressive, but Thailand is our home. Anyway, without wanting to offend you or anybody else, I would love to refocus on my actual request rather than far afield ideas. Thanks!

Charlie, thanks, but we are both farang...

Marin, thanks for your opinion, but I think hope and serendipity are realistic. Besides, it has been my experience that everywhere in Thailand, with the possible exception of some of the islands, there are always two distinct levels of rental rates, and they almost never reflect real differences between the properties.

Steven100, Thanks, but we're not looking for something permanent, there's no way we could afford hotel rates, and that type of environment would be as unhealthy for her - in different ways - than the farmhouse. Thanks for your concern though! 🙂

Nick, I'm kind of intentionally not talking about money for various reasons, but anything even approaching farang levels would be miles beyond impossible - really, all we can manage is cheap, so we're hoping for a bit of a miracle. Lacessit, we don't want a condo because my wife really wants and needs at least a tiny yard for grounding. Thanks both of you for your replies.

Hello Chiang Mai, I would like to ask for some help. My wife has recently undergone cancer surgery, and will be in recovery for the next couple of months. There is also a good chance she will need radiotherapy, which would start in two to three weeks and last for two to four weeks, and probably extend her recovery a couple of additional months. We live in a very remote area a couple of hours north of Chiang Mai, in an old, musty farmhouse that is not ideal for mental, physical or emotional health, and is anyway too far from the hospital in CM. If she needs radiation, we definitely need to be closer for those weeks, but we'd really like to be in or near the city - and out of this big mold-box - for a few months, so she can rest and recuperate in a more clean and healthy environment. Our idea is that we find a house in the Chiang Mai area that we could rent for maybe 3 or 4 months, but our budget is very (very) limited - especially after all of the medical expenses - so we would need Thai level prices. At the same time we need a place with some sun, in a modern style - no more musty wood - and in an at least relatively quiet area. Way too much to ask for? Yes, most definitely, but we are both worried that staying in this old, dank and dark farmhouse while she tries to regain her physical and mental well-being is a terrible idea, and again we have very little money at this point, so I ask anyway even if it seems impossible... If anybody knows a little home we can use probably until the end of the year, not too far from the CMU medical / Suan Dok area, that is clean and modern-ish (concrete and tile rather than traditional wood), with a little sun and a little yard, but very (very) affordable, it would mean the world to us. Thanks so much!

Dr Jack, Thanks so much for your quick and clear answer. One further question, if I may - is it three months after my date of application / approval, or 3 months after my actual renewal date (which is about 3 weeks later)? Thanks again!

Hello lovely community, I have a Thai retirement visa which I've just renewed, and I need information on one specific requirement / rule, google searching on which seems to provide many different answers... I am using bank funds - 800,000 baht - to secure my visa, but I might have to dip into that money due to a medical emergency. So my question is, are there rules about how long that money needs to stay in the account AFTER my renewal? I know it has to be in place at least 3 months, or maybe 90 days, BEFORE I renew next year, but does it also need to be in place for something like 2 months after I renew, meaning there is only like a 7 month window when the balance can go down to 400,000 baht? I would love to hear answers specifically for the Chiang Mai immigration office, which can be very strict in enforcing the rules, and sometimes seems to even kind of make stuff up... Thanks so much, as always!

Hi all, Just a quick question, because I am seeing conflicting information on the web (surprise surprise!). How many times in one year can somebody who doesn't already have a visa (a Brit, if it matters) fly into Thailand and receive a 30 day VOA? Some say six times, others say it's unlimited, but I always come here for a definitive answer. Thanks loads, and happy new year!

Thanks for the guide, swm59nj - a lot of fun stuff going on. Hope you're having a great holiday season!

Thanks, that's enormously helpful - Merry Christmas!

Wow, all, I really do appreciate replies, but it seems we may have lost the plot a bit? I would really love to hear from anybody who has actually been through this very thing, and has some advice based on first hand experience: - should I go into the immigration office and just take care of things? - should / can I do my TM30 online, and then re-submit my TM47? - if I can do both online, but my TM47 is due on 10 December, should I even risk online processing? I know I have a 7 day grace period, but I think they want to see TM47s submitted well in advance... - does anybody have any idea why a 1 night stay, in a hotel in the same province, has triggered this need to re-establish / re-register my permanent address? I am sorry, and again I thank you for the many replies, but kind of need to figure this out - again, my TM47 is due on the 10th, so that still means this coming week (and I think they're closed on Monday). So I would love to focus a bit, and stay away from imm-anger, judgment towards the poor, overworked officers, off-topic arguments, opinions and (sorry again) some obvious misinformation. Thanks so much!