William C F Pierce

Only one choice. West Coast of Costa Rica. Reasons

The UPSIDE:

1. Weather; slightly wargonemer in cool season and cooler in the hot season than Thailand. The seasons are more balanced. 2. Can get 90 days on arrival before applying for 2 year visa renewable for 1 more year before you then get permanent residency and no signing on at Immigration every 90 days. Freedom! 3. Financial requirements: must have an income of at least $1500 and open a Bank Account in a local bank with at least $60,000 which you can spend on a property if you want. You are not compelled to keep it there like the 800,000 Baht in Thailand. 4. It is possible to buy a piece of land four times the size of a piece of land in Thailand at half the Thai price. No-one is allowed to own the beach or shoreline. Not even locals. A large number of American Real Estate Agents here. 5. After your initial 3 years you also get free medical care if you ever need it. 6. Costa Rica is the only country in the world without an army. It only ever had one military coup and that was to have a referendum to abolish itself, that the people all voted for. ( A lesson for Thailand maybe? ). 7. Because it has no army to fund it spends more on Education than most other countries. 8. Quite a number of US Film Stars and Entertainers have properties in Costa Rica. Which you won't see in Thailand. 9. There are more animals and plant species than in any other country on the planet. 10. Will not have to go into a shop to be spoken to by a Thai using English words with Thai Grammer.

The DOWNSIDE:

Food costs more. Especially if you want imported American food.  Property can cost more if you don't do your research.

FOOTNOTE: The Amazement has long gone from  Amazing Thailand. Many Americans are gone. Many Europeans are gone. The Chinese have quickly gone. They are now looking to entice the Indians of India who will also soon be gone.

On 10/3/2021 at 7:18 AM, Dogmatix said:

I think it is unlikely that international courier companies are doing this on their own account but that doesn't mean there is no corruption involved. The Customs Dept is one of the most corrupt government agencies. Couriers use clearance agents to do the clearance. So it is possible that there is collusion between the courier staff, the clearance agent and the customs.

Unknown to the courier Company The customs sent me an official receipt by post for 200 Baht. Which would have been correct for one electrical item. Customs don't charge duty on clothes in a suitcase.

On 10/4/2021 at 6:00 PM, smedly said:

maybe they had an accident

Do you mean to say that their car shot them?

Does the Government forget about Thaksin and start chasing these bigger fish. If they did this they would not have to apply visa taxes on tourist on arrival.

3 years ago I sent a suitcase to my self in Thailand. The contents mostly clothes. The courier company (DHL) insisted on a payment from Thai Customs of 3700 Baht. Two weeks after I received my Suitcase. I received in the post a receipt for 200 Baht from Thai Customs. The courier companies you pay to send it, are charging again to receive it and blame it on the Thai Customs who are blameless. Apparently it is something courier companies and postal services are doing worldwide to double their profits. At one time I use to receive my parcels without any extra charges. I no longer send anything. All the courier companies are corrupt.

On 9/20/2021 at 8:58 AM, Upnotover said:

You can apply in Chiang Mai, if that's any help

Where in CM!!! B*llSh*t Boris closed the CM Consulate years ago when he was Foreign Secretary.

The problem may not be with Wise. It could be your US Bank releasing the funds to Wise. The reason you give for sending the money may or may not give suspicion for money laundering by your own bank. Wise has bank accounts in over 100 countries, because of this; as soon as they receive the money from you. They electronically transfer it in the destination country straight to your chosen account. My own experience is it arrives in a few hours. Even though they say up to 8 hours. My own bank used to take over a week and charge £30 for a slow poor service. Wise charges me less than £3 for an 8000B transfer every month. Wise is the greatest banking innovation since sliced bread.

The self applied ranking of second when the actual data says fifth. The kids in government have been off school for so long. they have forgotten how to count.

12 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

Mine for Boris is..........Go **** yourself

He's a C-Nut that was born stupid or he just grew that way.

On 9/7/2021 at 3:42 PM, Will B Good said:

Any tourism to Thailand will be highly dependent on whether or not Thailand is red, amber or green listed by the tourist's country of origin.

 

UK has Thailand red listed, so there will be very few, if any, 'real' tourists from there regardless of what TAT dream up..

The UK is too politically ignorant to allow tourists to Thailand now. 

When there was very few cases or no cases in Thailand last year. At which time I returned to the UK from Thailand. When Covid was still rampant in the UK. I still had to self isolate at home for 2 weeks on my return.

The politics in the UK are worse than Thailand. The Government says it gets things done, but the people of the UK "Get Done! Get Done! Get Done!"

On 9/4/2021 at 11:20 AM, jaiyen said:

At the beginning of the Covid crisis he said that he would be running the show and would be personally  responsible for everything. Well, he has proved once again how useless he is, and all his lickers !

Well what else do you expect from a C-Nut?

1 minute ago, Lite Beer said:

You can apply for permanent residency but it requires 3 years of paying income tax plus more.

What on a Pension.

19 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Card readers are great, I use mine no problem you can also use anybody else's reader. but some banks still don't use them.  charge from my uk bank is 20 quid for any amount sent. I checked out Wise and it would have cost me ALOT more. edit; still can't figure out how they work though unless codes are imbedded in your card somehow. 

I have money sent regularly to Thailand and it only cost me a couple of pounds using Wise. Wise also gives you a better exchange rate because they do it with funds they already have in Thailand in 2 Thai Banks. Their costs are low because they have bank accounts in over a hundred different countries. They therefore don't have to actually move money between countries. 

It would be cheaper and quicker to adapt a Coca Cola can filling machine. Producing 1800 a minute or 70million a month. Thailand's third world production methods even with a Thai robot. Is not the height of industrial efficiency.

Now Thailand with the worst accident rate in the world, has found a way to kill each other faster than Covid. Welcome to Amazing Thailand.

On 8/5/2021 at 4:17 PM, bust said:

Pol Col Thawatchai Pongwiwattanachai ????

 

He must wear a incredibly large name tag ????

It''s not as long as PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha-Chan-O-Cha-Chan-O-Cha-Chan-O-Cha

At one time I considered this long stay at over 70. It is now becoming impossible unless you are willing to pay the price of a car or house for health insurance. This is now on top of the TM. 30, which you re-do if you travel anywhere in Thailand. Plus endless 90 day reports. I have seriously researched to go else where. Such as Costa Rica with 90 day on arrival Visa, a $60,000 deposit in a bank with local currency which you can spend immediately and not have to keep there permanently. Initial Visa is $200 for 2 years ( NO 90 day report ) a one year Visa extension is $100, upon which you gain residency after the 3 years. Minimum income requirement is $1000. After a couple of years you get all medical care FREE. Unlike Thailand you  can own land or property freehold. Many of Hollywood's Elite own property here and they don't even consider Thailand's Elete Visa. "AMAZING THAILAND" THE PRISON DESTINATION FOR TOURISTS. The west coast of Costa Rica here I come. The Cool season not as cold as Chiang Mai and Hot season average about 34C not 40C. Insurance is supposed to be about risks, but insurance companies nowadays take no risks it is all about their guaranteed profits.

On 5/31/2020 at 12:51 AM, vinny41 said:

Yes not many check google flights for which airlines I think only eva is non stop

True it is non-stop, but its operation varies between 1 & 3 days a week. Not daily.

The Government as I read it cancelled the need for Visa extensions and 90 day reporting till the 31 July. Which was for 3 months. 

On 5/29/2020 at 12:18 PM, CLS said:

Reuters‘ News cannot be trustworthy. Let‘s wait for TAT.

You are right. I'm a tourist and I have been stuck here since beginning of March with flights cancelled. I'm surviving and not in a hurry to leave. I rent a house for the year it gets paid for whether i'm here or not. I'm helping the Thai economy a lot spending no more than 1000 Baht a week on food. The government has even given me 3 months free Visa extension saving me £145.50 to encourage me.

On 5/29/2020 at 10:57 AM, paulikens said:

what i don't get is this insurance that covers covid 19,no new insurance policy is going to cover you for covid 19. so do i presume that your only gonna get in if you have a insurance that you took out before all this happened.

The best choice for insurance is from a Thai Bank. Policies are cheaper than foreign Insurance who only want your money and not provide the benifits. The Thai insurances specify the amount of cover for hospitalisation per day. Some will even give you a lump sum if you are murdered.

16 hours ago, asiacafe said:

When was Venus reclassified as a star?

Their on another pilgrimage following it to find another Jesus.

22 hours ago, VBF said:

Slightly Just responding to @William C F Pierce

I returned to the UK on Mar 25th so have been back nearly a month.

I've noticed a distinct improvement in the supermarkets in my area (Surrey) since my return

On Monday I walked into my local Sainsburys without having to queue - had to previously. Got almost all I wanted, so definitely not empty + no queue at the checkout.

Shorter queues at other shops too, compared with 3 weeks ago. Prices not being increased beyond normal.

So if you do make it back, that's the situation...sorry to hijack the thread but it seemed relevant. 

Thanks nice to know there is an improvement in the store. The only mo, no is the uncontrolable death rate in the UK.

The rest of the world has been hit harder than Thailand. Business profits will be in lockdown. Wages will be in lockdown. Flights may increase if air tickets prices are in lockdown. The big "BUT" is the world is heading for the biggest depression since the 1930s. The Thai naivety does not recognise this, despite the forecasts of major economic experts. A depression is much more severe than a recession. The Thai tourist trade will be most affected by this. Asia has become the workshop of the world, with a large proportion of its products sold to western countries. If western countries reduce their buying. The Thailand's 80% local tourism will suffer as a result of this. Maybe try changing 2021 to 2031 for back to normal.