dblaisde

Just wanted a sanity check. Below is my first-time "retirement visa" stamp, issued recently.

http://i.imgur.com/zwOVqBE.jpg

Looks like I show up at the immigration office on or before 30-Aug-2017 for my next 3 month renewal. Ok so far?

Now what if I decide I don't like going to immigration and mailed a TM7 form to them? Say 2 weeks before and with a "return receipt requested", just to prove I did my patriotic duty in case of "we never got your renewal" questions.

1) Does this sound like a good way to handle the 3 month renewal situation?

2) And, will the next 3 month renewal be due 2 weeks earlier (say) than "normal" because I mailed the TM7, say 2 weeks before Aug. 30th "just to be sure"? I just want to make sure I get the *next* renewal date right.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks Joe. You 'da man.

Just want to nail this down:

Some friends say "you need to have money in a Thai bank for 3 months" before you can apply.

But my understanding is that it's 2 months. Is this correct?

On 3/2/2017 at 8:34 AM, ubonjoe said:

>>You could apply for a one year extension at immigration during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries for your visa if you can meet the financial requirements.

 

What you mean by "a one year extension at immigration" is what's commonly known as a "retirement visa", right? Because that's my intention. It's where you submit a TM-7 along with SSA income affadavit from US embassy, proof of bank account (I have SSA and Kasikorn == 800K+), and perhaps something verifying residence, though I've stayed in a hotel for the last 8 years as a day-to-day so I may need something from the landlord.

I just don't want them to tell me I need an O-A.

I was told here I didn't need any "crime free" or "disease free" verification to get "resident visa" (though I'm both).

Quote

 

On 3/2/2017 at 8:34 AM, ubonjoe said:

It is requirement to get a OA long stay visa for retirement at a embassy or consulate in you home country.

See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-"O-A"-(Long-Stay).html

I'm confused. I *thought* you told me an O visa (good for a year) was sufficient for a "retirement visa". I got this below in NYC and had to show proof of income:

Well...two points:

1) I drive Linux and have never found a virus on my machine. I do scans every month or so but have never found one. Linux doesn't even come with antivirus software because it's not really necessary. So if you can stomach installing an operating system, that's one way to breath easier. Most spyware and viruses are designed for the Windows world anyway.

2) Windows 10 has viruses pre-installed by Microsoft, like the built-in keylogger, that sends your keystrokes back to Redmond, and tons of other privacy invasive software. I wouldn't trust Microsoft to protect you. They're on your computer to harvest you, in the form of advertising revenue.

Just my 2 sense.

15 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

"Falling ratings". If ever anyone was absolutely, completely wrong.......................................

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tv-ratings-bill-oreilly-finish-850467

The O’Reilly Factor, which anchors Fox News Channel’s primetime lineup at 8 p.m., is the No. 1 program in cable news for the 14th consecutive year, 

...................................

an increase of 14 percent year-over-year.

 

I doubt O'Reilly will be impacted much financially , given that he is very rich, sells loads of books and has sell out tours. He is probably very PO that the Murdochs stabbed him in the back though.

Ok. I'm wrong. I guess people aren't sick of this guy yet. Hard to imagine, yet...

The men that American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring  liars; the men they detest the most violently are those who try to tell them 
the truth.
— H.L. Mencken
 

Oh Christ. He's been sexually and otherwise harassing people forever at that so-called media outlet. If they're kicking him out, it's probably for falling ratings. This is just a convenient excuse. After all, it's that barbarian Rupert Murdoch doing to kicking. His only gauge of morality is quarterly profits. This is the guy who planted electronic bugs in people's private spaces to get juicy stories.

On 4/17/2017 at 9:46 AM, Sheryl said:

 

Only one podiatrist in Thailand that I know of - works in Bangkok and Sri Racha

https://www.bnhhospital.com/health-library/foot-care-clinic/

https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/en/doctors/cherdpong-hansasuta/

Ok, thanks Sheryl. I'll check those guys. It's a simple op so maybe somebody is good at it, despite the fact that this is Thailand.

Oh, well. Just thought I'd ask.... :)

I've suffered from toenail fungus since I've been 10 (70 now), having tried all sort of things for temp relief. 

At 70, it's time to remove these torturers forever (only the two big ones). I wear sneakers anyway, so I don't need them for protection. 

Is there a competent doc who does this here?

The simple operation takes 4 minutes as shown here. (not for the squeamish ) Seems like a Thai doc could manage this.

21 hours ago, islandgirljenny said:

That was a great photo, cheshiremusicman--where exactly did you take it? is it south of the golf course?

I still haven't made it over to the Franjipani (though I am curious about how it looks now--a couple of friends stayed there a while back, before the renovations, and they liked it a lot, especially the huge pool).

I did notice when I went into town yesterday that there are some signs on the street for rentals at very low prices (a couple of sample photos of the ad for one place--this is right on the main road south of the police station, and very near the beach--are attached).  Most of the newest buildings (and there are a LOT in this area--there's been an absolute building frenzy over the past six or seven years) have very tiny rooms, but if you're not looking for luxury you can definitely find something in the 15,000-16,000 range.

Good luck, and let us know when you're in town!  

Hey! Thanks!

I could be comfortable with up to 25-30K (or even buy) but initially I need a cheap day-to-day place (like the Condo Baan) to explore the area and see if it's for me. For that I need mobility, and possibly move around a bit and then take the plunge into a longer contract and better accommodation once I make my mind up to stay awhile. If the sea is close by, I suppose I don't need a pool and if it's not close by I'll get more exercise in my walk to the sea, no gym membership required. :) I'm mainly a walker anyway. First step is to see if I fit in there. I'm pretty sure I'll like the geography.

Thanks for the inside info! I'm filing all this away for a trip in the next 3-4 weeks, maybe sooner. Time to get out of BKK.

2 hours ago, cheshiremusicman said:

You say that you like walking on the beach and you won't find a nicer beach to walk along that the one at Khao Takiab (starts aprox 4 kms south of HH); it's about 7 kms long and backed by sea pines all the way. We also  have very good local hospitals for which you only pay local Thai prices for treatment. One is a Military hospital and the other is the Hua-Hin General hospital, so no need to pay the exorbitant prices that the farang places charge, I know because I've used them and had excellent service from them. I'm like you and nearly 74 years old and have been here in HH for 10+ years. If you are into sport then we have some excellent golf courses around us. HH has a 'Music  Society' which I have been  intending to join for some time, but just haven't got around to it. Plenty of very reasonably priced restaurants of all varieties, plus some very upmarket places. Local transport as previously mentioned is available at very low prices along all the main roads, so you don't have to have a vehicle to get around. Good local shops selling all kinds of vegetables/drinks  etc plus two very large shopping malls. We also have  a local sea food pier where you can buy freshly caught fish etc. A new ferry service has recently opened up between the northern end of the Khao Takiab beach that goes to Pattaya once a day. High quality coach services go to Swampy airport for 350B and to Jatajak marker for 140B, so if you fancy a trip to Bangkok it doesn't cost much. We have excellent air quality all the year round and probably have one of the best climates in Thailand overall. I have attached a photo of the local beach mentioned above. If you require any further information just send me a personal email to me.

 

I love sea pines! I didn't know about the military hospital. That's interesting. I've heard some fairly iffy things about say, Bangkok Hospital HH. (But no matter: BKK is close by).

I'm not a golfer, but love to walk on golf greens! (All that fresh air, just me and my army helmet:). Shops, cheap food, all good, especially farang food, since I've developed nasty allergies to MSG, oyster sauce (which is MSG), and a number of other Thai cooking sauces.

And the available transport for somebody who doesn't want to own or drive a motorbike but doesn't mind the occasional surprise 6 mile walk.

Thanks again for the help.

17 hours ago, islandgirljenny said:

https://www.dotproperty.co.th/en/1-bedroom-commercial-for-rent-in-hua-hin-prachuap-khiri-khan_556165

 

Don't know why it says "commercial"; don't check any of the hotel sites (Agoda, Tripadvisor, etc.) if you want to see the monthly rates.  I live just around the corner from the Franjipani, if you'd like me to go ask them about current rates please let me know.  It's newly renovated so mold issues might be at a minimum.

 

Couldn't find the low rate (c. 15,000 baht/month) at the Sea Craze that I saw earlier when I searched just now, but that happens on the web ... worth trying again from time to time.

 

Another place right on the beach (with nightly rates) is the Blue Wave hotel.  Agoda just quoted a price of 1,300 baht per night.  Not bargain-basement but not too bad either.

 

There's also the Boat Lodge Hotel, and several nearby condos (but most don't have nightly rates).  

 

Lots of choices in this area (and in many other areas in Hua Hin!).

 

Thanks again for all this. It's much more than I could have expected.

I'll be down there in less than a month to scope it all out. Should be a good time of year to be a prospective renter. I just discovered that there's Google Streetview for that area so I can walk it from cyberspace, even peering into windows. I can see soi dogs and rubbish on my screen, so it's starting to feel more like home already. :) 

I'm excited. After Bangkok pollution, there's nothing more I want to do than a lot of beach walking to get my body and mind back to normal.

I'll drop you a line when I'm in your neighborhood, and can treat you to a beer or a meal. It's good to meet the neighbors. :)

cheers,

Doug

1 hour ago, islandgirljenny said:

you can get a (small) room near the beach for as little as 11,000 baht per month.  Try Googling places such as the Franjipani hotel (now apparently partly converted to condos) and the Sea Craze condo, both in Khao Takiab. 

Can you give me the name of the 11,000 baht/mo place? (haha). The other two are very nice but definitely pricey, at least per-night (perhaps they have monthly rates though I didn't see them?).

Hi islandgirljenny,

Thanks. Perfect feedback. I've walked down there from "town" to the area you refer to. It's a longish walk along the beach to do every day, but as long as the songthaews are up and running, that's perfect.

The only issue with month-by-month is that I first have to know if I can make it day-by-day. :) "Make it" meaning whether I can survive a night allergy-wise. My chances are less than 50/50 (based on my allergen experience). In monthly rentals, I first have to make sure that one night works out OK. (When I come to a new town, I sometimes have 3 rooms rented out at once because I need the best pick of 3 bad ones. And it usually takes an hour or so in the room to know how bad it will be).

The approach of a "test night" can be a bit of a hard sell for some hotels. But...in low season and if I can put the right combo of English and Thai together to be understood, I might be able to convince a hotel that it's a sensible thing to do. For first times, I usually try to find a place I can get a night at a time and if I like it I'll try to get a good monthly rate. Anyway, in the beginning I expect to float around a bit till I find what location works well for me. 

Your hotel suggestions are great though, just what I need. Good recommendations (which I've found most here are) save a lot of aggravation and surprises. I'm more interested where full season expats live than "first timers", since the expat scene is what I'd like to become a part of. I've been to HH occasionally over the years for short periods so I know the layout in town. The rest is a mystery though, including your area.

Funny comment about your "full-timer friends" there all living in BKK. But again, it's nice to know that BKK is close by. I need to go up occasionally. It's also close to Pratchuap and Bang Saphan in the other direction. I know people in both places, especially Bang Saphan and both are only 2 or 3 hours away. I'm also fond of Ranong further south and the islands off it, so I'll have places to escape if I feel the need (as long as I don't feel it too often :))

Thinks for pointing me to the HH meetups. I'm active in Bangkok 'Meetups' and like them. And you're right, I could always start one. I'm comfortable doing such things. I was surprised that there are already some HH meetups that look interesting (and there seem to be almost as many, and more interesting, than the Pattaya meetups). I've also looked at the HH Facebook pages and they're encouraging.

I'm not *too* worried about accommodation prices. Not that I'm particularly rich, but I don't need a whole lot since there's just me and I'm not worried if I don't make the Modern Homes and Garden's magazine centerfold. I'm paying more for the location than my particular 4 walls. Nice beach walks, good friendships, and stimulating people is what I'm looking for. It's all in BKK too but I've found through trying out Central Bangkok that I simply can't breathe here. Strangely I've lived off and on in Banglampoo (Khao San Rd area) by the river for nearly 10 years with no ill effects except at the worst 3 months of the year (Apr-June). But the air in the center of the city is poisonous for me and there's no riverfront to walk for exercise.

Glad to hear about the fast transport up to Mo Chit, which as you point out is an ideal starting point to get into the city. I've also read that Pattaya air isn't very good either (despite the location). One of the Facebook groups has quite a few real estate offers (individuals vs. agencies) that look affordable and pleasant to me. Time and a lot of running around will tell. Thanks for the tip on older buildings. Old is fine with me as long as the room isn't moldy. (more allergies)

I'll probably first find an affordable night-by-night hotel and branch out from there. :) thanks again.

42 minutes ago, Seligne2 said:

If some grammar Nazi does not murder him first.

I hate those Grandma Nazis too.

7 hours ago, islandgirljenny said:

That's still true (not the whole farang population, of course! but a very substantial percentage).  There are a number of countries (mostly European) that will cancel their citizens' healthcare coverage if they stay away more than a certain amount of time (typically more than six months).  So even many westerners who own houses or condos here return to their country of citizenship for several months each year.  

A few of us (in my part of town, at the southern edge of the city) do have this as our only home.  But we are a definite minority. 

 

Thanks for the feedback. Glad there are a few that live there mostly full time. How do you like your part of town? Does it have a name? Is there a particular area in HH that the "full timers" tend to live? (If so I'd look for hotels there). 

I wonder if I lived like you do (on the outskirts) whether I'd need a motorbike to get into town. I like walking a lot but don't want to feel it's an hour's walk to get anywhere (and an hour back). I'm pretty leery of driving motorbikes though I trust motorbike taxi drivers, if they're available. A half hour walk would be fine though.

Thanks again for your comments. HH is a pretty big area so anything that narrows down where I might want to live or hang out is valuable.

7 hours ago, 233493_1469957364 said:

I agree with all the replies. I have lived in TH 12 years and have looked at both HH and Bang Saray 20km from Pattaya. I choose Bang Saray for these reasons:

 

1. Sports:  Live Football - Pattaya United and Navy Fc - both Toyota Premier League clubs - super nice stadiums, lots of snacks and have a beer during match. The Footy is improving as each side allowed a Foreign player quota now. 

 

Muay Thai fights, F1 Power Boat Races, Pro Jet Ski races, Volleyball Tournaments loads of live events seaside. I'm sure HH has its share as well. Golf haven. 

 

2. Island getaways: Can see Koh Larn - 30 minutes by ferry and Koh Samet younger crowd lots of live music and resorts are reasonable. But you feel miles away from and the water is crystal clear. There are also very nice public beaches in Sattahip, Narong - water is clear and blue - amazing compared to the brown water just 30 km away in Patts and Jomtien.

 

3. Restaurants:  I love loads of variety and higher end eateries many beachside. Everything within a 20-30 minute drive. Live music, festivals, wineries and local seafood joints. I have no use for Pattaya city nightlife, but do like the shopping options with Central Festival and the new Terminal 21 on it's way.

 

4. Pool Villas:  I think HH has the advantage here. The new pool villa projects are stunning and reasonably priced. Both cities have the mountain views (Sattahip). But there is just more inventory on the market in HH.

 

5. Commute: Bangkok is a great cosmopolitan city and has so much to offer. I have businesses and a condo in the city - I only go to BKK twice a month for 2-3 nights. I enjoy being able to be in BKK in 2 hours, the highway system form Pattaya is strong and getting better. I found I did not enjoy the drive from HH to BKK - roads too few lanes, more congested.

 

These are just a few observations - I live 1km from Bang Saray beach, an easy motorbike, bicycle ride to the fishing village. The expats are mostly Scandinavian, but loads of English speaking folks and generally quite nice and open to meeting new people. The Thais are lovely.

 

That said, I would highly recommend renting first in either or both cities. 8-12 months will give you a good feel for the area, rents are very reasonable, with 3b 2b pool villas for THB 25K - 35K for a very lovely spot. A nice home in a moo baan close to the sea with no pool can be 10K-15K and there are many.

 

Enjoy the good life and best of luck with your new adventure!

Thanks for the detailed account. For the first time you make me think that Pattaya might be a possible. I'm not much of a jock or food buff, but I like the beach, walking for exercise, peace & quiet (I'm 70 years old), and interesting conversation. I didn't know there were many Scandinavians in Patts. I'd heard there were many in HH. I only need one bedroom but a pool would be nice nonetheless.

In my 16 years here, I've only been to Patts twice and then only in the Walking Street ugly part of town so the rest is a black box to me. I've only judge the place based on the sex zombies (customers and vendors) I see knuckle dragging their way along. Not that I have anything against sex, but it's no longer my sole reason for living :), so there has to be something else. I like conversation: interesting, funny, original chats leading to good friendships. I was part of a sea community in Bang Saphan, but it became filled with male social misfits who cared a lot about motorbikes, dissing Thai women, English football, getting drunk early and often (happy hour begins at 2PM), and fist-fighting in bars ("did you just say my motorbike was 'underpowered'?!!). Fist fights between 70 year old drunks are boring but usually nobody lands a punch. So....I was hoping for a place to grow friendships. I like reading, drawing, science, classical music and computers too. (This is usually a disadvantage unless I'm in Bangkok, where there are discussion groups for these things, but I don't expect miracles from beach towns. I'm there for good air, exercise, chatting, and some laughs. A lot of the "cultural stuff" I can get online.

One good thing about HH is that it's close (3 hours) to Bang Saphan, and I'll still have a few friends down there.

Again, thanks for your comments.

2 hours ago, themerg said:

Hot BUT very very nice ocean breeze.

Same as anywhere in Thailand, in low season prices go down.

Bluport Resort mall.

I like Hua Hin. Nice and cooler at night from ocean breezes.

I also was hoping the conversational level might be higher than Pattaya. (ie: people have conversations not limited to food, the evils of Thailand, Thai women especially, how drunk they got last night, or football)

2 hours ago, Falcon said:

Hua hin is really no different year round for those of us who live here. High season is obviously more tourists and busier in the town but again, for those of us living here it makes very little difference. Hua hin is a nice place to live with most of what you need, as long as it's not only bars and clubs that your looking for. Still relatively safe and a good place to bring up a family.

But the story maybe 10 years back was that HH's farang population left town in off season. I gather that's not true anymore.

2 hours ago, Falcon said:

Hua hin is really no different year round for those of us who live here. High season is obviously more tourists and busier in the town but again, for those of us living here it makes very little difference. 

Thanks. Is there an area where  expats tend to hang out? I'd like to talk with some for advice on apartments, transport, social hangouts, etc.

I'm looking for a good selection of expats to hang out with throughout the year, but I heard HH is pretty vacant during low season. Do I have this right?

What's the expat community like?

thanks

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Info about it and setting up a direct deposit account is here. http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUSA/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUSA.aspx

The direct deposit account requires going in person to withdraw or transfer the funds.  I go once a month when it comes in and transfer the funds to my other account there.

I get a SMS when it comes with the amount in dollars minus the fee for the transfer and the amount in baht along with the exchange rate.

 

How badly do you get ripped off by Bangkok Bank in these transactions? No doubt they expropriate a healthy percentage for converting it from dollars to thai baht. I wonder if Viss subtractts a conversion fee for AAM charges.. I've heard scare stories which says it's about percent. (or more).