dancep

thanks ubonjoe and others for the info...  I know this is 3 months old but hopefully okay.  I will try to get the embassy  retirement letter, the medical but not the Police report and head to Penang with my 800K bank book and bank letter.  Hopefully enough for the Non-O

If refused I will get a tourist visa and see the beach...  will let you know

On 10/17/2017 at 4:03 PM, LongTimeLurker said:

I just collected my non-O visa based on retirement from Penang Consulate this afternoon. Below is a list of the documents they requested besides the usual application form, photos, and passport copy.

 

1. Proof of funds in Thailand. They would not consider bank statements from banks outside Thailand, and they wanted the original Thai bank book.

 

2. Letter from the Thai bank.

 

3. Income letter from British Embassy (even though applying on bank deposit basis, not income basis).

 

4. Rental contract for accommodation or chanote for owned property.

 

I obtained the visa with only 1. from above.

 

YMMV

Thanks...  for the 90 Day non-O for retirement purpose I assume the 800K has to be in the Thai bank but not for 60/90 days.  ie that is needed for the 12 month extension only?  Mine is only in a few days so far.

So they did not ask you for police or medical cert....   but the income letter I guess is the 'proof of retirement'.

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Look at the date on  that post.

The are now wanting a medical and police certificate.

Savannakhet or Penang are the best but both want proof of retirement when using the money in the bank option which can be a income letter from your embassy shewing any amount of income. One person used a statement that he was retired notarized at his embassy.

Thanks very much for your quick reply.   Things do change, and rarely make it easier.

When you say the best (penang) , do you mean they don't require the health or police certificate?  The health one is easy but the police one from my home country is impossible.  Perhaps I won't be able to do it on this trip.  The Visa service companies charge 15,000 baht and doesn't require them, but it takes 20 days.

I was told no income statement is required for the extension with funds in the bank, but maybe at Vientiane now.

I have done some searches and have not found a recent thread with the requirements.   If you have any guess on % success in Penang (or Laos)  without the police certificate let me know.     If close to zero I guess I should wait until after my next trip to home country.   

Thanks for your help.

On 3/26/2016 at 5:02 PM, elviajero said:

• Application Form: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/Visa%20Application%20Form_new_V_13_8_2558.pdf
• Original bank book - Updated showing a minimum of 800K.
• Signed copy of the bank book.
• Signed copies of passport; ID page, maybe Laos Visa/entry stamp.
• 2 x photos
• 2,000 Baht

Thanks for this succinct list.   I assume that`s just a photocopy of the bank book that I sign, and not a letter from the bank.

I read somewhere else someone talking about health and police clearance for the Non-O, but I assume that they were confused with needing that when applying in their home country.

I also am assuming a copy of my lease should be proof of residence if needed, and don`t need anything an official residency permit.

Thanks for the replies and advice....

We drove up Friday at 9am and back Sunday at 11am and it took 3 hours coming back without stops. As someone mentioned, since it is low season now the traffic was not bad, and the death vans were well behaved. Of course we still had some cars and trucks passing at dangerous spots but nothing too bad. I was thinking that by 9am 90% of the morning vans have probably left anyways. One pick up piled sky high with mattresses seemed ready to tip over as he flew by... I guess if they tumble down the mountain they have something to land on.

One piece of good advice I read on TV was that passengers can keep their eyes on the road to reduce the chance of being sick. When I looked out at the lovely views of smoke I started to feel sick... then went back to watching the road and was fine. Didnt need to use a puke stop...

And agree that this is a lousy time to go to Pai overall... more smokey than Chiang Mai, and much much dryer. On the way it is still basically green, but in Pai it is very brown and dusty... I assume they get less rain way back when it was raining. I will definitely go back again, but not until after it starts raining, and not after February. Easy to find a hotel though...

I have read a bit on the best and safest way to get to Pai... in terms of the vans I heard they move a bit slower going up hill to Pai than down to C Mai... but of course not very safe and seems many get sick. I was thinking of taking a van up and a bus down, or fly back even.... although flying is probably much nicer in a less smokey season....

But now I think i might drive by car there myself, and wondered what is the best time of day that would minimize other traffic, specifically the vans that love to pass on blind corners in both directions, which I have seen driving to and from Chiang Rai. My theory is that the vans and buses would be based in Chiang Mai, mostly leaving between 8am to maybe 11am, and returning from after 12pm... Does anyone know when most are on the road?

So my guess of best time to enjoy and survive the drive would be to leave C Mai early by 7am... perhaps only a few would catch up, and less traffic coming down and no vans. And then a few days later return late afternoon, behind most or all that have left from Pai, and perhaps not much traffic heading up to Pai later in the day.

haha I know I am over thinking this but interested in opinions of those who know. Also, although a windy road is it fine to drive? My Thai driving experience is to and from Mae Sai, and up and down Doi Inthanon... both would have been much more fun with less traffic, several near misses!

thanks in advance

for 2014, Am thinking of traveling to Krabi and then on to Koh Jam... what days does the water fights go on and therefore not good for travel. Some water fights are fine, but not when you are trying to get places with baggage etc....

Since the 13 th is Sunday would it start Friday until... or later?

I was told that Philippines was strict on this and to have my proof of return available at BKK on departure. So I showed the Cebu Pacific counter person my return ticket on their airline on my laptop and even this was not good enough, they told me immigration in Philippines needed to see a printout. They relented but told me to get a printout at BKK airport before I boarded which I did, sure enough the Philippines guy asked for it.... I was also asked by Eihad in UK on my way to Thailand to show my visas for the time of my stay.

So it can vary and best to be prepared, but I never have been asked entering Thailand to show anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

according to the UN the rate in Thailand is 4.8 per 100K for all murders. Would be interested to know where the other one comes from as the difference so big.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to say this, but racing on the street, sohm nam naa.

Sometimes the race is only in the mind of one of the parties. I was riding home at a reasonably spirited pace from my girlfriends place in central Bangkok about 2 years ago on my gsxr. After about 10 minutes I realized some kid on a cbr150 was 'racing' me and performing some pretty stupid moves through traffic to stay close to me. I wasn't interested, so I slowed down to let him by, at which point he tried to undercut a car that was turning left into a gas station (the car wasn't indicating) and heard a sickening crunching noise and saw him fly over the bonnet. He was going around 70kph.

My point being, it's quite possible the Ducati rider was not aware that the drunk in the car was 'racing' him.

My thoughts as well... I doubt the Ducati driver would want race an old car, no point, so the race was in the drunks mind. Sad thing is the drunk probably doesn't have 450K baht to pay, nor will his insurance if he has that. The Ducati driver is probably dependent on his own insurance which should pay for repairs unless he admits to racing.... and even then as he was stopped when hit.

But true that the real story is drunk driving, but didnt seem to be important as reported.

Very fast replies and very useful.... I now see that in Canada they were using the minus cyl, and at Rutnin in BKK they used the plus cyl notation. So it looked like my new Thai prescription had an opposite astigmatism in one eye, and increased strength, when in fact it has barely changed once I convert it. So makes a lot more sense!

Amazing what we learn... I am also buying from Zenni after hearing some good reviews. An entire progressive set of glasses with high impact 1.61 for about $100.... would cost $400 or more locally in Canada. I tried to buy in Thailand but found it was much harder than I expected in the many shops, and not that cheap once they added all the extras.. and I tended to be swarmed by staff who thought every single frame looked great on me... So I will try online and take my chances, rather than wait until I come back to Thailand next month.

thanks a lot

I went to Rutnin eye hospital and got a new prescription, and am now buying a new pair of glasses in the US online.... but I want to check if the prescription is written in the same standard as the US and Canada. I ask as the Cyl and Axis numbers are quite different from prior ones, and I understand there are different ways to write the prescription.

Any ideas?

thanks

where do you get the Bell bus and how much is it? Sounds like a good option. When I took a van once it did feel rather unsafe, very crowded, and they did not take me to the hotel, just in the area. Since then I have taken the Ekamai bus and then a baht bus... which is fine. Or the Jomtien to airport bus is very good as well.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery....

Amazing how petty some people can go through their lives... noone is forced to donate, so why complain about a fundraising effort to help someone? They are not trying to dump the costs on Thailand or the hospital, but come up with the payment. The costs long term will be substantial.

re Canadian healthcare... if you are resident in Canada, you have very limited coverage when outside the country, so need to buy private insurance for travel. And when a non-resident like this person, you have NO Cdn govt coverage at all. In fact, usually you don't have coverage the first 3 months you move back to Canada. I am not sure if they waive that for cases like this. His costs to move back would not be covered, that can be a lot of course....

When I have been in Jomtien I have seen large swimming areas cordoned off, I assume it was like this where the accident happened...

At least the driver didn't take off and stayed to answer questions.

hi there

I don't generally care if someone overstays... it is their business and problem to sort out and most are not causing trouble. But there is someone who I believe is on long term overstay, who is abusive to women and people in general. I was thinking of reporting him as a possible overstay to immigration as a way to have this person deported before he causes more problems and harm.

Is there any anonymous way to go about this? Not totally necessary but would make it easier. Do the police take this seriously or not? Or would they just be looking for a pay off and let him go either way?

Thanks in advance.

Can I apply for a retirement visa when in the country on a tourist visa? Can I open a bank acct on a tourist visa? If not, how do you get the bank acct 800K done for 2 months?

If you apply for it in your home country, how do you get the thai bank acct open and deposited? I assume it must be a thai bank. But you also need a home police check and health check... so i sort of assume you have to have the visa before leaving home?

Thanks

the good news for them is they can probably get their money back on the amulets...

This moron (me) decided to do my visa run to Cambodia today as it is the closest border and within a 2.5 hour drive. I should have read the news first as the border was closed when we got there.

You mean the Aranyaphrathet - Poipet border??? Jesus. That's news!

can anyone confirm this is open? I assume he meant one closer to the action... but I am going to the Poipet one on Sunday to go to Siem Riep. Anyone go to this crossing today?

thanks

Does Tracy have an email or charity to contact? Hard to know where to start when we see someone who seems disorientated and possibly in a similar but earlier state on the street here...

Thanks for a detailed report... Interesting that you paid 700 baht to go all the way from PP to BKK. I have been quoted 1000 b from my apt in BKK to Siem Riep, which obviously is not as far.

To cross into Cambodia, I heard $20 US will do rather than 1000 Baht, if so that is a cost savings. Do you need a photo or 2?

Thanks

I left at the end of April and plan to come back in the fall. Thailand is no longer on the news, I assume things are sort of back to 'normal' for now?

yes I met a Russian guy who was getting 30 days on land visa runs to Malaysia and he planned to do this for a year or more. Anyone know why they limited some countries to 15 days and not others? Am I from a 'hippie' country?

I assume if you renew your passport then they dont check their computer for prior trips and visas? ie is the slate wiped clean?

Obviously a hassle but possible if needed. I know UK passports are 10 years though, whereas in Canada they only are good for 5 yrs anyways.