heretostay

Glad to provide feedback.

There seemed to be five or six front-line officers working. I didn't do a formal count. We all seemed to get funneled to a single second-line officer for a second check. Some of the 26 before me left before I did, but some were still there when I left, as well as people who had higher queue numbers than mine. (As mentioned, a stack of about 20 passports came out at the same time, among them mine.)

Only one surprise today in the annual request for an extension of stay based on retirement: they insisted that there be a transaction on the bankbook dated today (the day of application for the extension), saying that the one I'd done yesterday (when I got the account statement from the bank to present to immigration) was not acceptable - there had to be a transaction today. Maybe this is an old requirement, but it was new to me.

I also had to sign a statement saying I was aware of the new overstay rules and another statement saying that my extension would be cancelled under certain conditions (no surprises).

I had arrived at 8:30 a.m. just as the doors opened, had queue number 27 at 8:45, was called in at 9:30, went to the second officer before 10:00 where I was told to add a transaction to my bank account and bring back the bankbook and a photocopy, which I accomplished in ten minutes. Then I had to wait an addition hour and a half until I was given my passport back. They were not handing passports back continually; a whole stack (maybe 20) arrived all at once. Looks like the processing is not continuous after all.

I had booked a re-entry appointment for 2:00 p.m., but high-tailed it to the re-entry counter at 11:40, hoping to make the noon break deadline - and was successful. The officer noticed that my appointment was in the afternoon, but simply smiled and processed me anyway. Out at 11:50.

Hope that someone finds this info of interest.

Make an appointment online with CW for the re-entry permit and avoid the queue altogether. In and out in five minutes! It works. I've done it.

I did my retirement extension at CW a couple of months ago and no proof of residency was required.

Fished out the document I got from Immigration two years ago entitled, "Requirements and documentations (sic) when applying for extension of temporary stay in case of retirement"

The "documentations" section lists the following:

1) application form TM7 with a photo of the applicant

2) Passport

3) evidence of financial support (they then describe the 800K option and the 65K option and the combination option); you'll need the updated bank book and the letter from the bank.

4) application fee is 1,900 baht

As I mentioned earlier, you will also need a letter from your employer saying you have left their employ. If at all possible, have everything dated on the day of your application - this is my personal advice; nothing official about it.

As for the bank letter, I always prefer to have things ready in advance, before going to CW. Whatever can go wrong does go wrong. The day I did my extension this year happened to be the annual "half-year holiday" for civil servants and banks, so my bank was closed in CW and I had to taxi to Central CW and back to get the letter. Not fun. I should have done it in advance. Just saying.

As for the work permit, I would suggest giving it back to your employer and letting them bring it back to the Labor Ministry. (Mine did it this way; in fact, mine never let me hold the permit myself!) If they refuse, then you may want to do it after your "retirement extension" has been completed.

Good luck.

I've done this without much of a hassle. There is no need to leave Thailand for this transaction. At CW, I got a list of documents to provide.
Be sure that you have a confirmation letter from your employer that you've left their employ as of the day that you apply for the switch from B to O. Such a letter was not in the list of documents that Immigration had provided me. Plus deposit 100 baht into your bank account the day before your application (and update and photocopy the bank-book) and have the bank issue a letter confirming your bank balance. Check the letter carefully to be sure your account number and balance are correct.

Good luck!

Yes to all your questions BUT they will all be running with overflowing loads, queues will be long, and the general experience (for a tourist couple) may not be all that pleasant.

You may want to plan to stay put in one place from the 4th to the 8th. Also, please note that the 5th is the holiday but the 7th is the "day off" for schools and government offices, since the 5th is a Saturday this year.

Enjoy your stay in Thailand!

Thanks for that link...not sure what the status is but assume the guy hasn't gone through the process (and the child is still quite young).

Thanks again for the help.

Thanks guys.

Yes, he is the legal father. (The US required a paternity test, which was positive, before issuing the child a visa.)

Let's see if my buddy wants to go down any of these routes.

Thanks again!

My buddy is 36 and a US citizen. Three years ago he fathered a child with his then-girlfriend, who is Thai. The child holds both US and Thai passports. The parents do not live together but the father has liberal visitation rights.

What options are open to this guy in terms of visa/extension? He doesn't have a job right now. Can he stay without working, based on being the Thai child's father?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us on this.

I agree with lopburi3. You don't need an agent. It can seem baffling and overwhelming at times, but all immigration departments and all countries are! Deep breath, prepare for the worst (a very long day and, as you've already learned, failure), and keep calm. The officials at immigration are professional and speak fairly good English (which is not the case in many other countries where only the local language is used at immigration). The procedures are clearly defined and often printed out (in English). I went in to change my visa type a year or two ago and got a clear list of the required documents, and it worked the first time I submitted the application.
With that said, be sure to look very carefully at any document you submit beforehand, to be sure it's complete and accurate. If there is anything wrong with it (e.g., the bank mis-typed your account number in the balance confirmation letter), it'll be rejected. (Been there, done that.)
Sorry your kids have to go through another round but sure you'll be fine on your own. Let us know back!

Hello experts!

At what point (measured in years or trunk circumference) does it become unnecessary to fertilize rubber trees? Or do we fertilize forever?

Thanks in advance.

Thanks all.

Will check with the Thai passport office when we apply for the kid's passport, but your comments seem to say that just signed letters and copies of the parents' IDs will allow me to take the child out of Thailand.

For entrance into my home country, well, if the kid has a visa, I don't think they'll raise any objections, but will be sure they know the nature of the visit, as well.

Again, thanks for your replies.

Thai friends have asked me to take their child (now 2 years old) to my home country for periods of several weeks each year to bolster the child's English fluency. I am a primary care-giver for the child, along with the parents, who both work full-time.

What documents do the Thai immigration authorities require so the child can travel abroad without his/her parents?

Thanks for any help on this.

Don't let anyone deter you - The Glacier Express (Zermatt-St. Mortiz) is breath-takingly beautiful and a unique experience. Be sure to have lunch on the train (you many not actually get a choice).

Sure Switzerland is expensive. What isn't these days? But no one has built a railroad like The Glacier Express. Worth every franc.

Happy travels.

In the evenings (except Mondays), there is a stand with such t-shirts on Silom Road very near Soi 4 - can't remember if it's just before or after the soi, but certainly within 100 m. I always notice it - they have a Clockwork Orange motif that always gives me the willies...

Hope you find what you're looking for.

I had a similar but different problem with my laptop keyboard - it decided to activate the Windows key (the one with the Windows logo, between Fn and Alt keys) which has all kinds of strange consequences - and the only solution was a new keyboard, which my laptop manufacturer provided at no charge (Fujitsu), as the machine was still under guarantee.

I'd try a new keyboard if I were you.

Good luck and let us know, please.

Hi,

For my 2 satangs, I would just suggest to you - since you seem to be first-time visitors to Thailand - that if there is ANY trouble upon departure, be sure to remember what you read in the guidebooks about Thai culture: conflict is NOT accepted behavior.

So if they say anything about the extra day, just give them your best smile and a nod of the head - you don't have to say anything at all, as there is nothing to say. The ball is clearly in the immigration officer's court, so let him/her manage things. As others have mentioned, you might just get off without a fine at all, otherwise you might have to pay some small fee. Chances are that if you get agressive or beligerent (and it doesn't take much), the fine will go up, up, up (and who knows what other problems they could create for you). There is no need to try to explain anything, just stand there smiling until they tell you what to do. (If you really can't help yourself, a short, "I'm so sorry," would not be misplaced nor misunderstood.)

OK,enough rattling. Enjoy your stay and, as we say around these part, don't worry, be happy!

So I went to the social security office (on Silom Road) to get things going. I learned the following:

- Employees of private language schools are no longer allowed to register in the social security system. ull stop! I'm not altogether convinced that Thai employees are similarly persona non grata, but we foreigners certainly are.

- I could have signed up as a private member of social security (not through an employer), if I had done it within six months of leaving my last job (it's been a year). The M39 resgistration form clearly says this, so I think it applies to Thai people as well.

- I then asked if I could sign up for social security if I were here on a retirement visa/extension and the official clearly said that that would be out of the question.

Fortunately, my employer has a group policy with a good health insurer, so I have some coverage; not sure what I will do when I retire, but I have a few years to figure that out.

Thanks again for your help everyone.

I've searched myself over the past five years but never found the fluffy Gold Toes socks. With that said, I think they would be too hot for this climate anyway.

Thanks everyone.

Indeed, the new employer is a private language school. I had heard that they are no longer obliged to register employees (even Thai employees) with social security, and the above post confirms that (thanks, TerryLH).

OK, I will attempt to sign myself up at social security. Anyone know exactly which documents I'll need?

Hello all,

I used to be in the Thai health insurance scheme through my previous employer and was fully satisfied with the services of the hospital I was registered with.

Now I have a new employer and they are avoiding all of my questions about government health insurance; to keep a minimum coverage, I've signed onto my employer's group health plan with a private insurance company. (It's minimal, but better than nothing.)

My question is this: is the employer obliged by law to register me (as an employee) with government health insurance? (Yes, I have a non-immigrant B visa with extension and a valid work permit through this employer.) If not, can I register directly with the social security office?

Thanks in advance for any information and advice.

I am now working for a commercial language school where I have been told that employees of such language schools are no longer eligible for health insurance via social security (ประกันสังคม). Can this be right? I hold a non-immigrant B visa with an extension to stay based on employment, plus a one-year work permit. I was covered in the past when I was working for a government university... have I lost that right?

(My employer has offered a group plan with a private health insurance company, so there does seem to be a solution, but I would rather use the government plan - call me stupid if you want!)

The big career change combined with the expatriation move are major life changes and not to be taken lightly. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I did it: five years ago I gave up a career in management information systems in Europe and moved to BKK, where I have been teaching EFL. So far, so good, but it required planning and continual adjustment.

Some advice:

- Yes, take the 4-week TEFL/TESOL/CELTA course - it's all about teaching (not so much about English language) and was very helpful for me, as I lacked any formal education training

- Read up on Thailand as much as you can - check out the Bangkok Post and Nation newspapers on the internet

- Get ready for culture shock - you will be a victim continually (and I still am, five years down the road); Bangkok is not like living in London or Berlin or Paris or San Francisco - this is Asia, Southeast Asia, Thailand.

- Be clear to yourself about what you are trying to do with your life; have clear goals and don't get distracted (there are so many distractions here!)

Good luck and welcome to the club!

Hi,

To answer the initial question about income tax in Thailand:

It's 10% after a number of deductions:

a. 150,000.00 baht deduction for everyone (recently raised from 100,000)

b. 40% dedution with maximum of 60,000.00 baht deduction for "expenses"

c. another deduction of about 30,000.00 baht

At 45,000 per month x 12 = 540,000 income

Deductions a + b + c = 240,000

Taxable income = 540,000 - 240,000 = 300,000

Tax = 10% of taxable income = 30,000 (per calendar year, tax form and payment due at end of March of the following year)

Hope this helps.