SeeJo

I seem to have my concerns all addressed. I'm Chiang Mai bound....

Thanks to all,

SeeJo

So from the last posts, I can indeed get consecutive Retirement Extensions off the previous one (no Non-IMM-O required each time) until and unless that chain is broken somehow - I just have to get a new Income Affadavit each year, right?

I read the link posted by CharlieH, but as i read it it is still talking about the other embassies (other than the U.S., Australia, etc), and the Affadavit is still accepted with nothing more being required Are there any other comments on this?.

SeeJo

I need to clarify that I am under the assumption that I can get a consecutive 1 year Retirement Extension off the one I am on now, without jumping through the hoop of starting over with a Non-Imm.-O visa again.

If I am wrong about this i hope someone will let me know.

Thanks,

Seejo

I am about to go to Immigration for a renewal of my existing Retirement Extension. Will I need to go to the American Consul in Chiang Mai for another Income Affadavit??

Thanks for replies..........Seejo

OK to everyone. I will take my e-ticket and go to Mae Sai about a week before leaving on sept 12th. and try to get another 12 month Retirement Extension. If they will not do it for me, I will get one of the Non-Imm. "O" Visas or a Retirement Visa in the States. Yes it is nice to have options and thanks to you, I know most of them now.

I will post again and let you know what happened at Mae Sai.

Regards.

SeeJo

JingThing, yes I believeI mentioned before, that my current Retirement Extension (my first one ever) isto Oct 31^st and that I have gotten a ticket to the U. S. leaving onSept 12^th. So from what yousay, especially with my medical situation and my ticket in hand (E-Ticket) Ishould be able to get a back to back Retirement Extension a little early. Chai mai?

Sorry, I did not know that an "O-A is a "Retirement" Visa. I was confused I guess, because you can a "Retirement Extension" off the Non-Imm. "O" Visa.

I understand JingThing,that you advise a single entry "O" gotten in the U. S., but this makes me want to ask again (as in my #1 on an earlier post) if I can just get another Retirement Extension off of my existing one, before going to the States as ticketed on Sept. 12th? If so, this appears to be the most painless, since I would assume nothing else is needed?? Such as going to Chiang Mai for another financial letter?

Sorry to be so dense.

Sorry to be so long in replying, but I am having to do so from email confirmations of your posts. For some reason TV Home pops up quickly, but the Forums page has been taking longer and longer to come up and now almost never - ??. But occasionally this page pops up, only showing my last post??? but thankfully giving me a place to post a reply.

Any way, Harsu/KimoMax seems to have covered the thing for me, in that there are so many reasons a U.S. Expat can (and in most circumstances in my opinion, should have a U. S. Doctor), that the question is moot. Thailand has some excellent hospital facilities, but none are close enough to me for convenience, and as to them or doctors, I will keep using my U. S. Doctor/Hospital of longstanding every chance I can, especially for the serious stuff, thank you. I go see my family when I can affort the plane fare.

I live on a small SS check every month, cannot affort Thai Medical insurance, and U. S. Medicare cannot be used in Thailand. This would not be self-evident except to American Expats.

I like only the quickest, least painful route to living in Thailand and am not married to any particular way. A Retirement Visa, if one can be gotten at an Honorary Consul in the States, is about as easy for me to get as a Tourist or O-A, and if no other thing is needed after coming back to Thailand, then that is maybe the way for me to go, especially if it is renewable in a year with a "Retirement Extension". The Police Chief in my little U. S. town is a friend of long standing, as is my U.S doctor for the medical certification. so these would be easy for me.

JingThing, I am not a Howard Coselle type (more like Don Meredith rest his soul), but do love having and using a wide vocabulary in most circumstances, and when I run across a word I am unfamiliar with, I add it in. Thanks for " tangential". I'll look it up.

Scorpio, I am neither smooth nor lucky. But even a blind hog finds an acorn once in awhile. Thanks for the good wishes.

I do sincerely thank you all for your nice posts and all the help. I can now move forward with confidence.

SeeJo

Scorpio Wrote: "Your link seems to be spot on BUT how did you get the idea that you were not required to do a 90 day report with a Non Imm O. That is WRONG. Hope that is not discovered."

I got that idea because I used Non-Imm. "O" for 7 years (except for the last time when I got a Retirement Extension) and never reported and never got faulted for it. It could be that some of that could be explained by the fact that some of my stays were 90 days or less, but certainly not nearly all. It is a mystery to me too, & now that you all have brought it to my attention I will try to report as necessary. I just got back from reporting at Mae Sai where I was 4 days late with my current 90 day notification, but they never mentioned it. As I understand it they could have charged me 200 b per day over the 90.

Thanks to all the help I received from Scorpio and Jingthing, my plans have jelled and I want to run it by you if you have time. There are so many variables for me this trip back, especially not knowing the result of the tests, Xrays and operation if I have to have one, that it now seems workable and flexible to wait until Sept 12th to get a one way ticket back. I have now booked this trip, and it seems to me that I have a choice; (1) the option of going for a renewal of the Retirement Extension BEFORE leaving, so as to have it in hand regardless of how things turn out for me in the States and thereby precluding me from having to go through the hoops in converting to a Non-Imm. "O" after getting back. (I would have lost my R/E if I had to go past the Oct 31st deadline and then have to come back in on some form of Tourist or Non-Imm. "O" Visa).

....OR (2) - after things shake out there I could get some form of Visa there in the States before coming back and then have to go through the whole procedure of converting to a Non-Imm."O" again so as to be able to apply for another R/E (which would mean another trip to Chaing mai for the financial letter).

Though not perfect, this appears the most workable situation for me. All comments appreciated.

OK, thanks to Jingthing and all.

On the 90 day reporting, I wonder if that can be done at your local police station as I had been told. Last time I did that the guy manning the small local office just said, "Okay Okay. Mi bpen ri. We know you." He did not fill out any form or ask me for any. Does this appear to be "normal"? Methinks it best to bolly on up to Mae Sai and do it there. I am now 2 days past the 90 days.

Thanks to Jingthing and others.

It appears Jingthing's best solution for me would be to get a Non-Imm. "O" in the States before coming, to be sure to have the surest usable vehicle for going back to using Retirement Extensions. This way if my surgery causes me to go past my current Retirement Extension expiration of Oct 31st, I will have what I need to apply again without "converting".

I have this question: Since I never reported in to Thai Immigration every 90 days while on Non-Imm. "O" for 7 years, and assume it is not required as I always understood, does one have to report in every 90 days if on a Retirement Extension?? (I have not done so on the RE I am on now).

Here seems to me to be a pretty good guide and attempt at presenting the convoluted, ever changing process of getting a one year "Retirement Extension", with the caveat that in Thailand nothing in the Visa process is consistent for long, and largely depends on the individual Imm. officer's interpretation and mood of the day. I would like your comments Jingthing (and any others), of this site: http://www.wpcoe.com/visa/ if you have time, before I recommend it to others.

Thanks to all.

No, I did not say I have never used a Retirement Extention ( re-reading my posts will indicate that I have, though I was vague about it ). The last time I got a visa was at the tail end of my last Non-Imm. "O", and it was my first Retirement Extension (the one I am on now, which expires Oct 31st).

OK..... if I understand correctly;

* the 30 day VOA is no good for me because I would have to show a flight back out witin that 30 days - plus, the airline might not let me board..

* a "60 day Tourist Visa" (30 days extension) would work but I would have to get it in the U. S.to have in hand before coming back, and then convert to a Non-Imm."O" after getting back here (would have to do this in BKK - cannot do in Mae Sai). After that I could then go back to Retirement Extensions, (applying in the last 21 days of a Non-Imm. "O" gotten in the States.

* But the best thing would be to get a 90 day or one year Non-Imm "O" at my usual place in the States, then go back to the Retirement Extensions at the end of that.

Do I have it now, or do I still need correcting???

Some corrections.

1. You can be boarded with no visa and an air ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival.

2. The 21 day rule you've got ass backwards. There is a rule sometimes enforced that you need to have AT LEAST 21 DAYS left on your current permission to stay to apply for a change of visa status in Thailand as part of a two step process with the retirement extension being the second step. You see that's a problem if arriving on a 30 day stamp, TIME PRESSURE to start the process at immigration (if they enforce the rule must then be done within 9 days of arrival). So that means on a 30 day stamp, if they enforce this, you must apply between 30 days out and 21 days out. After that, too late, it wouldn't be wise to wait for the very last day (21 days out).

There is no rule about applying 21 days BEFORE for an extension. For that, most offices accept applications from 30 days out to the last day.

3. Yes, arriving with a single entry O visa would be your most painless option. Especially in a case like yours where you know your local office won't do the change of visa status forcing you to do that in Bangkok.

Simple advice -- go for the single entry O from the US. You don't need a multi.

No, I did not say I have never used a Retirement Extention ( re-reading my posts will indicate that I have, though I was vague about it ). The last time I got a visa was at the tail end of my last Non-Imm. "O", and it was my first Retirement Extension (the one I am on now, which expires Oct 31st).

OK..... if I understand correctly;

* the 30 day VOA is no good for me because I would have to show a flight back out witin that 30 days - plus, the airline might not let me board..

* a "60 day Tourist Visa" (30 days extension) would work but I would have to get it in the U. S.to have in hand before coming back, and then convert to a Non-Imm."O" after getting back here (would have to do this in BKK - cannot do in Mae Sai). After that I could then go back to Retirement Extensions, (applying in the last 21 days of a Non-Imm. "O" gotten in the States.

* But the best thing would be to get a 90 day or one year Non-Imm "O" at my usual place in the States, then go back to the Retirement Extensions at the end of that.

Do I have it now, or do I still need correcting???

Tourist visas/O visas, go to the Thai consulate you usually use in the US.

You will be boarded with ANY kind of visa, so a tourist one obtained in the US will be fine.

Now you are saying you have never used retirement extensions and have always use multi-O's from the US? That's rather odd for a long term retiree here.

If a "tourist visa" will get me back in without showing a ticket out in 30 days, how do I get one and where? What exactly do I ask for?

The nearest Thai Imm. office to me is is Mai Sai.

Although I have been here over 7 years, I have not learned much about visas because I always just used a Multiple Entry Non-Imm."O" which I could get fairly close to my home in the States.

Thanks for your help.................

A lot of typos there, but I hope you understand what I mean.

Is there no way to get a 60 or other day tourist visa on arrival these days? ...and if so would that let me apply for the one year Retirement Extension in the last 21 days of it?

Or would I have to go back to a Non-Imm "o" to get back in (I can get one in the States), and then go back again for the Retirement Extension at the end of that?

The 30 day stamp you refer to, what is it if not a "visa"? I thought all "permissions" are some form of "tourist" visa, be it 39, 60 90 days or one year of 5 years. Is is just a simple "permission to stay", only saying that on the stamp? Apparently there is much I still do not know about these things. Wouild they require proof of a ticket back out of Thailand, and when, on these 30 day stamps?

Just when I get confident that I am up on the Visa situation, I slip over into another situation where I don't know how to proceed.

My current "Retirement Extension" shows my "Permission to Stay" is to October 31st. But I have a situation that may require surgery when I soon leave for the U. S. A., which might mean that I may not be back before this date so as to apply and get another 12 month Retirement Extension. At one time, Americans were given automatic "Visas on Arrival" good for 60 days, renewable for another 30. So my question is; is this VOA still available, at least in some variation, that will allow me to apply for a Retirement Extension within the last 30 days of it?

All helpful info and advice will be appreciated.

In reply to these appreciated replies, I think if you will read my post again you will see that I HAVE considered all the peripheral issues, and whether I listed in toto or not, they are implied, And yes, my heart is really set on this Honda 125cc Wave, and I am well aware of all the many other great options available in the States. I am not in the least wanting to sell for a profit and am willing to end up paying more overall, to get one sent there.

Again, my reason for doing this is that I simply like this Honda particularly, and have researched ordering one from one of the Honda motorcycle dealers in my area of the States - only to find that none either will do it or are not set up or connected for it and consider the hassle not to be worth the effort. Sceadugena recognizes this general fact, and i will take his suggestion and try the bikers' forum. Will also check out LogistiZec.

Thanks all.....................

I do like these little Honda's that proliferate in Thailand, and would like to have one for use in the States, particularly the Honda 125cc Wave.. I have in the past found a place in Bangkok who's website claimed to crate and ship but could never get any response from them. Another site I just found claims they will pick up the thing as near to CR as Chaing Mai, but otherwise is not very precise as to what paperwork is required, EPA requirements for acceptance in the States, duty costs, etc.

I would welcome any info and/or comments.

SeeJo

P. P. P. S - I forgot to respond to someone's assertion that my Avatar was what I really look like.

Please be advised that it is my "Spitting" image!!!!!!!!!!!

SeeJo

For a brief moment body fluid rose when I saw the title of the post. A Triumph.

I feel a little silly now but it brought me back to thinking about my old departed "1969" 650cc Triumph Bonneville motorcycle. What a sweet machine. all stock, no modifications, no oil leak, color Aztec Gold with a candy apple base. Used to keep it in the living room of my ground floor apartment during the Boston winters. I seem to have read somewhere, I think, or maybe it was a flashback, that Triumph is or actually has an assembly facility here in Thailand, but does not sell any product here. Anyway, I know its way off the topic but could not resist to comment. Wanted old Triumph.

I heard bad rumours in the 80's that if you were riding an English motorbike you needed your servicevan not being further away than 5 minutes. Probably just somebody that was envious because it is a beautiful bike.

I would not mind riding one myself.

Take good care dman!

svenivan

Ah Yesssss! The Triump Trident was a dream of mine in another life. I settled for another Tea Sip (A Norton 850 Commando Interstate) which I still own in excellent condition, because it was a tad cheaper. My preferred Hi-Rider 6-speed Harley was beyond my financial reach at the time. The faster you go on that awsome '73 Norton, the smoother the ride with the Isolastic Engine Mounting System. Nothing would out-drag it at the time, and only the 1000cc (? Kawasaki I think) Z1 would best it top speed. As to the assertion above that it had to be worked on more time than it was ridden is, as the English say, "spot on". Too bad the Socialist-dominated Unions at the factory in Old Blarney got so greedy as to force the factory to close its doors in 1976, losing all their jobs, going on welfare provided by hard-working Brits, and giving all their market share mostly to all the Japanese "Rice-Burners" with some left over for Harley. Talking about cutting off noses to spite faces............. No wonder the Brits have been bailing out of Jolly Aulde England in droves for years now. Soon there will be nobody left but all the hoards of Muslim wolves and the the Socialist/Communist Ideologues who welcomed them into the Brit chicken house............ (Where oh where has the Iron Lady gone??)

SeeJo

contrary to popular myth (and its name) the Condotel does NOT have condominiums! I know this for a fact. The only condos there are retro-fits made by farang who have bought 2 or more rooms and joined them up by knocking a door between - and adding a tiny kitchen space. The standard rooms there are just that - hotel-type rooms that are a tiny bit larger than the one-size-fits-all rooms you find throughout Thailand.

As far as I know, there are no condos in Chiang Rai. I spoke with a Thai man who was building a 52-room hotel there, and suggested he change it to condominiums. He said he'd consider doing it (he didn't). Trouble is, Thais (outside of heavily touristed areas) don't understand what a condo is. They understand tiny college apartments, and townhouses and houses. But an apartment with one or two bedrooms and a decent kitchen is an alien concept to all but western-influenced Thais.

To me this ia a confusing post. Why would a Farang go to the expense of remodeling/combining two units if he did not own a vested interest in the units? (Which would imply that he had purchased in his own name as opposed to that of a thai wife??

SeeJo

Living in Thailand for 3 years, I experienced an attitude about Farangs.

It even made me aware of the meaning of the term 'farang' in most cases.

I summed it up as this: Anyone that isn't Thai is basically a second class citizen.

After all, they consider it 'their country'. You will feel this either quickly or slowly.

If you want to feel it quickly, display anger or demand someone speak English.

If you want the slow burn... be polite but demand Financial equality. You pay the same as your Thai friends, wife, family, etc.

Having said that, most problems a foreigner in Thailand has, they bring on themselves.

Many people live in Thailand understanding and accepting the money game and have made peace with it. Only my opinion. Let's see what others think...

Since a few weeks, I see in other sub-forums people speaking about anti-farangs attitude improving in Thailand.

What is your idea about it? Do you feel that also around Chiang Rai? Did you had experience?

Thank you to give us your feeling. Being in Europe fr the moment we (me and my Thai wife) would like to know.

Imagine that. Thais considering Thailand to be 'their country'

If a Thai was in the UK displaying anger and demanding someone speak Thai, there is a good chance that they would also quickly experience some 'attitude'.

In my 3 short years here, I have found that if you treat Thais respectfully (that doesn't mean you have to be subservient) they will reciprocate, most of the time. If you act like a kn*bhead, well, then you get what you deserve.

Well it is their Country, thats about it, we are guests here, they can have as much attitude as they like, if you dont like then leave.

In their defence I think they handle it well, imagine if you were in your Country and a Thai walked into your local entertainment venue or into a shop knowing he could take almost any female for some hanky panky within 5 mins for the price or a round, how would you feel?

This is simply not true. At not in ANY of the places I have lived in my humble 6 years in the "Land of Smiles that Mask their Real Feelings for Farangs" (Phuket, Petchabun, KoSamui, Chiang Rai, Bangkok, etc.). End of story, period.

FACT: Thais (all of them) DON'T LIKE US - ANY OF US - only the money they mistakenly thing we ALL have and can slick us out of. Given time and your confidence in them (ten years in the case of a friend of mine), they will systematically and gleefully rob you of your last penny. There are exceptions for a pittiful few Thai women (none for Thai men) who have a genuine open mind and who would just like to experience what it would be like to live with, have sex with, interact in all ways with a Farang using a truly open mind and an objective thought process (dam*ed few to be found!) - "one in one thousand"?? NO!! More like one in one Million!!!. Now CHEW ON THAT AND SEE IF YOU CAN SHOOT IT DOWN IN TRUTH AND GOOD CONSCIENCE! Now legitimately, and with thoughtful common sense I do hope, can make reply if you want. I await to be enlightend with "proof in the pud", and I may or may not reply - my option. It will take some doing to shake me off my and all my friends' hard earned experience. And no anecdotes please, because the story has yet to play out......... As the song in the famous English musical said: "Just you waait!".

SeeJo

I have long wanted to ship a package of stuff from this area and Mae Sai (smallish items, souvenirs, trinkets, etc.) to North America. Does anyone know of the best/cheapest/securest way to do this - or is it not possible? Any details/info would be appreciated.

SeeJo