statman78

We recently tried The Ivy in Chiang Rai. We liked it so we went back a second time. Good Thai food at reasonable prices. Also great desserts. Once business pick# up they will have rooftop seating available. They are located right in the middle of town by the entrance to the night bazaar, across the street from Swensen’s. Right now there is reserved parking right next to the building.

Yes, it would be nice to be able to get permanent residence here in Thailand but I don’t find doing the annual retirement extensions or the 90 day reports that hard. I’ve done 3 annual extensions and nothing has changed. Since the US embassy doesn’t do income verification letters it is actually easier for me. I get an annual statement from my bank showing the monthly transfers. The statement, a copy of my bank book and a bank letter is all I need. Here in Chiang Rai doing the 90 day report is easy and quick if the online system doesn’t work. It takes less than 5 minutes. I have the form on my computer so I simply change the date, print it out, sign it and turn it in. With the latest requirement change to TM 30 requirements, I no longer need to file one since I always return to the same address here in Thailand.

Met my wife on Thai Love Links 17 years ago. We have been married for 16 years. My great opening line was “Hi, how are you”

Here’s what they sent me. Mainly in Thai. I’m not sure if Bangkok is listed.

I have been traveling around Thailand after returning from the US in June. When asked to,show proof of vaccination I show them my US CDC vaccination card and never had any trouble.

The same wording appears on the Thai consulate website in the US. I have a retirement extension based on a non-o visa. This past June I came back to Thailand after a short visit to the US using a valid re-entry permit. I only needed the Covid insurance which covers me until the end do my extension. I did not need the 40/400k insurance.

At the time it wasn’t required for flying but in order to avoid quarantine upon arrive in Chiang Rai I needed either a negative Covid test or be fully vaccinated. I fly between Chiang Rai and Bangkok almost on a monthly basis. In August I only had to show that I was vaccinated when I arrived in Chiang Rai. Last month Thai Smile asked to see a negative test or a vaccine certificate while checking in. They also had me scan. QR code which took me to a site where I needed to fill out a form for the Chiang Rai officials. Half of the form was in English but there were some drop down boxes that only had Thai options. In Chiang Rai they helped fill out the form which basically tells them where I came from and where I’m staying. They then checked my vaccine certificate which is a card issued by the US CDC. This Friday I’m flying back to Chiang Rai so I expect I need to fill out the same online form. Thai Smile sent me an email that has all of the QR code’s for the different provinces. This time I’m prepared. My wife showed me which options I need to select in the drop down boxes. As long as they don’t change the order of the options I’m set ????

My wife has also heard about the infections at Home Pro in Chiang Rai. She didn’t tell me if she heard anything about Makro.

Even though it wasn’t required, a few weeks ago I flew from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. My US CDC card was accepted at check in and when I arrived in Chiang Rai.

When I renewed my license in Chiang Rai last year I think immigration charged me 100 baht for the residency letter.

Since the November 1 proposal is to open a few select provinces based on vaccination rates. I think that the opening (if it occurs) will be similar to the Phuket sandbox. This means a COE, a stay at a SHA hotel and multiple Covid tests. As with all decisions here in Thailand it needs to go through a number of committees so that useless government officials can look like they are actually doing something. As with decisions like this in the past, don’t expect a definite answer until the last days of October.

The plan as proposed is to allow you to roam around Bangkok if your are vaccinated and arrive after November 1. Of course it is only October 2 so expect many changes to the proposed plan.

A couple of weeks ago I flew back to Chiang Rai from Bangkok. I was vaccinated in the US so all I had was a paper certificate and it was accepted at check in and upon arrival.

No details yet but I’ll make a guess. As mentioned above, on November 1 only certain provinces will be open so I think that it will be similar to the current situation with the Phuket sandbox. Stay in an approved hotel for 7-14 days and take several Covid tests before being able to move around the country. If the still require Covid insurance then I think a COE will be required. As more of Thailand opens up and more people are interested in coming I think the COE will be a bottleneck. The Thai consulates are probably not staffed to handle a large number of applications. with all of the other decisions over the past year or so, the final details won’t be approved until the last week of October. Too many people need to review and approve which leads to changes and additions to the rules.

I am living in Thailand on a retirement extension. I transfer a minimum of 65k baht every month. At extension time I have no issues. I get a 1 year bank statement for my account and a copy of my bank book. I highlight the monthly transfers. Immigration in Chiang Rai has never asked about how I earned the money or if taxes have been paid. The only tax I pay is on the small amount of interest I earn on my Thai account.

It was just announced that the plan is eliminate quarantine for vaccinated tourist starting November 1.

Jingthing, I’m surprised that you did not receive your Medicare card. I am collecting social security using my Thai address. This past February I turned 65 so was automatically enrolled in Medicare part A. I received my Medicare card in the mail here in Thailand in March. I did not sign up for part B.

Fully vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson. Last June I went back to the US for a week to celebrate my brother’s 70th birthday. Got my vaccine there. My wife who is Thai but also has US passport has had 1 Pfizer jab here in Chiang Rai and is scheduled for her second, October 1.

Three years ago We put in a pool at our home here in Chiang Rai. It is long enough to swim laps and I use it almost everyday. I finish up my daily exercise routine by swimming approximately 100 meters. I also like to hop in after doing some work around the house or float around in the afternoon with a cold beer. The first 6 months were tough maintaining the proper chlorine and pH levels but once I got it stabilized I haven’t had any problems.

She is Thai but became an American citizen in 2009. She registered for the vaccine using her American passport. In Chiang Rai they are prioritizing American citizens for the Pfizer vaccine. An American friend who lives near us has a Thai wife but she never became a US citizen. She went with her husband, showed their marriage certificate and was able to get the Pfizer vaccine

My wife got her first Pfizer jab in Chiang Rai on September 3. Her second jab is scheduled on October 1. Which is 4 weeks from the first jab.

In late June when I checked out of my ASQ hotel I could leave at 6AM. The front desk asked that I don’t leave between 8 and 9:30 AM because people were using the elevator to go for their Covid test.

As the government considers opening up more of Thailand to foreign travelers I hope they get rid of the COE. There is no way the Thai consulates around the world can process the increased number of applications in a timely manner. Before the Phuket sandbox it took only 5 days to get my COE approved. Now as the OP just posted, it is taking 10 days.

We have stopped at the new location a couple of times. The place is really shaping up. We were there yesterday (24 August). It won’t be long before they also have a small restaurant open. The chairs and tables were there but were still wrapped up.

As mentioned previously and based on you follow up comments, the easiest way would be to electronically transfer the money from your account to her account. My bank account here in Thailand is used for my retirement extensions and for receiving money from our US account. I then use on-line transfers to move money to my wife’s account to cover household expenses. It was easy to set up with Bangkok Bank but I don’t recall if I needed to be there in person to it up.