JimGant

Dusty,

Nice to see someone posting with *all* the options, vice the usual poster who's either too young, too poor, or too single -- or all the above.

We will be going to Thailand in May or June but I can only stay about 50-60 days and then must get back here for work

If the above quote is indicative of your future visits to Thailand -- at least while you're working in Qatar -- you may want to consider just getting an annual multi entry Non Imm O's in Qatar. If you're going to be here for less than 90 days at a pop, no need to go thru the hassle -- and time -- of getting a retirement extension until you do plan to stay longer.

One more thing to consider: The date you enter Thailand this 'May or June' will be the date you'll need to be here annually for -- with several days to spare -- in order to renew your extension. If this could prove problematic, going the annual Non Imm O route becomes more attractive.

But, of course, if getting to the Thai Embassy in Qatar is a week's camel ride, well.........

Dusty,

Listen to Lopburi. Your best option is to get a retirement extension in Thailand, where you won't need a background check nor medical (the two things that seem to spook you). Plus, it sounds like you qualify on income alone (your Qatar contract), so you won't need a 3-month, 800k baht bank account in Thailand.

We will be going to Thailand in May or June but I can only stay about 50-60 days and then must get back here for work

Ok. Before you go, get a tourist visa (or, try and sweet talk a Non Imm O -- Thai Embassy in Qatar may be 'soft'). Then, when you hit Thailand, have the Canadian Embassy certify that you meet the 65k baht/mo income requirement. With that, and all the other paper/photo requirements needed, as pointed-out on this forum, head for Immigration, where you'll be able to convert your tourist into a Non Imm O, plus apply for your extension and re-entry permit (needed for your forays to Qatar). In most cases, this can be accomplished in one day.

You may well be right also about doing it there but that means I would need to make a special trip to BKK after my Background check arrives from Canada.

Why a special trip? You're still apparently confused between O-A and in-country extensions. Reread the above.

A few other observations:

- You might want to establish a bank account in Thailand when you get here, as Immigration likes to see that, even tho you meet the income requirement. Amount is not hard-wired, although one Immigration office (CM) had mentioned that 200k was a nice figure. Also, no 3-month requirement.

- Don't know the specifics of Canadian Embassy income certification, but it would seem the Qatar work contract should be the most it needs to certify your income -- unless contract doesn't meet the 65k/mo requirement, in which case you might need some other documentation (but if like the US, no documentation is needed -- but you'll need a fellow Canadian to answer this question).

- It's possible that one-day shopping will turn into "come back in 60 days to apply for extension." If so, be armed with your return ticket to Qatar and be prepared to plea. No real good reason for this 60 day rule -- and it's not enforced too much for retirement extensions. So, a return ticket precluding waiting 60 days should do the trick.

Oh, you are over 50, right?

You can convert a tourist visa inside Thailand or if you can obtain a non immigrant visa so much the better.

Any recent data on converting a 30-day stamp into a Non Imm O for extension purposes? I know one (or maybe several) folks did this last fall. But the rumor then was, this was temporary good-deal.

And maybe this was true, as I haven't seen any recent conversions of this nature........

And have you any thoughts on how these might affect the rental car insurance rates?

Car rental companies in the US have always tried to hard-sell their insurance add-on. But, if you owned a car in the US, in most cases your auto insurance covered rentals -- so opting out for the insurance add-on made economic sense.

Probably not-so if your only car insurance is on your car in Thailand. These polices seem to be car-specific, so it's questionable whether or not they would cover a rental in the US. Besides, even if they finally did, it would be out-of-pocket initially with the car rental company.

Thus, be prepared to buy the rental company's insurance if you no longer have US car insurance.

Should be valuable for historical purposes onced the swamp is finished reclaiming all the concrete.

so what happens when pounds are transferred by swift from a uk bank to a thai bank and then converted into baht ?

I would think you'd get the favorable (onshore) rate, since the conversion into baht is being done onshore. But, I'm no expert......

Conversely, my ATM and credit cards (issued by a US bank) are most definitely reflecting the unfavorable 'offshore' rate, as apparently, the 'interbank exchange rate' is based on offshore rates.

Ho hum.

Click here

Nice update. Thanx.

Couple questions:

You mention that the Embassy uses an exchange rate... So, is the Affidavit of Income reported in both dollars and baht (using, in this case, the 38-to-1 ratio you mentioned)? And, presumably, the US Embassy still doesn't require supporting documentation(?).

Your experience apparently is that you need a new Affidavit of Income every year? Did you also have a copy of the Affidavit -- but they insisted on the original?

Did Immigration want to see any supporting documentation in reference to the Affidavit?

Cheers.

Thanx, Doc, I feel baaa much baaaa better.

Start with 90 day Non Immigrant O.

A couple of problems with that. Unless you're married to a Thai, Embassy and MFA Consulates are loath to issue a Non Imm O for the purpose of travelling to Thailand with the intent to apply for extension based on retirement. (Some Honorary Consulates will, however, stretch the point and issue such visas).

Then, even if you can get a Non Imm O, if you need to use a bank account (vice certified proof of monthly income), you'll need to have a multi-entry Non Imm O to get around the 90 day in-bank requirement.

So, as Lopburi points out, getting a tourist visa, then converting to a Non Imm O in-country, seems to work out just fine: no hassle trying to get a Non Imm O abroad; time to set-up a 90-day bank account with the required 800k (if going that route); and actually saving some money compared to paying for a multi-entry Non Imm O ($25 for tourist visa, plus 2000 bt to convert to Nom Imm; multi-entry costs $125).

The tourist-to-Non Imm visa route really seems attractive these days. Even more so, the 30 day stamp to Non Imm O route (if viable at all Immigration Offices, which has yet to be solidified from what I can gather.........)

2. He should wait for about 30 days before doing this to allow his bank account to age a month as the extension of stay will require the three month period in bank.

3. After change of visa he will have 90 day non immigrant which he can they wait 2 more month - getting his account into the three month in bank - and then make application of extension of stay.

Lopburi,

Say I enter Jan 1 on a tourist visa -- and thus get a 60-day 'permitted to stay' stamp. Then, on 1 Feb, I convert to a Non Imm O, as I meet all the requirements for a retirement extension. I am now (presumably, based on the quote above) allowed to stay 90 days from the date of conversion, essentially converting my original 60-days permitted to stay into 120-days permitted to stay. Yes, somewhere during that 120 days I'll apply for a year's extension based on retirement.....

But, question: Presuming I'll get a new 'permitted to stay' stamp on 1 Feb, the date I convert to a Non Imm O, will my subsequent 1 year extension begin on 1 Feb -- or on 1 Jan, the date I last entered Thailand?

This is all somewhat confusing, at least to me.....

To send money from abroad to Thailand for, say, buying a new car, which will cost $30,000 (i.e., more than the $20,000 maximum to avoid the 30% withholding), will I be ok if it's sent to:

1. Our (me and Thai wife) joint account?

2. My individual account?

3. My wife's individual account?

(All accounts are savings accounts with Bangkok Bank.)

Which of the above (if any), apply?

to get the best exchange rate, you convert foreign currency to THB in Thailand

You can take a pretty good hit by converting to baht at the sending end. SWIFT wiring of foreign currency will usually get you the telex exchange rate; sending baht wil get you a considerably lesser rate, as some on this forum have found out the hard way.

In my case, my US bank wiring form has a block to check if I want to send dollars; otherwise, they'll convert to baht on their end -- at my expense.

Don't know why there's such a considerable gap. Maybe somebody who understands 'offshore' vs. 'onshore' rate differences could explain.....

You would think the 60 day wait rule would be waived when you convert to a Non Imm O in-country, since you have to have your extension bonafides in order -- and in hand -- to accomplish such a conversion. From what I've read on this forum, conversions and extensions seem to have been same-day events at Pattaya and Bangkok Immigration offices. Can't imagine (well, maybe I can....) that CM would be hard over on applying a rule that has no apparent rationale, and which was established in a different context than in-country conversions to Non Imm O visas........

Next job: retirement extension in about 60 days....

Is waiting 60 days per Immigration's instruction?

And one back at ya...........

I attended a party this past weekend. After checking out all the well-dressed guests at the party, I spotted an attractive woman (standing alone) across the room. When I approached and asked her name, She coyly replied... "Carmen."

Trying to maintain some sort of conversation with her, I responded with "That's a beautiful

name. Is it a family name?"

"No," she replied. "I gave it to myself, because it

reflects the things I like most in the world - cars and men."

Then she asked, "What's your name?"

”Golftits," I replied.

I guess any operation can have an occasional "off" day. But I've had nothing but consistant quality from The Duke's.

Anyway, you can use the IDP for at least 1 year from the execution date and if you are even reasonably clever, you can make that ONE document last many years.

Ah, yes, a forged IDP expiration date. I hadn't thought of that. You lawyers are so sharp. However, could be problematic, especially in an accident with fatalities..........

What the world doesn't need anymore of are 'clever' lawyers, especially ones who tout knowing colonels.

Poster is one more reason for justifying all those lawyer jokes -- if he really is a lawyer(?).

Try using the old number (the one without the '8'). For some reason, my service (TollThai) won't work using the new system.

Can you use Tricare Prime in LOS? What about Tricare for Life after hitting 65 (shaky since that includes using Medicare)?

Tricare Prime appears to be available in Thailand only to active duty types and their dependents.

After age 65, Tricare Standard switches to Tricare for Life (TFL), but requires that you be enrolled in Medicare B (about $88/mo this year). But since Medicare doesn't pay overseas -- and TFL is a supplement to Medicare -- TFL then acts identically to Tricare Standard when applied overseas, to include $150 deductible and 25% co-pay. (But our civilian "friends" at the Pentagon tried to add fees, plus quadruple the deductible to Tricare Standard. Congress put them on hold; no doubt, tho', some increases will come about.)

The tricare rep in BKK helped me with the paperwork and called me yesterday to tell me the hospital will get paid and they also sent me a check.

Richard,

"Hospital will get paid" implies that you didn't have to pay up-front (i.e., hospital "accepts" Tricare). But then you say Tricare also sent you a check, implying you did pay up-front. Could you please explain? Thanx. Oh, who's the Tricare rep in Bangkok?

PTE,

No bank account needed in conjunction with pension verification?

I ask because someone recently using CM was asked for his bank book, even tho' he qualified solely under the monthly pension criteria, as verified by the American Consulate. Believe they wanted to see at least 200k in his account.

I guess Thai Immigration is truly like a box of chocolates.

kurt,

Here's a sample lease: Sample Lease

Such a lease would seem more in order with an 'arm's length' leasing situation, not a simple agreement between husband and wife, where such things as actual rent aren't applicable. But, I guess, if the marriage should head south, having a lease that codifies renewal, rents, subleasing, etc could be in order. However, if you've been happily married for 28 years -- and will be dead when renewal time rolls around -- nothing but the lease registration on the back of the chanot should be needed IMO.

This link's website has some other interesting info -- click on 'leasehold' on the left. I found there this bit of interesting info, particularly since the question of Land Office charges frequently appears on this forum:

It is common that leases are registered at the Land Office for one-fifth of the actual lease price.

Interesting, as this tracks with the amazingly low amount we paid at the Land Office. Since there was no real rent changing hands, we asked the officer what a fair rental figure would be -- and were floored with the figure he arrived at. But, if as a matter of policy they knock 80% off the going rate, it all makes more sense now.

(Sunbelt, does "one-fifth of actual lease price" go along with what you've encountered?)

Sunbelt says:

Our professional fee for a Thai/English 30 year lease with a renewal option is 9,500 Baht. the clauses in the agreement are the key: what happens on death, renewal, change of ownership laws, penalties.

Sunbelt: You've on other threads recommended usufructs over leases -- at least for Thai/farang marriages. How much do you charge for these?

A registered 30 year lease is protection of your secured rights for 30 years. The foreigner should in our opinion register the house in his own name as well. The Land owner( Thai wife) can file a will giving rights to her husband and the husband can file a will leaving the house to his wife after he dies.

I understand how to register the 30-year lease via endorsement on the back of the chanote. But *how* does one "register the house in his own name?" What's the official document that needs to be endorsed or generated? And with what government agency do you deal with?

Sure a lot of tap dancing going on (or 'face saving,' in this context).

He said the pilot was following the direction of the South Korean control tower to fly to an altitude at 35,000 feet

Wait a minute. Every article but this one points out that ATC instructs China to leave 35 for fright revel 340 because ATC thinks -- most likely erroneously -- that THAI is also at 35:

A spokesman of Far East Air Transport said pilots of the Boeing 757 plane were told by flight controllers to reduce altitude from 35,000 feet to 34,000 feet to avoid another aircraft.

So, once China leaves 35 for 34 (where THAI is, or close thereto), China's TCAS says 'climb' (my theory, anyway), which he's supposed to do (again, TCAS has priority over ATC instruction), but doesn't. Instead, he follows ATC's instruction to FL340. But China is certainly curious about why ATC and TCAS are giving conflicting guidance:

Far Eastern Air Transport spokesman Chang Yu-peng said Korean air controllers failed to respond promptly to the Taiwanese pilot's inquiries after the plane's alarm was triggered by the oncoming airliner.

Hi, Chejudo control. You told me to descend and maintain FL340. But my TCAS told me to climb, which I didn't. What the phuck, over?

At which time he looks up, craps in his pants, and pushes over:

"When I raised my head, I saw a plane approaching rapidly, so I had to take action fast," he said.

So, it's VFR time (visual flight rules, Bronco). TCAS instruction, whatever that had become, became irrelevant, at least to China (THAI, however, apparently reacted to TCAS, not visual sighting, although this is not 100% clear, like everything else with this incident.) However, TCAS activation no doubt got China's eyes out of the cockpit, resulting in the visual on THAI.

Far Eastern Air officials said the plane descended 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) from a height of 34,000 feet (10,300 meters) in about 15 seconds.

Lemme see. A trip of this length normally takes 2 minutes, 40 seconds (at the assumed 1500 feet per minute). Doing this in 15 seconds would certainly once again prove the theory of negative G forces.

"The pilots said they suspected it was a Thai jetliner flying nearby on the same altitude," he added, praising their "correct and proper" handling of the incident.

Not if they ignored the TCAS.....

But why did ATC think THAI was at (or climbing to) FL350, which started this whole chain of events.....?

The investigation could take between six months to one year.

I can hardly wait.

Oh, if any quotes above look unfamiliar, they're from the IHT and China Post, here:

IHT

China Post