JimGant

Sounds like Christianity, where, "Jesus suffered for your sins, now it's payback time, sucker." And now in the States, Christianity is indirectly forcing women to have babies they don't want. God Da...., is there any religion that has done any good for living -- or ending -- our lives? Fortunately, there are some countries in the world -- and even a few States in the US -- that have gotten around the religious bugaboo about aiding death in terminal situations. Amen. Yeah, ain't religion great. So much better knowing death is just going to sleep (with, hopefully, pain reliever, if needed and available, and never knowing you didn't wake up). Why concern yourself with heaven or hell. But, hey, what if there really is reincarnation....? What might be worse -- coming back as a Muslim, or as a Trump supporter? But, don't think I'll worry too much about reincarnation -- just another religious fable for those who can't accept the reality of dying.

Yes

Well, if excessive fraud is making the cost of online banking prohibitive, maybe that's the reason. But there are safeguards with facial recognition that can be used with online banking. Recently, with a Wise transfer, I had to take a picture of my passport (as a baseline), then a selfie for comparison. When these matched, I was told to continue with my online banking transfer, which I happily did from my desktop computer. There'll be enough IT illiterates out there to cause at least one bank's business plan to retain online banking. Yes, there now may be facial recognition thrown in, forcing one to buy a mobile phone, or maybe just a Webcam. This could be problematic for geezers, who believe a "selfie" refers to masturbation.

If you have online banking, at least with Bangkok Bank, you can opt for everything in English. For my savings account, I have two line items, spelling out: "Interest Credit" and "Withholding Tax."

That would be a new wrinkle, because several of us explored the use of agents to make the insurance requirement disappear -- and came up empty.

The only way to kill the O-A is to border hop, without a re-entry permit, and re-enter visa exempt, then apply for a Non Imm O. Or, alternatively, go to a Thai consulate abroad and get a Non Imm O "retirement" visa. I had planned to do this with Saigon, then Covid hit. When this option allowed itself again, the LTR option showed up.

Well, at least with the LTR visa you can medically self-insure, with $100k in a liquid, non investment, account. In my situation, I have Tricare (based on my US military service), which BoI has realized has a very substantial coverage, that meets all their requirements. Either way, LTR wants you to be insured -- but is flexible, and realistic. Now, on my now-elapsed retirement extension off of a Non Imm O-A visa .. I was required to have one of 12 (maybe it's 14) Thai medical insurance policies. This is a complete scam, hosted by these Thai insurance companies. My LMG policy has a 1 million baht deductible, per procedure! Is anybody realistically covered under this scheme? And the annual premium is 69,000 baht (and this is the cheapest of the 12 (14) Thai insurance companies). So, the LTR visa allows me to cut loose from the Thai insurance mafia. This would never happen while I was on a Non Imm O-A retirement extension -- just too much gravy for the insurance mafia -- and their government co-conspirators.

Maybe that's only for foreigners with round eyes.....

Report on getting a Wealthy Pensioner LTR visa at OSS Bangkok: Applied 30 May, providing all requested documents. All accepted, except my Tricare medical insurance: Sent an email pointing out that the Tricare document I submitted was the same as that accepted from previous applicants. I even provided some quotes from this forum to that effect. Was told to resubmit, which I did – this time with a cover letter pointing out BoI’s previous acceptance of the DoD letter from other applicants, plus highlighting the operative sentence on that letter: “This letter may be used as proof of current coverage under a Tricare administered program.” [How to get this DoD letter is discussed earlier in this thread.] Didn’t hear anything for several days, so pinged them again as to status, and advised that I could self insure, if that’s what it came to (probably bad move, as this could give them an out to deny Tricare). Finally, on 14 June, received a “Qualification Approved (endorsed).” Obviously, then, my Tricare had been accepted – but I heard nothing more about that decision. Told to submit passport data again; plus latest travel info (stamps); where you want to get the Visa (OSS or embassy); and various requests for other submissions (actually, resubmissions, like a TM47). Also, fill out an online form, with info such as your address, phone, blah blah. When I hit “submit,” nothing happened, except a return to top of page. Realized this probably meant the submission failed – so I queried LTR via email about, did they receive it, or what might I be doing wrong. They immediately replied that, don’t leave any of the blocks on the online form blank. If not applicable, at least fill in with a dash. So, I went back and put a dash in my “street name” block (my gravel street has no name), and presto – I got the “success” when I submitted. On 15 June, all the submissions in the “Document Review for Visa” step, above, must have passed muster, as I went to the next step: “Visa Issuance Pre-approved.” Here’s where you make your appointment to come into OSS. This appointment date will be inserted at applicable locations in the four documents you’ll later download. The appointment calendar has hourly selections. It was almost empty, so I could have gone the next day, had I been in Bangkok. But I wasn’t – so I opted for three weeks later, on 5 July, at 11:00 AM. Bad choice of time (I’ll elaborate later). The four documents to download are: TM94; STM8;Confirmation of Appointment; and Notification of Qualification Endorsement. The buttons to click on for the first three are apparent; however, for the fourth one, you’ll need to go to the “check status” category, click on “print,” and then you’ll be taken to the downloads (one English, one Thai). Check carefully the filled-in fields on your TM94 and STM8; they really screwed up my address, but easily correctable with Adobe. Other application facts: For income, I submitted last year’s tax return, with 1099’s; and this year’s projected income, using pay statements. Both submissions had cover letters explaining what all the numbers meant, translating the monthly figures into a yearly projection. When I queried them as to what exactly they wanted, I got: "You will only have to submit the income of previous year or the last 12 months." Hmmm. Sounds like last year's tax return could stand by itself..... Or you could submit pay stubs for the first 6 months of this year, plus pay stubs from last 6 months of last year. Anyway, what I submitted sufficed. They don’t specifically ask for an upload of that six page “Application for Qualification Endorsement,” but I uploaded it in the “Other Documents” section. Don’t know if it was needed, but it seemed like an important enough document…..maybe not. All communications were via email ([email protected]). Didn't use the contact button, as reports have that as buggy. Never had a phone conversation, as the email correspondence answered all my questions and was very responsive. Appointment Day, 5 July: Not knowing traffic situation, showed up at OSS early, like, 9:30 for my 11:00 appointment. A few customers there, but apparently none for LTR visas. So, they immediately took my paperwork, assigned a minder, and had me sit down. Minder came back from Immigration, requesting the original TM6 (which I had, as it had been recently attached to my passport). And also requesting my original TM47. After explaining I do it online, thus an original is impossible, she went back to Immigration with this explanation. Apparently accepted, as she came back to lead me to Immigration to have my photo taken (polo shirt acceptable). Still in Immigration, she had me sit while she dealt with the next step. She came back, saying it will be about an hour’s wait (the place was really packed) – thus we went back to the comfortable chairs in the LTR office. So after about an hour, we went back to Immigration, where I paid my 50000 baht. Then, to another part of Immigration, where I sat among the masses, inwardly smiling, knowing I’d never have to do this again at CM Immigration. Fifteen minutes later, got my passport, with its new stamps, and returned to the LTR office, where they went over the stamps with me, then said goodbye. All in all, it took about one and a half hours. Thus, if I’d showed up at my appointed time of 11:00, I would have bumped into Immigration’s lunchtime, and thus would have to wait for them to open up again. So, I suggest you don’t use 11:00 as an appointment time. Now, to call LMG insurance and cancel that worthless requirement for OA extensions. The renewal premium I’ll save more than covers the cost of the LTR visa. And the cost of the five star hotel, air fare, gourmet dinners, and limos to and from airport. Good experience. Will probably have to do again in five years, as I doubt the Immigration Bureau will farm this out to provincial offices (except maybe the one year reporting). But, hey, no complaints.

Yeah, great place -- leave there with a smile and a burp -- and an empty wallet. But at my age, the latter is only less inheritance for worthless relatives. Time to splurge. Last there years ago, and had great lamb chops. Geez, now I have a hunger for lamb.... Must be a reaction from too much Thai food lately -- Western roots taking over.

Hmmm. Some good food, and steak. Can't remember a lobster tail on the menu when they were at Promenada...

Rib Room, at the top of the Landmark. Besides excellent food, excellent ambiance, as the 31st floor, obviously, has a good view. https://www.landmarkbangkok.com/dining/rrb-rib-room-bar-steak-house/

Oh, yawn. FBAR is a reporting system for American citizens with over $10k in foreign banks. You're apparently referring to FATCA, which Thailand has signed up to, and which has turned out to be non onerous -- and effective. But, quit blaming the Yanks -- the Europeans have the son of FATCA, namely, CRS. The whole world now is making it hard for those poor money launderers to thrive. So sad.

Just got back from Bangkok, where I had a fantastic steak, along with half an American lobster. So, just wondering, is there any restaurant in CM that offers such a combination? I could live with the lobster being a clawless langusta. Yes, plenty of seafood restaurants with langusta. But are any equipped with decent (and, yes, expensive) steaks? There must be a niche restaurant out there somewhere...... Thanx

Yep, I too was hit with this last week, for no apparent reason: Nothing had changed -- same desktop computer, same internet connection, same receiving account. Must be a large scale "random" check, driven by the "KYC" police. Annoying that I had to go find my cell phone. Then my passport. Then scotch tape, so that I could get my passport to lie flat for a picture. Anyway, after several photo failures, it finally took. Wondering if this was the future, I sent another amount the next day -- and no more asking for security photos. Maybe again in a couple of years..... At least I'm still allowed to use my desktop for transfers, as I like the large screen and keyboard that fits my fingers. But, maybe someday soon, Wise will switch entirely to mobile apps.... Sigh.

Probably, as that would tell them you currently reside in Thailand, which is a requirement for renewing your passport by mail. The US State Dept has, in recent years, been guilty of using the terms "visa" and "visa extension" interchangeably -- samo samo Thai gov't. Can, and does, cause confusion.

https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/790155895

You now have to use the US Gov't's secure payment site to pay the $130 for the passport. However, a bank draft is still needed for the return postage. This info came out several months ago, when, apparently, they got tired of revising too often how much baht on the bank draft equated to $130; easier just to require the payment in dollars.

I wonder how many zits you're allowed to have before it doesn't compute.....????

Yes, if your Will is in English, because you prepared it yourself, then the Thai version is just a translation, needed for the court. As such, any conflict between the English and Thai wording interpretation defers to the original (English) version. When you have a Thai law office prepare a Will, in both Thai and English, it's assumed the Will was prepared in Thai, then translated to English. As such, the Thai version holds precedence.

What bank? Obviously you, a farang, has his facial scan successfully recorded at the bank. Thus, another piece of the puzzle to this thread...

That's key, because a bank has no legal obligation to freeze your account, if it doesn't know you're dead. And, unless you die in the bank lobby, how would they know you're dead? So, make your wife a co-signatory on your solely owned bank account, so she can waltz into the bank before you're cold and, with your passbook -- which has her signature only visible with black light -- withdraw most of the funds (she can't close the account). Better yet, make sure your accounts are all online types, so the wife can log into your account and transfer the money. No co-signatory requirement here -- functionally speaking. So, my wife, as sole beneficiary and executor of my Will, has instructions to empty my account soonest. No other potential beneficiaries out there that might complain. No debt. Bank doesn't know I'm dead. Thus, no aggrieved parties to file a lawsuit. Fait accompli in its finest form. But, until Thailand gets Pay on Death (POD) type beneficiaries for financial accounts, we're stuck with having to improvise. And saving 50,000 baht in probate fees, and putting a dent in some slimy lawyer's car payment fund -- sounds good to me.

Is FR just for mobile banking -- or will this eventually extend into IBanking? Or is Bangkok Bank considering doing away with IBanking altogether, as have some other Thai banks? I ask because Wise asked me to do a FR, using my passport as the baseline, before I could proceed with a transfer from my desktop, i.e., no mobile banking involved.

If you're a Yank, just plug the Thai tax into Form 1040, Schedule 3, Line 1 of Nonrefundable Credits. No Form 1116 required, if refund is less than $300 single ($600 filing Joint). Two minutes vs two days of wandering Thailand streets between tax offices and banks.

Based on all the dialogue, above -- if you're getting SS retirement checks prior to moving to Thailand, do two things: Don't notify Manila you now live in Thailand; and, two, keep your US bank account open to receive your SS direct deposits. Then, you can move whatever amount of SS dollars to Thailand you'd like, using a service like Wise. Get a mail forwarding address, and update your My SSA account with it (they don't require a physical address, so your move to Thailand is not noticed. You look just like an RVer, moving from camp ground to camp ground). Updates to your SS, then, are either by mail thru your mail forwarding service -- or downloaded from your SSA account. Completely legal. Only need to notify the SS administration, if you're getting retirement payments, if you move to Cuba or North Korea. Otherwise, the only SS recipients that need to notify SS of leaving the States for over 30 days, are SSI recipients (i.e., the welfare group). This is where the confusion occurs about having to let Manila know of your move to Thailand -- if you're getting retirement, not SSI, no legal requirement to notify Manila. And no "are you alive" letters. Ethically, I have no problem ducking this item, since when I croak, the wife's notification to get her Air Force survivor benefit alerts SS of my death. Not sure how easy it is to begin SS from an online account, if you've moved to Thailand. Believe they ask a lot of questions to verify your US existence. But I may be wrong; in which case, certainly initiating benefits online would beat going through Manila (based on all the sour reports earlier in this thread).