jbeck

Applying for a multi OA (retirement) from your home country is not more difficult. The advantages are that the 800 000 Bht can be in your home account, and the visa is in effect valid for 2 years. The money is not tied up at all.

That would depend on each individuals situation and where they live.

If you don't have a doctor that you have a history with it could be difficult to find one to sign off on the physical and/or if found it could run into hundreds of dollars for that physical.

Dependent on where you live the ease of getting the police report can vary. It could be quick and free or take several days/weeks with a payment required.

I don't see anything about 2 years. Where did you learn about this?

The wording on many websites uses 'transfer' or 'deposit' rather than 'balance' of 800000B which is why I figured it meant an account to be opened IN thailand. Does a conversion ALSO imply an account in your home country is OK or then you really do need a thai bank account?

Maybe while applying in the US you need only to have that much in your account when you get the required 'bank statement' which again can be interpereted as a simple statement I get each month. The 'letter of guarantee' I am not familiar with. 

They also use the wording 'deposit account' - is this no different from an 'account' ? Or maybe it's a savings vs checking?

There;s still the 3 month question as well - some websites state the money needs to be there for 3 months prior to the application.

I'm not sure why it isn't crystal clear, but from looking on the web, it isn't, and there's also conflicting information.

anyhow, thanks again.

Jeff

Applying for a multi OA (retirement) from your home country is not more difficult. The advantages are that the 800 000 Bht can be in your home account, and the visa is in effect valid for 2 years. The money is not tied up at all.

That would depend on each individuals situation and where they live.

If you don't have a doctor that you have a history with it could be difficult to find one to sign off on the physical and/or if found it could run into hundreds of dollars for that physical.

Dependent on where you live the ease of getting the police report can vary. It could be quick and free or take several days/weeks with a payment required.

Sorry you lost me. this problem exits in the US or in Thailand? It is for a conversion in Thainland, or getting the OA in the US?

much appreciated,

Jeff

Applying for a multi OA (retirement) from your home country is not more difficult. The advantages are that the 800 000 Bht can be in your home account, and the visa is in effect valid for 2 years. The money is not tied up at all.

That would depend on each individuals situation and where they live.

If you don't have a doctor that you have a history with it could be difficult to find one to sign off on the physical and/or if found it could run into hundreds of dollars for that physical.

Dependent on where you live the ease of getting the police report can vary. It could be quick and free or take several days/weeks with a payment required.

So, neither doctor nor police are required for a conversion but only in home country (USA)? That is in aggreement with my point.

But everything I read said 800,000 in a THAI bank account, so how do you know this is NOT required? 

Also I've never seen a 2-year retirement visa so where again, are you getting this information? I would report every 90 days but not need to prove after one year that I have a balance of 800,000B in a (presumably US?) account?

Thanks much,

Jeff

Why not think about getting a "OA" (retirement visa) in the US prior to coming. This way your have one year to deposited the needed funds in a Thai bank or if on a pension you can use the 65K per month method using a letter from the US embassey ??

Hi - i read that obtaining in the US is more difficult. It ties up the money longer. I DO have a tellecommute job now that I will keep. It is not a pension.

My questions are very specific - I tried to keep it simple - thank you for you time in answering. Aloha.

im planning a multi entry 90 day visa, and then to convert to retirement 'O' in thailand

before I leave, exactly how do I open the bank account and does it really need to be at 800,000B without interruption for 3 months before i try to convert once in LOS?

are any banks in LOS 'better' than others for this purpose?

are any immigration offices better than others for doing the conversion?

I'll be in chiang mai, phuket, and a few other places in the kingdom at different times in the first 90 days

does it matter 'when' I convert to 'O' - can I do it anytime after I arrive? I know that the the one year will be added to the length of my current stay.

If I have a tellecommute job in the US, and will be filing a US income tax return, and have auto-depost checks to my US bank account, is that a potential problem?

thanks

jeff

hawaii

Well - I have one, and it occured to me that it may be frowned upon or be considered disrespectful by Thai people?

Does anyone know the answer to this question (no guess work - please)?

Or maybe another website/forum where I can find out?

Thanks in advane,

Jeff

Apple i-phone 3G. Sell it when you go back.

I'll arrive and go straight to Kata Beach, that's why I asked about a phone store THERE.

If I can get a 50-60 dollar phone (USD) that's fine - I won't have 2 many calls to make.

I'll just let a phone store set me up -

Here i have a Samsung Instinct - I'm guessing that won't work either?

Thanks for all the great advice!

Jeff

I would just wait until you arrive in Thailand and then purchase a low-end new phone or possibly a used one. There are literally thousands of mobile shops here and you will have no problem finding a phone. Maybe purchase and activate a known good SIM, then use that to test used phones that are of interest to you. Maybe buy a really cheap used phone first then wait to determine your future requirements (connectivity, memory, data, etc.). If you insist on buying a phone on eBay in the U.S.A. look for the following in the description: "Unlocked", "GSM 900/1800", "SIM".

Your Samsung phone (SPH-a900/Sprint) will not work in Thailand, nothing can be done to it to make it work. End of story.

The reason I wanted to get a phone on ebay was that I thought it was super expensive to buy one in Phuket/Kata beach to be specific.

I'll be there for 3 weeks - also chiang mai and bangkok - and may be back for more trips. Someone pointed out a 'decent' phone was USD$500.

I only need something used that will get me by - to call friends, hotels, tour reservations - I don't need a really nice phone like I have at home.

And you're saying any phone store will do? A recommendation won't help? Prices are all similar?

thanks.

Aloha,

I'd like to buy a used phone and get it programmed, buy SIM, minutes, etc when I get to Phuket.

Can anyone recommend a specific model phone around $50-$60 used that will work for this purpose?

Also a good phone store in Kata center to bring the phone to?

I really don't want to know how it works, or why, just let the store do all that.

And if I buy a used phone with no service, is the unlocking thing going to be an issue and can the store fix that?

I was told my samsung A900 would NOT work, but it was sprint that told me that. Maybe they only meant that sprint service won't work.

Thanks so much!

Jeff Beck ,

Hawaii