jayboy

That's reassuring.Nonetheless on this particular policy there's provision for people on different kinds of visa but nothing for a PR.

Thanks but it's still not completely clear to me.Should I take it that a PR could buy this insurance to cover a return to Thailand?

You are misinformed.He is extremely well connected with the Thai establishment and is regarded as Thai in every sense that counts.He is also highly intelligent, a talented businessman and thinks/behaves like a Thai Chinese tycoon.Having said that he has not shown particularly good judgement is some of his political utterances.It's unfair to say he supported the coup (he didn't) but he did make some foolish comments justifying it after the event - basically echoing the yellow line which only fools take seriously these days.

As schools begin to open parents will be asked to administer weekly (or more frequently) Covid tests with ATK, and then email results to the school concerned..It would be helpful to know of recommendations for particular kits which are as child friendly as possible.I don't think saliva tests are allowed.

Not really.You are still confusing the criteria for tax liability and residence which are not the same thing at all.You are also wrong to suggest that in most countries it amounts to the same thing: it doesn't.In short your sneer at Thai logic seems misplaced.

Yes I did.Hence my point that despite your remark about "Thai logic", residence criteria for tax purposes and immigration purposes are not necessarily connected.

The definition you quote is for tax purposes only and I see no lack of logic that the Immigration Department has its own definition of residence.A permanent resident might be in Thailand for less than a week each year, but he would still be a permanent resident.

Unfortunately the lawyer I dealt with has recently passed away and his firm no longer has a specific immigration section. If I was in your shoes I would familiarize myself with exactly what's needed.There's a lot of info (to much really) on this forum's Camerata thread.Arkady is the moderator with expertise, far more than me.This will give you a clear idea whether you meet the criteria or not.Salary, tax paid and at least 3 year correct visa status are the main points.If you do, then consider initially doing it yourself or through delegation of the work to someone in your office, preferably an efficient secretary (incentivized informally perhaps). It's mainly a document collection exercise If this isn't possible go and have a talk to a lawyer in the Employment Department at a reputable legal firm.I will mention Tilleke and Gibbins as an example of the type of firm.N.B This isn't a recommendation for I have never had any dealings with them, just a pointer of the type of firm.

Not quite; there are are number of different views from well qualified people.It very much depends on the circumstances of the applicant.You incidentally make a very good observation, often overlooked, that if you meet the criteria for PR you will almost certainly obtain it. The first thing to note is that PR can absolutely be obtained without the support of an agent or legal firm. I know several such people - the common factor is that they had a good knowledge of the Thai language.Furthermore many of the legal firms touting for business with foreigners are in fact to be avoided like the plague. The second thing to note that assembling the paperwork can be the proverbial pain in the neck.There are some people who have plenty of time on their hands and like nothing better than a challenge of this sort.Other applicants will often use legal firms already in a relationship with their employer.In practice the lion's share of the work will be done by a decent Thai secretary.Even a legal firm tends to use legal associates to do the running around, not qualified lawyers. So in summary it can be done by yourself and you will save on legal fees.But for some (generally the busier, less cost sensitive, corporate types) using a legal firm makes sense.Finally (it's such an important point I leave it to last) do NOT use a lawyer/agent unless you are are absolutely sure of their integrity/competence/experience and who will not <deleted> off the Immigration officials.

Sorry - probably a silly question. In what form does the vendor - eg your vet - produce a QR code containing the necessary payment information?

I was reading on Twitter that many outlets in Thailand increasingly only accept cashless payments. But what are the best ways of making cashless payments in Thailand? Apple Pay isn't available and though Samsung Pay is sometimes possible, I cant use it on my iPhone. So what's left? I don't like using credit cards for small payments. Paying by debit card to my Thai bank account is fine.But I suspect I'm missing some other ways of cashless payment.Any thoughts?

Yes but it is the policy of the UK government that determines action by the airlines on this issue.At the moment Chinese and Russian vaccines are not recognised by the UK.If or when that UK government policy changes, the position of the airlines will change accordingly.

My understanding is that various private sector Bangkok hospitals are accepting payment now for Moderna vaccinations to be administered in first and second quarter of 2022.That fit's in well with your time scale estimate (or at least it does for those of us who have had our second shot in the last few weeks) I'm guessing that a third booster shot will in practice be difficult to arrange for foreigners though the government run programme, at least initially.Therefore those of us wanting the third booster will be considering using the private sector I note that authoritative Western studies suggest the AZ/AZ/Moderna sequence is very effective. As a minor point I wonder if a private sector administered booster can be incorporated into the Thai government's certification arrangements.I see there is specific provision for a third dose in my Thai Government certification so perhaps there are in fact plans to cover booster shots in the government programme next year.

Thanks.Very useful summary

No it's not.In the vast majority of cases it's not even necessary to go to hospital

Unfortunately none of these are steps towards PR.

Looks as though you were mostly right and I was mostly wrong.See BBC's Jonathan Head's tweet. Jonathan Head @pakhead Question for @AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience. The European Medical Agency says Thai SBS vaccine is not approved because it has never been asked to inspect the SBS plant. Also AFAIK no clinical trials were run on locally-made AZ vaccine. So, harder for it to be accepted overseas.

Some of this is bound up with certification issues.But unless you have evidence to the contrary, I doubt whether scrutiny will extend to such matters as procurement, handling and storage.Thailand has an excellent medical infrastructure and is certainly not in the group of countries where delivery systems might be suspect.In short I doubt whether the whole Thai program needs to be checked.

I'm afraid I'm a cynic.The 1997 Constitution, though far from perfect, was certainly drafted with the interests of Thai citizens foremost. The current constitution enshrining the present sham democracy was drafted in the interests of those who pushed it forward and of course their patrons and paymasters.

It's not a question of not having altercations.Thais are generally a polite people with foreigners.That does not alter the fact that, as with most countries, foreigners are tolerated rather than welcomed.Those who mix with the classes catering to farang "customers" or who live in towns associated with the "water trade" may get a different impression but it isn't representative.Over time foreigners can become assimilated but that is unusual in Thailand for Westerners.

To be fair that can be said of most countries.

That is my understanding too. It's a pity that the recent advice from the British Consular Team doesn't make it specifically clear that it's a certification issue. My greater concern with the Consular advice is the wording, "working to extend its approach to vaccinated passengers from other places." This is a generic "line to take" comment that doesn't actually convey much information. I don't even understand what "to extend is approach" actually means. We are all very well aware that no answer can be given now and that it probably isn't even possible to provide an estimated likely time frame.But surely it would be possible to set out some general background on the criteria required.

I'm not questioning your veracity but since this is a discussion forum feel entitled to point out some aspects that are peculiar, even outrageous. To be specific and as an example it is a bizarre that a Danish government pensioner with no other income, who has paid all due tax, is visited by the Thai tax authorities.Why on earth should that happen? It simply doesn't make sense.

That's not authoritative.Is it just what the "kind ladies" told you and some other Danes? Other expatriates have been told completely different stories by Thai tax officials on retirees liability for tax - there are many such accounts on this forum. I certainly don't disagree that expatriates tax affairs are likely to be more closely scrutinized in the future.But there's something "off" in your account of the Danish authorities passing on tax information and contact details of their citizens (who have already paid tax in Denmark) to the Thai tax authorities who then send "kind ladies" to investigate.I don't buy it.You have perhaps neglected to advise some relevant information but there is something distinctly peculiar in your account of this incident.

Interesting.From what you say the Danish authorities, despite the fact you pay tax - at a higher rate than in Thailand - in your home country, have supplied the Thai tax authorities with details of your Danish income and your contact address in Thailand.It's true that most DTAs include provision for exchanging information but this would normally be in respect of people/entities "of interest" - not typical retirees. As a practical point there so many areas areas of greater interest to the Thai tax authorities that paying visits on blameless foreign retirees is odd to say the very least.Still I don't feel surprised particularly that the tax affairs of foreign pensioners would be further scrutinized. Most international banks have been asking similar questions over the last few years One question.You quote the Thai taxman that scrutiny of Danes and Finns is only the beginning of retirees tax position being checked.What is your source for this?