jayboy

Most respondents here make no distinction between wealth and class.However although they overlap, they are not the same thing at all.A wealthy plumber is not upper middle class.An impoverished clergyman might well be.In England (there are different rules for Scotland) social class can easily be determined from the way people speak and the vocabulary they use.Thus - to take a few wealthy people - David Beckham, Alan Sugar, Jonathan Ross fall into one category.James Blunt, Tom Hiddleston and Jack Whitehall fall into another.

In Thailand there are very few upper middle class expatriates and almost none would be members of this forum.I doubt there is one upper middle class expatriate resident in Pattaya among the plump tattooed retirees.

The rules are however being rewritten by the young and it's sometimes difficult now to tell the difference between the poshies and the proles. Good thing probably.

And me? Educated prole - working class for generations.

On 12/16/2021 at 7:56 PM, rabas said:

Vichaiyut hospital in Bangkok let us decide when to take shots although they do provide recommendations.

 

I had a full size Moderna shot Dec 8, 91 days after completing 2 AZ shots. I could have taken it earlier. They had my AZ shots on record.  They also automatically set my 2^nd Moderna appointment 28 days after the first but I will move it to March.

 

While I was there, they said I could use both shots as a full Moderna course now (28 day gap) or use them as 'boosters' several months apart, thought they said boosters made more sense.

You need to do some careful checks.If you have had 2 AZ shots and then a Moderna shot after 3 months, there is no need to plan for a second Moderna shot in March.

22 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

BKK Hospital BKK is up and running with Moderna Booster jabs purchased through shopee app. ( print and bring your Moderna coupon ID ) I rebooked my Moderna jab from Feb. 28 to Dec. 28 with the new 3-6 month wait protocol....

Thanks.I had a look at the Bangkok Hospital's offer via Shopee and the explanatory detail (all in Thai) is interesting.It was encouraging to note you can actually book an appointment although this seems in conflict with evidence from elsewhere that Government hasn't yet authorized release.Essentially it is the same arrangement as that provided by Bumrungrad, ie private sector provision under direction from Government.

Actually I'm quite surprised at the lack of activity on this forum on the booster issue.Evidence from the UK indicates 2 doses of AZ doesn't provide any protection against Omicron, though a booster provides a great deal of protection.We also know that once present in a country Omicron is incredibly infectious.Let's hope that the early indications that it doesn't generally result in severe disease/death is confirmed.However, coming back to Thailand, it does seem unfortunate that the booster rollout is so sluggish.Having said that I'm fully aware that many Thais have received a Pfizer booster on top of 2X Sinovac.But overall the response to the Omicron variant isn't that impressive.

13 minutes ago, blackprince said:

My question was what is known as a rhetorical question.

 

"particularly those who are very familiar with PR" yes there is a lot of knowledge here of the normal PR route, but zero of the investment route. As someone else mentioned earlier, to his knowledge only one poster had tried that route in the 15 years or so the thread has been running.

 

One of the big differences between the normal route and the investment route is that the investment route is obviously much more dependent upon personal and private confidential information, rather than the normal route which is based primarily on income/tax paid - usually by working as an employee of a large company.

 

Perhaps that's why none of the people who have obtained PR via the investment route post about their experience here.

 

PR was suggested by the authorities to the person I am referring after founding and operating for several years a valuable community service business here.

 

Your conclusions are your own affair, good day.

 

 

 

 

Many successful PR have considered the investment route and discarded it for reasons outlined several times.The issue however is not whether the investment route is feasible (for all I know it may have happened occasionally and it's certainly covered in the rules) but the property rights it is supposed to convey.These could not be granted at the whim of some government official but would need in a country like Thailand to be enshrined in law or some kind of statutory regulation.This seems not to be the case or at least there has been a failure to produce them.In the circumstances, though I'm happy to reconsider if convincing evidence is provided, we must I'm afraid conclude you are mistaken.

11 hours ago, blackprince said:

Why would I want to cite a law? This isn't a trial.

 

In answer to your own question,you would want to cite a law to persuade members of the forum - particularly those who are very familiar with PR - that you are not talking complete cobblers.There is no need to scan title deeds, merely identify the relevant part of Thai laws or regulations.

Like many with PR I looked into the investment approach but it soon became clear in consultation with my very experienced lawyer that it was sub-optimal and in practice almost never feasible.However if you are able to identify the relevant enabling regulations, I should be glad to seek my lawyer's opinion and share it with the forum.

However if you have no response or just a flippant dismissal, we can safely draw our own conclusions on the matter.

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Wow, if it's so annoying and problematic why don't you surrender your Certificate of Residence (if you have one) then your life will be utopia. 

He also inaccurately describes the multiple re-entry stamp as a "renewal" which it obviously isn't.I'm also not sure getting the necessary stamp represents a restriction on freedom of movement: it took me half an hour last time.Having said that, I tend to agree the whole PR set up is rather creaky and all too clearly is a sclerotic arrangement designed for another age.Unfortunately I can't see where the pressure to reform - as opposed to tinkering about at the margins - will come from.

Interestingly, an American friend recently pointed out to me that holders of green cards (a kind of supercharged version of Thai PR with the right to work) needed to be careful if they were out of the US for more than a year since the Immigration authorities tended to get suspicious, sometimes aggressively so.US green card holders aren't cut off at the knees as Thai PR holders are in similar circumstances after one year's absence - but it indicates the logic of the thinking of all immigration bureaucrats on the subject.

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

There's probably several hundred PR holders in Thailand who have never had the exit/re-entry stamp or haven't had it for many years, because they travel very infrequently.

 

Just to confirm your point, like many other PR holders I haven't traveled outside Thailand since mid 2019.Since then I have had no contact with Immigration, haven't reported to any other branch of the Thai government.I haven't in fact had to give my residential status in Thailand a single thought.If there was any doubt in my mind about the advantages of PR it's been dispelled in the pandemic.

Rather unusually I paid for an item on Lazada via my bank account rather than cash on delivery.Anyway seller cancelled the item because couldn't supply.Lazada advise refund paid into my Lazada Wallet.But foreigners - as far as I know - still can't hold Lazada Wallets.So how do I get the refund paid into my bank account? I suspect many will have had this experience.

As unfortunately all too usual a worthwhile question - what does fully vaccinated now mean? - has been swamped by mainly irrelevant responses.Returning to the topic and specifically to booster jabs in Thailand, I haven't seen that much about the Thai Government's position but I assume that policy will be to recommend booster jabs to all which is in line with international practice.Most expats I know have received their first two jabs in the Thai public system but have booked or intend to book booster jabs from private hospitals.The recommended time between the 2nd AZ jab and booster (preferably Moderna or Pfizer) is 5 to 6 months.Does anyone have information on Thai government policy on boosters - I may well have missed it? I doubt whether it's realistic to expect most Thais to go to private sector sources for booster jabs. 

1 hour ago, koratkarlos said:

I was planning to use my existing health insurance policy.  I have received a letter from the insurance company stating "We confirm that ********** health insurance does provide cover for Coronavirus (Covid-19) under and subject to the standard terms, conditions, exclusions and warranties of
the policy."  The letter also contains my policy number and maximum annual benefit which exceeds the $ 50,000.  Does anyone know if this is acceptable?   I have a relatively standard non-Thai expat policy underwritten by Allianz.  Thank you in advance.

It's my understanding that this would certainly be acceptable.If anyone thinks differently it would be useful to know on what basis they disagree

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can.

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

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That means that the insurance is not intended to be sold to those here in Thailand and are wanting insurance to use here in the country.

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?

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

This site has stated 99 for the max age since day one. 

https://www.tipinsure.com/CovidRegional/product_detail

But it is only showing the $100k insurance.

Looking at that link and continuing to the "Buy" option there are the following conditions:

"This COVID-19 Insurance Policy with USD 100,000 Coverage for Inbound Travellers during the COVID-19 pandemic is intended for the following persons:

1. Foreigners who wish to travel to Thailand (to apply for COE).
2. Foreigners who currently hold a COVID-19 Insurance Policy with USD 100,000 Coverage and who wish to renew their COVID-19 Insurance Policy.
3. Thai nationals who wish to travel to Thailand and are required by law to take out a COVID-19 insurance coverage.

(This insurance policy is not intended for foreigners and Thai nationals who currently live in Thailand.)"

This would appear to exclude PRs - or have I misinterpreted?

On 10/26/2021 at 8:52 PM, thailand49 said:

Tycoon?  He is a dirty farang if it came from a Thai maybe just maybe they might consider it????? they will just smile, nod then in one ear out the other.

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.

4 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Just shows you didn't understand the point I was trying to make. Generally speaking in most countries once you have resided there long enough to be deemed a resident for tax purposes you ARE also considered a resident ( whether it be temporary or permanent) of that country, hence the reference to Thai logic or more specifically lack thereof.  So do you understand the point I was making, now.

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.

1 hour ago, TigerandDog said:

you obviously didn't read my last paragraph did you.

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.

3 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Who is considered a resident of Thailand?

 

 

“Resident” means any person residing in Thailand for a period or periods aggregating more than 180 days in any tax (calendar) year. A resident of Thailand is liable to pay tax on income from sources in Thailand as well as on the portion of income from foreign sources that is brought into Thailand

 

While the topic makes no mention of "resident for tax purposes" it is worth noting that The Thailand Revenue Office applies the aforementioned in determining whether a foreigner is a resident or a non-resident. Therefore one could consider, if Thai logic actually existed as we know logic to exist, that any foreigner residing in Thailand for an aggregate of 180 days or more in any given calendar year to be a resident.

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.

2 hours ago, lomtalay said:

Thank you, Jayboy. I don't have much free time and would prefer to avoid the hassle of doing it myself, even if it means that I need to pay for someone else to help.

 

With this in mind, can anyone recommend a trustworthy agency/lawyer based on first-hand experience?

 

 

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.

22 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I think the general opinion here is that the process is straight forward if you qualify and there is no need for any agent.

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.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Your banks phone app.

Even my local market stalls show a QR code.

Paid for an injection at the vets by showing my phone their QR code.

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?

7 hours ago, blackcab said:

Any difficulty, however, is not going to be in dealing with the UK government. The problem might be with your airline when you are boarding to go to the UK

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.

On 9/29/2021 at 1:39 PM, Jingthing said:

I also think boosters MAY be more generally accessible six .months from now but there really is no way to predict the future on such things. 

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.