biggles45

As I said, if you had taken a few minutes to Google the Retirement Authority site you would know that the MINIMUM age for the Retirement Visa has been 50 for a few years now. It was changed due to some perceived abuse by Chinese members.

Not just the Americans. Most people can arrive on a 30 day visa free, extend it to 59 days and then keep extending, at a cost, upto 36 months when they can leave and then re-enter and start again

Rubbish, the term deposit required for the Retirement Visa today is 800,000 pesos (502,187 baht at today's rates) 5 minutes on Google would have shown you that. I have had mine 11 years. In that time I have NEVER been to any IO. Not for 90 day report or annual. renewal. You renew your PRA Member card at their office annually, mine costs $10 a year.

'Ensuring tourist safety and the integrity of the tourism sector remains a top priority for Thai authorities.' They have got to be joking? Surely no one believes this.

Rental shops in Pattaya have been renting bikes, many capable of 160kph speeds, to unqualified riders for years. No action by the police or authorities. Suddenly 25kph scooters are a danger!!, Get real people, they haven't paid off the right people.

'. A subsequent meeting is scheduled for October 13th to address the outstanding legal concerns.' That's a long time for the business owner to be left on hold

1. 70 years ago the populations of Thailand 20M and the Philippines 18.5M were very similar. Today, thanks to the Catholic Church, Thailand has around 72 million and RP has 118 million. 2. A long history of corruption with elected officials. Most of the money raised after typhoon Yolanda disappeared into a black hole. Just look at who they elected as their latest President.... The guy whose parents plundered an estimated $200 million from them. A B grade Actor, Estrada was elected Mayor and stole an estimated $20m. Later he was elected to the Senate.

You could double their salaries and the corruption is so deep into the system that it would have no affect. They would always want more!

For many years prior to the Oct 7th attack AJ was my goto channel for international news. Since then their anti-Israel and pro-Hamas stance has become increasingly apparent. I don't watch now, they seem to cover the Gaza situation to the exclusion of news from anywhere else

There is a police box on the cnr of 2nd road and Klang, you can see it in the photo above. So not hard to check if they rebuild the obstructions. Not that any cop ever leaves the comfort of the box!!

You could be right but does anyone really believe that a Labour government, with its liberal minded support base will do anything to stop the illegal immigration of all those potential voters? Think of the Democrats response to the 'problem' in the US

They are safe in France already! By sailing in a rubber dinghy to the UK they are making themselves 'unsafe' again. They have no right to 'destination shop' once the 'threat' has been removed.

I heard a politician trying to justify this on the basis that 'immigration was too high' and people were concerned. That's true, but it's not the legal spouses of Brit citizens they are concerned about! so instead of stopping the illegals in their rubber boats, let's keep putting them up in hotels and giving them lots of benefits. We will cut the number of LEGALS, and penalize the British citizens who have dared to marry outside the UK.

Centre link has two rates for old age pension. Full rate, inc some allowances, for those living in Oz and a lower rate (without the allowances) for those overseas. The rates are on their website. Centre link also gets info from immigration computers and is well aware of recipients travel movements

'and it's possible to open a Philippine bank account on line without even going to the Philippines. ' Have you done this, or know someone who has, who is NOT a Filipino? I have lived here 15 years and the requirements to open an account are strict, even a foreigner here on a 60 day visa can't open one so it's difficult to believe that Anyone, living Anywhere can. As you asked some one earlier..... Link please!

No it's not. It's valid for 90 days BUT only if shown with a valid IDP. As a previous poster said ASEAN license holders do not need an IDP under a recipricol arrangement. I have shown my Philippine license many times in the last 7 years at checkpoints without problem

Sorry, they did and they spend millions of baht, and have a whole govt department whose only job is to do just that!

'Problem with Benjamit is you get farang who like the sound of their voice, ' Yes, on market days I now go after 1pm, much quieter. I always find the European customers, especially noisy. Been going there 15+ years now, right back to when it was only single-fronted. Really nice people.

Benjamit coffee at the Buakaow market, have 2 copies of the Bangkok Post to read every day. Very popular with Europeans and can be hard to get a seat on market days. Starbucks must make a fortune, selling coffee at USA prices with Thai labor and other costs.!

Didn't he die from cancer?

Hardly likely to deter illegal gambling then! Also, high end casinos will not be affordable to a great many lower income thais

You could double their wage but corruption is so ingrained into the system that they would be unlikely to forgo that income For those at the top, paying millions of corruptly obtained baht to secure a more powerful position you could not pay them enough.

Not only that, under a reciprocal arrangement between ASEAN countries, the Thai embassy in Manila will issue a 60 day tourist visa to a Filipino passport holder FREE OF CHARGE. My partner has had two a year for the past 8 years. We spend 4-5 months a year in Pattaya. She has 4 Filipina friends who live with foreign partners in Pattaya for many years. There is quite a large group of Filipinos in Pattaya, many musicians, service staff, cleaners etc We met in the Philippines, she is 33 years younger than me and we have been together 14 years

It's really laughable at the outrage when 2 foreigners attacked a Thai policeman. Where was the outrage when a wealthy Thai ran down a cop with his car, dragged him along and then fled? Oh yes, he was Thai and wealthy so a different case. Apparent these 2 guys have REALLY wealthy parents too.!!

So, with all these often ludicrous requirements for renewals, why is it that so many are eventually located, often by accident, on overstays of years? Seems like a total waste of time, manpower and resources!