ItDontMeanAThing

The simple answer is yes - depending on the insurance company you either agree to that when you accept and sign the insurance companies proposal or they may ask you to sign a form at some later stage.

D'oh! Thanks. It seems so obvious now. Always had insurance through work. Never read the stuff I was signing because the insurance was 'take it or leave it'.

As you said, extremely stupid to lie on an application form as you are only deceiving yourself.

Sometimes I just like to know how the world works. My mama didn't raise somebody both smart enough to buy insurance and stupid enough to try to cheat it.

I think it takes a special kind of stupid to attempt deception of an insurance company. But I'm also concerned in general about who has access to what I think is my personal and private information, so I ask this question. Can a foreign insurance company obtain information from an American insurance company about a person's health history? I expect such information trading happens all the time in the EU. Does it?

Still, I picture a wedge as what I used to use splitting shakes whereas a triangle might be more even sided, which is what those Thai pillows are. So the pillows might be too close to vertical for decent sleeping.

I meant, but didn't state, an equilateral triangle. (That's one with three equal length sides for people like me who haven't seen the inside of a geometry classroom for 40+ years.) The 60 degree angle would make sleep impossible for me.

Though about elevating the head of bed or head of mattress but rejected it because I of my other uses for the mattress. Besides, my mattress is about as flexible as an 18 year old sailor on shore leave.

There is also a type of traditional Thai pillow which is wedge shaped and in bright woven colors ...

I've seen triangle shaped ones that match the description, but not wedge shaped. I'll look a closer next time to see if I can spot any wedges.

I need something like this (girl not included)

I expect medical supply stores sell them, though I don't know of any such store in Bangkok. Have you seen these for sale anywhere?

windguru.cz might be able to help. Here is archive for Chiang Mai.

Purchased my notebook in Hua Hin from a store I can't recall but it's one of the big computer chains. No OS installed and there was no problem finding notebooks without an OS and without haggling.

IMHO graphic cards add heat and eat battery. If you're not a gamer and are buying current generation hardware the integrated graphics is fine. Bring a DVD to see how it will handle movies. Computers evolve so fast that thinking about resale value is a waste. Few gamers will buy a used PC. If something develops in the next few years that needs more graphic horsepower you can always add one. That said, if you have a HD TV you might want to get notebook graphics that allow you to plug notebook into the TV.

Read the manufacturer's warranty. Read the manufacturer's warranty. In Thailand the Acer warranty says that if a component they didn't manufacture fails, your only recourse is with it's manufacturer. Or at least that's what their website says.

Broadcom drivers have historically been a royal pain in the ass to get working with Linux. The company is now working with the Linux community to make it better. Unless you have a new Broadcom chipset ...

On this site people report how their notebook hardware works with Linux. Most computer companies use different model names and numbers than in the industrialized nations, so it will take some research to find a model number that has the same hardware as a computer offered in SE Asia.

Unless you are buying something hot and new off the shelf there is very little worry with Linux compatibility.

I suspect that's true. I wanted no worry. Some Broadcom wireless chipsets are notoriously difficult to make work in Linux.

If firefox gives you grief then you can try (1) the beta of firefox 4 (2) google chrome (3) Opera,,,while (3) has a few annoying minor bugs it eats the least cpu of the three browsers. Opera 11 even has extensions now!

First tried opera because that was on my last Linux box. Mint didn't like it at all. I plan on trying Chrome when the 'how-to install' threads on the Mint forums age off because it's become a no brainer.

Firefox doesn't crash anymore now that I keep my open tabs to what will fit without scrolling. Only have one computer, so it's a beta free zone - though that's probably a holdover from spending too many years with windoze.

Learned about Mint while researching my planned laptop compatibility with Linux. Installed it three months ago and am happy. It has opened every media file type I've tried except midi. Only problem is Firefox occasionally locks up the machine when I have way too many tabs open. qBitorrent has a bug where it occasionally eats up most of the CPU cycles. Switched to transmission and haven't had a problem, except that I like qBitorrent's features better.

sleepingInAirports dot com

http://www.sleepingi...a/singapore.htm

I've had letters from two different kasikorn banks, both times they knew what I wanted and immigration had no problems. I learned that the word 'visa' does not mean much to the bank people, but 'immigration letter' was recognized immediately. Hua Hin immigration wanted a letter dated the same day I applied for the extension. Also asked fro proof of address, accepted a copy of my lease.

Get tested only if it's anonymous and you want the coverage. If you pass, then get tested under your own name. Don't tell insurance company you've EVER been tested. They use things like that in their risk factor model for setting rates.

I arrived in in Thailand last spring one month before I planned to. I went from Tourist Visa -> Non-Imm "O" for retirement -> 1 year extension. My extension expires in mid Sept. 2011, I want to change that sometime between mid October 2011 and end of March 2012.

I see several ways to deal with this.

Attempt renewal 6-7 months before extension expires. Requires immigration to bend the rules, so I expect to pay an informal fee, perhaps a substantial one. Pros: may be minimal hassle. Cons: may be high fee or impossible.

Let extension expire (or leave without a re-entry permit) then start over next year, entering Thailand with a Tourist or Non-Imm "O" visa. Pros: I know how to do this, Cons: Unless I can get the visa in Central or South American (or possibly Houston, TX), I have to do additional travel to get a visa.

I will be in the states for a few weeks, so I could get an O-A visa if I leave without a re-entry permit. Pros: It's an O-A visa, Cons: Don't want the documentation hassle or the cost of hanging out in the states while getting it.

Leave the country now without a re-entry permit, return in a few days with a tourist or non-imm "O" visa and start over. Pros: It's by the book. Cons: The immigration people will think I'm an idiot. Don't want to transfer the required dollars to baht at current rates.

Just live with it.

Are there other options, or errors in what I think are my options?

>4) Are there any tips on getting to/from the embassy/airport

Train runs from airport to Sentral station. If you land at the LCCT, the Low Cost Carrier Terminal on the other side of the airport (Air Asia uses it, I don't know who else) there is a shuttle bus to the train.

Ampang Park is the closest rail station to the embassy. It's too long of a walk unless you're cheap or love to sweat. Taxi driver will know embassy row, but may not know Thai embassy. Going west it's just past the VW dealer, which is across the street from a Proton dealer. On the two days I was there it was the only embassy with a crowd outside the gate.

When you return to pick up your passport there will be taxis waiting, hoping for a fare to the airport. Good luck getting one for a short ride.

KL visa run report on my blog. Nothing more about transport, but some useful tips that could get you in and out of the embassy quicker.

My understanding is that at Bangkok Immigration each morning staff are instructed as to the up-to-date exchange rate...

That's the first time I hear this. I have seen posts saying that the immigration officer asked the applicant what the rate was, other posts that the embassy letter stated the amount both in foreign currency and the Baht equivalent.

They do both. Probably depends on where you apply, who processes the application and what they had for breakfast that morning.

When I went to immigration office to ask what are the requirements for a 1 year extension, the official asked what my monthly income was. I told her in USD. She asked what that was in baht, but did not give me an exchange rate to use so I picked my own. Two weeks later when I applied for the extension she pulled out a sheet with that days' exchange rates.

Before I first set foot in the HH immigration office, I checked one of the local expat forums.  I learned that one official handles all retirement related business.  She often finds reason to ask for what I call "informal fees".

Several posters pointed out there should not be a seasoning requirement when using the combined income & bank balance method.  Well, duh!  If my process had gone completely by the book I would have seen no need to make a report.

Finally, because I'm in a rare pedantic mood, isn't it more accurate to say the visa's expiration date was extended to one year from it's date of first use?

D'oh!  These days I can't decide if I need new glasses, a new brain or both.  My permission to stay has been extended 1 year from the date the visa expires.    Sorry for the confusion - mine and yours.

Not a lot of reports here about how the Hua Hin immigration office works. Maybe this will be useful.

With 5 weeks left on my non-imm type 'O' (for the purpose of retirement) visa I asked the HH office about their requirements for the 1 year extension. Their handout had no surprises:

* TM.7 form

* Copy of passport

* 2 4x6 cm photos

* Currently holding a non-imm visa

* 50 years +

* Proof of financial statment or pension (description lifted from the Immigration department's national website).

Also told to bring a letter showing the current account balance and a income afidavit letter from the US Embassy that was newer than the one I had, which was over 2 months old. I asked 'how new' and was told that I could go to the embassy on Monday and then come to immigration on Tuesday.

I would be using the combination of income and thai bank savings account. They told me the money had to be in the account for at least two months. <deleted>? I mentioned that my money wasn't two months old yet. The official said a 4000 baht payment would solve that problem.

Returned to the immigration office after the savings account funds were 2 months old. Wore long pants & shoes, even combed my hair. My bank letter was one day old, income letter was two days old. Brought some other stuff, anticipating they would ask for it. Glad I brought them because they asked to see:

* apartment lease

* bank account passbook and copy of all non-blank pages

Received the one year extension without a problem.

Finally, because I'm in a rare pedantic mood, isn't it more accurate to say the visa's expiration date was extended to one year from it's date of first use? In other words, an extension to one year, not a one year extension? Or that the time in which I'm permitted to stay in the Kingdom has been extended by nine months? ;-)

I obtained a non-imm 'O' for retirement from Penang 2 1/2 months ago. I suggest contacting at least two visa agents in Penang to see what the current requriements are. This forum is a great place to find out what the requirements are supposed to be and what they were the last time a poster or commenter got his visa ... or heard about somebody who supposidly got his visa, but they don't tell you what the requirements were yesterday.

For what it's worth, here is my adventure http://www.thaivisa....th-no-problems/

I use dramamine, the anti-motion sickness med. That's a brand name, the drug name is Dimenhydrinate. I can't sleep on short flights (< 5 hours). Long flights (10 +) are different. Give me a neck pillow, something really boring on my mp3 player (NPR's This American Life usually works) and I'll eventually fall asleep. When I wake up I take half a dramamine, which I've already broken and have in my shirt pocket. Puts me out for the next 4 hours. I only take half because of the groggy hang over after waking up. Obviously, if I can't fall asleep the first time, I'll take the drug.

when using the combined method no seasoning of money is required.

I've seen many posts that say one must wait until day 60+ of a 90 day Non Imm 'O' visa to apply for a one year extension. Obviously if the combined method is NOT used then one has to wait until the money is in the bank account for 60 days. But I've yet to find a post that addressed using the combined method with the conventional wisdom of 60+ days. I can't find anything on thai government websites that says when a Non Imm 'O' can be extended, except for saying how long the 800k has to be in the bank.

I have difficulty seeing how providing copies of my passbook and passport could be a problem. Looked like a small risk to me. Maybe I'm naive or ignorant. If I'm wrong, I'd like to know why so I can transfer the funds to a new account.

One could counterfit a copy of the passport and substitute their photo. That would give them ID and a copy of my signature for making a withdrawl, but what bank would do so for someone who only had a copy of a passbook?

One could counterfit a passbook, except they have no clue to the contents of the magnetic strip, parts of which I expect are encrypted.

One could avoid counterfiting by setting up a wire transfer over the phone. Is any bank going to do that with no way to confirm who they are dealing with?

Am I missing something obvious? Is there a chink in the banking system that has allowed a history of fradulant withdrawls from Thai banks?

You should not have needed any of that financial information to obtain a non immigrant O visa if over age 50 and I sure would not be giving it to some third country national.

The map is not the terrain.

I contacted a visa agent before going to Penang, asked him what the requirements for a non-imm O for retirement were. He said: "Hi for an retirement o visa you must be more than 55 years old and have a bank statement for about 800 hundred thousand baht for a year multiple non o visa.For three months you can have about 2 to 3 hundred thousand baht."

Upon reaching Penang I went to a different agent, asked him about the requirements. He asked if I had a thai bank account passbook. No, but I have a copy. He looked grim. I said I have a four day old letter from bank certifying the amount. He read it, smiled and started the paperwork. I volunteered that I also had the income affidavit from the US Embassy. He smiled broadly and said there would be no problem getting the 3 month single entry visa.

Seems to me the main reason people report on their recent visa experiences is to inform the readers about what the current situation is at a given consulate or embassy. So, who am I going to believe if I 'should' provide the financial info? Two people who's business it is to turn visa submission requests into satisifed customers or someone on the net who's knowledge is out of date and doesn't know it yet?

This was painless. Went to a visa agent at Banana Guesthouse recommended by a guy who'd used him many times. The visa cost 220 ringets, the agents fee was 40.

Along with my passport I gave them copies of my income affidavit obtained from the US Embassy in Bangkok, a four day old letter from my bank stating the ammount in my baht savings account, a copy of my passbook and two photos. I didn't check the day's exchage rate, but the combo of the income statement and amount in account was close to or just over 800,000 baht. I doubt I needed that for the visa but I will need it when I ask for the 9 month extension now that I'm back in Thailand.

The agent said a one year multiple entry non imm o was available but I wasn't interested so I didn't get the details.

Thank you!