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What we all know

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8 minutes ago, thequietman said:

BUT.... I am a tax paying resident here and I still have to get out if wife dies or I wasn't able to come up with the sums that they require. It is somewhat confusing when there are different figures for different nationalities.  Were you aware of that?

 

A Laos, Burmese, Vietnamese gentleman with a Thai wife has to show less money to stay here! That makes no sense to me. Sure, he might not have my earning potential but does his rice cost less than mine? Is the pork that he buys costing less than mine? Can he buy fuel for his bike/car/truck cheaper than me?

 

There is no consistency with the rules regarding marriage extensions and that makes no sense.

A very good response now how can we address to immigration or 

whoever are the ones that can make change. Seriously!

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  • Which, thankfully is just your personal opinion. Most of the Thais in my village are not only surviving but feeling just fine on something around 10,000b a month. We run 2 m'bikes an old car, 2 houses

  • HappyAndRich
    HappyAndRich

    Yep, that´s right. The thai government should be happy that you made the choice to settle, get married and make children in this country and contribute with so much.   You have earned the ri

  • You obviously have no concept of how much  800K really is but it is  alot in America and the UK.  For someone who retired after Age 65- their income level which their pension is based upon was low.  I

1 minute ago, DJ54 said:

A very good response now how can we address to immigration or 

whoever are the ones that can make change. Seriously!

NO, because we don't matter and common sense is not something they appear to have here. There is no Thai word for it.

9 hours ago, grego49 said:

I have always wondered why a single person needs 800,000 to look after himself and a married person with a wife and possibley a couple of kids to look after only needs 400,000 ??

They even won't look at how rich your Thai partner might be...she might be very rich.

I'd make a couple of points on this. I lived in Singapore for 20 years and when i moved there they were just starting to clamp down. It used to be you could take a bus to Malaysia on a Saturday afternoon and get a new stamp for 30 days forever, then 3 times then not at all. I had good income and low tax no welfare.     Now I cant afford to live there and retire, so I live in Thailand.  This is what happens as countries develop. Why would you want to bring in people with limited resources when you already have plenty of your own.  Thailand will expand its middle class and tax base. As income levels rise those middle  class will complain about paying tax to support foreigners who clog up  services and  dont contribute  - just like Singapore,  UK and USA and every other country in the world. 

 

I have never used the British embassy income certification because almost every service the embassy provides cost more than the annual Visa application.

I brought in a million baht  5 years ago. I have a  Kbank account here  and i use that for all my local expenses so no currency fees on ATM withdrawals. Once a year 3 months prior to my visa renewal I top it up to the million again.  Yes it was a one time hit to put the money in but after that it's the same impact.    The banks here are fine and safe and you get nominal interest like everywhere else,  SMS notifications on every transaction and you can pay almost everything online. I pay 100 Baht for the annual letter.  Maybe if  one of the  banks were smart they would offer an "expat" account that pays interest on 800,000 and send a reminder 100 days before and  gives a free once a year letter. 

 

I have also found with government services in Thailand unlike the UK if you have a problem and you are polite they will try their hardest to help you solve it.

A couple of times there have been gaps in procedure  and they have made a phone call or asked me to sign something and it gets solved.   No i have never paid a bribe.  

This problem has created gaps and they will get solved. The smart way to go for me is self certification of income statement with mandatory visa cancellation if you cheat or lie. Or maybe they will require everyone to put 800K on deposit.     

But dont be surprised  if the requirements to live here change. If you have a one year visa extension - thats what it is. A one year contract to live here.    

They can change anything they want. They won't kill the golden goose  but they will tweak it.   There are plenty of emerging middle class Chinese and Arabs to fill the gaps,

Policy will gradually shift to favour those with money and  resources and skills and encourage those without to stay away. 

If you want an extra 5 years of the old system got to Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia but they will catch up  

From my ow experience :Absolutely possible to live with 40k/65 k in Thailand


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42 minutes ago, HappyAndRich said:

have much more positive than negative seen over all. However, that is not important. The important thing is that I do not see myself at all like you are trying to put it. I see myself as a person that built my life from start with two empty hands and a lot of go and motivation. That´s why I can say it´s all possible for everyone to do.

 

That´s also why I today can look in the mirror and say: "Hi there handsome guy. You made it. You are actually worth this after all your hard work." After that I just feel happy to be one of those that just don´t need to go to a foreign country and complain my arse off, just for the hell of it.

 

I just simply look at the moon, thank the US population that Trump lost the house, take a whiskey and put on a Youtube comedy about how bad it goes for the sinking ship Sweden. Cheers! :smile:

Just by this post you give yourself away.  I could tell you so much about your personality but I won't. I shall let you live your life as you see fit/  I have no animosity toward you or anyone.  Your are entitled to your opinion but so am I.  I simply ask you to look at the situation from someone Elsie's perspective

13 hours ago, Lungstib said:

Which, thankfully is just your personal opinion. Most of the Thais in my village are not only surviving but feeling just fine on something around 10,000b a month. We run 2 m'bikes an old car, 2 houses and 4 people on 20,000b a month, have healthy and complete lives, work hard at growing some of our own fruit and veg and are the envy of many around us. I was always quite happy to come here and live the same way as the people around me, otherwise I would have stayed at 'home' in Britain. If foreigners getting into western countries had to show they earned 4 times as much as the locals that would be the end of all immigration. My wife, her family have all benefited from the involvement of a this farang in their lives and the Thai govt should at least realise that fact.

UK reqs for spouse Visa. Its not 4X but i'd argue that a rural village income in Thailand shouldnt be the baseline for immigration.  

 

You must have met each other and be legally married

You must intend to live together permanently.

You must have enough money to support yourselves (and any dependents) without claiming public funds.

Your sponsoring partner must earn more than £18,600 per year or have enough savings to be able to sponsor you (£46000 Savings no kids). The minimum financial requirement is higher if they are also sponsoring dependant children.

You must have suitable accommodation for you, your spouse and any dependants.

You must satisfy the English language requirements.

 

The sponsor (i.e. the British citizen or settled person) must show that they can support their partner by earning a pre-tax annual salary of £18,600.

For the first child, the additional gross income must be £3,800. It is £2,400 for any additional child. Put another way, the Home Office guidance says that the minimum income requirement is:

Partner with no children – £18,600  (or 2.5x savings)

1 child in addition to the partner – £22,400 (or 2.5x savings)

2 children in addition to the partner – £24,800 (or 2.5x savings)

3 children in addition to the partner – £27,200  (or 2.5x savings)

So to get a partner into the UK with no kids they will have to pass an English test  and you'll have to have min 2M Baht on deposit .  

LOL, do not know how he got there.

It appears that we all don't know....

Or, the selected few.

3 minutes ago, rott said:

LOL, do not know how he got there.

Even the website thinks it about happyandrich. ????

Retiring in a foreign land, one should be able to have $20,000 in the bank to cover emergencies, or at least be able to borrow it. 

I'd hate to be stuck somewhere when old with not enough to take the family on a plane to the other side of the world at short notice, or pay for an operation at a private hospital, or buy my grandkids a car, etc.

I'm making arrangements now for a comfortable retired life in Thailand when I'm 55, which includes buying XRP, stock, pension plans, and getting Thai citizenship to avoid visa hassles.

The days of Thailand being a 3rd world country are over. Understandably, the Thai authorities want to stop poor pensioners coming here and expecting to get a red carpet and pick on underpriveleged farm girls, forced into the sex trade. Thailand is developing, and taking measures to make retitement for foreigners here a little like how it is for Thai pensioners to go and retire in farangland.

 

 

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Another whine by cheap Charlie old men who until yesterday were complaining about backpackers milking the system?

 

If no money, go home ????

Thai citizenship. Do you know how long it will take and how much it will cost? Not a rhetorical question.

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2 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Another whine by cheap Charlie old men who until yesterday were complaining about backpackers milking the system?

 

If no money, go home ????

I have never heard of anybody milking the system. Please explain which system is there to be milked.

5 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

If no money, go home

Why would I want to go where you are.  Canada=  You had a nice life and gave it up.... Another bitter farang.

1 minute ago, rott said:

I have never heard of anybody milking the system. Please explain which system is there to be milked.

 

Milking the visa loopholes.... such as embassy certifying your fraudulent income ???? 

 

Milking the public Thai hospitals instead of having proper insurance ????

 

Using the cheap Thai labor for your own benefit, but when a Thai women does the same and take your house you cry on the forums and media ???? ???? ????

 

Cheap charlie old farang go home ????

 

 

Neeranam you have a point, many are living hand to mouth and are at the ATM every WEEK to get their pension. Not a way I could live.

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1 hour ago, wgdanson said:

Until YOU get an illness or have an accident. Then what happens?

She keeps her house, inherits my savings and my 400,000b visa money, still has 2 bikes and a car and is probably still better off at 58 y.o. than most of the village where she was born and now lives. My death will make little difference to her as she owns everything but now has two educated kids who may help her. 

Just now, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

Milking the visa loopholes.... such as embassy certifying your fraudulent income ???? 

 

Milking the public Thai hospitals instead of having proper insurance ????

 

Using the cheap Thai labor for your own benefit, but when a Thai women does the same and take your house you cry on the forums and media ???? ???? ????

 

Cheap charlie old farang go home ????

 

 

And you say that backpackers do all this?

Well I never...............

4 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Why would I want to go where you are.  Canada=  You had a nice life and gave it up.... Another bitter farang.

 

I will be back in less than a month.

 

I pack in - u pack out

Just now, theguyfromanotherforum said:

will be back in less than a month.

 

I pack in - u pack out

Don't forget to bring some money so you can actually contribute to something other than your own aggrandizement. Maybe this time you will adjust to a Thai lifestyle instead of your own selfishness.

1 minute ago, Thaidream said:

adjust to a Thai lifestyle

 

 

????????

13 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

I will be back in less than a month.

Let us  know when- we'll send a  tuk tuk to meet you- who will drive you to Issan.  I doubt you would spend a dollar for anyone other than yourself. Another  one who thinks they are better than anyone else but is one of the cheapest charlies there are. Don't forget to go to Toronto to get your O-A visa so  you can avoid putting any money in a Thai bank.

11 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

 

????????

Sadly you will possibly be sober next time you post, and less entertaining. But you may be able to explain about backpackers milking the system.

16 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

I will be back in less than a month.

 

I pack in - u pack out

Can’t wait! You n happy, is his wife working from home to help fund you too? And I thought this was about retirement?

  • Popular Post
34 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Milking the public Thai hospitals instead of having proper insurance 

Umh, if you use the public health facilities, you pay the going rate, not the subsidised rate that the Thais pay, which is fair enough. It is of course usually significantly cheaper than the private hospitals, perhaps that is a reflection of the profit taking within the private health system. 

  • Popular Post

I know quite a few farangs who live in Thailand with a wife and kids who live on a lot less than 40,000 baht a month.  They live in smaller cities outside Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other larger cities.  Some own, some rent.  

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Wrong

It only has to shown on the date the extension application is done. Two months for marriage and 3 months for retirement. The remainder of the year you can do what you want to the money.

Many thanks Joe, so I can repatriate the funds as soon as retirement visa is given ?

can I show UK bank statements showing state pension payments plus the balance in Thai bank to make up the 800,000

30 minutes ago, Kevbo said:

Many thanks Joe, so I can repatriate the funds as soon as retirement visa is given ?

can I show UK bank statements showing state pension payments plus the balance in Thai bank to make up the 800,000

If you like flying and still have a UK address, and have a UK state pension, pin your DWP pension statement to the back of your VISA application, and ask for a years multi entry VISA, purpose = retirement £125+ £10return postage, from the  Tha i London Embassy, Just fly out of Thailand and back in every 90 Days, instead of reporting? 

Depends on your situation, I know it works, but the person does not stay in Thailand continuously (though nothing to said that he could not, apart from a flight out every 90 Days)

Edited by johnwf1963

13 hours ago, HappyAndRich said:

As I already stated living below 40K baht per month is, to me, not a descent life. However, there is never anybody, not even Immigration, that says you have to use 40K or more per month. They just want to be sure that the minimum requirement is there to protect expats from not be capable to take care of their life and livelihood while residing in Thailand.

That is a good safety net both for the country and for all expats. Something that we should be happy about exists, which also prove they are concerned about our wellbeing. 

Who are you? Do you work for the ministry of justification?.....Just about every post you make is pushing a cold hard unbendable realty.... Why even bother? 

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