A colleague is planning to apply for an extension of stay based on retirement when reaching 50 years of age.  Last week I was speaking to a long-term expat here in BKK that advised that Thai authorities, at least for the purpose of visas, consider a person to be 50 years old when they enter their 50th year - ie. after their 49th b'day by western calculations.  Does anyone out there know if this is correct?

 

thanks, RS

i don't know about that but my thai drivers licence has  47 when i was born in 48 and i think i tryed to change it once ,no luck i forget what they said

Dunno about immigration (although I have heard this before), certainly the MRT want to to be a "western" 60 before they'll give you an "elder" card.

 

36 minutes ago, RickSee said:

Last week I was speaking to a long-term expat here in BKK that advised that Thai authorities, at least for the purpose of visas, consider a person to be 50 years old when they enter their 50th year - ie. after their 49th b'day by western calculations

That is not correct.

Immigration, embassies and consulates use your date of birth when applying for extensions or visas. You cannot apply until your 50th birthday.

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Last week I was speaking to a long-term expat here in BKK that advised that Thai authorities, at least for the purpose of visas, consider a person to be 50 years old when they enter their 50th year - ie. after their 49th b'day by western calculations

I can confirm what Ubonjoe stated.

I tried to get the Retirement Visa in Chiang Mai few days before my 50 birhtday but they refused to get any documents and sent me away. I was told to come back and apply at a later date.

This was 7 years ago.

 

Thanks to all for the responses.

 

RS

Land Office used my year of birth, recently.  

You are 50 when u turn 50. Sorry about that

In Thailand  a Farang is 50 on his 50th Birthday ,,,, A thai is 50 on his 49th birthday because when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2

3 minutes ago, digger70 said:

In Thailand  a Farang is 50 on his 50th Birthday ,,,, A thai is 50 on his 49th birthday because when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2

"...when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2"

No, they don't, on their first birthday they are 1-year old, my three Thai children can attest to that.  They, their mother, their Thai relatives and I all know how old they are and we all express it the same way.

It's is certainly true that some people colloquially will refer to themselves this way...at least in the past.  But I think it is dying out.  The Thai Millennials don't tend to do that.  It certainly isn't used by government agencies.

No Idea, I have been 37 for quite a few years now.

26 minutes ago, digger70 said:

In Thailand  a Farang is 50 on his 50th Birthday ,,,, A thai is 50 on his 49th birthday because when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2

Legally and officially a Thai is 50 on their 50th birthday too. It is only within Thai society/culture that using the next birthday is a thing. E.g. you will often see an extra candle on a birthday cake.

1 hour ago, a6patch said:

It's is certainly true that some people colloquially will refer to themselves this way...at least in the past.  But I think it is dying out.  The Thai Millennials don't tend to do that.  It certainly isn't used by government agencies.

Most would call the Land Office a government agency.  

Legally and officially a Thai is 50 on their 50th birthday too. It is only within Thai society/culture that using the next birthday is a thing. E.g. you will often see an extra candle on a birthday cake.

My gf has got it all wrong, she usually takes a few years off her age !!

The day after you are 49yrs and 364 days old, and the day before you are 50yrs and 1 day old. Simple really.

I think in China you are one when you are born.

But really, what's up with tennis. One point and you are 15 up.

3 hours ago, elviajero said:

Legally and officially a Thai is 50 on their 50th birthday too. It is only within Thai society/culture that using the next birthday is a thing. E.g. you will often see an extra candle on a birthday cake.

I can't speak for Thai culture generally but, in my family of poor uneducated Khmer peasants in south Surin, if you ask someone how old X is, they will not reply, say: "He's 29 and will be 30 in June" What they say is: "30 this year". Which means - and I have confirmed this with them - that X counts as 30 from 1 January in the year of his or her 30th birthday. They say this is because, in the old days, the older brothers and sisters were not registered or were registered years after their birth, so everyone is vague about their 'real' birth date. (In fact, I have become the birthday keeper of the family because I keep their actual/official dates on my computer, including those of my b/f's oldest full-blood sister & brother who were registered on the same day even though born 3 years apart.)

 

IN ADDITION they say - and I have seen it in action - that they use this for all official documents.

On your 50th birthday you will be 49 years old.

 

They count the day you were born as your first birthday which, by definition, is correct..........................

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

No Idea, I have been 37 for quite a few years now.

A lot of Thai women are "yeesip gwa" ... "over 20".

Jesus Harold , 52 weeks after your Birthday your 1 Year Old not 2.

5 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2"

No, they don't, on their first birthday they are 1-year old, my three Thai children can attest to that.  They, their mother, their Thai relatives and I all know how old they are and we all express it the same way.

you said the buzz word  'Farang children' ............. in rural Thailand as in a few other Asian countries they count the year the kid is in their mothers belly, some places have the first birthday 100 days after birth  -  my lady from Vietnam was born in 1977, her passport says 1976, her birth certificate says 1976, but the hospital and church records show her physically born in 1977.    In 1972 I got married to a Thai from Nakon Si Thamarat, her birth certificate was two years out of date, I got in hot water with the Army for applying to marry a 16 year old  (she was 18, I was 22) but her official birth certificate was interpreted wrong nearly sunk me in the Army...........just saying.

The best thing for you is not to turn 50 and stay in your 40's as long as possible. For this to work just walk in the opposite direction for the next 12 months. 

I had my 60th birthday in Thailand and the family and friends had a good ole fashioned blow-out at Zaap Soi 9 in Ubon. They had got me a big cake and the candles were in the shape a 6 and a 1.

 

I quietly pointed out that I am 60, not 61, but they said “No. In Thailand, we put the year ahead so that we wish you will have a good year”. Maybe that’s where some of the confusion lies.

 

P.S. I still have the candles ????

 

13 hours ago, digger70 said:

In Thailand  a Farang is 50 on his 50th Birthday ,,,, A thai is 50 on his 49th birthday because when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2

Yes, like the floors in a building, G often equates to 1. Not just Thailand, I had a Taiwanese gf who also recounted her age this way. Earlier replies are correct 50 = actual age 50.

13 hours ago, stevenl said:

No Idea, I have been 37 for quite a few years now.

I've been see-sip gwah for well over a decade. Best thing is it's also true 555

Its a vietnam thing. Lots of really weird culture there.

Asked my wife, she said she was 1 on her first birthday just like western countries. I had her ask mum and gran about this too. Both said you where 1 on your first birthday same as everyone else. Then her mum asked her, why would anyone want to be older than they are? 

17 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...when they are born they start counting 1 so when they are 1 yr old they say 2"

No, they don't, on their first birthday they are 1-year old, my three Thai children can attest to that.  They, their mother, their Thai relatives and I all know how old they are and we all express it the same way.

You can say what you like,My Gf counts the Thai way, when you born that's you're 1st Birthday when you 1 yr old that's you're second birthday, They done the same on my driving licence I told them but they said That's the way we do it. I know it ain't right but hey that's the Thai way.

16 hours ago, elviajero said:

Legally and officially a Thai is 50 on their 50th birthday too. It is only within Thai society/culture that using the next birthday is a thing. E.g. you will often see an extra candle on a birthday cake.

What's legal or not in Thailand that makes no difference,everyone does it the way they like , Thailand the country with Clayton's Laws& rules.