List of Unforseen events that could result in an invalid retirement extension

[Khaeng Mak]

2 hours ago, Rod the Sod said:

Ah look, I agree that it isn't easy and some things like local interpretation are a nightmare. There are others you mention like the cost of transferring funds and the proof of origination. Sorry, but if the cost of a handful of bank transfers is a deal breaker, then you are not yet ready to retire in LOS. Also, there is always documentation to prove origination of funds. If however the IO wont accept it then that is another matter altogether. Re opening Bank Accounts. Not so, if all is legit - just go the the Bangkok Bank website that sets out exactly what you need to do. Finally, transferring funds on death. Just make a will, lodge it and have done with it.

 

Too many people looking for excuses and reasons why not. Start to look for the positives. Tens of thousands have and still do make it work here by following the rules.

The manner in which you have replied to Sheryl's post is frankly offensive.

 

Do you know who she is?

[Khaeng Mak]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

How would that happen? It would only happen if you did not renew your extension and did not leave the country.

You would declared you on overstay if your money went below 400k baht. There is no mention of that in the order.

And no mention to the contrary either.  

With respect Joe, you seem fine to trust that immigration will do right by me and my family.

I have zero evidence upon which to adopt your view.

[Khaeng Mak]

3 hours ago, Henryford said:

What Immigration are now basically saying is that you need a MINIMUM of 1.6 m in your thai bank. 800k to get your visa and 800k to cover any of these unforeseen problems.

Yes that is entirely correct. This latest ruling is a "defacto" doubling of the amount required to obtain a retirement extension.

 

If you look closely at the requirements regarding the 800K and the 400K the most optimistic take on it is that your require 1.2 m.

Edited February 4, 2019 by Khaeng Mak

[Sheryl]

1 minute ago, Khaeng Mak said:

Yes that is entirely correct. This latest ruling is a "defacto" doubling of the amount required to obtain a retirement extension.

Except that unlike a doubling of the amount, which would lead to people spending more money inside Thailand, this will not.

 

One of the factors behind this may have been the difference between what can be done via a Police Order and what would require a change in law. BJ can do the former  but not the latter.

 

However if the idea is to limit retirement visas to people with 1.6 million baht a year income, this is a poor way of doing that.  I think it is very badly designed/thought through.

[Khaeng Mak]

3 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Except that unlike a doubling of the amount, which would lead to people spending more money inside Thailand, this will not.

 

One of the factors behind this may have been the difference between what can be done via a Police Order and what would require a change in law. BJ can do the former  but not the latter.

 

However if the idea is to limit retirement visas to people with 1.6 million baht a year income, this is a poor way of doing that.  I think it is very badly designed/thought through.

I am struggling with the WHY?

 

Is it ineptitude, or is it malevolence?

 

For the sake of protecting my family and the life that I have built here with them I have to assume it is the later.

 

I am of the opinion that long stay expats here in Thailand are currently under siege.  Unfortunately, the mass of them, do not yet know it.

[Sheryl]

10 minutes ago, Khaeng Mak said:

I am struggling with the WHY?

 

Is it ineptitude, or is it malevolence?

 

For the sake of protecting my family and the life that I have built here with them I have to assume it is the later.

 

I am of the opinion that long stay expats here in Thailand are currently under siege.  Unfortunately, the mass of them, do not yet know it.

I think that is going way too far.

 

There was some sort of intent behind this other than trying to do away with all expats, but very poorly implemented.

 

Ineptitude and excessive haste - looks to me like the kind of thing that a "big honcho" would abruptly concoct on his own and, this being Thailand, would not  take the time to consult anyone for feedback and no one would dare tell him it wasn't going to work as intended. The excessive haste part likely has to do with the political ambitions and trajectory of the principal person behind this.  Wants to make a big splash solving a problem and tries to do so in a hurry without really understanding the ramifications or thinking through how it would be implemented.

 

Very, very annoying and more than a little disheartening but no call for paranoia, I think.

 

If you are married here, why not switch to a marriage extension?

 

 

[Khaeng Mak]

42 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I think that is going way too far.

 

There was some sort of intent behind this other than trying to do away with all expats, but very poorly implemented.

 

Ineptitude and excessive haste - looks to me like the kind of thing that a "big honcho" would abruptly concoct on his own and, this being Thailand, would not  take the time to consult anyone for feedback and no one would dare tell him it wasn't going to work as intended. The excessive haste part likely has to do with the political ambitions and trajectory of the principal person behind this.  Wants to make a big splash solving a problem and tries to do so in a hurry without really understanding the ramifications or thinking through how it would be implemented.

 

Very, very annoying and more than a little disheartening but no call for paranoia, I think.

 

If you are married here, why not switch to a marriage extension?

 

 

With respect Sheryl, I used to think like you.

 

But I have seen a steady tightening of everything over the years.

 

Visa runners

 

Ed Visas roll keeping and immigration raids to check class attendance

 

No more triple entry tourist visas

 

Onerous new criteria for tourist visas

 

End of stat decs for income for extensions (not every embassy but the big 4)

 

Ridiculous extra requirements for retirement extensions: recent examples- Information sheet with details of vehicles, email and social media, with whom and where do you hang out; Hand drawn map (even though I am also required to provide 2 other maps printed from google (region and moobarn/street) and photos of me in front of my house; and this year a new I guarantee not to break any law form I had to sign.

 

And now these latest changes that have effectively doubled the amount required for a retirement extension from 800K to 1.6m.

 

Surely all of the changes listed above cannot be attributed to ineptitude.

 

I think the trajectory is clear.  They do not want us here.  And for sure they do not want us providing a nice house and life for our Thai partners. That messes with their sakdina.

 

I care not if I am labelled as paranoid. I view myself as prudent.

 

I will PM you to clarify why I am on retirement ext and not marriage.  I am loath to share any personal details in this thread as there are far too many poisonous and troll posters.

Edited February 4, 2019 by Khaeng Mak

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, rott said:

What about living in a non-dump in Bukhao? Or are you inferring they are all dumps?

No, I wouldn't like the area, crowded, traffic heavy, most buildings are dumps bar some good condos and hotels. I like pavements.

[adam1948]

On 2/3/2019 at 1:55 PM, Khaeng Mak said:

With respect Sheryl, too complicated. Not everyone is as smart as you.

 

Thais authorities and banks will never handle the logistics and the average retiree punter wont understand the details.

 

A simple solution is to just let us use the 800K to purchase a property or a business in our name. And make it retrospective. 

 

That is, anyone who has already purchased a condo (worth more than 800K) in their name need only show their chanote to get their extension.

 

But such a policy would make it easier for many retirees and we all know that that is not the intended outcome of these recent changes.

I totally agree with the RE purchase/chanote idea/solution ... simply because we(wife and boys) used our last 1,000,000 in bank to build our home that will be passed on as an asset through many Thai generations ...Not to mention the 10,000 Baht a month in rent saved and distributed into local markets and businesses ... it would make our life AND immigration responsibilities totally easy and a snap ... I'll tell ya what I'd do if I were Thai govt I would give free land to build a house on to any and all who wanted to retire here ... Talk about a boost to the Thai economy ... WOW! ...Let the good times roll! ... (can't wait to see/hear the negative comments by all the bitter,lonely, smug, arrogant, condescending Farlang who roam TVF lookin' for people to put down, admonish and step on their dreams ... I already know the names of most of these a**h***s that are chompin at the bit to spew their venom onto this thread... let'er rip boys)

 

I never thought it before but I'm now starting to agree with so many that Thai Imm /govt is trying to make it as hard as possible for us "Farlang" to stay in Thailand with our family and feed the Thai economy ... doesn't say much for the intelligence, common sense or compassion of "them" ... but hey I'm just a retired guy with a Thai family and totally paid for Thai home, so <deleted> do I know

[JackThompson]

20 minutes ago, adam1948 said:

I'll tell ya what I'd do if I were Thai govt I would give free land to build a house on to any and all who wanted to retire here ... Talk about a boost to the Thai economy ... WOW!

Provided it is left to your Thai family when you pass-on, that could work. 

I agree 100% on their not allowing foreigners to buy land here, obtain citizenship easily, etc.  Automatic PR after married to the same Thai for years (absent work-requirements) would be nice, though.

[ivor bigun]

Rumors about a possible bank run cause you to panic and withdraw all your money. A few days later the government reassures the public and you redeposit the money, but you get kicked out for violating immigration requirements.

Same problem if you need the 400k immediatly,no time to transfer from home ,your kicked out for spending it,its a stupid rule.

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[ivor bigun]

 
EDIT:
 
I have just started a new thread on this idea as I think it is worth exploring.  If the Thai authorities want us to lock up our money all year why can't we lock it up in a the purchase of a condo or business. Your comments and thoughts are welcomed:
 
[/url]  

I have a home worth 5 million,its in our sons name, so ime stuffed even if that was the case.

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[VocalNeal]

On 2/4/2019 at 12:54 PM, Khaeng Mak said:

I am struggling with the WHY?

 

Is it ineptitude, or is it malevolence?

 

 

 

probably neither. probably Nigerian or.............

[VocalNeal]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Automatic PR after married to the same Thai for years (absent work-requirements) would be nice, though.

Another racket in the making there?

[ivor bigun]

I think that is going way too far.
 
There was some sort of intent behind this other than trying to do away with all expats, but very poorly implemented.
 
Ineptitude and excessive haste - looks to me like the kind of thing that a "big honcho" would abruptly concoct on his own and, this being Thailand, would not  take the time to consult anyone for feedback and no one would dare tell him it wasn't going to work as intended. The excessive haste part likely has to do with the political ambitions and trajectory of the principal person behind this.  Wants to make a big splash solving a problem and tries to do so in a hurry without really understanding the ramifications or thinking through how it would be implemented.
 
Very, very annoying and more than a little disheartening but no call for paranoia, I think.
 
If you are married here, why not switch to a marriage extension?
 
 

Only one problem,we were married in the UK the embassy no longer confirms this ,so you have to send your mrriage certificate to Milton keynes,then it has to go to the Thai embassy in London and then you have to get it back to yourself in Thailand.

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