New retirement extension rules forces expat, 90, to leave Thailand

[sambum]

1 minute ago, alzack said:

 

Has anyone here actually been made to feel they are welcome in Thailand by Immigration Officials ???

YES every year for 20 years POLICE STATE mentality and it will get worse, best vote with your feet

 

 

Think you misunderstood the question! ????

[Danthai]

5 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

I hear where you're coming from, but given that a substantial percentage of Thais have income less than 30k, and the average social security benefit in the US is $1,360 the 65k cost of admission seems somewhat arbitrary. It should also be kept in mind that this change was announced without warning less than 90 days prior to implementation after remaining the same for decades. This is a fairly significant change and a longer lead in time to make adjustments would have been useful. I don't think this shows much sensitivity to the financial realities many people face.

Your right! I believe there were 3 changes by end of January if you include Big Jokes request for leniency in 2019 until filers in 2020. 

[Thaidream]

At the age of 90= whatever the amount of his pension- he should be stamped in automatically.. How callous the Immigration people appear and yet they have the 'power' to waive the amounts- They do it everyday for agent  initiated extensions.

[KhunFred]

I can only wish the full force of karma upon the heartless jackals. All will someday be old (if they are lucky). Those who do not have family members who are old, are rare indeed. Sadly, such people NEVER learn anything by the misfortune recycled upon them by their treatment of others.

[ginjag]

Thinking too much maybe,  the new rules are to frighten people into getting an Elite visa ( 5 years hassle free )   THEN  after 6 months they ease off and make new easier amendments.    With the Elite buyers trapped.

[Pib]

7 hours ago, mokwit said:

There is likely to be a stream of these stories in the foreign press. Might be enough to make Thailand take notice as they actually don't like being in a bad light internationally.

But Don's post/story on The Nation carries as about much weight and one of zillions post on ThaiVisa.

[wvavin]

When the game is up, everybody goes home!

[Sumarianson]

At his age just the change in weather could see him off within a few months of moving home. Rediculous set of rules. If they ask for your accounts for the year showing you are spending while holding sufficient in the bank then that should be acceptable. What they are doing is penalising the majority of retirees on account of a few corrupt agents and police while rufusing to go after those who are involved in the corrupt practices.

Edited February 6, 2019 by Sumarianson

[Hoppyone]

7 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

It's never been the people that's welcome; only the money !

Yes you definitely notice that cenario as soon as you put first foot  into Pattaya 

Edited February 6, 2019 by Hoppyone

[Danthai]

Totally agree with your comments. I appreciate the few on TV that have helped clarify rules and procedures without making condescending and discouraging remarks.  Everyone is in the same boat, so to speak. Everybody should be helpful and do their best to support the expat family and retires.

[sambum]

7 hours ago, Soupdragon said:

Has anyone here actually been made to feel they are welcome in Thailand by Immigration Officials ???

Yes! When I first came here about 20 years ago, the lady Immigration Officer asked me to sit down at her desk, and offered me a lollipop from a container on her desk! (And no, I wasn't a schoolchild at the time - I was in my 50's!)

 

However, things have gone steadily downhill since then, and a visit to Immigration now is akin to going to the dentist with toothache - something you have to do, but would rather not! 

[HHTel]

7 hours ago, wreckingcountry said:

The ignorance of folk on here about the new rules and then commenting is staggering ! Let’s make it clear “the 65k a month retirement extension will no longer be an option “ you all got that ????


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

I think someone needs to learn to read before calling anyone ignorant.  The 65K a month is an option, has always been an option and will probably remain an option.

[shy coconut]

7 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Too late the Hangman cried....they are already the Laughing Stock of The World !

I take it the world you refer to is the tiny bubble you inhabit.

Hardly anyone outside of this forum gives a fig about Thailand's immigration policy.

[Naamblar2014]

2 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Thailand receives aid ? ? I don't think so. When the tsunami struck, money was given as aid but the Thai government said they didn't want money, they wanted expertise.

And then they arrested them.

[Caine]

8 hours ago, Henryford said:

Would be interesting to follow some of these (sad) stories. What does a 90 (or 70 or 80) year old do returning to say the UK.  With limited funds can you rent a home? would any Council provide you with a home? Do you get off the plane homeless (in -9C weather).

Who gives a toss, should never have burnt their bridges in the first place

[amexpat]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Without embassy letters strong indications that offices don't want to touch such applications.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

This is about the combination method which I believe allows for proof of monthly international transfers 

(account statements/bank book) plus money in the bank to combine for a total of 800K per year. No? 

But we don't really know much for sure yet, do we? 

[jingjai9]

The biggest illusion is to call Thailand home. I do not mean this in a negative sense. Even the Visa applications say "Application for extension of Temporary stay in the Kingdom." I love living here and I think over 95% of Thai people are nice. I also work and drive here. However, Thailand has never pretended to be a land of refuge. You are a guest.  

Politics and situations change. I never dreamed 10 years ago my home country would consider building a wall to keep refugees and immigrants out. 

[vukovar77]

8 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

It's never been the people that's welcome; only the money !

It is about You and a people You deal with.I feel very welcome here and my wife and my new Thai family are wonderful  for me.

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, Caine said:

Who gives a toss, should never have burnt their bridges in the first place

Nasty post only will cause argument

[Pattaya46]

32 minutes ago, sambum said:

"Posted Thursday at 07:13 PM

CONFIRMED: Foreigners now need to keep 800k in Thai bank for three months AFTER retirement extension is granted"

 

Just what part of the word "CONFIRMED" do you not understand?

Suggest you also read the attached  police order No. 35/2561 from January 2019 for details of this "So Called Rumor".

 

Except that the thread title that you quoted is FALSE, as often with ThaiVisa… 

It's not "now" but from March 1st

So davidstipek is right to said that rules didn't change... yet. 

[edwardflory]

I have a friend, not in TH as of this writing, but in the USA.

He has " lived" in Th for 10 years, meeting a Thai Lady after 2 years, he married { she had 2 children }. After several years of marriage they pooled their income and over a 4 year period bought 2 houses, 1 to reside in, one for her parents to live in.

 

About 10 days ago he told me he was going on a trip to the US.  One of the conversations we had was the proposed insurance requirements at the time.  He stated that OVER 1000US dollars { he is 73 } a month was something THEY could not afford.  Addl info: HE adopted her kids, paid the house payments for both properties, has both her kids in University, they scraped and saved for the marriage monies needed and deposited on time and withrew the monies when the ink was still wet on his extension.

 

Now the sad part, we have been friends for 5 years, I have not heard word one from him since he left Japan 5 days ago, nor has his wife,  usually we talk daily.  All this Immigration rigamarow is really hurting people and I think famly will be destroyed by it. 

 

I think the impact will be: 15 to 20 percent famalies broken, 30 perent and upwrds other xpats will leave to find greener grass.    Lets just say only 25 percent of people leave and a few people replace them, what loss to the economy will this be???

Edited February 6, 2019 by edwardflory
spelling

[twizzian]

Remember the international help given to the trapped Thai cave boys who risked thier lives saving them. Flights to the uk afterwards to watch Man U etc!

 

All forgotten about!!

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Paying cash for a home in a country where you have no right to reside is financial madness.

Yes. And they've purposely made the PR/nationality so hard to get that the game is totally skewed in Thais favor. It's amazing how much they can get away with, thanks to their working girls ability to pull in elderly clientele. Indeed Amazing Thailand.

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, amexpat said:

This is about the combination method which I believe allows for proof of monthly international transfers 

(account statements/bank book) plus money in the bank to combine for a total of 800K per year. No? 

But we don't really know much for sure yet, do we? 

There is not one mention of the combo method in police order or clarifying method that covered income based applications without embassy letters. So, even if an office thinks it's OK, they have been given ZERO guidance of how exactly to enforce such applications, especially if there is no record of a full 12 monthly transfers. So reports we're getting so far give no cause for optimism.

Why would you count on a method under such massive doubt if you have any other choice? Do you like being a guinea pig with so much on the line?

 

Combo applications WITH embassy letter should be expected to be accepted as they have been for many years unless future reports indicate otherwise.

Edited February 6, 2019 by Jingthing

[SiSePuede419]

Had this man learned how to speak Thai and become a Thai citizen, we wouldn't be having this conversation, right?

[MRToMRT]

2 minutes ago, twizzian said:

Remember the international help given to the trapped Thai cave boys who risked thier lives saving them. Flights to the uk afterwards to watch Man U etc!

 

All forgotten about!!

Sincerely, whats that got to with immigration rules/policy?

[jgarbo]

8 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

It's never been the people that's welcome; only the money !

Speak the language, work to help Thais, respect their values and culture, contribute to Thai society - and Gee!!! You're welcome. Always worked for me. Oh, my wife makes far more than me.

[babacar]

Yes Thailand is the first country of the word where the corruptions is permanent for everything. The only item which is always requested is "MONEY MONEY", but where to get it ? To the Thai population ? Of course not ( Most of them are really poor), so, so simple let's go to the farang that's not a problem and even we don't like them at all....

[Jingthing]

Just now, MRToMRT said:

Sincerely, whats that got to with immigration rules/policy?

Nothing directly, of course. But many of us are feeling this recent set of very onerous, incredibly UNCLEAR police orders stinks of xenophobia. 

[MRToMRT]

After reading many of the posts in thread I bet the airports will be packed tomorrow as so many of you pack your bags and leave in disgust/protest.