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

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, annabel said:

How do you maintain a mandatory 800,000 Baht in your account ....? Sorry, but I am a bit confused here.... if you receive 65,000 Baht / month, but they want you to have more or less what I would call a fixed deposit of 800,000 for 5 months and then maintain a balance of 400,000 for the rest of the year being 7 months how does the 65,00 Baht/ month fit in here ...?? Or is that 65,000 / month on top of the above requirements ?? It's really all so confusing and non sensical

If you're importing 65K per month, there is no requirement for any minimum balance in your Thai bank account whatsoever. The balance requirements are about the 800K bank method (which require no imports so some people just keep the same 800K in there year after year) and also the combo method, though the combo method without embassy letters and also how it's impacted by the new 800K bank method rules has not been clarified to any kind of clear level.

So I'm suggesting to people that have been doing combo method to switch at least for next extension to the full 800K method and then maybe switch back when things get more clear.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Jingthing

[SheungWan]

1 hour ago, dcnx said:

You will have to get insurance in the not to distant future. I’d start planning for that now if you want to stay, whatever you have to do to make it happen. Or start looking for another place to call home.

The biggest reason you shouldn’t be living here, you won’t be able to afford additional sudden changes in requirements, and you say yourself you can’t get insurance. In other words, you’re here on borrowed time.

Well maybe this and maybe that.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, dcnx said:

You will have to get insurance in the not to distant future. I’d start planning for that now if you want to stay, whatever you have to do to make it happen. Or start looking for another place to call home.

 

The biggest reason you shouldn’t be living here, you won’t be able to afford additional sudden changes in requirements, and you say yourself you can’t get insurance. In other words, you’re here on borrowed time.

OK, I'll simplify it for you.

I can get insurance, but my premiums would be that high, due to pre existing conditions, and I use the Government Hospital, so any premium I pay would quite probably exceed payments for treatment.

So I keep my money in a fixed account, gaining a bit of interest annually, and pay for treatment from my own money, and despite extensive cervical spine surgery 2 years ago, I am yet to touch this money, as I always manage to save money from my quarterly private pension.

Should they bring in compulsory insurance, I could pay the premiums from my savings, but I am not an insurance company fan, so I could well look elsewhere. However, should the Government bring out a more affordable plan than the private companies, I would certainly look to joining it, but my preferred choice is to self insure, as I am doing now.  

[annabel]

6 hours ago, Russell17au said:

Over the  years I have used both the Udon Thani and the Khon Kaen offices and I have always had a pleasant deal with both offices. My last extension was at Khon Kaen and I only submitted about 10 - 12 pages and that included the photos.

You have to do your visa where you live,,, I live in Chiang Mai and 2 years ago I was visiting a friend in Chonburi and realized I wouldn't be back to CM on time to renew my retirement visa so did it in Chonburi. When I went to do my 90 day report she said to me WHY DID YOU DO YOUR RETIREMENT VISA IN CHONBURI>>>??? I explained that I was there and wouldn't be back to CM to do it on time.... REPLY...so go your 90 day report in Chonburi ... she was so rude... her Junior interfered and said listen she was there on a holiday and finally she gave in and gave me  my 90 extension BUT said if you do that next year then you will have to go there to do your 90 day reports ... Never knew you couldn't  renew your Retirement visa in any other place in Thailand except for in which province / area you live in?? .. Every year there is something that they don't accept,,,one year they wouldn't accept my term deposit which was over 800,000 Baht ... Had to cash it in and lose the interest it yielded but the bank said we need to find someone to buy it first before we can give it back to you ,,,, Oye!! so yes I use agents now because I can't take this year to year non sense which I can't argue or disagree with ... I don't pay a lot as I have the money required but just saves my mental health as they always come up with something to make you go back and forth,,, Not worth the agony and waiting time ... So for me it's Thanks that there are agents to get over these stupid hurdles ... I just don't want to go there at all so for the reasonable rate they charge I am happy to let them do it...

[DekDaeng]

There are a number of different ways to leave - at least one would not be good for Thai PR -

 

[annabel]

7 hours ago, Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere said:

Yup because I bought the Thai Elite Visa and don't have the stress as those who want go the deposit route. I'd rather invest that money than deposit it in an uninsured account. I ve been coming since I was 19 years old. For me it is truly paradise. I didn't come here to start over or get tied down in a marriage. Some people need that I don't. It's simple, for those who have money their life will not be affected. 

And that is an investment you think ??? What is the return interest wise on this investment ?? And do you get anything back eventually ??? or is that 500,000 Baht gone into limbo and you get nothing back? Not even interest rate???

[mommysboy]

There was always the danger that once Immigration got to grips with illegals, they would start harassing ordinary folk. Given it's the oldies most prone to condemn visa runners, overstayers etc, I'm not sure what sympathy they deserve.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

There was always the danger that once Immigration got to grips with illegals, they would start harassing ordinary folk. Given it's the oldies most prone to condemn visa runners, overstayers etc, I'm not sure what sympathy they deserve.

Sorry for the jerks that did that though it wasn't me or all of us, so it should be the individuals that did that should apologize. Don't group us all together, OK? It's not fair. 

[Gecko123]

On 2/6/2019 at 1:30 PM, Father Fintan Stack said:

That was always the case and always will be the case as demand increases. 

 

Something terrible would have to happen to ensure Thailand becomes an undesirable destination (and that applies to tourism and any other reason for being here). 

 

At the moment the hoops that retirees, business owners, employers etc. have to jump through are still not discouraging enough.

 

It's still a very desirable place to come, visit, work, live and retire. 

 

Thus expect it to get increasingly difficult further down the line and plan accordingly.

 

Current nationalist sentiment the World over will not help unfortunately.

I have become more pessimistic about the future of tourism and expat-ism due primarily to global warming, overpopulation, and globalism. This is true all over the world, certainly not just in Thailand. Why travel to Paris to eat at a Chipolte's in St. Germain-des-Pres? Cultures are becoming more and more homogenized, attempts to speak foreign languages are rebuffed in favor of ubiquitous English, people interact with the internet instead of the locals. The travel experience simply isn't what it used to be, often reduced to seeing '7 wonders of the world', architecture and monuments, and pockets of preserved natural beauty.

 

The Chinese and Russians are coming in droves but are late to the party because of past political and economic restrictions on travel. Sometimes reminds me of dozens of trips I took in the late 60's and early 70's up the Bay Area peninsula to SF's Haight Ashbury and Golden Gate Park looking for hippies and flower children but never finding them. I had a friend in high school who never had a passport, never expressed the slightest interest in travel, and I used to cluck my tongue about how much he was missing out on, but nowadays, I have begun to wonder if he's missing much. For me, the desire to see as many countries as you can while I'm on this earth has faded.

 

Economically speaking, I'm just doubtful that in the future moving to a less developed countries will provide as big a boost to one's standard of living as it did in the past, and when it does, the drawbacks in terms of environment will be more substantial. Yes, they will still have something to offer, but not to as great extent as in the past.

 

I don't see Thailand experiencing an explosion of baby-boomer expats moving here, especially since its reputation for being a good place to find a girlfriend/ wife isn't what it used to be either. If Thai immigration is biting its fingernails worrying about this tsunami of elderly economic refugees from the West washing up on its shores, I think their fears may be overblown.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Gecko123

[wgdanson]

10 hours ago, Mister Fixit said:

He said it was his EXPENSES that were 10k a month, not his INCOME.

 

Try reading before posting - you'll find it stops making you look ridiculous.  

Hi Mr F. I NEVER mentioned an INCOME of 10k. As others have said, he must have declared that his income was at least 65k, or had 800k in his bank in order to have stayed here previously. 

He says he has enough to cover food & socialising, so there's another 5k per month, does that not mean his expenses are really 15k?

He also says he 'self insures', which really means that he, and anyone else who says they do it, hopes that they have enough money set aside to pay for any medical emergencies, be it a full on heart attack or terminal piles. So why can he not simply put 8ook in his bank and stop trying to gain sympathy. We are all in the same boat.

I think this Don has attracted enough publicity on TV, but to what end. Will Immigration change the rules for him?

Edited February 8, 2019 by wgdanson

[BritManToo]

29 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Economically speaking, I'm just doubtful that in the future moving to a less developed countries will provide as big a boost to one's standard of living as it did in the past,

rent,

Two bed flat in South of England 1,200 pound/month (30Kbht)

Two bed house outside Chiang Mai 6kbht/month.

[superal]

For those in the know I have 2 questions

 

1/ Some IOs want to see an active Thai bank account holding the 8/400,000baht  , i.e. in regular use . Now if that is the case and if by mistake the monies fall below the required level because of overspend etc will that then disqualify the visa because of non compliance ?

 

2/ Exchange rates could mean that the normal routine money transfer to a Thai bank that meets the requirements could fall below the level and if that was the case how do you think the IOs would handle it ? So really a transfer in excess of 65K per month to be on the safe side ?

 

A friend of mine miscalculated the exchange rate and failed by a couple of thousand baht but was given the option of topping it up by way of a brown envelope and 10,000 baht .   Very recent .

[InsertNameHere]

 

[Spidey]

20 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

rent,

Two bed flat in South of England 1,200 pound/month (30Kbht)

Two bed house outside Chiang Mai 6kbht/month.

Really nice 2 bed apartment in a good area of a Northern coastal resort, within an hours drive of 2 large metropolises - £450/month (18k baht). Really nice 2 bed apartment in Pattaya, 15k baht/ month.

[Gecko123]

19 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

rent,

Two bed flat in South of England 1,200 pound/month (30Kbht)

Two bed house outside Chiang Mai 6kbht/month.

Fair enough, but please note that I was predicting a tightening of the comparative costs of living (as developing nations relatively improve) in the future. I did not say that at present there was no difference in the cost of living between Thailand and other Western countries.

 

I also tried to make the point that even if Thailand's cost of living remains attractive, chances are that the environmental drawbacks (global warming, environmental degradation, overpopulation) which will need to be endured will be greater than they have been in the past or are at present. Your abridged quote omitted this key point.

 

[dick dasterdly]

8 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

OK, I'll simplify it for you.

I can get insurance, but my premiums would be that high, due to pre existing conditions, and I use the Government Hospital, so any premium I pay would quite probably exceed payments for treatment.

So I keep my money in a fixed account, gaining a bit of interest annually, and pay for treatment from my own money, and despite extensive cervical spine surgery 2 years ago, I am yet to touch this money, as I always manage to save money from my quarterly private pension.

Should they bring in compulsory insurance, I could pay the premiums from my savings, but I am not an insurance company fan, so I could well look elsewhere. However, should the Government bring out a more affordable plan than the private companies, I would certainly look to joining it, but my preferred choice is to self insure, as I am doing now.  

It's not just the cost of insurance for those with pre-existing conditions - more importantly (in my case), pretty much anything can be put down to a pre-existing condition (and undoubtedly would be if the treatment was very expensive...), making it an expensive, waste of money!

[Spidey]

4 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

It's not just the cost of insurance for those with pre-existing conditions - more importantly (in my case), pretty much anything can be put down to a pre-existing condition (and undoubtedly would be if the treatment was very expensive...), making it an expensive, waste of money!

I have 4 pre existing conditions (all of them life threatening), it's impossible for me to even get a quote for health insurance, either here or in my own country.

[ginjag]

12 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Really nice 2 bed apartment in a good area of a Northern coastal resort, within an hours drive of 2 large metropolises - £450/month (18k baht). Really nice 2 bed apartment in Pattaya, 15k baht/ month.

My 3 bed bungalow, 6,500 bht per month,  Udon Thani 2 air con, 3 bathrooms, 2 heated showers,  drive for 4 cars, large front garden with coconut and lime trees, near Tesco 7-11 and a big Thai food market. True vision / on line,  2,500. water and electric 750 per month.       NOW tell me why I would need 65k a month  ??   when my neighbour earns less than 30k  a teacher.   same style home. Under 10k + food for 1 person.  not smoke not drink.     Dining out /alcohol No Go....but this makes me into a low l1fe, living on a shoe string, and should not be here according to some snob members.

Can these people see that the 30k UK pension easily covers living with 4k a month insurance cover and still accrue some saving...

[BritManToo]

28 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Really nice 2 bed apartment in a good area of a Northern coastal resort, within an hours drive of 2 large metropolises - £450/month (18k baht). Really nice 2 bed apartment in Pattaya, 15k baht/ month.

I'm comparing cheapest with cheapest for the really desperate. 'Really nice' comes at a premium.

I pay 300 pounds (12Kbht) a month to buy a 'really nice' 3 bedroom detached house in a secure walled estate in Chiang Mai.

I would be looking at 4x that cost to buy on a council estate anywhere in the UK.

Edited February 8, 2019 by BritManToo

[metisdead]

A post in which the reply to the quoted content was taken out of context has been removed. 

[lapamita]

My investment visa was same changed in 2003 or 4... from 3 mb baht in any bank ( at this time 6% pa) ..and one year later must be all year at govermentbank with 0% intrest ( taxsins 0% policy for foreigners..but was last only less 1 year than cancelld)

..but i was off the visa.. so far grandhatherd..hahha

maybe next month they even increase too.....????

...my insurance plan coasting more than in other holiday countrys  for example , the same insurance ..offers in spain for the same money  included OPD and a  10x timer higher coverage for Inpatient ... meaning  here..it coast double   compare  to what get

... but now in thailand all are millionars, and their behaviour is same short time before the asiancrisis long ago

...i am financial stable, and i am in a good position, bcs reduced intvestments here to a minimum in the last 2 years..and i am planing to leave. keep one property here, what will use in the winter..just because i like the  drink bars ,sex and rocknoll.... but nothing else

...i feel since 2 year absolut non welcome here, the future prospects are not good,  this was a racist country,  but now its like a virus what broke out.

 

thanks to this goverment the exchange rate is very in favour for me, bcs getting out here

 

The negatives here outperforming already the positv a lot, so its time to go. I feel sad for peole  still want to live here,( for the good people ) ..and cant afford the rules /visa/livingcosts anymore

 

..but for all think... there are better places outside and cheaper at much healthyer standards than thailand.... but you will not find the girls/nightlife same here........... think is the muschi worth all this problems????

 

and what some thai say, in some discussions when teh work was shit and the bill to high

" you no like..up to you ..go back to your country"  ahh not from bitches ..even on  meetings..... there you are..... i leave !!

 

i am not important but millions less arrivals from europe are important .. can see by closure of shops day by day here..ahhh sorry they close because they becomme millionaer already, forget thai style

 

and next to me.. they want to sell land 300qm .. 6millions of baht i was thinking my ear no good... dreamers and nut people all arround.. i was think a million, and that would be already at the pper end, and the guesthouse tehy have i want rent a room for a day up the price same since 1.1   30% bcs the less customer have to pay.. so for the thinny room ,i get a better  so leave them with their dreams...........

 

for me not anymore...and over the last 3 year ..found already place to go, but i am luckily in a favourite postion , and its not about visa, its about the whole pack they deliver the last 3 years...by after 31 years thailand

 

[lapamita]

1 hour ago, ginjag said:

My 3 bed bungalow, 6,500 bht per month,  Udon Thani 2 air con, 3 bathrooms, 2 heated showers,  drive for 4 cars, large front garden with coconut and lime trees, near Tesco 7-11 and a big Thai food market. True vision / on line,  2,500. water and electric 750 per month.       NOW tell me why I would need 65k a month  ??   when my neighbour earns less than 30k  a teacher.   same style home. Under 10k + food for 1 person.  not smoke not drink.     Dining out /alcohol No Go....but this makes me into a low l1fe, living on a shoe string, and should not be here according to some snob members.

Can these people see that the 30k UK pension easily covers living with 4k a month insurance cover and still accrue some saving...

with only 700baht electric..living in a thaihouse , not using aircon ,,,i belive

my electric bill only for apartment is average 3000 thb..but want to keep my brain cool

for a good living standard incl all other costs ,not only the daily ones we already at 80.000

not including  bell rings at bars

snobbbb 

snobbbs using min tripple the budget

yes thais can live on 25000  .. yes..but i dont want to have a living like them or cant bcs me not thai.. dont want eat every day thaifood from market , dont want to sit with poor furnished around..and dont want to think how can pay my bil nextt days, and even as foreigner thinking about healthinsurance and visas

 

no dinning out ,no drink,no smoke..missing not pay for lady hahha..so what youre doing here?? yes oh sorry udon thani is the cultural heritage of the world,s  with a  Centrel since some eyars and mc donald..not only the uglly KFC  like other citys in thai.... yes best place to live, congratulations

Edited February 8, 2019 by lapamita

[Coastrider]

On 2/6/2019 at 9:02 AM, mfd101 said:

Yes, but it's variable. In a small office (Kap Choeng) with nice staff, it's fine. When one miserable a/h arrives to take charge, however, everything goes silent & depressed.

Most likely reposted from a good graft posting...5555

 

[Coastrider]

16 minutes ago, lapamita said:

with only 700baht electric..living in a thaihouse , not using aircon ,,,i belive

my electric bill only for apartment is average 3000 thb..but want to keep my brain cool

for a good living standard incl all other costs ,not only the daily ones we already at 80.000

not including  bell rings at bars

snobbbb 

snobbbs using min tripple the budget

yes thais can live on 25000  .. yes..but i dont want to have a living like them or cant bcs me not thai.. dont want eat every day thaifood from market , dont want to sit with poor furnished around..and dont want to think how can pay my bil nextt days, and even as foreigner thinking about healthinsurance and visas

 

no dinning out ,no drink,no smoke..missing not pay for lady hahha..so what youre doing here?? yes oh sorry udon thani is the cultural heritage of the world,s  with a  Centrel since some eyars and mc donald..not only the uglly KFC  like other citys in thai.... yes best place to live, congratulations

Easy to live on 40 to 45 K ..50 if you want a few rounds of golf. On a 6 month METV  the big cost is leaving on a visa run and or the 2000 bt for immigration , I am sure most of that is graft money for a big boss somewhere up the ladder. All that and living in expensive Hua Hin.

 

[Pattaya46]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

Really nice 2 bed apartment in Pattaya, 15k baht/ month.

Always wonder what kind of hidden bad characteristics have these apartments to be so cheap...

If there were "nice 2 bed apartments for 15k" I would not be able to rent my studios for more than that ! 

[Olmate]

27 minutes ago, lapamita said:

with only 700baht electric..living in a thaihouse , not using aircon ,,,i belive

my electric bill only for apartment is average 3000 thb..but want to keep my brain cool

for a good living standard incl all other costs ,not only the daily ones we already at 80.000

not including  bell rings at bars

snobbbb 

snobbbs using min tripple the budget

yes thais can live on 25000  .. yes..but i dont want to have a living like them or cant bcs me not thai.. dont want eat every day thaifood from market , dont want to sit with poor furnished around..and dont want to think how can pay my bil nextt days, and even as foreigner thinking about healthinsurance and visas

 

no dinning out ,no drink,no smoke..missing not pay for lady hahha..so what youre doing here?? yes oh sorry udon thani is the cultural heritage of the world,s  with a  Centrel since some eyars and mc donald..not only the uglly KFC  like other citys in thai.... yes best place to live, congratulations

Sorry to hear your leaving????

[lapamita]

19 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

Always wonder what kind of hidden bad characteristics have these apartments to be so cheap...

If there were "nice 2 bed apartments for 15k" I would not be able to rent my studios for more than that ! 

the rents are falling dramaticly in pattaya. for houses or condos. only thais pushing up rental prices for shops to levels unadjustable to economy..but that was in 1997 the same, they dont care empty or not..bcs they all millionaers

i hope you noticed already...

i was last week on foodmart at VT .. for sale a condo 100qm in VTR 5,5 mb ....but he made a handnotice on renting all year  20.000 and  hand over 12.000 .. bcs their nearly no tendands for all year compare to demand

i have payed ADs in bahtsold , for sale, even at lower level price the last 6 weeks no calls !! last year sold 2 ap. , without payed ads, and at non payed ads  their was even alwyas people calling

this year its completly dead!  their is only supply and no demand

wondering why prices for sale still with high ask 

 

.. but all not help if you can rent cheap... but all other things are disapearing , and in all other sctors prices are high

Edited February 8, 2019 by lapamita

[Just1Voice]

11 hours ago, annabel said:

How do you maintain a mandatory 800,000 Baht in your account ....? Sorry, but I am a bit confused here.... if you receive 65,000 Baht / month, but they want you to have more or less what I would call a fixed deposit of 800,000 for 5 months and then maintain a balance of 400,000 for the rest of the year being 7 months how does the 65,00 Baht/ month fit in here ...?? Or is that 65,000 / month on top of the above requirements ?? It's really all so confusing and non sensical

For starters, I don't keep 800k in the bank.  I go to section 3 of the law, which states having an income of 65k a month, OR the money in the bank.  My income well exceeds the 65k a month requirement. 

[jmd8800]

2 hours ago, Spidey said:

I have 4 pre existing conditions (all of them life threatening), it's impossible for me to even get a quote for health insurance, either here or in my own country.

What country are you from that you cannot obtain a quote for insurance due to pre-existing conditions?

[Advocate]

The requirement for Baht 800,000 has been in force for a long time. It's not new.

 

Thailand was not meant to be the homeland of last resort for poverty-stricken Brits.