Poll -- new confusing retirement police orders giving you stress?

[Chicken George]

15 hours ago, Crossy said:

No stress yet, coz I'm still working, my biggest problem when I retire is going to be showing the lump sum came from outside Thailand (all my money is earned here). Not exactly difficult to fix with an out-in transfer but still a bind.

 

I'll just continue to worry where it's all going. Something to do with being married to a wonderful Thai lady who does not do "cheap".

 

You do not have to show where the money came from. Just has to be in an acvount that can be accessed at short notice. 

[Boon Mee]

Stressed to the Max, man! 

Hope the local 7/11 doesn't run out of Leo! 555 

[mikebell]

I'm looking at Vietnam; Laos; Cambodia.

[phuketrichard]

15 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Get a Non-Imm O from a nearby embassy based on your marriage then extend in country.

No need to show money came from outside I think.

or have a kid,   good for 18 years an only 4-500,000 in  the bank ????
dont need a wife

[fforest1]

1 minute ago, Boon Mee said:

Stressed to the Max, man! 

Hope the local 7/11 doesn't run out of Leo! 555 

LOL...

[spider1197]

What the hell is going on with Immigration?  If they are trying to get rid of the corrupt visa agents they should go after the corrupt Immigration officers and agents instead of putting more burden on honest expats.  

[Pattaya46]

6 hours ago, fforest1 said:

I guess all you stress level #1 guys just are not getting that there is more visa trouble in the pipeline...

There is absolutely no evidence that Thai Immigration is trying to bring trouble to us. 

The 2 recent changes were because of some Embassies for the first one, and because of fraudulent extensions by agents for the second one.

I bet that only a small minority of expats got real trouble, and that the majority of expats would not really call that trouble IF by example Thai Immigration makes health insurance mandatory, or increases minima to 80k monthly or 1'000'000 in bank.

So I am just surprised that the "no stressed at all" is not more important than now (37%).

[Moonlover]

The only time I feel a little stressed over this issue is when one of the many 'Prophets of Doom' come on the forum with their gloomy and usually unsubstantiated predictions.

 

Wait for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RKASA]

No stress - have had no skin in this as we started the move back in 2016 before this.  Simple if that was not the case - TX 65k a month and send back the excess once a year - whole things save cost of letter and trip to CM anyway zero sum game.

[IAMHERE]

I think the official clerk officer I deal with has a lot of stress too. 

[ChouDoufu]

8 hours ago, SheungWan said:

One suggestion would be to try to open a bank account in HK, then carry out some converted cash to that account and then set up the transfers. Longer term also not a bad idea for some savings outside LOS.

you may still have the cambodia option if you trust the stability of banks there.  spoke with an online chat rep at the canada bank a couple days ago.  was told can open an account with a tourist visa and a hotel receipt.  swift xfer in $us to thailand costs $25.

[granuaile]

For me. I feel a little stressed by the uncertainty, but I think I'll be OK. I left for 3 months back home at the end of October, so had made an appointment to get my annual affidavit- ironically, the U.S. embassy sent out the email announcing the end at about the same time I was at Citizen Services. I knew it was likely I wouldn't be able to get it after I returned here the end of last month, plus even if they continued would have been cutting it short since my stay expires early next month. I also have the original deposit statement from my retirement plan (a state pension system) and Social Security statements showing over $2600 income before paying for my group health insurance plan (less than $200). So technically I should be OK since I have a letter less than six months old and can substantiate income, unless exchange rate drastically drops.

What does stress me, especially in light of all the changes, is if the IO won't accept the letter for some reason or consider my supporting documents, and worse having to dispose of my possessions/pack in a short amount of time. Over more than 10 years I've accumulated a lot of possessions. I would also like to be able to say goodbye to a lot of people.

I'm in a somewhat better position than a lot of people. I never burned my bridges and have a home back in the U.S. to go back to, plus I get perks there I don't have here, and I was planning to return home next summer anyway. Before this I was considering keeping up my retirement extension and spending 3-4 months here each year, but given that I was heading back home anyway not a lot to stress over. I had hoped to take my time, sending my books back by sea-mail, giving things away, visit my friends up north, would be nice to have 4-5 months instead of a few weeks. Otherwise, I admit I'd be stressing out a lot, as it is looking forward to more time with my kid, a couple of trips to Ireland, working on my genealogy hobby, free classes so more stressed about whether I can take my time (even the whole year) or have to rush to leave.

[Badrabbit]

My 800k has been in the bank for over 10yrs, let's wait until after March 1st when someone tells us how there retirement extension has gone.

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[granuaile]

16 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Maybe he meant the District of Columbia. No stress there and legal weed. 

Colorado's looking pretty good to me, or Alaska...

[granuaile]

15 hours ago, brokenbone said:

not stress, but regret i didnt chose a place with at least permanent residency while i still could

That's something I wish they had. Indonesia does, and a lower income requirement as well.

[Mansell]

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No stress for me other than moderating all the topics about the change.

I do my extensions based upon marriage and already have years of transfers going into a Thai bank well above the 40k baht requirement to show for my extension.

Joe, have we had any members get an extension only showing some bank deposits under the 65,000 baht for their past year?

[Mansell]

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No stress for me other than moderating all the topics about the change.

I do my extensions based upon marriage and already have years of transfers going into a Thai bank well above the 40k baht requirement to show for my extension.

Joe, have we had any members get an extension only showing some bank deposits under the 65,000 baht for their past year?

[Mansell]

Has any member applied for their retirement extension but couldn't show deposits for 65,000 baht going back a year, but got accepted? Because that supposedly is the rule for the first year.

 

[tabarin]

That are some pretty bad poll results if you ask me, losing just 30% of expats and retirees more at this stage would be bad.

[granuaile]

Just for the record, I don't blame Thailand or Thai immigration. It was the actions of four western embassies that sparked all of this, Immigration here just adapted to that. I do wish they would accept original watermarked documents, but que sera sera. Thailand has been very good to me, I love living here, and I feel guilty at leaving my friends, even leaving my apartment building and the people in it and in my soi.

[tabarin]

11 minutes ago, granuaile said:

Just for the record, I don't blame Thailand or Thai immigration. It was the actions of four western embassies that sparked all of this, Immigration here just adapted to that. I do wish they would accept original watermarked documents, but que sera sera. Thailand has been very good to me, I love living here, and I feel guilty at leaving my friends, even leaving my apartment building and the people in it and in my soi.

You have all the right to blame Thai immigration, at the end they decide what to do and not to do. It is complete nonsense if it comes down to the financial requirements Thailand asks, you need less in European countries. You would even qualify for a long term visa in Holland with the amounts they ask today.

 

I don't understand retirees in this position though, you can have a hassle free live in Vietnam with 2-3x cheaper beers and still visit Thailand.

There are even direct flights to Da Nang and such, I would just spend 2x 3 months per year there and elsewhere if not moving permanently.

Edited February 9, 2019 by tabarin

[brokenbone]

16 minutes ago, tabarin said:

 

 

I don't understand retirees in this position though, you can have a hassle free live in Vietnam with 2-3x cheaper beers and still visit Thailand.

There are even direct flights to Da Nang and such, I would just spend 2x 3 months per year there and elsewhere if not moving permanently.

vietnam would only ever be an option if i never have to cross border once i'm there.

also wonder how their electric holds up,

i'm done with power-out

[moe666]

No stress here the stress seems to only come from people on TV who cannot qualify for the money because they never had any money.

There should be a new poll how many have bought tickets to leave mean old Thailand because Thailand has decided to protect there immigration process better.

[tabarin]

1 minute ago, brokenbone said:

vietnam would only ever be an option if i never have to cross border once i'm there.

also wonder how their electric holds up,

i'm done with power-out

Not sure what you are saying, power is generally fine unless you live in a bad place. Visa wise it is like 350-400$ per year and you can re-enter as many times you want?

[tabarin]

16 minutes ago, moe666 said:

No stress here the stress seems to only come from people on TV who cannot qualify for the money because they never had any money.

There should be a new poll how many have bought tickets to leave mean old Thailand because Thailand has decided to protect there immigration process better.

Only? You are talking about 50% of the results with significant stress levels over this. Think that are quite a few then. Protecting the process also got nothing to do with these absurd financial requirements and retirees are generally not the people who cause trouble either.

 

Also I find a pension from 1250 euro really reasonable but that would only give you 45,000 baht today. Even with 1500 it is still under 55k.

In Holland people have their money locked up even they build up a decent pension, if they want to cash that out at once fines of up to 50% take place. This is often also a reason why people are limited even they are indirectly well off. Add on to that that many of those did have some cash savings but bought a house or condo with that in the nice years.

Edited February 9, 2019 by tabarin

[moe666]

Just now, tabarin said:

Only? You are talking about 50% of the results with significant stress levels over this. Think that are quite a few then. Protecting the process also got nothing to do with these absurd financial requirements and retirees are generally not the people who cause trouble either.

What finicial requirements, they are still the same as they have been for over 10 yers. The only thing to change is the way your money is deposited in a bank for income method. The holding period for 800,000k in the bank has changed. It would have been interesting to have seen the moaning and groaning if the amouts had been changed to say one million bhat.

[Pedrogaz]

It just depends how much cash you have and whether you can afford to tie it up in a low yield savings account. But it's only about $14000 that is tied up and if you cannot do that then you are playing a very dangerous game by living in Thailand.

[tabarin]

2 minutes ago, moe666 said:

What finicial requirements, they are still the same as they have been for over 10 yers. The only thing to change is the way your money is deposited in a bank for income method. The holding period for 800,000k in the bank has changed. It would have been interesting to have seen the moaning and groaning if the amouts had been changed to say one million bhat.

That is not realistic to say at all, you know just as well that things did not work like that until after the coup and many paid a yearly fee to the agent to take care of it, financial proof was never really required that way.

Does that mean the rules always been the same and are merely being enforced now? Yes. Does that make it right, strategic and fair or smart? No.

Edited February 9, 2019 by tabarin

[brokenbone]

14 minutes ago, tabarin said:

Not sure what you are saying, power is generally fine unless you live in a bad place. Visa wise it is like 350-400$ per year and you can re-enter as many times you want?

can i stay in vietnam continuously without leaving the country for any sort of visa run ?

what visa is that ?

can you name a couple of places at the sea where electric just works all year round ?

also wonder if they give permanent residency by chance ? i'm getting disenchanted by being held at ransom by immigration officers.

thank you in advance

Edited February 9, 2019 by brokenbone

[tabarin]

4 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

can i stay in vietnam continuously without leaving the country for any sort of visa run ?

what visa is that ?

can you name a couple of places at the sea where electric just works all year round ?

also wonder if they give permanent residency by chance ? i'm getting disenchanted by being held at ransom by immigration officers.

thank you in advance

Do your research on places to live but the standard way is to get a Business visa for 350-400$ a year and obviously you do not have to leave anymore, no reporting too. You can even do any business and work and finish the day with a real steak and a bottle of good red wine for 11$ in a restaurant.

Edited February 9, 2019 by tabarin