New Rules for Retirees - Effects so Far?

[Kwasaki]

10 hours ago, Pdavies99 said:

An agent bypasses this issue with a "bribe" end of!

 

It would be " end of " if caught it's illegal.

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, ThaiBunny said:

Maybe. A friend of mine has had a Bangkok law firm that specialises in Immigration matters handle all of his affairs including extensions for a number of years.  Occasionally he's had to go to CW with them, usually not

I knew someone to who has been told by the agent they use to wait because although some immigration offices are carrying out the new rules, legit agencies do not know what there position will be at the moment.

His gone from Thailand now anyhow.  

[malibukid]

47 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

It would be " end of " if caught it's illegal.

nothing new, don't hold your breath unless you live in CM.  pigs will fly someday, and the sidewalks will be fixed and the cops will start handing out speeding tickets, and their will be no more burning, and....

Edited March 22, 2019 by malibukid

[Kwasaki]

10 minutes ago, malibukid said:

nothing new, don't hold your breath unless you live in CM.  pigs will fly someday, and the sidewalks will be fixed and the cops will start handing out speeding tickets, and their will be no more burning, and....

You can wear a mask in CM, cops do still stop and hand out speed tickets, fires are real too some you can stop some you can't, pigs can't fly which is the same as finding legit agent to get you a legit extension. 

[bojo]

19 hours ago, baansgr said:

I think the real exodus was about 4 years ago.....now is the last of the mainstayers clinging on for dear life...no new blood appearing anymore. Combination of XE, visa rules, the opening of places once seen as backward/third world and the general atmosphere of being unwelcome in Thailand has all taken its toll

Never a truer statement than your first sentence

[brokenbone]

2 hours ago, Enki said:

That is quite out of context. The "war" was around 1800 ... when France tried to conquer Thailand and put it into "Indochine". Cambodia meanwhile is a Monarchy and democracy ... perhaps you missed that development and Vietnam is a communist democratic capitalist society just like China, but not as despotic.

england and france made a deal to keep thailand as a buffer

between them, it was not to be conquered for either

[bojo]

3 hours ago, Longcut said:

Why is that even in English? Can't ever remember seeing election posters in the U.S. with Thai script.

Tapsab and resonates with the voters who embrace the 21st Century

[Mac98]

Four friends. One doesn't meet monthly income but could put up 800,000 if he sells his house. He says if he has to sell, and hates all the reporting, he'll look elsewhere. A 2nd friend is in a wheelchair and being taken care of by a Thai lady. He used creative accounting to get income letter. No idea what to do now. A 3rd has departed for England. The 4th owns five properties here but considering return to life in Oz for health reasons. I can make monthly requirement, but just barely. Baht rise, foreign transfer fee, Medicare hike, would muck that up as no deviation allowed, even if you had extra sitting in the bank to keep annual target in sight.

[malibukid]

4 hours ago, KarlS said:

You should check the huge list of failed American banks! (Wiki will help)

my money in America is insured by the FDIC.  no so here in LOS

[malibukid]

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

england and france made a deal to keep thailand as a buffer

between them, it was not to be conquered for either

i remember this.  the English could have built some fine roads and rail transport. Malaysia is a good example of British know how.

Edited March 22, 2019 by malibukid

[KarlS]

2 minutes ago, malibukid said:

my money in America is insured by the FDIC.  no so here in LOS

Depends how much you have in an Americal bank - the 'insurance' is not open-ended. How many Thai banks have gone bust? 

[malibukid]

15 hours ago, Benroon said:

It’s nothing to do with ‘smug’ it’s more to do with not spending your one and only very short life shitting yourself it’s all going pear shaped tomorrow. 

 

Thailand is not about to be invaded though I’ve heard TVF Dads army reserves are amassing on the Cambodian border and comparing Thailand to Uganda ? Purlease - GDP Thailand 26th Uganda 90th ! 

Thailand will become a proxy of China.  look around. China is exerting it's soft power throughout the world.  lending money for infrastructure projects at insane rates.  similar to the what the IMF did to poor countries.  China will exert an economic hold on Thailand. if and when the U.S. goes to war with China, who's will they choose.  the flash point in the future could be over the SCS or Taiwan.  this will be interesting.  maybe 50 years and a 50/50 chance. the current U.S. China tensions could explain the shift in Thailands view of Westerners

Edited March 22, 2019 by malibukid

[malibukid]

10 minutes ago, KarlS said:

Depends how much you have in an Americal bank - the 'insurance' is not open-ended. How many Thai banks have gone bust? 

each deposit insured up to $100K in different banks

[scubascuba3]

It would be " end of " if caught it's illegal.

Immigration are all in on it, that's part of the trick, embroil everyone

[55Jay]

Screening all visa agent assisted extension applications is the right answer, because obviously, that's where the corruption is.  But that would involve lots of time and effort.  Which sets up and begs an obvious question....

 

So which is better?  The phase 2 War on Drugs approach, targeting turning an entire population into potential suspects because some within that large group create the demand?  Or going after the smaller groups facilitating and providing the illicit product and services to them?  And working your way up the chain until you get to the bosses facilitating and benefiting from it?

 

Imagine the big headlines BJ would get if he were to bust a senior Immigration boss.  He would be a national hero.  ????

[The Fugitive]

On 3/21/2019 at 10:50 AM, Kwasaki said:

How an agent help when you have to show 400,000 baht in the bank all year.?? 

We could try the direct approach? 

During 90 day reporting, IO asked "how much you pay agent? If do it with us is much cheaper". Of course it is, 1,900. However, if I didn't meet requirements, how much do they expect?  Retirement extension via agent is around 15,000 inclusive. Is 7,000 reasonable inclusive of 1,900?

[Leaver]

6 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Screening all visa agent assisted extension applications is the right answer, because obviously, that's where the corruption is.  But that would involve lots of time and effort.  Which sets up and begs an obvious question....

 

So which is better?  The phase 2 War on Drugs approach, targeting turning an entire population into potential suspects because some within that large group create the demand?  Or going after the smaller groups facilitating and providing the illicit product and services to them?  And working your way up the chain until you get to the bosses facilitating and benefiting from it?

 

Imagine the big headlines BJ would get if he were to bust a senior Immigration boss.  He would be a national hero.  ????

BJ might have to be a bit careful, otherwise he could end up like Mr. T. 

[madmen]

On 3/21/2019 at 4:00 PM, baansgr said:

I think the real exodus was about 4 years ago.....now is the last of the mainstayers clinging on for dear life...no new blood appearing anymore. Combination of XE, visa rules, the opening of places once seen as backward/third world and the general atmosphere of being unwelcome in Thailand has all taken its toll

They all ran to Cambodia ????

[BritManToo]

On 3/21/2019 at 11:24 AM, lipflipper said:

My agent has told me to just sit tight and see what is yet to come here in Chiang Mai. My visa is up for renewal in mid August and there is still ongoing confusion at Immigration. I suppose panic would set in for those who did not keep up with the changes and are now caught between a rock and a hard place. I will take my two month holiday back in San Francisco next week and when I return I will go see my agent to get my TM-30 taken care of and have a sit down with him at that time about what is now required. I am keeping all options open save one, there is no way in hell I am putting 800,000 baht into Any Thai banks and not have access to those funds.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Wouldn't it make more sense to stay here until your current VISA/extension ends then go back to SF and get an O-A there?

(Don't forget to get a medical in Thailand to take back for your O-A application)

[malibukid]

4 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

We could try the direct approach? 

During 90 day reporting, IO asked "how much you pay agent? If do it with us is much cheaper". Of course it is, 1,900. However, if I didn't meet requirements, how much do they expect?  Retirement extension via agent is around 15,000 inclusive. Is 7,000 reasonable inclusive of 1,900?

my concern is that 800K in the bank could be vulnerable to currency fluctuations. even a 5 baht increase against the dollar and now your 25k$ is worth 22.5K$ USD. correct me if i am wrong.  not a good investment.  i would gladly pay 15000 up front if the option was available.  better deal

[malibukid]

23 minutes ago, madmen said:

They all ran to Cambodia ????

Cambodia could be the new Thailand

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, malibukid said:

Cambodia could be the new Thailand

Since they don't have reasonable adequate health care or a banking system how is that going to work?

[marcusarelus]

5 minutes ago, malibukid said:

my concern is that 800K in the bank could be vulnerable to currency fluctuations. even a 5 baht increase against the dollar and now your 25k$ is worth 22.5K$ USD. correct me if i am wrong.  not a good investment.  i would gladly pay 15000 up front if the option was available.  better deal

20,000 pounds sterling in a UK bank instead of a Thai bank in 2004 would have lost you 800,000 baht by now.  I doubled my money putting it in a Thai bank in 2004.  Is that good enough?  The fluctuations have been up all the way.  Don't you want that?  

[Kwasaki]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

10 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

It would be " end of " if caught it's illegal.

Immigration are all in on it, that's part of the trick, embroil everyone

You are in cloud cuckoo land in Thailand, asked for agent in dealing visa's Sukhothai " not for you " so come on where these agents.

[Jingthing]

??
The 800, 000 is in a bank account in your name.  You are not "paying" anything....

Opportunity cost innit.

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

[Jingthing]

Can't see that they have actually done anything that silly.  People have been getting round the rules, lying on affidavits using agents etc.  Now they are implementing stricter rules to catch the cheaters.  Not touching your 800k for 5 months of the year is a bit harsh but don't blame the authorities blame the people using tricks to beat the system.  As for the monthly income requirement, given the withdrawal of embassy confirmation letters, what else could they do?

It's extremely harsh.

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

[scubascuba3]

You are in cloud cuckoo land in Thailand, asked for agent in dealing visa's Sukhothai " not for you " so come on where these agents.

It's difficult to make sense of your post, certainly in Pattaya we have choice of agents to use, where you live, no idea

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

We could try the direct approach? 

During 90 day reporting, IO asked "how much you pay agent? If do it with us is much cheaper". Of course it is, 1,900. However, if I didn't meet requirements, how much do they expect?  Retirement extension via agent is around 15,000 inclusive. Is 7,000 reasonable inclusive of 1,900?

Nonsense the immigration office you use is bent if you think it's not then tell which one it is.

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

certainly in Pattaya we have choice of agents

Pattaya well that at last explains.

And the phone numbers are does that make sense ???

[malibukid]

22 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

20,000 pounds sterling in a UK bank instead of a Thai bank in 2004 would have lost you 800,000 baht by now.  I doubled my money putting it in a Thai bank in 2004.  Is that good enough?  The fluctuations have been up all the way.  Don't you want that?  

the pound sterling was trading at roughly 1.734 to the USD in 2004, today it's 1.23 to the USD.  your 20k Sterling would have lost 8K Sterling  against the USD not 800K baht or 25kUSD.

Edited March 22, 2019 by malibukid