800K 5 Months 400K Indefinitely In Bank For Ext To Stay Based In Retirement

[Graviton]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Does the OP think any posters on here work for the government?

 

My guess would be because they thought it would PO farangs and might make some leave. They've been making it progressively more difficult for at least 20 years. Back in the day, one could live quite happily in LOS on back to back visa exempt entries, then we couldn't, and it's been a downward spiral ever since.

When Cambodia shows how easy it is to live there, it's obvious that LOS doesn't want us staying anymore, IMO, but they can't just ban us outright as that would result in all the Thai expats being sent home too.

Disagree....I have been here 16 yrs the rules are the same 65k a month 800k bank or the marriage route.

[Graviton]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Try doing that in person and one might end up paying big money not to go to jail. Not that I know personally, as never paid a bribe to stay.

Me neither. Do things right sleep at night.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 minutes ago, Graviton said:

Disagree....I have been here 16 yrs the rules are the same 65k a month 800k bank or the marriage route.

Ah, a newbie then. Everything changes eventually.

Some of us have been visiting/ living in Thailand for double that, or more. 

I first came in the good old days when I got 90 days visa exempt, the beaches were lovable, and Trink was the man with the info on the nite scene.

Actually, my first ever visit was in 1974, but there was a long gap after that.

Edited May 31, 2019 by thaibeachlovers

[Jumbo1968]

Why do Farangs have too show 10 times more in a Bank than a Thai earns and lives on ?

I am not a Cheap Charlie but eat the Thai food rent a reasonable priced condo/house and it nowhere comes near 800k.

[Joe Mcseismic]

18 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Does the OP think any posters on here work for the government?

 

My guess would be because they thought it would PO farangs and might make some leave. They've been making it progressively more difficult for at least 20 years. Back in the day, one could live quite happily in LOS on back to back visa exempt entries, then we couldn't, and it's been a downward spiral ever since.

When Cambodia shows how easy it is to live there, it's obvious that LOS doesn't want us staying anymore, IMO, but they can't just ban us outright as that would result in all the Thai expats being sent home too.

In other words, they have slowly been enforcing the rules that were always there.

[Graviton]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Ah, a newbie then. Everything changes eventually.

Some of us have been visiting/ living in Thailand for double that, or more. 

I first came in the good old days when I got 90 days visa exempt, the beaches were lovable, and Trink was the man with the info on the nite scene.

Actually, my first ever visit was in 1974, but there was a long gap after that.

I didn't say I first came here 16yrs ago lol......

[Graviton]

2 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

In other words, they have slowly been enforcing the rules that were always there.

Again never changed for my situation.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 minute ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Why do Farangs have too show 10 times more in a Bank than a Thai earns and lives on ?

I am not a Cheap Charlie but eat the Thai food rent a reasonable priced condo/house and it nowhere comes near 800k.

You think Thais only earn 67k per year? Or, 4k per month?

Obviously, they want affluent foreigners which is very understandable.

Surprised that you couldn't figure this out yourself.

[NoshowJones]

800K 5 Months 400K Indefinitely In Bank For Ext To Stay Based In Retirement

I would say it is probably because of the Thai governments dislike of expats.

 

[Joe Mcseismic]

11 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Ah, a newbie then. Everything changes eventually.

Some of us have been visiting/ living in Thailand for double that, or more. 

I first came in the good old days when I got 90 days visa exempt, the beaches were lovable, and Trink was the man with the info on the nite scene.

Actually, my first ever visit was in 1974, but there was a long gap after that.

I've been living here continuously for 34 years and have been coming to Thailand for 38 years.

One thing I have learned is that the amount of time you have spent in Thailand has no correlation whatsoever to how much you know about Thailand.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Joe Mcseismic

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, yodsak said:

To stop agents.

 

Why should they want to stop agents? Is that not where a lot of Thai immigrations income stream comes from?

[Graviton]

Just now, possum1931 said:

800K 5 Months 400K Indefinitely In Bank For Ext To Stay Based In Retirement

I would say it is probably because of the Thai governments dislike of expats.

 

Don't get that......800k in the bank every yr as stipulated=happy days

It is one of the requirements is it not.

[Joe Mcseismic]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

800K 5 Months 400K Indefinitely In Bank For Ext To Stay Based In Retirement

I would say it is probably because of the Thai governments dislike of expats.

 

Almost right. Fixed it for you.

 

I would say it is probably because of the Thai governments dislike of poor expats.

[NoshowJones]

21 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

You may well of added. NO answers please.

Because any answer would be a guess.

"Because any answer would be a guess."

Not necessary, it could be an opinion.

[Graviton]

2 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

I've been living here continuously for 34 years and have been coming to Thailand for 38 years.

One thing I have learned is that the amount of time you have spent in Thailand has no correlation whatsoever to how much you know about Thailand.

One thing I have learned is the thai language and that does correlate?

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, thainet said:

Many guys ask why they did this, or do that. Its not fair, people will be leaving etc. 

But the bottom line is that they make the rules (for whatever reason..its still their rules). So we must live with and adapt to them.

 

Or find ways round them.

[johnarth]

originally it was to make sure you had some money to pay towards a hospital bill the reason it was halved from the 800k was that it would be considered that the wife would be working and have insurance Australia is no better when you on the old age pension if you get married they half your pension because your wife is supposed to come up with the other money

[Joe Mcseismic]

3 minutes ago, Graviton said:

One thing I have learned is the thai language and that does correlate?

Definitely! Learn Thai and it opens a door that is permanently closed to others (yes, I speak Thai).

[Graviton]

2 minutes ago, johnarth said:

originally it was to make sure you had some money to pay towards a hospital bill the reason it was halved from the 800k was that it would be considered that the wife would be working and have insurance Australia is no better when you on the old age pension if you get married they half your pension because your wife is supposed to come up with the other money

UK you and your wife get a pension double the single man? 

[NoshowJones]

16 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Almost right. Fixed it for you.

 

I would say it is probably because of the Thai governments dislike of poor expats.

Spot on 

[NoshowJones]

18 minutes ago, Graviton said:

Don't get that......800k in the bank every yr as stipulated=happy days

It is one of the requirements is it not.

Yes, one of the many unnecessary requirements towards us expats.

[Toany]

Spot on [emoji106]

I disagree. I think it is because of the Thai Governments dislike of expats! They put up with the rich ones.

In Thailand goal posts have wheels

[zaZa9]

4 hours ago, JackThompson said:

I have yet to see any reports of a "home visit" from an agent application, denial based on landlord-docs, etc.  Even those not faking their financials who use agents still benefit from shared tea-money - to skip the queue and avoid all the mostly-pointless "extra requirements" added to hassle honest, in-person applicants.

 

Yes, but the only downside would seem to be the "trap" aspect - "Use an agent now, and must use an agent forever," - or go out and start over.

 

Even where it's not "lax" - a marriage-based application, for instance - requiring a district sign-off - the only difference is another 10K of extra tea-money for signature at the next level.

 

Agents have storefronts, place ads everywhere, etc -  often advertising that they fake the financials.  It would not be hard for the higher-ups to shut them down, if they wanted to stop faked-financials applications and end corruption.  The veneer is so thin, a sting-op would be child's play.  It's hard to argue ignorance of the practice as an excuse, which leads directly to higher levels up being in on the action.

 

That would remove the illusion of "plausible legitimacy."  Some who haven't been been messed-over by immigration yet, still think, "It's all fine if you don't have tattoos and meet the official guidelines."  

 

But anyone paying attention sees that each office / IO / supervisor can make up anything they want, regardless of the "real rules" - nothing is done to stop this.  Is Samui still demanding honest, in-person retiree-applicants go to the hospital for a health-check?  And for how many years after this requirement was officially dropped?  It never ends.

 

Good post , as it covers the simple fact that EVERYONE knows who the agents are , and how easy it would be to "get" the agents.

But , no , lets not "get'' the hundred or two agents ...

Lets  go through the elaborate process of changing the laws ,  and make life hard for thousands of applicants...

 

Going out and coming in is  or WAS an option , until they all of a sudden started talking about extra Insurance for NEW applicants ...

[Graviton]

2 minutes ago, Toany said:

I disagree. I think it is because of the Thai Governments dislike of expats! They put up with the rich ones.

In Thailand goal posts have wheels
 

Contradiction here?, 800k 65k them are the same numbers for rich and poor.. don't talk about those elite visas.....

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, mike787 said:

....OR NOT!!!  We have the option to leave as well.  

That is a good answer, but many of us have a good family life and bought property here, and it is not so easy to just upsticks and go.

Also remember, people like me came over here and put our roots down before the Thai government started making us jump through all these unnecessary hoops.

[Graviton]

3 minutes ago, zaZa9 said:

 

Good post , as it covers the simple fact that EVERYONE knows who the agents are , and how easy it would be to "get" the agents.

But , no , lets not "get'' the hundred or two agents ...

Lets  go through the elaborate process of changing the laws ,  and make life hard for thousands of applicants...

 

Going out and coming in is  or WAS an option , until they all of a sudden started talking about extra Insurance for NEW applicants ...

Have passport can travel.....trouble is some people here do not have that choice......

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, elviajero said:

To make it harder for applicants/agents/IO’s to submit fraudulent applications.

If the Thai government and their immigration treated us fairly, their would be no need for anyone to submit fraudulent applications.

 

[Graviton]

3 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

That is a good answer, but many of us have a good family life and bought property here, and it is not so easy to just upsticks and go.

Also remember, people like me came over here and put our roots down before the Thai government started making us jump through all these unnecessary hoops.

Separate question....what do these expats clubs exactly do, they seem paper tigers at most...I agree with you after 5 or 10 yrs here you should be left alone to just get on with your lives....an exemption card?

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, elviajero said:

Who said anything about banning agents? The authorities have no problem with agents. It’s fraud they are trying to stop.

and who are the sort of people who commit this fraud? It is certainly not the genuine expat retirees.

[NoshowJones]

12 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Agent-applications have always skipped the seasoning, and still do.  Agents only loaned the money for a day anyway, so 2 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo seasoning - not checked for them, so doesn't have any effect at all.

 

This can only force more Honest applicants to agents, in combination with the end of embassy-letters from several high-volume targets. 

 

That is immigration's primary business, though it's politely called "tea money" - I call it "tribute." 

 

The secondary, much less important (to them) role, are the "official" duties.  This involves some cursory screening of folks entering.  At some entry-points, if the visitor has been here often, and not staying via a means that offers tea-money opportunities, they make up and break rules as suits them to punish non "rewarding" activity.

 

Also, processing extension-applications at offices - though, in many cases, just looking to see if there is a way to deny a legit-applicant so they must use an agent.  This is how the authorities encourage as much agent-use as possible - with the "faked money" agent-applications paying the most tea-money.  They are now making it more difficult for those who retired here under the old rules, and who could meet those rules - "teaching them a lesson" for not paying tribute via agents.

 

Even in the case of applicants who don't need faked-money, the IOs receive enough grease to overlook missing TM-30s, skip home-visits, don't ask for landlord-docs, etc.  Basically, all those bits are just to make you hate going in person - to make the experience miserable - so they can get you to use an agent.

This has to be the post of the month.