Do you have an exit plan?

[Grusa]

20 hours ago, xylophone said:

My main aim was to accrue enough in the way of funds to be able to last me for the rest of my life, so I calculated the amount I would need to live on, including inflation, then calculated the interest/return on my funds and of course I had to fix an age where I thought I might depart this mortal coil, to enable the calculations to work.

I know someone who did that. He got his sums wrong, expecting to die at 70. At 80, he started to lose his marbles. Now he is approaching 90, a vegetable living, if that is the word for it, in deepest Isaan, with the family, poor as dirt.

 

Very sad.

[newnative]

23 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

For the Love of God!

Another one.

It is just never ending.

Like a sickness. A disease. A paranoia.

It is a piece of subjective paper for Chris's sake!

In 16 years living here full time, i have never even seen a <deleted>' form, let alone filled one out.

The non stop ranting on here about Thais looking at me, talking about me, sneering at me, looking down at me, yada nada da bing.

It is so tiresome.

All of you disaffected, hurt, expats - stop talking about it, and just f##k off.

And leave us normal guys who still love the country and it's wonderful people, and have seen very little changes in day to day life here in peace.

Thank you.

Maybe the perfect post on this topic.

[xylophone]

13 minutes ago, Grusa said:

I know someone who did that. He got his sums wrong, expecting to die at 70. At 80, he started to lose his marbles. Now he is approaching 90, a vegetable living, if that is the word for it, in deepest Isaan, with the family, poor as dirt.

 

Very sad.

Yes that is sad and hopefully I have calculated correctly!!!

 

At current calculations I should be ok up until I am well over 100, and with a couple of small pensions coming in as well I shouldn't be "on the bones of my <deleted>" as the saying goes.

[Grusa]

6 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Yes that is sad and hopefully I have calculated correctly!!!

 

At current calculations I should be ok up until I am well over 100, and with a couple of small pensions coming in as well I shouldn't be "on the bones of my <deleted>" as the saying goes.

You have my sympathy, if you live to 100+.......I would not wish to do so! I have an exit strategy for that.

[xylophone]

5 minutes ago, Grusa said:

You have my sympathy, if you live to 100+.......I would not wish to do so! I have an exit strategy for that.

Me also.........the helium exit strategy for me!!

[Survivor9]

I don't understand all the hype about the TM 30. I just did another, one year, extension. The TM 30 is part of the process, along with the TM 47. It is just another form and as long as it is filled out and signed, it is not a big deal. This seems to be fear-mongering.

[Isaan sailor]

USD (and other western currencies) have lost 15% or more in last two years.  Sure looks like China Belt & Road Initiative putting pressure on Thai economy with intension to collapse it first, then take over.  And Bank of Thailand complicit in this plan.  So another 5-7% appreciation on the Baht—and we’ll close up and head home to USA.  Can always use house as a winter home.

[aqua4]

23 minutes ago, Grusa said:

You have my sympathy, if you live to 100+.......I would not wish to do so! I have an exit strategy for that.

Charcoal breathing retirement I guess. 

[spornb]

I have no plan for denial of marriage extension, and  my wife can lend to me whatever might be required to meet any "unreasonable additional financial requirements", I believe this extension will stay safe, which is why I switched from retirement extension ten yrs ago

 

I have a plan for death, and have done paper work for body donation

 

I have plan for more major medical and accidents

 

Despite some major illnesses (four different lots of cancer) I have a plan to continue to enjoy my life, and stay mobile, I have palliative care in Thailand identified and am already an outpatient with them

 

We hope to do three more cruises in the next six months, health allowing

 

I have no medical insurance, and plan to eventually die here in Thailand

 

BE HAPPY, STAY HAPPY, misery is optional

 

And if all the above fails, I get a first class ticket to the UK and say to social services, catch, I have nothing, only credit card debt!  (I gave everything away quite a few years ago to my Thai wife when cancer was found)

 

I do still have the UK old age pension

[wwest5829]

Extension a bit unnerving this year. Upset me, my Love and her Daughter, we have two years invested in the relationship and have high hopes of being together until my demise. Still if Thailand, represented by their immigration office in C. Mai does not want me to stay, support a Thai family, demands fooling my travel within Thailand well ... It would definitely be a wrenching experience emotionally but I am a free citizen and will not allow any country, including my only retirement residential country to mistreat me. Fallback position (TIT) look for “workarounds” only if that fails, find a more welcoming country in which to spend my million baht a year.

[wwest5829]

50 minutes ago, Survivor9 said:

I don't understand all the hype about the TM 30. I just did another, one year, extension. The TM 30 is part of the process, along with the TM 47. It is just another form and as long as it is filled out and signed, it is not a big deal. This seems to be fear-mongering.

Methinks you do not appreciate the impact of the TM30 on those of us who enjoy traveling within Thailand or those whose job requires regular internal travel. Off to trips shopping in Mae Sai or to the beach and upon returning home (same address already on file), I am required by C. Mai Immigration to report I am home within 24 hrs? To what avail? My address already of file and updated every 90 day, when I re-enter the country or move my place of residence. Stop complaining and do what you are told ... yea ...no.

[kellersphuket]

Yes I do.

But it's not really set in stone

 

It's been pretty fluid for the last 2 years or so..

What I usually do is write my plans down on paper, then if what I have written still makes sense 6 months down the line then that plan becomes more concrete.

 

At the moment my latest escape from Alcatraz has been penned for about 3 months..

So far so good, give it another 3 months and I may just jump ship.

[Capt Rob]

On 9/1/2019 at 4:30 AM, GinBoy2 said:

I would agree its harder if you have ties, but given resources you do it.

 

We kept the house, it's our snowbird vacation home. Son was already in the US and wasn't coming back to Thailand. Wife wanted to follow him too, so the die was cast.

 

Sold both our truck and car, couldn't see the point of keeping them, and now we just rent a car for a few months every year.

 

I'd lived overseas for in various countries for 20 years, the last 10 being in Thailand, but I always kept a house in the US as my ultimate bolthole should I need it. 

 

I've never quite understood those who sell up everything at home, then sink it into a country, where they are at best long term tourists, with little to no rights.

 

Always always always have an exit plan from any country you live, of which you are not a citizen

Think there is a element of fantasy with moving out and selling up, but also some who feel they cannot achieve without the bold step. A number of us are 'belt and braces', if you have been fortunate enough to have the assets.

Have encountered people earlier in life, who have returned to 'home' countries particularly in UK and Europe. Often these folk lamented leaving the 'good' life behind . . . . . . . . who does not have nostalgia - places, girlfriends and/or cars left behind ( not necessarily in that order ).

The rub is one can only be in one place at a time not to put too fine a point on it . . . . .

[khunPer]

I have no made-up plan B for exit – could however I can always escape "home" – as I at the moment don't feel it's necessary.

 

If I had to leave with short notice, I voted "Asia", but it's depending of the circumstances. Again, I could escape to my home-country, but a South-East Asian destination might be more of interest.

 

I often check on my possibilities, if I should return to my home-country, like what kind of home would I be able to afford from my safe savings only back home, or what would I be able to buy if I got my initial "investment" in my Thai-house out, with or without inflation indexed increase. I cannot find something I would be happy to change with, compared to what I have now in LoS, but I could settle in what I could afford back in my home-country. I even check on something way outside my financial reach, and even that I wouldn't like to change to, so it proves my belief in that we – or at least I – still have a better life-style here, than we could afford back home.

 

If a exit is not cause by the need of health issues, i.e. need for my home-country's governmental social security system, it seems like somewhere in SEA is a better option for me...????

[MartiniMan]

Just go across the border and purchase another visa

There is no way anyone in business is talking about stopping immigration - infact quiet the opposite

Try and get yourself up to date and actually read the local papers to see the situation, there is a huge drive for immigrants and they are trying very very hard to get Google, Amazon and Facebook here (Facebook already opens in central bangkok now and has a huge office there of americans working)

If anything it is going to get easier to set up shop here as Vietnam is growing much faster then Thailand and for one reason only - setting up is much easier in Vietnam. So now many ministers are asking to spread a motion that will enable all kinds of businesses to be created and bring in fresh investments to the kingdom as it is a tax benefit and can increase stability and create more jobs.

The doomsday guys are really out of touch with actual policy in Thailand - all this because of a TM30 what is wrong with you for christ sake its just a report grow a pair and start looking at the stock market

[natway09]

Did you read the article on Vietnam residency yesterday no better than here & only 3 months at a time.

Malaysia now cannot get a WP after you turn 42

[StreetCowboy]

7 hours ago, natway09 said:

Did you read the article on Vietnam residency yesterday no better than here & only 3 months at a time.

Malaysia now cannot get a WP after you turn 42

Don’t tell my employer!  All the expats my employer employs are universally over 42. Why would you employ inexperienced expats? Unless you are looking for work as ‘foreign labour’ for the jobs Malaysians won’t do, rather than can’t do

[Suradit69]

On September 1, 2019 at 2:58 AM, 4675636b596f75 said:

Where would you go?  Vietnam? Malaysia? I

So now many of the people who never bothered to know what they were getting into by settling in Thailand are throwing hissies and will be jumping into Vietnam because it's really cool, everyone there loves farang and unicorns  are indigenous .

 

[55Jay]

18 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

No.

My missus is not obliged to report me.

I have never seen a TM30 form, neither has she.

She knows nothing about it.

Neither do the local coppers who are not remotely interested in a TM30.

Then we've got the local 90 day reporters at the main immigration office in this province; nobody in the office is interested in the TM30 filled out at your home address or if you nip 3 provinces away for a long weekend hols.

It seems an over exagerated paranoid mess that obviously has implications in the tourist ghettos.

Us expats living in Bumf##k, Nakon Nowhere don't seem to be having the problem.

Right on and carry on, then. 

 

I live on the outskirts of Nakhon Nowhere, previously on the inside of it.  My Immi office is all over it, for now.  Sure hope it goes away, sometime soon. 

[shy coconut]

17 hours ago, xylophone said:

Me also.........the helium exit strategy for me!!

Helium?

 

Is that the gas which makes you speak funny or float away?

 

Either way not a bad way to go!!

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎9‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 7:58 AM, 4675636b596f75 said:

All of this talk of the ... wait for it .... it's coming ... the TM30 and how it makes many of you feel unwanted,

IMO the wittering on about TM 30 is silly. It's been a requirement for decades- I've always done it if I wasn't staying in an hotel.

It's not even our responsibility, so people are making the proverbial mountains from molehills.

If people want to get exercised there are far more real things to go on about than TM 30.

Far as I'm concerned, if people get chased away by such an insignificant thing they don't want to live in LOS enough, and don't let the door hit you on your butt on the way out.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

So now many of the people who never bothered to know what they were getting into by settling in Thailand are throwing hissies

So, so true. All those guys that came in when they were not enforcing the law, and expected it to continue that way forever...…………….. There's a word to describe that.

They can't even claim they didn't know about it before, as I knew long ago, and it wasn't a big secret even back then.

[xylophone]

5 hours ago, shy coconut said:

Helium?

 

Is that the gas which makes you speak funny or float away?

 

Either way not a bad way to go!!

It also replaces the air one breathes..........look it up on the net as a way to "exit" this mortal coil, but don't expect to float away!

[Lacessit]

23 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Extension a bit unnerving this year. Upset me, my Love and her Daughter, we have two years invested in the relationship and have high hopes of being together until my demise. Still if Thailand, represented by their immigration office in C. Mai does not want me to stay, support a Thai family, demands fooling my travel within Thailand well ... It would definitely be a wrenching experience emotionally but I am a free citizen and will not allow any country, including my only retirement residential country to mistreat me. Fallback position (TIT) look for “workarounds” only if that fails, find a more welcoming country in which to spend my million baht a year.

IMHO you have established a pattern which you now have to follow. It's called making a rod for your own back.

When I stay in my GF's village, I don't do a TM30. I've never seen a police officer there, let alone an immigration officer.

When we stay at hotels all over Thailand, my GF hands over her ID card. I am not involved.

I suppose one day I might be caught, and get fined 1900 baht. Big deal. I've been following my pattern for ten years without a problem.

It will be different if Thai health insurance is mandated for retirement extensions - then it is plan B.

[cyril sneer]

If I didn't come on this forum I would be completely unaware of all the negative things that go on

 

I'd also be unaware of the TM30, and most likely never get in trouble for not doing one

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

If I didn't come on this forum I would be completely unaware of all the negative things that go on

 

I'd also be unaware of the TM30, and most likely never get in trouble for not doing one

Never say never.

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

IMHO you have established a pattern which you now have to follow. It's called making a rod for your own back.

When I stay in my GF's village, I don't do a TM30. I've never seen a police officer there, let alone an immigration officer.

When we stay at hotels all over Thailand, my GF hands over her ID card. I am not involved.

I suppose one day I might be caught, and get fined 1900 baht. Big deal. I've been following my pattern for ten years without a problem.

It will be different if Thai health insurance is mandated for retirement extensions - then it is plan B.

Biggest issue was the changing decisions concerning my income method. We were told this year would be a bit more reasonable as they only announced the tougher enforcement in Feb. and then C. Mai Immigration deciding they wanted a full previous 12 months documentation of income coming into Thailand. Same thing with the TM30 crackdown. C. Mai has decided they will demand after returning from an overnight trip out of the province. In both cases we are hearing other offices are not taking this tact. I am thinking that I will no longer check into hotels but have Da submit her Thai ID. Like you a mandatory health insurance would be a big issue as my greatest risk (heart) is always excluded and at 72, priced out of the market.

[Lacessit]

On 9/3/2019 at 12:40 PM, wwest5829 said:

Biggest issue was the changing decisions concerning my income method. We were told this year would be a bit more reasonable as they only announced the tougher enforcement in Feb. and then C. Mai Immigration deciding they wanted a full previous 12 months documentation of income coming into Thailand. Same thing with the TM30 crackdown. C. Mai has decided they will demand after returning from an overnight trip out of the province. In both cases we are hearing other offices are not taking this tact. I am thinking that I will no longer check into hotels but have Da submit her Thai ID. Like you a mandatory health insurance would be a big issue as my greatest risk (heart) is always excluded and at 72, priced out of the market.

According to a source who ought to know, there are about 4000 Australians in Chiang Mai - retirees, work permit etc. That's just Aussies. My extrapolation from that is somewhere north of 50,000 for farangs of Western nationality.

Chiang Mai Immigration may well demand TM30's for all farangs travelling outside the province. Permit me to doubt they can come within a bull's roar of policing it effectively if the farangs don't co-operate.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

According to a source who ought to know, there are about 4000 Australians in Chiang Mai - retirees, work permit etc. That's just Aussies. My extrapolation from that is somewhere north of 50,000 for farangs of Western nationality.

Chiang Mai Immigration may well demand TM30's for all farangs travelling outside the province. Permit me to doubt they can come within a bull's roar of policing it effectively if the farangs don't co-operate.

If they refuse to extend visas because of TM 30 non compliance, one can expect a change in that attitude.

[4675636b596f75]

On 9/3/2019 at 12:40 PM, wwest5829 said:

I will no longer check into hotels but have Da submit her Thai ID.

I travel with my son who has a Thai ID.  Not sure they will take one from a minor, but why not?  

 

Next, the airlines will be sending immigration a list of all foreigners who traveled from one city to another.  

 

The snare tightens daily.

 

I have always said, never try to outstupid the Thais.  They can and will amaze you with their ability to turn something into stupid.