Retirement in Thailand… Too naive?

[Huckenfell]

20 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Mr 55 my advice is to look for a more friendly country to get old in. In the last 12 months there has been several major headaches for expats embassy income letters, 800k in bank account, TM 30/60 etc "or whatever it is" immigration police on mass turning up at your doo and this health insurance scam oh and let's not forget the magical baht that rises regardless of fiscal events like coups or shutting the country down for 3 moths, 70% of foreign companies leaving the country it keeps on rising. 

I would be thinking about what next.... Another coup most likely sooner rather than latter and this one maybe very bloody as 2 military factions fight it out for the golden goose. 

Why would the 'foot soldier' let themselves be used like this, as they would stand to gain nothing, any 'kudos' will be for their Hi-So leaders, while they just spill their blood.

[Huckenfell]

20 hours ago, Is this real said:

Any coup would probably result in things being easier for expats.  A new power group would want to make good with the rest of the world and probably need income.

There is already one good young businessman waiting in the wings, and all the very best to him .

[Huckenfell]

20 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Will they be selling insurance documents on Khao San Road ?

regards worgeordie

I really don't think that the type of person needing such help would even know where Khao San Rd is.

[Huckenfell]

19 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

O-A is NOT a Retirement Visa. 

What is it then ?

[saengd]

Don't encourage him.....my O-A extension has a big red stamp on it that reads RETIREMENT and always has.

[Huckenfell]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

As it currently stands there is no money in the bank alternative to having insurance. That is going to become a huge problem as the policies on offer fro mthe companies listed by Imm will not enroll anyone over age 75, and there will also be people under that age who are denied because of pre-exisitng conditions.

 

This aside you should not be here uninsured, even with several million in the bank unless you are fine with losing it in one fell swoop and able to immediately replenish it.

 

At 55 you have a lot of options; now is the time to lock into a policy that guarantees lifetime renewal. 

 

Options will be less say when you turn 60, or if even before then you develop any pre-exisitng conditions. I suggest you contact a broker familiar with expat policies and also with the new Imm requirements. Personally I use AA.

Alcoholics Anonymous !  Oh! dear Sheryl you have just 'let the cat out of the bag'  lolololol

[Huckenfell]

18 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I'll see what happens in November 2020, when I go for my next retirement extension.

I won't be hurt. My Thai GF and her family will, but Bangkok doesn't give a rat's bum for them.

I am going on Saturday 26th., watch for my post on sunday

[Huckenfell]

17 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

The OA (not A-O!!) VISA is a visa issued outside of Thailand by embassys and consulates !! 

 

That OA visa generates a 1 year permission of stay, that may be extended if you met the conditions of extension. 

 

Unsure what your trying to claim saying its not a visa ?? 

From my understanding, the O-A cannot be issued by a Consulate, only by an Embassy.

[Lacessit]

5 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

I am going on Saturday 26th., watch for my post on sunday

My extension was done last Friday, without an agent. Fell due on November 3. Medical insurance was never mentioned at any point.

[Russell17au]

3 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

From my understanding, the O-A cannot be issued by a Consulate, only by an Embassy.

In some places some of the Consulates can issue the "O-A" visa

[Huckenfell]

17 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Hang on.. Let me get my glasses.. 

Nope.. Still not seeing it.. 

An O-A is precisely that, a retirement visa !! 

When i enquired at the Canberra Embassy a few years ago they told me that the O-A is a retirement visa for those over 50, subject to monetary and other requirements, over a period of 6 years i have had three of these visas

[Huckenfell]

8 hours ago, saengd said:

How pedantic do you want to be!

No such a thing as an A-O visa.

[MaiChai]

Don't give up your home country, especially if you are entitled to free health care there. The reality is health problems and costs will increase as you get older and there will be a point where you need alot of care. Also I have seen alot of changes in Thailand over 30 years or so; I would not put all my eggs in one basket. Its nice to just up sticks and go somewhere else without too many ties when things get difficult. I plan to spend the summers in my home country/work a bit and spend the winters somewhere warm. Philippines is very attractive; a better alternative to Thailand now.

[Huckenfell]

6 hours ago, dotpoom said:

Read down as far as the "Link".

   Seems like the OP had a bit of a "high flying" job...hanging out with his Ambassador friend and having conferences with Thai leaders and trade union leaders etc.,

  Am a bit surprised that the cost of "health insurance" would be a challenge for him?

PS...not many of us could have afforded to bring most of our household furniture (inc. the Piano) with us when we came here to retire...I would imagine?

He probably flew his piano in via his friends at Thai Air.    ????????

[Huckenfell]

6 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

I could not agree more!

All that and Classic FM on the radio.   Perfect !

[Russell17au]

Thai Consulates can issue an "O-A" visa. 

This is an extract from www.mfa.gov.th > Home > Consular Services

Applicant may submit their application at the Royal Thai embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General in their home/residence country or at the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Thailand located on Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889.

[sirineou]

 Being coming to Thailand over 13 years , married to a lovely Thai lady for over 10, we build a very nice house in Khon Kaen where we vacation now,  planned to retire there end of this year.

   For me it is not the ridiculous insurance requirement, I would pay $3000 USD  for an insurance I will never use. I will not like it but  I would pay it. And it is not the money in the bank ,  I pay for an airplane ticket to come here , so I will pay (put 400k in the bank , marriage) just an extra cost ,I would not like it but I would do it. And I would report every 90 days, and do the TM30, and pay the double pricing and breath the smoke and, and , and . 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 

  But what I will not do is get in a game not knowing what the rules are, or if they can change at any time. 

Even if they would cancel the insurance requirement, not require 90 day reporting. no TM30 , same price for all, clean the air, make vegetables safe to eat etc.  I will never trust Thai politicians, How can you trust someone who proposes that "all private vehicles have GPS so we can know where they are and how fast they are driving at all times" as i read at another thread.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Sad to say Thailand was a pipe dream. i still keep the house there, and still come to Thailand for Three months, and Thailand will always be in my future because of my wife. but I will never trust Thailand who knows what they will do next.

Edited October 22, 2019 by sirineou

[d4291797]

You brought millions of dollars into Thailand and you're complaining about a meager 800,000 baht and health insurance fee? In America, you can get fined up to $100k USD if you don't have health insurance. It's illegal not to have health insurance in the USA so why shouldn't it be illegal in Thailand as well? What developed country doesn't require mandatory health insurance? 
 
If you have millions of dollars, why on Earth do you not have an ELITE VISA which will cost you a measly 200,000 baht / year and zero hassles with immigration.
 
Embassy letter?? What embassy letter? I never had to get that.
Check in with immigration after traveling to another part of Thailand or leaving the country? What? I never do that.
 
Extortion at checkpoints??? What extortion are you talking about? I drive a Mercedes SL 55 AMG all over Thailand. Never once had any issues. Clearly I have money and showing off that I do with my car so you would definitely think the police would try to extort me? Nope. Never. I once got stopped by the police with 100,000 baht and a bag of coke in my wallet. Thai police officer laughed and waved me on. Thailand is the most lax country on Earth. So many perks to living in Thailand. I just don't get what everyone is complaining about. It's like I read Thai Visa and I don't live in the same country. 
 
Something is not adding up here if you are a millionaire. Sounds like another 'bot' on TV paid for by the UK government to undermine Thailand for obvious reasons. Or you're just writing nonsense for the hell of it.
 
This is life on an Elite Visa:
 
"Yeah, elite visa is the way to go. It’s worth dropping $6k on if you travel a lot. I never have any problems going in or out of Thailand and my wait time at the airport is 10 minutes. Nice to get picked up and dropped off in long wheel base S class Mercedes or 8 Series BMW and fast tracked through check-in and immigration. No x-rays, no checks, no nothing. I could bring whatever I want onto a commercial airplane and it wouldn’t be an issue since I’m never checked. Pretty funny on on my way into Bangkok from the UK last week, one of their dolly birds was waiting for me on the tarmac with a golf buggy, just after my plane landed, and whisked me straight through immigration and into lounge, fully stocked with girls and alcohol. Hehe I don’t need to tell you what happened in the lounge [emoji846] All while I wait for my luggage to be retrieved ;-). If you’re interested in one of these visas, the elite company is just round the corner from me where I live in Sathorn and I just drop my passport in their if I need to do a 90 day report; (don't have to go to central immigration). And don't even have to drop my passport in for report if flying in / out of Thailand, and I do so frequently enough. I used to have a none immigrant B visa using my UK company and Thai company but that got a lot harder a couple of years ago and you had to get a work permit within 90 days so I ended up going for one of these elite visas."
 
 
 

Elite basic 20 year visa ,could very well be a cost effective way to go!
50,000 baht a year.
They have advised me in writing, no health insurance required.
About 960 baht a week for 20 years.
I would advise to put serious money aside ,and self insure!
Because at 73 and we all at that age have some pre existing!
Wisely invest the money spent on insurance and also the cost of an average of about 600k tied up a year.
You are streets ahead!


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Huckenfell]

42 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

My extension was done last Friday, without an agent. Fell due on November 3. Medical insurance was never mentioned at any point.

Which Border post did you pass through

[Russell17au]

9 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 Being coming to Thailand over 13 years , married to a lovely Thai lady for over 10, we build a very nice house in Khon Kaen where we vacation now,  planned to retire there end of this year.

   For me it is not the ridiculous insurance requirement, I would pay $3000 USD  for an insurance I will never use. I will not like it but  I would pay it. And it is not the money in the bank ,  I pay for an airplane ticket to come here , so I will pay (put 400k in the bank , marriage) just an extra cost ,I would not like it but I would do it. And I would report every 90 days, and do the TM30, and pay the double pricing and breath the smoke and, and , and . 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 

  But what I will not do is get in a game not knowing what the rules are, or if they can change at any time. 

Even if they would cancel the insurance requirement, not require 90 day reporting. no TM30 , same price for all, clean the air, make vegetables safe to eat etc.  I will never trust Thai politicians, How can you trust someone who proposes that "all private vehicles have GPS so we can know where they are and how fast they are driving at all times" as i read at another thread.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Sad to say Thailand was a pipe dream. i still keep the house there, and still come to Thailand for Three months, and Thailand will always be in my future because of my wife. but I will never trust Thailand who knows what they will do next.

But, to be honest, do you trust any politician to tell the truth and not change things?

[Max69xl]

3 hours ago, randy723 said:

Everyone who first comes here you have to come on a non 0 visa and after 90 day which to a retirement visa.

If you have to buy insurance buy from Cigna or other NON THAI company so the PM and the Minister of health do not get their kick back from the insurance companies

You don't have to buy an insurance if you're on an O Visa with extension. That's 100% up to you. It's only for the O-A Visa.

[Huckenfell]

41 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

In some places some of the Consulates can issue the "O-A" visa

But not in Australia where it has to be done by Canberra Embassy. I was told this by an Australian Consulate just last year.

 

[sirineou]

Just now, Russell17au said:

But, to be honest, do you trust any politician to tell the truth and not change things?

No I do not trust them to tell the truth, but in the US I trust the system to keep them in line. At least more than I do in Thailand. 

[Huckenfell]

4 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

But, to be honest, do you trust any politician to tell the truth and not change things?

This probably applies to the case of applying for an O-A at any Australian Consulate. They told me that the O visa at a Consulate was ok though. Perhaps this has also changed.

 

[Max69xl]

5 minutes ago, d4291797 said:

Elite basic 20 year visa ,could very well be a cost effective way to go!
50,000 baht a year.
They have advised me in writing, no health insurance required.
About 960 baht a week for 20 years.
I would advise to put serious money aside ,and self insure!
Because at 73 and we all at that age have some pre existing!
Wisely invest the money spent on insurance and also the cost of an average of about 600k tied up a year.
You are streets ahead!


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I prefer paying 1900 baht/year, and no mandatory insurance. With an Elite Visa, you still need to do same regarding visits to Immigration, except for the extensions. 

[Max69xl]

2 minutes ago, Huckenfell said:

This probably applies to the case of applying for an O-A at any Australian Consulate. They told me that the O visa at a Consulate was ok though. Perhaps this has also changed.

 

Nothing has changed concerning the O Visa. Period.

[Mark mark]

Well to say that all of this uncertainty over Medical insurance, before I can get my Retirement Visa is really just Gutting me, would be an Understatement, ... so I bit the bullet, went Via the bank, to verify that I have the necessary money in the bank, and then on to the Ayutthaya Immigration department to ask them myself.

 

Well, you all can blog here, and tell me that they were wrong, and what the Police regulations say, but well, I will just write down what they actually said to me, and I will be leaving it at that just for now, my Renewal not due until 27 Jan.

 

I had to have my Visa transferred in to a new Passport just recently, and it clearly says "Non 0 -" and NOT O-A ... But also "Retirement"

 

So, .. Basically the Guy on the door, a new Guy, who like the supervisor of the office, looked diplomatically well placed, … but Inexperienced with the actual physical running of things. … And he just said Flat out, that I had to have it, ...  just pointing the words "Retirement Visa" in the regulations out, and he went on … "All Retirement Visas" ! ... And then “Go and see my boss”.

 

So I did, and the boss said about the same thing, just pointing to the words "Retirement Visa" in the regulations in their book, ..... And he then enlarged on how much that I had to be insured for, and then also was Kind enough to enlarge on the Cash in the bank, or Income clauses also.  Though, he actually did not seem to know very much about it ... like these people all seemed new to this area of things ! … 

 

We walked around the office a bit, with him asking other officers things but they all just smiled a LOT !!! … But would not have anything to do with it ! ... and then the words "O-A" seemed to start coming up ! ... ...  And the good and obviously much more experienced in the Practical of it all, ... one step or so down from the boss, in ranking I think, Woman who usually gives me my Visa Jumped in, and said that I did not have to have it ! ...Insurance, ...  as it was Only for Non O-A visas ! Like she obviously knew the Police regulations !

 

… So the Boss then read the regulations at length, ...  and eventually said ..."Maybe" and admitted that just now, he really did not know.  ... And then he moved to the words that really summed up the answer for now any way ... "Not yet" ! ... And well, … the Good woman officer compromised, and backed down also, and they both agreed on "Not yet" ...

 

…  Like the impression that I got was that all of the crusty old supervisors just wanted to enforce it by the words "Retirement Visa" … and just make everyone on a retirement Visas, have Medical Insurance .... But at it is not in the Police regulations yet ... the answer is just "Maybe" or "Not yet" ! ….    Like he then did mention "New Regulations" ... but as of now … it still was "Not yet"   But it seemed to me, that they actually wanted New Regulations, ... and simply, to be able to, Enforce them. ! 

 

... Like I got the impression that I might have been the first one, that had actually asked them about it.

 

So I pointed out that I might not be able to get any, and asked him what happened if I just turned up to Renew, and did not have any ? ... and he said something like ... "Then I will be able to find you some" ... Which, ... well initially sounded Nice to me, like reducing my decision-making, and stress and Anxiety ... though I did start thinking that having the Immigration Department, finding you Health Insurance Coverage, … might not be the most economic way !  ….. Though well, ... Probably the way, with the least amount of <deleted>, arguing and possibly even less cheating to be involved with it also ? ... ??? I would hope ??? 

 

So the answer for people who have other Visas except O-A's but which say "Retirement Visa" ... is "Maybe" or "Not yet" ... just for now any way.

 

And then he outlined a full year of bank records required .... As well as Proof of the account, ... an extra requirement from last time I did it, like to prove that I had the requited Minimum at all times I guess, ….  But well, at least he told me and we arranged Dates for me to go to the bank and then show up at Immigration Dept. to do it. … He took my Phone number like he was going to get back to me on it. ? ... Though well, I am not holding my Breath.

 

Like if I had not read about all of this on Thai Visa, like many people quite possibly have not, ? (Like ALL of the Thai Immigration Officers !!!) ... then I would have just turned up to renew it ! …. and would not have known anything about the new Medical Insurance ! ... ? “Discussion" ... Just for now. ... Still, they ALL, unfortunately, seemed to know about the New Idea of All Retirement Visa holders HAVING Health Insurance though. !!! 

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Mark mark
Spelling and additions.

[JOCKANESE]

8 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I'd prefer it was based on intelligence....

Fine ! I'll retire to Raqqa.

[sirineou]

12 minutes ago, d4291797 said:

Elite basic 20 year visa ,could very well be a cost effective way to go!
50,000 baht a year.
They have advised me in writing, no health insurance required.
About 960 baht a week for 20 years.
I would advise to put serious money aside ,and self insure!
Because at 73 and we all at that age have some pre existing!
Wisely invest the money spent on insurance and also the cost of an average of about 600k tied up a year.
You are streets ahead!


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I would, but....

That's if you stay in Thailand 20 years, if you don't . and there are many reasons why you might not, then the per year cost increases dramatically.

Did they advice you in writing that no insurance required for ever, or is it  for now?

As I said on my previous post, I have lost my trust in Thailand. Perhaps I was naive to ever have it . But I dont any more, and once that happens, it is very difficult to sleep while waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

[jamesmith]

it is so confusing , I went to the Chiangmai immigration to ask about it, I opened my passport to show the officer my retirement visa and asked the male officer if my visa is 0-A and do I need insurance ? He did not look at my visa and said yes it is O-A and you need insurance. So Bad