On Retirement extension and returning soon; ins requirements?

[MiclB]

I am on annual extensions (Non O) since 2014. I have been in USA since early Sep for medical care and plan to return to TH in early Nov. 

My permission to stay terminates in early Feb. My stay will  be less than 90 days but I assume I still need to file a TM30 with local office even though I still have the same residence.

1.  Will I be challenged for proof of insurance upon arrival at BKK?

I will most likely not apply for another extension, I'm 70yo and most of the pleasant things I know of TH are seriously waning.

 2.  If I apply for a short stay ( TR ME or what may later exist ) in the US and come again, can I expect some IO observing my past as living in Thailand ( although I only spent about 6 months annually in country)  and defy entry?

Question #1 is my primary question.  

Thanks in advance

[Jip99]

Question #1

 

 

No.

[jacko45k]

1. No, I presume you will be returning using a re-entry permit not an O-A Visa.

2. I would not expect you to have any problem....  I know of a few doing this now, taking their 800,000 baht home!

Edited October 29, 2019 by jacko45k

[Max69xl]

If you're staying less than 90 days and won't visit any immigration office, you don't need to submit a TM30. 

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

If you're staying less than 90 days and won't visit any immigration office, you don't need to submit a TM30. 

 

 

How would that work in the (unlikely) event of being picked up on an immigration check........ they do happen..... I have experienced 2 in 13 years.

[Max69xl]

14 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

How would that work in the (unlikely) event of being picked up on an immigration check........ they do happen..... I have experienced 2 in 13 years.

Less than 90 days compared to 13 years. I would take that risk. 

[Jip99]

3 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Less than 90 days compared to 13 years. I would take that risk. 

So would I.

 

But anyone doing the same should understand that there is a potential risk. Traveling around and staying in hotels, resorts etc carries no risk. Staying with a wife/partner carries a slightly higher risk - I would probably report once in that instance.

[tgeezer]

The TM30 is a straightforward report of where one is staying made within 24 hours, yet it seems that it is considered just another rule which has to be circumvented. Is that because for some people, after so many years of non compliance it has become a habit which they find difficult to break? 

Edited October 30, 2019 by tgeezer

[Max69xl]

2 hours ago, tgeezer said:

The TM30 is a straightforward report of where one is staying made within 24 hours, yet it seems that it is considered just another rule which has to be circumvented. Is that because for some people, after so many years of non compliance it has become a habit which they find difficult to break? 

At several immigration offices you don't need to do the TM30 report when travelling in Thailand and coming back to the last reported address. 

[Peter Denis]

5 hours ago, tgeezer said:

The TM30 is a straightforward report of where one is staying made within 24 hours, yet it seems that it is considered just another rule which has to be circumvented. Is that because for some people, after so many years of non compliance it has become a habit which they find difficult to break? 

According to the letter of the law a TM30 has to be filed from every place you are staying within 24 hours of arrival.  When staying in hotels or guesthouses, they take care of it.  But when you are living in your own or your girlfriend's house, or are renting a condo, it's not so straightforward to file a TM30. 

Knowing that TM30 compliance is only checked when visiting your provincial IO for a service that requires your address (e.g. extension of stay, residence certificate), and that it is not enforced by many IO's, explains why many don't even bother.  Especially if they are not computer/smartphone literate and their provincial IO where they can file the TM30 manually is far away from their home.

So in my opinion it is not a matter of habitually going for non compliance, but the - seemingly - complexity and hassle of complying.  While in fact when you register the place where you are staying on the IO TM30 website or the app, and you filed the 1st one, for all the consecutive ones it is a matter of less than a minute to file them.

If you can post on the ThaiVisa Forum, for sure you will also be able to do your TM30 filings on-line.

And if you encounter difficulties or have questions during registration or filing of 1st one, TVF members are a helpful lot in these matters.

 

[Max69xl]

18 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

According to the letter of the law a TM30 has to be filed from every place you are staying within 24 hours of arrival.  When staying in hotels or guesthouses, they take care of it.  But when you are living in your own or your girlfriend's house, or are renting a condo, it's not so straightforward to file a TM30. 

Knowing that TM30 compliance is only checked when visiting your provincial IO for a service that requires your address (e.g. extension of stay, residence certificate), and that it is not enforced by many IO's, explains why many don't even bother.  Especially if they are not computer/smartphone literate and their provincial IO where they can file the TM30 manually is far away from their home.

So in my opinion it is not a matter of habitually going for non compliance, but the - seemingly - complexity and hassle of complying.  While in fact when you register the place where you are staying on the IO TM30 website or the app, and you filed the 1st one, for all the consecutive ones it is a matter of less than a minute to file them.

If you can post on the ThaiVisa Forum, for sure you will also be able to do your TM30 filings on-line.

And if you encounter difficulties or have questions during registration or filing of 1st one, TVF members are a helpful lot in these matters.

 

You are almost correct, but it's totally irrelevant what the law officially says about the TM30 report. You always obey your local immigration office. CW in BKK does it by the book, and other offices,too. But several other offices are more lenient,and that's accepted in BKK. 

For example, at Jomtien Immigration (for at least 20 months), no TM30 report needed when travelling inside Thailand and coming back to the last reported address. When coming from abroad, you need to submit the TM30 report within 3 days. We will see what happens in the next 3 months. There are rumors about majors changes regarding how and when (or even if) we have to do the TM30 report.

[Sheryl]

39 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

According to the letter of the law a TM30 has to be filed from every place you are staying within 24 hours of arrival. 

 

 

I would dispute that, it is not my reading of the law. But like all Thai laws, vaguely written.

 

It says you must notify when you "take up residence". To my understanding, returning to a permanent home which never stopped being your permanent home, after temporarily visiting somwhere,  is not new;y taking up residence and should not require a new Tm30.

 

A few IOs see it that way as well. Others want a new TM30 even for your longtime residence if you have left and re-entered the oountry, presumably to tie it to your TM6. A few only think it needs to be done every time you go anywhere.

 

The way the law is worded arguments could be made for any and all of these interpretations.

[Peter Denis]

To@Max69xl and @Sheryl

Re my post #10 on which you commented

> FYI - My post was not meant to be fully accurate on all technicalities of TM30 and local IO interpretation/enforcement.

It was meant as reaction to post #8 of @tgeezer , who suggested that not complying with TM30 might have become a habit of long-stayers which are used to thai leniency.

And I just wanted to point out that they most probably are not deliberately ignoring TM30 rules but that many are scared away by the seeming complexity and ambiguity of the thing.  And that it is in fact not very difficult at all to comply with TM30 when you register online.

[MiclB]

OP Says:  Thanks for all, good answers to Q#1 and #2, and fine background info on the TM30 <deleted>.  On that one I believe most have heard lots of opinions on TM30;  seems like an individual choice.  I will go by the book on this and hope it goes away soon to everyone's relief. 

[Max69xl]

On 10/30/2019 at 2:32 PM, Sheryl said:

 

I would dispute that, it is not my reading of the law. But like all Thai laws, vaguely written.

 

It says you must notify when you "take up residence". To my understanding, returning to a permanent home which never stopped being your permanent home, after temporarily visiting somwhere,  is not new;y taking up residence and should not require a new Tm30.

 

A few IOs see it that way as well. Others want a new TM30 even for your longtime residence if you have left and re-entered the oountry, presumably to tie it to your TM6. A few only think it needs to be done every time you go anywhere.

 

The way the law is worded arguments could be made for any and all of these interpretations.

You always obey the rules at your local immigration office. If you're lucky you're not staying in BKK.