Hello All, 

 

I am wondering if any of you can be kind enough to teach and advise a newbie from Singapore on how to obtain a "Meditation Visa" for me to meditate long-term in a thai forest retreat and the like.

 

I was told that in order to obtain a "Meditation Visa", I have to obtain some sort of sponsorship letter from a monk or something. How should I do that? Is the sponsorship letter in english or thai? I don't speak a word of thai so that would work against me.

 

So what happens after I get the sponsorship letter from a monk? What are the procedures like for me to get a long-term visa to meditate long-term in Thailand? Are there any need to put in a deposit into Thailand Bank accounts?

 

I am sorry for asking so many questions to the veterans in here but I am a noob when it comes to searching for information on long-stay meditation in Thailand.

 

Thank you so much for helping me out.

 

Namaste.

 

There is a one year extension of stay possible. "In the case of studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities".

 

"(2) Must have been confirmed and requested by the National Office of Buddhism, or Office of the
Prime Minister, or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, or Mahamakut Buddhist
University.
(3) Must have been confirmed by the abbot of the temple where the applicant is studying Buddhism
or practicing religious activities."

Source: https://division1.immigration.go.th/content/Visa_Extension13

 

You would need a non-ed or non-r visa to apply for the extension.

It is possible to change from a tourist visa or visa entry to a non-r visa at immigration.

Requirements are here. https://division1.immigration.go.th/download/1551328488648.pdf

I would go to your monastery of choice first and talk to the Abbot. If it's a temple that has foreign monks or layperson practicing, they will know how to proceed. Most likely give you a letter for immigration. 

One good option for you could be Wat Pah Nanachat. Not sure if they help with long-stay visas but I'd guess the abbot would sign off if you stayed there for a month and proved your sincerity. http://www.watpahnanachat.org/

 

It's the only monastery in Thailand where English is the main language used for teaching and general communication. It's in Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast and was founded by disciples of the late Ajahn Chah. Very much a forest monastery devoted to meditation.

 

Another forest monastery in the Ajahn Chah tradition is Wat Marp Jan near the Gulf coast in Rayong. I believe the abbot there, who speaks English, is open to long-term meditation students as well. https://watmarpjan.org/en/

 

There are many other monasteries that might work out for you. Best idea is to come here first on a tourist visa, pick a monastery and try a short stay. Then, if you want to stay longer, look into transferring to one of the visa options explained by Ubonjoe and ask the abbot if they can sign off for it. 

 

I compiled a list of meditation retreat options in this article from late last year. It's not exhaustive but includes most of those known for providing assistance in English. https://www.travelfish.org/beginners_detail/thailand/133

Think about it.???? But seriously I haven't a clue. I wish you well.

Get another type of visa. One eg would be METV and just go do your thing with the med thing. 

Same for someone wanting to study Thai. Yes Ed visa valid option but nothing stopping anyone attending Thai language classes on a tourist visa. 

4 hours ago, dluek said:

One good option for you could be Wat Pah Nanachat. Not sure if they help with long-stay visas but I'd guess the abbot would sign off if you stayed there for a month and proved your sincerity. http://www.watpahnanachat.org/

 

It's the only monastery in Thailand where English is the main language used for teaching and general communication. It's in Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast and was founded by disciples of the late Ajahn Chah. Very much a forest monastery devoted to meditation.

 

Another forest monastery in the Ajahn Chah tradition is Wat Marp Jan near the Gulf coast in Rayong. I believe the abbot there, who speaks English, is open to long-term meditation students as well. https://watmarpjan.org/en/

 

There are many other monasteries that might work out for you. Best idea is to come here first on a tourist visa, pick a monastery and try a short stay. Then, if you want to stay longer, look into transferring to one of the visa options explained by Ubonjoe and ask the abbot if they can sign off for it. 

 

I compiled a list of meditation retreat options in this article from late last year. It's not exhaustive but includes most of those known for providing assistance in English. https://www.travelfish.org/beginners_detail/thailand/133

This is the best advice I've seen yet.  I have yet to find a temple in Thailand that give you on-line meditation training, as most of these temples if not all, don't have the capability.  I was a monk for 7 years in Thailand and visited several of the temples listed in Travelfish.  Wat Pah Nanachat in my opinion is the best, but they won't even allow you to keep your cell phone with you while your there.  Here's my advice and pretty much what I did.  Get a tourist visa, go and visit several of those temples and find one you like, then talk to the abbot of that temple about getting a long term visa to stay there.  You 2nd option is, if your in Singapore, find a Thai temple there, become acquainted with the abbot there, show your enthusiasm about meditation to him  and proceed that way.  It's much easier to start getting a long term visa from outside the country. 

By the by, there is no such animal as a "meditation visa".  There is one for: studying Buddhism or practicing religious activities.  It's an "Ed" visa, good for one year.  And like Ubon Joe says, you have to get some temple abbot to sign a letter for you to get it.  

Wish you good luck brother. I pray that you can get your 'meditatiin visa' and find your forest monastery to meditate and rid the world of coronavirus and weaken the baht to help the retirees.

There are some Thailand meditation retreats advertised online that will help handle visa arrangements.  Some seem to be a bit high end and might not quite be what you are looking for, but it may be an option

On 3/13/2020 at 4:51 PM, dluek said:

It's the only monastery in Thailand where English is the main language used for teaching and general communication. It's in Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast and was founded by disciples of the late Ajahn Chah. Very much a forest monastery devoted to meditation.

I also was going to comment that the most obvious route would be a monestary in the lineage of Ajahn Chah, which have now had several decades of farang monks in the forest tradition, some of whom have become well known. The OP would almost certainly find help and guidance from fellow foreigners within the organisations you mention in your post. 

On 3/13/2020 at 9:18 PM, khaowong1 said:

Wat Pah Nanachat in my opinion is the best, but they won't even allow you to keep your cell phone with you while your there.  

Rôôôhhh... 

How can one live without his cellphone, one wonder ????

How can one meditate without fakebook, Twister, What'sUp, and so on ? Blioup-blioup-blip...

Seriously ????

Could not resist sorry ????

On 3/13/2020 at 4:51 AM, dluek said:

There are many other monasteries that might work out for you. Best idea is to come here first on a tourist visa, pick a monastery and try a short stay. Then, if you want to stay longer, look into transferring to one of the visa options explained by Ubonjoe and ask the abbot if they can sign off for it. 

 

Can folks on the ground confirm that this is still correct? 

 

I have certain questions that are probably outside the ken of someone who hasn't done this himself. (would address them to a monastery here in the US, but I've lost touch with the one where I practiced years ago...)

 

Have you yourself known any such individuals, with possibility to connect me with one?

 

Questions like: What level of involvement/ commitment would normally be expected? Actually living at a monastery (as an anagārika), living close as a five-precept lay devotee (upāsaka), etc.?    

 

---

dleuk, thank you for the thoughtful & informative post. 

Let me think about, I'll get back to you ...