I had hoped to hear that there would be an automatic extension of 60 - 90 days for us old men with one-year extensions expiring in April or May but there is no such luck.   Those of us in our 70s with pre-existing conditions are the most likely to die if we contract COVID-19.  Why isn't the government giving us a break?   Could it be that they want us to either die or leave?  I am contemplating the latter rather than risking my life at immigration.

11 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

Why isn't the government giving us a break?

I think it's very clear : they don't care at all.

 

It's worth risking your life to have the correct paperwork, this is their number 1 priority.

No country that I know of is good for old men.  Get past 60 and nobody in authority gives a toss if you live or die.   

I use a visa agent at a reasonable cost - don't go anywhere near Immigration except for my annual photo and updated passport return  - in five minutes, I'm clear for another year. 

18 hours ago, stephenterry said:

I use a visa agent at a reasonable cost - don't go anywhere near Immigration except for my annual photo and updated passport return  - in five minutes, I'm clear for another year. 

At what cost?

7 minutes ago, nightbird said:

At what cost?

Depends where you are located............

10 minutes ago, nightbird said:

At what cost?

4-5K easily for just a month, he is just not thinking outside the box and expecting everyone to get a 1 year extension for that money.
Add 1900 more for immigration itself and 1000 for a COVID letter of many embassies (mine even charges 1300 for a piece of paper in emergency!!).

So reality is nobody gives a rats <deleted> about us anywhere. Even in the army it is normal to speak about a X % deaths, its (almost) planned to it.

If you have the money in the bank......& just don't want to go to the IMO & run around getting  letters etc ..then it is a lot cheaper..also this includes them doing the 3 90 day as well..........again depends where you are......5K seems a lot for 1 month

19 hours ago, Pilotman said:

No country that I know of is good for old men.  Get past 60 and nobody in authority gives a toss if you live or die.   

I think that is why the virus is with us.  Far too many pensioners on the planet , wipe us out and more room for the younger ones.....that is 'till they reach culling age.

Good Movie.

1 minute ago, EVENKEEL said:

Good Movie.

And I have hardly seen the star (The big killing guy) in any other movies that I can think of......

22 minutes ago, nightbird said:

At what cost?

Visa agent absolutely recommended in current circumstances.

 

What cost? What cost your health? How much are you prepared to pay for peace of mind?

 

If you are in Chiang Mai you can use Colonel visa agent (for example) directly opposite Immigration. Fee is 7,300 baht for a one year retirement extension and including four 90 day reports. That includes the Immigration fees.

Living in Pattaya I had always done all the paperwork and legwork myself for many years. A few months ago someone told me about a travel agent on Soi Post Office, and now I think "Why did I ever go through all that hassle myself" ? Straight across from the Post Office, starts with a T, very friendly and knowledgeable, and above all, reasonable ????

54 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

I think that is why the virus is with us.  Far too many pensioners on the planet , wipe us out and more room for the younger ones.....that is 'till they reach culling age.

sod that for a policy 

1 hour ago, toofarnorth said:

I think that is why the virus is with us.  Far too many pensioners on the planet , wipe us out and more room for the younger ones.....that is 'till they reach culling age.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan's_Run

 

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Living in Pattaya I had always done all the paperwork and legwork myself for many years. A few months ago someone told me about a travel agent on Soi Post Office, and now I think "Why did I ever go through all that hassle myself" ? Straight across from the Post Office, starts with a T, very friendly and knowledgeable, and above all, reasonable ????

Which hassle? You said Pattaya! Process there is very easy and fast. Didn't stay more than 5 minutes in Pattaya Immigration for years now ????

And documents to provide are just 4 sheets of papers. Just change the date on last year form, print it and stick a photo; take your embassy later; print details and scanned important stamps on your passport. Done ????

Paying thousands baht for that is ridiculous (except very special situations maybe).

I am happy that I am here & not in the UK, Spain, Italy, Oz or the US where I could not afford to have a friendly maid at my beck & call doing all my running around for me

Pay an agent once a year for extension (in & out in 10 minutes.)

My quality of life is still a lot better than I could afford at home where I would be in a 

very small flat on my own & alone, cold for 7 months of the year, possibly not even being able to afford the outrageous prices for internet TV (as they charge by the usage)

 

1 hour ago, toofarnorth said:

I think that is why the virus is with us.  Far too many pensioners on the planet , wipe us out and more room for the younger ones.....that is 'till they reach culling age.

War wipes out the young men; the virus wipes out the old men.

15 minutes ago, Crossy said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan's_Run

If that movie sat on a LP, it would be all grey now with me.

Can't stop dreaming entering a brave new world with Jenny Aguiter beside me ????

1 hour ago, nightbird said:

At what cost?

As I have the necessary financial requirements for an extension of stay based on retirement I fork out 8,500 baht for a trouble-free process. All I have to produce to the agent are my required documents, bank statements etc. and meet up at the IMM office at an agreed time. It takes 5 minutes to photo me, and that's it. My passport is returned, updated. No queues, no hold ups. For 90 days it's 1,500 baht (4 times) for one year. 

 

20 hours ago, stephenterry said:

I use a visa agent at a reasonable cost - don't go anywhere near Immigration except for my annual photo and updated passport return  - in five minutes, I'm clear for another year. 

how come I read wonderful stories about getting this all done ?

I got all papers except one signature of my ex-wife (who owns the house) and bammmm

 

no extension

 

than I wrote to an agent and magically for 35.000 baht, they can do what immigration denies me

 

mhhhhhh

 

 

21 hours ago, Pilotman said:

No country that I know of is good for old men.  Get past 60 and nobody in authority gives a toss if you live or die.   

Not true they give pensions and half priced transport plus discount medicine in the west. Plus cheap cleaning and home mods.

 

 

25 minutes ago, justin case said:

how come I read wonderful stories about getting this all done ?

I got all papers except one signature of my ex-wife (who owns the house) and bammmm

 

no extension

 

than I wrote to an agent and magically for 35.000 baht, they can do what immigration denies me

 

mhhhhhh

 

 

I can't speak for that particular agent, but it looks to me like a good example of why you should have used an agent from the get go, not after the fact.

 

When you use an agent they will go through all your documents carefully to ensure that you have everything present and correct. They'll know if there are any special last minute requirements introduced by your IMO too. So, in your case they surely would have spotted that you needed an extra sig from the house owner and assuming you prepared yourself in good time (not last minute), they would have advised you what to do. Very unlikely to have been any ridiculous charges UNLESS getting that sig wasn't possible for you, in which case they might just have done you a favour.

 

 

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

And I have hardly seen the star (The big killing guy) in any other movies that I can think of......

Javier Bardem, don't see him much.

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

And I have hardly seen the star (The big killing guy) in any other movies that I can think of......

Javier Bardem, don't see him much.

An Oscar winner. Made about 20 films since that one.

Probably unrecognizable without the really bad haircut.

Played the chief villain in Skyfall.

 

16 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

unlikely to have been any ridiculous charges UNLESS getting that sig wasn't possible for you, in which case they might just have done you a favour.

I have ex-wife problems since before the divorce.. I also paid for this house, agreed in court divorce agreement I could live here to raise our child till 20... ex-signed she would provide needed papers for my visa....does not... police not interested, immigration not interested, even I showed them the court divorce agreement, they want a new paper from ex to sign...which she will never...ex does not even pickup phone for own child anymore... ex breaks the law / court agreement and the one with the kaka is me...  

 

now you could say: go back to court... great...my current lawyer wants another 100.000 baht for just petition the court , to remind my ex to follow the agreement...

 

what I got as info from other lawyer, is that, even I go back to court, it does not mean my ex can be forced to sign the paper I need, crazy ?   welcome to Thailand

 

off course, there is no penalty for here, she cannot be made to pay court fees/my lawyer fees /  she stole just before leaving and starting divorce a big sum of money of mine, so her lawyer is on my expense...  and thai court does not punish theft under married people and at court, my ex and her lawyer smiled and said: I gave her to money and it's done & gone... which I did not...  could try to fight another court over this, with lawyer, at a ... 100.000 baht cost of lawyer to try to get back the money she stole ....   immigration wants the paper, they don't care, my ex does not care, nobody gives a  ... 

 

my ex knew cunning biatch in advance, that she could promise to do x,y,z to get the house (I did not claim 5O percent on the false promise I could stay there to live and raise our child)

 

even I turn 50 "soon".. same problem... cannot stay in the house, or I have to go rent a new place and the only thing beside custody of my child, was a place to live...

 

 

2 hours ago, Antonymous said:

Visa agent absolutely recommended in current circumstances.

 

What cost? What cost your health? How much are you prepared to pay for peace of mind?

 

If you are in Chiang Mai you can use Colonel visa agent (for example) directly opposite Immigration. Fee is 7,300 baht for a one year retirement extension and including four 90 day reports. That includes the Immigration fees.

That's cheap and well worth paying.

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Good Movie.

Naaaa.. not a good movie ... Excellent movie  ???? ....

 

'Call it ... just call it ... heads or tail ....'

Try the aged care system in Australia, and you'll really see a country that's not for old men.

At least here, I have a GF who will look after me for as long as the ATM is open.