I flew out of Thailand to get a new visa – one person’s experience with the “new normal” - Report

[Bigtimecharlie]

WOW made me ill just reading it, should of used a visa agency, would of cost between 25k to 50k maximum for 12 to 15 months stress free. At least he is still alive to tell his story, very brave man.

[nofarang]

Thank you Theo for this insightful report. This is really a great report from the front, which shows everyone in every detail how to tackle their return to Thailand.  Thank you very much for your effort to share this with us. But you did not mention how the return flight to Thailand was. Masks? Food? Alcohol? I feel like you. It must have been a mind-blowing experience to land in Bangkok and see all those covered-up figures. What a crazy paranoia!!! Things have certainly gotten out of hand. People have had to deal with viruses since they've been living on earth. And we have survived many terrible viruses. I can't understand what's going on. A totally disproportionate overreaction, exaggeration, hyperbole, which causes proportionately more suffering, costs a lot of money and destroys businesses than the actual effects of the virus. Once again many thanks for this informative review.

[pookondee]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

When the pandemic dies down will everything go back to normal? This power over us to stop

the virus is making the world go nuts. We are not fighting the virus alone,there are so many 

other factors.

Aye, we are fighting idiot decision makers who are pandering to snowflake 

voters cowering in fear,

all of whom would prefer to have absolutely "no life" rather than risk the 0.001% chance of falling gravely ill.

 

In the start we were told these measures were ONLY so hospital systems wouldn't get "overwhelmed".

 

Thats how far the spiel has changed.

Now countries like Australia & NZ are going into absolute mass panic and locking everything down, over a handful of infections 

 

Hospitals in many locations have been empty throughout, turning away any elective patients,

laying off workers, and naturally letting things go to ruin.

So, if hospitals were ever under any threat of "overwhelming", the actual underwhelming that has occured has the same result!...ruin. 

 

What an absolute farce this whole thing has been.

Someone should be made to pay for all this and NO, not the Chinese.

They havent made us grossly mismanage this flu.

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

My thoughts exactly .

 

A good report on the hassles and costs of getting back in to Thailand, but he didn't need to leave in the first place.

Apparently life in Thailand was getting very stressful...so he had to take a holiday in South Africa to get his mojo back; and then it was on to Holland, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, to visit relatives. As for me, I hunkered down at home on Pattaya's Darkside during the early stage of the pandemic...and when things were allowed to open up, I did a couple staycations at beachfront hotels in town to relax (and help support the local Thai economy). I didn't take a couple trips around the world but that's just me.

Edited August 17, 2020 by Pattaya Spotter
Spelling

[nofarang]

Let me add, I am living here since about 20 years and life is good for me here. Sure, I would like to go to see my home country again to meet with friends and relatives. But until this nightmare isn't over, I refrain from travelling.

[chrisbangkok]

A good story methinks , who is the publisher , will it be on netflix  ? ????

 

[Peter Denis]

8 minutes ago, Bigtimecharlie said:

WOW made me ill just reading it, should of used a visa agency, would of cost between 25k to 50k maximum for 12 to 15 months stress free. At least he is still alive to tell his story, very brave man.

Several posters already mentioned that it was completely UNNECESSARY for the OP to fly back to Holland for his Non Imm O Visa.

He was on a Tourist Visa, married to a Thai national and hadn't already applied for any extensions of stay!  So, all conditions fulfilled.

It would have been just a matter of applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage at his local IO.

And in case IO would insist on a 'valid' permission to stay with sufficient time left on it to handle that application (15 to 23 days), he could have used the 30-day extension of stay his Tourist Visa entry entitled him to or apply for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting his wife.

Both these options would have provided him with a 'valid' permission to stay from which he could have then applied for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage.

 

But very useful report on his experience with flying out and back in.  And a warning for everyone considering that option...

[visacrack]

There are many reasons to think that this whole covid business is highly irrational, that our moral superiors do overreact in their group dynamics situation (possibly abused by forces in a position to do so, in promotion of their own agenda) - I think many among us are aware of it by now. Covid seems to be a virus like so many others, fx the flu - provided you manage your body fat. Imagine such a totalitarian fuss for a flu outbreak, and the absurdity becomes clear. 

 

Again I urge all of you to realise that, if we - that is virtually everyone of us - don't assume responsibility over our own obesity condition, there doesn't seem to be a way out of this mess. Maybe if the economy crashes completely that they will develop second thoughts, but what will be the outcome? Hard to believe that people who haven't reached better results so far will suddenly have a stroke of genius. And keep in mind that many of the policy makers and decision takers are not exactly slim themselves, so how could they plausibly sell a theoretic new general mandatory slim-down policy? 

 

You manage your fat by eating as you should, plus doing sufficient exercise. Keep an eye on the numbers, there are bodyfat calculators on the web. Eating: First of all you need to face the fact that you actually have a fat problem. You can solve it within a number of months (three is realistic for the average overweighter) if you fx follow a low-carb diet - you can read what you need to know on the internet. As an accompanying measure, make sure you have half an hour real exercise, five days a week. This means, you need to feel your muscles working, and also your heart rate and breath frequency rise. Swimming suggests itself, unless you want to jog (knee joint risk) or have a bike to use (in a park?) - or what else there may be.

 

You can start with such a programme any day, even if you're past your 70. It will work, it is the body's mathematics. All it takes is you to start and keep going...

 

[Grumpy one]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to pay an agent 25kbht?

Quite frankly I doubt the veracity of the OP, nobody could be this stupid.

He may have partaken a tad too much of the weed available in Holland 

[crazykopite]

Very good read and I am glad for you and your family that it all worked out even thought it cost you a lot of money like you my wife is stuck in the U.K. we are both foreigners on extension of stay visa ( retirement ) Unfortunately the Thai government have not recognised our group if she were Thai then she would have the option to return however saying that and considering her age over 65 I don’t think I could put her through what you had to experience and although I haven't seen her for months We talk each day on our iPads at least she can spend the time with our daughter and new grandson but I have come to accept it that it is unlikely I will see her this side of Christmas only time will tell. Once again glad everything worked out for you and good look in your new venture .

[poohy]

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Good report. I would have just stayed in Thailand.

i switched off after the bit about the plastic bag with the airline food .... i saw no mention of wine shame on KLM

 

Anyway family or not ,all to much  Phaf for me

[wasabi]

Though as some have noted and even the OP realized during his ordeal this trip wasn't necessary; it was nevertheless useful to hear a first hand experience. I have dealt with Thai and US visa bureaucracies many times, but this takes it to a Kafkaesque level of absurdity beyond those experiences and reaffirms I will do all that is possible not to leave Thailand until this ordeal dies down which I believe it will after a vaccine becomes normalized or the virus fades in a meaningful way on its own.  I too have gone done roads I realized were wrong but the cost and stress of backing up would've been worse so had to stay the course. It seems like this was a case of that.

[crazykopite]

2 hours ago, darrenr said:

How can you get health insurance that covers COVID 19? In Australia as far as I am aware there is no such insurance ! They also exclude pandemics , does anyone know of any companies that offer the required insurance ?

many thanks 

My wife is stuck in the U.K. she has also tried with no luck I enquired here in Thailand and due to her age 66 was given a quote of 87,000 baht for one year yet when the virus struck I managed to get one years insurance purely for Covid nothing else from a Thai insurance group for one year total cost 850 baht this covered me for both treatment and 2 million baht if I died from it . I am of the understanding that the insurance is only for treatment in a government hospital but to be honest I have been using government hospitals for 14 years and have no complaints .

[JusticeGB]

And the TAT believes 6m tourists will be willing to go through this rigorous process next year to visit the land of red tape. There aren't even enough alternative quarantine hotels to accommodate them. 

[crazykopite]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

While I'm no expert on it I believe it's insurance from a THAI company. Must be possible as it's now a requirement for an O A visa, or so I believe.

I enquired on behalf of my wife we are both over 66 difference is she is stuck in the U.K. due to going back to see our newborn grandson before the virus struck by the way I always take out Thai insurance when she travels back but as it did not include pandemic it was worthless piece of paper. Anyway the Quote I got from Thai insurance company for my wife was 87,000 baht for one years cover if you were 70 or over which will be me next year it would cost 130,000 baht for the year . Yet when the virus struck I decided to take out a Covid only Health which include treatment in a government hospital plus 2 million baht in case of death and it only cost me 850 baht for a year.

Edited August 17, 2020 by crazykopite

[sirocco]

This is for message 45

[rumak]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO, for what it's worth, they don't want us farangs anymore, but can't come out and just ban us outright.

 

I can't for the life of me figure out what they have against us ! 

[phitsanulokjohn]

Very informative report.

You,God bless you must have the patience of a saint.I'm gonna sit it out,till all restrictions are lifted,however long that may be.Really could not put myself through all that for a trip to Blighty.This was Holland,UK will be worse.

Mate,I'm a massive fan of your resilience,you certainly managed to eat the elephant piece by piece.

I wish you huge success with your Phuket rehab centre.

[rumak]

On a more serious note ????      good report about "the process" .   

 

For us older folks the thought of having to go through even half of that ordeal is daunting.  I feel for

the married guys or retirement visa holders that were caught out of the country.  Certainly a very big

and stressful situation.   All one can say is "hang in there" .

 

The "new normal"  erupted out of nowhere,  and arguments in favor of lockdowns or letting things run there course will continue till...?

 

Some semblance of normality has at least been introduced back into every day living here in Thailand,

so ( out of selfishness,maybe)  I hope that by all means we avoid any little outbreak,  as the reaction,

or over-reactions,  will bring us right back to draconian measures again.

 

 

[lujanit]

I just don’t understand why you didn’t convert your TV to non-O here in Thailand.

 

Plenty of others including me have done it.  You have to suffer a home visit by Immigration and a one month waiting period.  Far easier and cheaper than what you did.

[trevoromgh]

Many thanks for taking the time to write and post such a comprehensive report on your experience which is both scary and thought provoking.  Ignore some of the daft comments people have made as with hindsight I'm sure we'd all make different decisions. It is really annoying that some institutions are using the situation to coin in extra money from the Covid pandemic but I guess it's human nature to do so.  Having extended my Non O visa already till Feb 2021 but with a return flight to UK booked for October I get the feeling I am unlikely to take it unless something quite drastic happens in the intervening weeks.

[laochef]

43 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

My wife is stuck in the U.K. she has also tried with no luck I enquired here in Thailand and due to her age 66 was given a quote of 87,000 baht for one year yet when the virus struck I managed to get one years insurance purely for Covid nothing else from a Thai insurance group for one year total cost 850 baht this covered me for both treatment and 2 million baht if I died from it . I am of the understanding that the insurance is only for treatment in a government hospital but to be honest I have been using government hospitals for 14 years and have no complaints .

It would be nice if you could name the Insurance company, where you payed only 850 B for a year...

[BillyBobzTeeth]

What an absolute <deleted>@k on!

Thanks for your report Theo. ????

[josephbloggs]

6 minutes ago, laochef said:

It would be nice if you could name the Insurance company, where you payed only 850 B for a year...

https://www.tipinsure.com/Ph/step_2

 

[essox essox]

4 hours ago, steve187 said:

i haven't read the whole op as its more of a book, or movie script, but i could be wrong, he was in Thailand on a tourist visa, under the amnesty with a Thai wife and children, and had not used a 60 day extension, so why did he not convert to a non immigrant visa and then do a yearly extension, he had the money in the bank, seems a waste of money, and the return flight could have been used by someone that hadn't chosen to 'trapped' outside Thailand

edit a good report/eye opener none the less

me too not read all....I do not like to read such a long post....(it was written very well).....on my computer screen.....

[visacrack]

I do realise that my post on page 3 requires a few preconditions met to be understood, and at the time of writing I can see also 2 'confused' icons under it. Of course the decision is yours, but if you just express a spontaneous negative emotion, then go on to the usual lighter ones and attach a 'haha' as you clearly prefer to do, my effort was lost on you. 

 

My suggestion would be that you assume a constructive attitude: Try to understand what exactly it was that made you confused, word it and post it back. Then let's see what happens  .)
 

[4MyEgo]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

When I gave up my shares in my Chiang Rai business I founded in 2014 because of a “burn out” last October, I ended up – since my arrival 6 years ago – on a tourist visa. I decided to have a short break before doing anything about the situation and I visited South Africa for 10 weeks to get my energy back.

WOW, after reading your story, I think I need to go to visit South Africa because of a "burn out".

 

Nice story, welcome back, enjoy the family once again, and don't "burn out" again this time, someone once said to me, you only "burn out" in your head, so don't let the screws up top become loose to run around until you "burn out", i.e. you can only control the things you can control, as for everything else that you cannot control, just chill, otherwise you will "burn out" ????

 

Good luck with the business.

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, gungadin1 said:

I don't get why you were so desperate to get back so quickly,spending all that money.Thailand isn't going anywhere.Why not spend some extra time with your family in Holland?I'm flying to UK in 2 weeks.My wife is here in Thailand.im not bothered if I can't return quickly.Nice to have some time away.Will visit other countries if I can't return before Christmas.Spend some time with my elderly parents in England.Just relax.Been here 21 years,I'm 51.More to life than Thailand

The Op probably misses his Wife more than you’d miss yours, he also has kids in Thailand. 

[skorp13]

Probably one of the most well written and informative post i have read in a very long time. A long, very detailed one at that. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Interesting thread, but proves my belief that one should never "assume" anything in relation to government in general and Thai government in specific, especially immigration.

Always pays to over prepare, and assume that they will come up with something they hadn't mentioned, including spare documents and more than one colour pen ( also several photos in different sizes/ background colours ).

 

While I don't doubt they were required, I don't see why they were necessary. Would they have refused a visa had the OP not had children? Far as I know the visa is granted for marriage and not for parenthood.

 

I'm actually surprised they didn't require a hand drawn map to the wife's house, multiple photos of the couple in every room of the house as well as standing outside pointing to the house number, and a letter from the head man supporting the application.

 

IMO, for what it's worth, they don't want us farangs anymore, but can't come out and just ban us outright.

 

Permission to enter is being granted on the basis of the applicant either being married to a Thai or the parent of Thai children. 

 

It certainly doesn’t hurt to present the Birth Certificate of your Child in addition to the Marriage certificate - I may even give your application for CoE greater emphasis.