Phuket Immigration says help coming for expats caught in permit-to-stay crisis

[Crusader]

OUCH...some interesting assumptions in reply to my last comment.  I look at it along the lines of the fact that we are all guests in the country - and to follow any requirements (however odd they may appear to some) just seems to be the right thing to do.

I don't see the logic in linking this amount of money to salaries of any other people in any country - it is us as expats that are required to do this.
Nothing hi so about me...just an honest, decent chap. 

[fulhamster]

6 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

Who wants to keep that much money in an account earning paltry interest?

You get interest ??

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

A pretty arrogant statement. Everyone's circumstances and needs are different. For example, I can live very well on around 15,000 a month with just the occasional extra expense such as car insurance, less than my pension incomes, so I'm pretty well set without needing the 'paltry' sum of 800,000.

I think many people who make such statements as yours do so simply to show they have plenty of money. Either that, or they have no concept at all of how people are able to live. Those who need the 800,000 are the ones I'd feel sorry for.

[bluweyze]

11 hours ago, NHJ said:

Sounds like rubbish as there's no real income requirement for a non-B, just a fictional salary depending on nationality written in the work permit.

Not at Chiang Mai immigration, tax records are required. A 'fictional salary' does not cut it

 

[Seeall]

28 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

Even with a Thai wife, I was told I needed to have 1.6 million in our joint a/c

 

So I just moved 800K to my own a/c

You have to give them a D - for trying?

[Dene16]

14 minutes ago, Crusader said:

OUCH...some interesting assumptions in reply to my last comment.  I look at it along the lines of the fact that we are all guests in the country - and to follow any requirements (however odd they may appear to some) just seems to be the right thing to do.

I think you're find it was your condescending attitude, meant or not, that other posters find distasteful.

Many expats have been here years, maybe they no longer have the sums that are now required for any number of reasons. It is certainly not for you to judge

[Seeall]

24 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

Who wants to keep that much money in an account earning paltry interest?

Indeed, and I am dont even try to gain any interest in a better account as I see it as another way they can make up some reason my funds are invalid....

[BritManToo]

31 minutes ago, MadMac said:

The borders were closed in April, so everybody is here now for at least 5 months or more. That is more than sufficient time to deposit the required collateral. For a first time application of an extension of stay only 2 months in advance are required, subsequently 3 months. So if you did not make it till now, or alternatively don't have a monthly income of 40/65k then you do not qualify.

A lot of us have enough money to frequently fly around the world.

My non-o should normally last me until April next year.

But because of the unusual circumstances, I can't use it.

 

In April I couldn't predict the borders would remain closed, the Thai government never suggested the borders would still be closed, in fact, quite the opposite.

Why should I have bought an extension when I had every expectation of using my VISA?

Why should I have transferred my savings to Thailand, when I had every expectation of using my VISA? 

 

Edited September 2, 2020 by BritManToo

[MadMac]

32 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

Even with a Thai wife, I was told I needed to have 1.6 million in our joint a/c

 

So I just moved 800K to my own a/c

I'm surprised they looked at a joint account at all. You should have know before that an account in your name only is required. Can't blame the Immi and no, it does not mean you need 1.6m. It's just that you did not do your homework. But some are slow learners, even here ????

[MadMac]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

My non-o should normally last me until April next year.

But because of the unusual circumstances, I can't use it.

Yeah, well, that is the one (not so) special case they avoid to address for reasons unknown. Nobody really is affected by some work permit / B issue as in the original posting. Many people on the other hand still waiing for some resolution for the 90 days visarun. However that has nothing to do with the 400/800k Extension discussion.

[Bedfont]

3 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

One mans ceiling is another mans floor. Please remember this.

[Grusa]

2 hours ago, american2 said:

Crusader OUCH  Maybe you are set well and 800k Baht is not important to you.. A Husband and Wife are required  1.6 million.  Maybe the amount is not unreasonable, maybe it is.  Add in a car, house or condo, insurance and entertainment one gets an elevated amount.  

Actually @american2, you are not entirely correct. If you each have a retirement visa, yes 800k each, but one of you can have a spouse visa.....800k in the lead name, zilch for the other (400k each is not acceptable, at least in Jomtien).

I totally agree 800k is not a paltry sum.

[Matzzon]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

20,000 pounds or $25,000 is a paltry amount of money?

YES! Not even the double would be something to even lift the eye brows regarding retirement.

[Stargeezr]

In Canada, the average savings account gets around 2 percent, so is Thailand

banks really much worse than that?  I have decided to just stay being a visitor

to Thailand and Asia as I do not need to worry about any of the 800 thousand

Baht problems.  I know of many Canadians who are much richer than I am who

do not want to complicate their lives with getting property and problems in

Thailand or any part of Asia.  Mexico is a lot easier for most stuff than Thailand.

  Just show up with your passport and forget visas for at least 6 months or

maybe a year. Much easier, except the banks in Mexico are not a joy to have to

use.

Geezer

[userabcd]

3 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

800K is certainly not a paltry amount according to financial controls/checks imposed by many developed countries.

[Toany]

If you don't like the uncertainty of Thai immigration changing the rules, each IO doing their own thing.  Then maybe Thailand is not for you. You are here to be messed about, nothing new

[Rimmer]

A baiting post removed

[phuketpalms]

Jimbo53: you say Husband and wife only require 800K.

 

That’s only if one spouse is piggy-backing on the other. 
Otherwise both parties apply for their own extension and each needs 800k in the bank. 

[Matzzon]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

Really, but at least I don't run down members here who may have a financial problem and want them deported after a 14 day overstay now do I....?  ????

 

Run down????? when????

I person with financial problems should have a brain enough to understand that, and either stay home, do short trips or see to that a buffer is there for a ticket home. Probably intellectual over course for you when looking at you replies.

One thing a normally intelligent person should not try to do, it ot circumvent the visa rules and try to stay as long as possible without money. Or do you disagree on that point as well?

[Fairynuff]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

If they want to avoid a mass exodus they are going to need to change every single one of their regulations.

 

Don’t hold your breath on that one

[transam]

6 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Run down????? when????

I person with financial problems should have a brain enough to understand that, and either stay home, do short trips or see to that a buffer is there for a ticket home. Probably intellectual over course for you when looking at you replies.

One thing a normally intelligent person should not try to do, it ot circumvent the visa rules and try to stay as long as possible without money. Or do you disagree on that point as well?

I disagree with most of your stuff, you do not seem to have the ability to think of others possible plight and how they got there.

All you think about is 'you', which shows in your posts. 

BUT, you crack on, I am not the only one reading, eh....????

[DefaultName]

Isn't the point of this that these people met the requirements for years, and will again once the Covid crisis is over.  They just need a temporary relaxation of the rules to tide them over until things change?

Make them leave now and they are gone for good - their money too.  This would be a long term loss to Thailand.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, fulhamster said:

Even with a Thai wife, I was told I needed to have 1.6 million in our joint a/c

 

So I just moved 800K to my own a/c

Wrong if you get a marriage extension or change from retirement; Who told you that BS

[Mavideol]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

whereby foreigners legally living and working on the island are no longer earning the same income as before the outbreak,

what about the lost of income to expats based on the Baht low exchange rate, we no longer have same earning income they should think about it as well

[Mavideol]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

If they want to avoid a mass exodus they are going to need to change every single one of their regulations.

 

and they can count of my vote to do it 555

[Matzzon]

51 minutes ago, transam said:

I disagree with most of your stuff, you do not seem to have the ability to think of others possible plight and how they got there.

All you think about is 'you', which shows in your posts. 

BUT, you crack on, I am not the only one reading, eh....????

No, you are just twisting things as usual. Please read the message below before posting another silly remark.

I am not only thinking about myself. I am thinking about a normal reaction from a person that suddenly gets into problem. The normal reaction would be to try and minimise the damage and get out of the problem as easy as possible. That´s my way to, out of an intelligent perspective, think about others. If I would find myself in problems out of economic character, then I would not demand that the system is change just to suit me. I would accept that the rules are as they are, because I am the one that have forced myself into the position I am.

Now I do understand, out of your mant promotions and replies regarding all the harsch rules and financial demands, that you probably are a person who has fallen in a hard position and it looks like you have to fight to survive everyday. If so, I am sincerely sorry for you. Unfortunately it doesn´t look like there would be any changes coming up in the near future regarding that matter. So, I guess I, you and everybody else that have chosen to live in Thailand out of one reason or another. Yeah, we just have to find a way for staying, or try to find another solution that works.

 

And, dear Mr. Trans, It´s not me that are cracking on. I am trying to explain it as painless as possible for you. You are the one that constantly continue to complain and seem unhappy with your stay in this wonderful and friendly country. In other words, you are the one cracking on, you are. I mean why are you just trying and fighting so hard? If your plan has fallen apart, isn´t it much better to find a place of harmony in the world where you can feel at ease with the rules and regulations?

[hugh2121]

5 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

Hi Crusader, it's not a case of struggling to place the 800k but it's a large chunk of dead money. Dead because it earns next to nothing and cannot be put to work earning a decent return. e.g. my investment portfolio has made a net profit of 20% so far this year to date. The 800k in the bank has not kept pace with inflation.

[GeilGeilertzen]

First I’d like to say that Thailand has a more than a decent amount of stupid rules to live by for both thais and foreigners. 
But I see too many stupid and and irrelevant post in here and many posters being unable to see all this from a different perspective than their own, especially when the going gets tough.  
 

I myself comes from a country and region in the world where poor immigrants, asylum seekers etc

etc have done a lot of damage.  Swindled and lured people, behaved bad, criminal activities etc.  And which has resulted in change of laws to a more strict society and tightening things up.   I remember the days back in the 80s.  All thenfreedom we had.  Now it’s not like that anymore where I come from. 
 So my point is that people like immigrants who are not a citizen tends to screw things up in very negative ways with the result of many countries having to change their rules and force strict rules.  Its sad but this is much of the reasons. 
 

I believe Thailand is no different. They learned from what can go wrong and what is expensive for them.   Loads of criminals have been here for the last 4-5 decades.  It’s not only what’s going on now the Thais are building their system on.   If they didn’t have some sensible laws and regulations all criminals in the world would have lived in Thai.   And if not any land regulations. All land would have been bought up a long time ago by people from US, China, India, South Koreans or you name it.  Your dream escape of having a farm up in Isaan of 5-10 raid would have cost you 1 million EUR and not 1 million bath. So even you hate that you can’t by any land and put in your name, I am pretty

sure you would choose the option Thailand is now having over the 1 mill EUR option for you and your girl.  
 

Myself I’ve lived long enough in thai and have had enough business there to see what can go wrong from various situations.  I ve seen foreigners that came by ok but when ended up in some problems didn’t have a way out of it because they only had 50 bath in their bank acc. For decades foreigners on tourist visas and Non O has left Thailand with huge debts for many reasons. Leaving thais and foreigners in difficult and unfair situations. The moneyless foreigners from backpackers to tourists to non immigrants holders has not only left Thais in debt but also other foreigners living here. I have thai friends that borrowed foreigners in difficulties hundred of thousands of bath and never to be see again.  Same with Thai goverment.  Over the decades tens of thousands of foreigners have left Thailand with unpaid hospital bills or a wrecked vehicle.  It’s thousands of story’s and other illegal and criminal activities done by foreigners that’s has led up to the system and requirements Thailand is now having. So to some point much is to blame your fellow

 citizens.  Know your things and not only blame all on the Thais for

being totally unfair. 
 

If you believe in free float of people around the world and without any requirements and you have no idea what you are asking for. Then where you were brought up in your home country would not have been the good and safe place you grew up in back then.   It would probably have been a hell hell hole filled with poor

people from every corner of the world. 
 

And never forget.  You are a guest and will always be.  You don’t have the same rights as the Thais have. You don’t have any voting rights. You dont belong there even how much you think you do. You look different. You have been thought different. You believe different. And it will never change. Add a few more things that you hate.  And always bare that in your mind like a 10 rule safety chart you keep In your back pocket.  Then it will be more easy mentally to live in Thailand for you.  

Edited September 2, 2020 by GeilGeilertzen
Wrong spelling

[MadMac]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Wrong if you get a marriage extension or change from retirement; Who told you that BS

He tried to use a joint account, was explained already.

 

[JUAinBKK]

6 hours ago, Crusader said:

This money thing often crops up in forums...

800k is a paltry amount of money to keep in an account to ensure one can remain in the country.  If people ares truggling to follow this, then surely they are not very well set for retirement.

I want to understand better why you make this comment; please entertain me with answers to a few questions.  Do you earn any profit for allowing this money to sit ideal, and is the profit greater than 7-12%?  How many years have you had the account with the 800k THB sitting, and how long in each bank?  Thanks and I anxiously await your response.