Retirement visa holders largest group of foreigners to enter Thailand in October

[mjakob007]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Those were some of my concerns before returning. It is however down to individual behaviour how much you are at risk. If you take extra care in the 2 weeks before departure and your Covid test 72 hours before flying. Take care travelling to and at the airport, keep your distance from people. Ensure you have a seat on the flight away from people by flying an airline that practices safe flying like Qatar, who blank out seats. Taking care on arrival in Bangkok. Making sure you clean everything that comes into your room during quarantine. I am on day 9 now, my wife and I have had no issues.

 

Our family of 4 went through the drill some 3 months back.

 

However,  we were anxious from the time we check into ASQ until the second test results were confirmed negative.

 

More than covid, we were worried about the procedures, if we did test positive..

 

[thailand49]

The information on the suggested website for a Non-Imm O seem to me at least to be unclear or lacking exact information?  It seem to be listed but information then is confusing talking about O-A then one suggest although you might have a O you have to fall into category of being married or have a Thai child.  Nevertheless if you leave and want to come back the chances you will be trying for at least a month to being even close.

[Salerno]

2 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Nevertheless if you leave and want to come back the chances you will be trying for at least a month to being even close.

 

Thread on here from a BM that went to Portugal and back in under a month. Lot of preplanning by the looks of it but job done.

 

 

[Jumbo1968]

3 hours ago, mjakob007 said:

Even if one decides to stomach the price of quarantine, few concerns would be:

 

- probability of being infected during the journey.

 

- what one may have to go through should you be tested positive in quarantine. 
 

- uncertainty of events should the family be split up due to positive test for not all in the family.

 

some of the quarantine venues are spacious and pleasant, but being locked up for 14-15 days is a deterrent.

Good post, I am waiting to return to Thailand with my partner and 5 year old son. We have managed to avoid Covid in the U.K. but the thought of being infected on the plane is one of the main reasons for not returning. The Thais insistence if tested positive or asymptotic being hospitalised is another and of course the cost of flights etc

[Jumbo1968]

1 hour ago, Billy Bloggs said:

My 40/400 insurance will run to 7700 baht with a 200k deductible(doubt I will ever use it unless a major thing happens), Im 68 also means my money isnt tied up in the bank all year, well at least 400k all year and the other 400 for 5 months of the year.

What insurance company is that with ?

[marquis22]

5 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

this makes it 84 tourists a month, i can hear all bar girls are cheering 

Maybe why they put that photo in the OP was to stop the cheering?

[Dazzler]

I am in the UK with a Non O visa extension that expires in April.

 

1. In order to go back to Thailand, do I now need to get medical insurance same as O-A visa holders need (not required before for O visa)?

 

2. It appears I can get COVID only insurance to satisfy the COE/entry criteria, is my understanding correct?

 

Thanks in advance..

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, Dazzler said:

1. In order to go back to Thailand, do I now need to get medical insurance same as O-A visa holders need (not required before for O visa)?

 

No.

 

1 minute ago, Dazzler said:

2. It appears I can get COVID only insurance to satisfy the COE/entry criteria, is my understanding correct?

 

Yes.

[skorp13]

When you shut your doors what do you expect

[Letseng]

Good news for many. My ext. expired on 7 November. 

Any idea how to deal with it?

Tks.

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, brucec64 said:

What is ridiculous? Its the reality of the world we live in right now. Europe decided to throw open its borders to save the summer holiday period and now is in almost complete lockdown. Should Thailand go into another lockdown in order to facilitate your business trip?

 

 

Hey Keyboard warrior,

 

I was referring to the ridiculous prices they are charging for one way flights and ASQ rooms. I said nothing regards the quarantine, except from my point of view having to do it in both countries, for business that would take two days, now made it price prohibitive.

 

Read first and don't put your own ' spin ' on it nor jump on your keyboard to try and unleash your brand of righteousness.

 

Also, if you aren't testing the public, you aren't going to get an accurate result on infections, whichever country it is. It has already been made known that some of these soldiers and diplomats who tested positive picked up the virus within Thailand's borders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2020 by Scouse123

[Salerno]

10 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Good news for many. My ext. expired on 7 November. 

Any idea how to deal with it?

Tks.

 

Unfortunately, you'll have to start again I believe. At least they're issuing Non-O again if you want to go that way although with the extra financial requirements.

[Dazzler]

18 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

No.

 

 

Yes.

Thanks Salerno ????

[dallen52]

0.0488% of 2019 figure. 

They certainly didn't do the figures right.

And if not for the return of expats and retirees..!!

Enough said. 

 

Yes, they got it wrong..

[jimn]

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

All this talk of O and OA visas and re-entry stuff has me completely confused, so I have looked at my passport to see exactly what I've got (probably a sign of old age).

 

According to the stamps in my passport I have a "NON-IMM" and sometimes written as a "NON-O" and I do have a retirement extension which I renew every year along with a re-entry permit. 

 

So what exactly have I got and what does that entail if I went overseas and wanted to come back?

 

Thanks in advance.

Yes from what you have written you have a Non O retirement extension of stay with a re entry permit. No insurance is required on renewal. Non OA visas are only issued in ones country of origin.

[James7001]

As a retired property owner in Phuket I used to spend four months a year with my partner with the annual multiple entry non-immigrant O Visa

 

we won’t be returning until the two week quarantine restriction is changed

 

we wouldn’t have a problem with self isolation in our property at least we could swim and enjoy the garden during that time. Surely the government can come up with A monitoring tag. 

[rumak]

5 hours ago, hangusthemonkey said:

Shame they won’t allow those with O retirement visas back in !!! OA only which means if you are outside Thailand with your multi entry O retirement visa you have to apply for a new one ???????????????? Yet again demonstrating exactly what this government thinks of you .

squeeze till the pips pop . What’s wrong with O retirement visa ? And why isn’t it being mentioned by Thai Visa or Richard Barrow

 

mandatory insurance      ka-- ching

[BusyB]

5 hours ago, Guderian said:

These people must be really desperate to come back with all the hurdles and expense, is life in their own countries truly that awful? My two best mates are stuck in the UK and Canada but they've both said they won't be returning until the quarantine period is done away with. They've both got their own property out here with loads of money in the bank, but the idea of paying through the nose to be locked in a grotty hotel room for a fortnight just so they can drink some overpriced Thai beer doesn't appeal to them.

 

Life is great where I am, but I have some great friends and a great life in LOS as well - I'll be joining the O-As next year as well ... ????

[NoshowJones]

35 minutes ago, James7001 said:

As a retired property owner in Phuket I used to spend four months a year with my partner with the annual multiple entry non-immigrant O Visa

 

we won’t be returning until the two week quarantine restriction is changed

 

we wouldn’t have a problem with self isolation in our property at least we could swim and enjoy the garden during that time. Surely the government can come up with A monitoring tag. 

A monitoring tag wouldn't suit the tinpot general non elected "PM" because him and his soldiers income streams would be affected. There is the cost of the ASQ along with the $100.000 insurance scam which will not pay out for the first fortnight, which means that if you get the covid virus at the airport, on the plane and most of the time you are in quarantine, you had better be able to foot the very expensive hospital costs.

[brucec64]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

Hey Keyboard warrior,

 

I was referring to the ridiculous prices they are charging for one way flights and ASQ rooms. I said nothing regards the quarantine, except from my point of view having to do it in both countries, for business that would take two days, now made it price prohibitive.

 

Read first and don't put your own ' spin ' on it nor jump on your keyboard to try and unleash your brand of righteousness.

 

Also, if you aren't testing the public, you aren't going to get an accurate result on infections, whichever country it is. It has already been made known that some of these soldiers and diplomats who tested positive picked up the virus within Thailand's borders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your business can't be that important if you can't afford 3k a night for quarantine hotels. 

[Thaiophil]

5 hours ago, Guderian said:

These people must be really desperate to come back with all the hurdles and expense, is life in their own countries truly that awful? My two best mates are stuck in the UK and Canada but they've both said they won't be returning until the quarantine period is done away with. They've both got their own property out here with loads of money in the bank, but the idea of paying through the nose to be locked in a grotty hotel room for a fortnight just so they can drink some overpriced Thai beer doesn't appeal to them.

After 7 months of gloom and depression in locked down UK, my return to the Big Mango was totally worth it and my ASQ hotel was quite nice really.

 

And at least you can get a beer here unlike the UK. I’ve had several since getting out of quarantine.

 

Being in a Covid free city where everything is open, all my favourite Thai stuff is available and I don’t have to worry about a deadly disease is beyond price????

[Turkleton]

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Yes from what you have written you have a Non O retirement extension of stay with a re entry permit. No insurance is required on renewal. Non OA visas are only issued in ones country of origin.

I am also slightly confused.
I had a Non-Immi O with retirement extension and also a re-entry stamp.
But these have expired in August.
So, now I have to apply for a new Non-Immi O in my home country?
And will this be granted (without any major problems), or are there any difficulties or requirements to be expected?
And after that, go through the well-known retirement procedure in Thailand?

[jimn]

1 minute ago, Turkleton said:

I am also slightly confused.
I had a Non-Immi O with retirement extension and also a re-entry stamp.
But these have expired in August.
So, now I have to apply for a new Non-Immi O in my home country?
And will this be granted (without any major problems), or are there any difficulties or requirements to be expected?
And after that, go through the well-known retirement procedure in Thailand?

Depends on your country, the UK have now started to issue Non O based on retirement that you can convert into an extension of stay in Thailand

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, Turkleton said:

So, now I have to apply for a new Non-Immi O in my home country?

 

Yes, or another such as O-A.

 

3 minutes ago, Turkleton said:

And will this be granted (without any major problems), or are there any difficulties or requirements to be expected?
And after that, go through the well-known retirement procedure in Thailand?

 

Shouldn't be an issue being granted but there does appear to be extra financial requirements (check at your local Embassy website, someone posted Germany had removed it but Australia still has it). Then yes, back through the usual process for extensions.

[Marknreston]

I have made multiple flight reservations in February and March in hopes I can get a retirement visa from Washington DC consulate.  Does anyone have solid information regarding “semi-commercial” flights.  Are all Cathay Pacific flight to BKK acceptable?   Sorry.  This is confusing to me 

[Turkleton]

2 minutes ago, jimn said:

Depends on your country, the UK have now started to issue Non O based on retirement that you can convert into an extension of stay in Thailand

Germany.

But, what if the retirement extension has expired already (Aug 2020), does it make any difference?

[jimn]

4 minutes ago, Turkleton said:

Germany.

But, what if the retirement extension has expired already (Aug 2020), does it make any difference?

You no longer have a visa, you apply for a new Non O

[Sean60]

Yet the government is not giving them the kind of respect they deserve. Change of regulations for getting the Visa, and it is becoming more and more expensive. 

I have seen many of expats with retirement visa leaving Thailand for Malaysia as they find the government more friendly.

Perhaps the Thai government can tell us when will they open the borders? or will they have some relief packages for business owners in cities like Koh Samui and Phuket and Pattaya? We are suffocating and this government dose not give a <deleted> about us? 1000 tourists on different programs will not solve our issues. 

You promised us to protect us and our investment in this country. You run adds with headlines of It is Time for Thailand. You asked us to come and invest here. Where is the protection? I am thankful for not having to worry about Covid. But savings are finishing and no business. Soon I will be hungry with a bankrupt business and no money to buy food. What will happened to my Thai wife and doughter? do you even care what will happen to me?

[jerolamo]

7 minutes ago, Turkleton said:

Germany.

But, what if the retirement extension has expired already (Aug 2020), does it make any difference?

i fyou allready get a non-O and are married or resident, you can also ask for get a one year (one or multi-entry) visa. But there is some tasks to get it and it needs a bit time to get: the good paper to inform, 6 specific situation pictures of the place you stay, included your bedroom and your kitchen, paper from your house or from your owner if you rent it, 2 witness that said you are a clean fareng, and police immigration officer will come at home to check and ask people who are you, they will also speak with you to control who you are, which kind of relations you have with Thai population around, that is a normal proximity survey... you should also better conform to the cultural law there and have the photo of the King at the correct place at home and to be clean, you should also have 400 K THB on your bank account from 60 days before (ask your bank the paper with full report of your used bank account for the last 60 days, but do it almost one day before or better, the same day you are going to ask for this visa one year stay).

You should also show original of married official paper, family Thai book, your wife should go to "Empor" place before to get a specific paper for that too... she has to know what to ask for.

But still, you should go before that to ask in your immigration office because i read that officially, they can ask to you what ever they want as they are free and full authority to do so. then ask before to do something first, write carefully and apply.

It would cost 2000 THB (5000 THB for multi entry of you can get it i think).

[Rimmer]

An off topic post with some conspiracy thrown in has been removed also a reply

 

A further off topic post has been removed.

 

Retirement visa holders largest group of foreigners to enter Thailand in October