Pattaya retirees feel “trapped” in Thailand because of insurance

[JensenZ]

9 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

What exactly do you get for your 14k baht?  

Were you not talking about retirement extensions? That's what I get.  

 

[Jingthing]

I am one of those O visa based retirement extenders that feels trapped. Dazed and confused too. In real fear that if I travel out of Thailand that I won't be able to get back.

 

This thread has done pish all to relieve that.

 

Its very clear this Thailand Pass scheme us designed for tourists with no thought whatsover for settled invested in Thailand expats.

 

Yet another dark consequence of the lack of residency security offered to expats.

Future potential expats: You have been warned!

 

At this point I'm thinking wait another year and maybe just maybe things will be much smoother and clearer by then. But that might be overly optimistic.

Edited November 22, 2021 by Jingthing

[GrandPapillon]

I know some expat retiree guys here who are ready to die in Thailand and never travel outside again, quite extreme but they seem happy with the idea

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, GrandPapillon said:

I know some expat retiree guys here who are ready to die in Thailand and never travel outside again, quite extreme but they seem happy with the idea

And what is wrong with that - if you live here why leave (anyone with relatives just get them to visit you  ???? )

[fredscats]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I am one of those O visa based retirement extenders that feels trapped. Dazed and confused too. In real fear that if I travel out of Thailand that I won't be able to get back.

 

This thread has done pish all to relieve that.

 

Its very clear this Thailand Pass scheme us designed for tourists with no thought whatsover for settled invested in Thailand expats.

 

Yet another dark consequence of the lack of residency security offered to expats.

Future potential expats: You have been warned!

 

At this point I'm thinking wait another year and maybe just maybe things will be much smoother and clearer by then. But that might be overly optimistic.

Pity how things work out,.....but yes not looking good. For one Im scaling back,not buying new bike,upgrading anything.  Thai govt know exactly what they want and will achieve...but all that property farang holds,nigh on worthless

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

I know some expat retiree guys here who are ready to die in Thailand and never travel outside again, quite extreme but they seem happy with the idea

And some who did already....... 

[OJAS]

On 11/21/2021 at 8:13 PM, CRUNCHER said:

This thread has been well and truly hijacked. Extensions of stay, use of agents etc., which are all off topic, have nothing to do with elderly expats and insurance.

Does anyone have any updates as to how us old timer residents and coping on the insurance issue?

In particular, while people on here have been banging on incessantly these past few pages about the merits (or otherwise) of using agents for retirement extensions, I'm sure that most expat retirees aged 75+ with a desire to travel outside Thailand (whether they live in Pattaya or wherever) would be far more interested in hearing about what agency assistance might be available to them in handling all Thailand Pass-related bureaucratic hassles on their behalf (in particular as regards overcoming the formidable insurance hurdle) so as to ensure that their eventual return to Thailand was as smooth a process as possible!

[spidermike007]

Simply another way the xenophobic fake purists are culling the expat crowd. 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Simply another way the xenophobic fake purists are culling the expat crowd. 

It's an insidious situation whether its part of an intentional grand policy or not.

Again, I strongly recommend against retirement in Thailand unless you're exceptionally wealthy in which case you're probably not interested anyway.

For others I submit Thailand's lack of a residency security path for retired expats is likely to kick you in the balls sooner or later.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Jingthing

[spidermike007]

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It's an insidious situation whether its part of an intentional grand policy or not.

Again, I strongly recommend against retirement in Thailand unless you're exceptionally wealthy in which case you're probably not interested anyway.

For others I submit Thailand's lack of a residency security path for retired expats is likely to kick you in the balls sooner or later.

Very true. Alot of nations like Mexico are very welcoming, make long term visas easy, and allow permanent residency without much difficulty. Thailand has it all wrong. They are scaring away expats, and tourists, while the economy is going into the toilet. Sheer hubris, arrogance, ignorance and ivory tower consciousness. Dumb and dumber. 

Edited November 23, 2021 by spidermike007

[Leaver]

On 11/22/2021 at 7:22 AM, JensenZ said:

Were you not talking about retirement extensions? That's what I get.  

 

 

Re-entry?

[Leaver]

On 11/22/2021 at 4:01 PM, JoePai said:

And what is wrong with that - if you live here why leave (anyone with relatives just get them to visit you  ???? )

 

Thailand offers no reasonable path to permanent residency and / or citizenship.

 

It's one thing to say you will stay in Thailand until you die, it's another thing to be legally allowed to stay until that day comes.

 

The retirement visa / extension does not give the "right" to live here.  It is nothing more than a 1 year tourist visa that can be extended in country.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Leaver

[Leaver]

20 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Again, I strongly recommend against retirement in Thailand unless you're exceptionally wealthy in which case you're probably not interested anyway.

 

I don't think you need to be exceptionally wealthy to retire here, but there is no doubt that the cost of living is increasing for foreigners here, not helped by poor exchange rates.

 

As for the exceptionally wealthy, I agree, why would they chose Thailand?  They trashed their tourism area beaches and nature years ago, have unfriendly foreign ownership of property laws, have failing infrastructure, and is politically unstable.  

 

20 hours ago, Jingthing said:

For others I submit Thailand's lack of a residency security path for retired expats is likely to kick you in the balls sooner or later.

 

Always need a Plan B, and as you suggest, many may have to resort to it in the not so distant future.  

 

[Leaver]

On 11/22/2021 at 5:25 PM, fredscats said:

Pity how things work out,.....but yes not looking good. For one Im scaling back,not buying new bike,upgrading anything.  Thai govt know exactly what they want and will achieve...but all that property farang holds,nigh on worthless

 

Some time after the coup, when it was clear the military were not in any rush to hold elections, I wondered if Thailand may see a wave of populism and nationalism where by The General makes a statement similar to, "There will be no more retirement visas after 2025, and no grandfathering past visas" for example.  This would effectively give most foreigners a few years to sell their property to a Thai, and clear out.   

 

The national Thai attitude has long been "Thailand is for Thai's."  They want you to fly in, spend all your money, and fly out.  

 

Such a policy would effectively be a Mugabe style taking back of land owned by foreigners, but without the violence. 

 

Point being, they may allow you to own the property, but it's the visa that allows you to live in it, and visa policy can be changed with the stoke of a pen in Bangkok.  So, owning a property, and being able to live in it, is really at the mercy of authorities.

 

It can be argued that such a policy may harm the construction industry, but with 1000's of new properties sitting unsold, even prior to covid, I think the property industry was in trouble here anyway.    

 

Interesting times ahead.  

[nong38]

On 11/4/2021 at 12:58 PM, Jeffr2 said:

This is a serious issue.  What's the current cost for a policy?  Last time, back in August, I was quoted some 30k Baht.  I ended up using the insurance provided by Emirates and it worked great.

I was in touch with Emirates about this free travel insurance with the ticket yesterday and the insurance is not covered in your country of residence so if you live in Thailand and Immigration Officer spots it you might be in a bit of a spot.

The Travel Insurance connected with the TGIA is not available to "Foreigners living in Thailand" it is designed for in coming tourists.

[Leaver]

4 hours ago, nong38 said:

I was in touch with Emirates about this free travel insurance with the ticket yesterday and the insurance is not covered in your country of residence so if you live in Thailand and Immigration Officer spots it you might be in a bit of a spot.

 

No doubt a demand for a corrupt payment will be made.