Cabinet approves plans to attract long-stay foreigners to Thailand

[ExpatOilWorker]

When the clock strike 10 years....

[Destiny1990]

How about a simple headache free yearly visa? For longstayers.

[elgenon]

10,000 baht is good if you are not hassled to do anything except an easy extension after 5 years.

 

But being put out of the country after making a life for 10 years, and spending your money in Thailand, is harsh.

[Karma80]

10 hours ago, Caldera said:

Can't see many takers for this that haven't already been "attracted" by the existing visa options.

Quite the reverse. If it allows remote workers to stay in Thailand for 10 years, for 100,000 Bhat / $3000 USD with a WP, it could be a winner. There is no visa solution that works for that segment.

 

Devil will be in the detail, of course. The article is light on that and eligibility.

[jmccarty]

'Those who believe they are in one of these groups can apply for a qualification certificate by providing evidence and relevant documentation to prove their status with the Thai Board of Investment (BOI)'. Though this sounds like a high level of belief could get you the Smart visa, which is what this is, there are actually 5 falang type they are interested in and the qualifications are here  https://smart-visa.boi.go.th/smart/index.html#qualifications

[jmccarty]

19 minutes ago, elgenon said:

10,000 baht is good if you are not hassled to do anything except an easy extension after 5 years.

 

But being put out of the country after making a life for 10 years, and spending your money in Thailand, is harsh.

There are other visa options thereafter, it does not say people are banned or deported after 10 years. 

[jmccarty]

33 minutes ago, verticalift said:

Old news. Just go to any Thai Embassy website and you’ll see the 10 year “O-X” Visa listed.

I was issued an O-X Retirement Visa in October 2019. 

This is the same as a work permit, but long term.

Edited January 18, 2022 by jmccarty

[tonray]

10 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

So 10 years max for pensioners? What then ?

Nice headline but as always lacking detail....

 

The crematorium

[elgenon]

23 minutes ago, jmccarty said:

There are other visa options thereafter, it does not say people are banned or deported after 10 years. 

You are right. It also doesn't guarantee you will be able to stay. You don't know how the government will feel about you. Worthy or unworthy. Personally I would like to know for certain if I could stay longer.

[bluejets]

Seen quite a few videos on the subject of "tourist" versus "long stay" and most seem to be of the opinion that the tourist would normally be here for maybe 4 to 6 weeks, spend all their saved holiday money and <deleted> off back to their homeland to earn more until next year.

In contrast, the long stay appear to watch their spending so it will last for whatever length of time they decide.

 

Positives on both I'd imagine but I am in the former group, and as already stated, there are already visas to cover most of the above.

It really looks like a way to raise some extra money from drongos who know no better.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, Paulaew said:

The story didn't have any details on re-entry permits, but the reporting was annually rather than every 90 days. (If they can do that for them, why not for us?)

 

Paul Laew

[Karma80]

14 minutes ago, elgenon said:

You are right. It also doesn't guarantee you will be able to stay. You don't know how the government will feel about you. Worthy or unworthy. Personally I would like to know for certain if I could stay longer.

And how is that any different from now?

[ChrisP24]

10k baht per year, while eliminating the hassle/expense/uncertainty of border runs, and while eliminating the need for 800K in a Thai bank actually sounds good.   10k can be offset by just an extra 1.25% annual yield on those funds invested in your home country vs. in a Thai bank time deposit.  The main downside is if it requires an up-front payment for all ten years.  Many will want the option of a long stay but not want to pre-pay (and pre-commit) for all of it.  Information is lacking from the link but on its surface it looks to me that it would be a big step in the right direction.   

 

The Philippines' SRRV expanded courtesy visa for military retirees is a good model to follow in my opinion.  One of the additional perks of that one is that SRRV holders are eligible to work in the country.

[Orinoco]

More nonsense from the nonsense factory of Asia.

 

Ps, Thailand is never to be trussed with an up front payment for 10 years.

what a laugh. they are way to dishonest for that.

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Orinoco

[rwill]

I would have to think about 10K per year vs 2K per year for a visa if there were no requirements to keep money in the bank or mandatory insurance.  Plus it does change 90 day reporting to annual.

[Gecko123]

The more they try to increase the appeal of these high cost so-called "elite" visas by reducing the annual paperwork required, the less incentive they have to streamline the paperwork for visas which are renewed on an annual basis. Depressing.

 

Thailand needs to understand that the only way retirees are going to spend more money here is if they have confidence that the goal posts aren't going to be moved down the road. How they expect people to loosen up their purse strings when clouds of uncertainty about future visa requirements (medical insurance, bank deposits, discontinuation of visa programs) hang over everyone's head, is beyond me.

 

Retirees already are confronted with plenty of uncertainty stemming from non-visa issues: (currency exchange, future viability of entitlement programs in the West, future returns on investments, long-term care, etc.).

 

Thailand needs to lose its bean-counter mentality, and take a more humanistic approach to its retirement visa program.

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by Gecko123

[vandeventer]

11 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

So 10 years max for pensioners? What then ?

Nice headline but as always lacking detail....

 

Take their money and burry them? Why don't they do something for us like a good hospital discount for over the age of seventy?

Edited January 19, 2022 by vandeventer

[JoePai]

11 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

So 10 years max for pensioners? What then ?

Nice headline but as always lacking detail....

 

Condo balcony ?

[Falcon]

Instead of this <deleted>, why not change the rules of those of us living here “permanently” on a year by year extension that are married to Thai people and have families here? All this bs about other people who have no links whatsoever to the country being offered longer term visas is just another kick in the teeth to this I’d us that have links to the country and reasons for long/permanent stay.

[Tom H]

And please make a last will for Thai lady and die after 10y.???? Khaaaab, kob khun khaaaab.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Tom H

[inThailand]

How many times have they talked about a better and longer visa over the years? I am not holding my breath again. 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Thai cabinet has approved, in principle, two ministerial announcements aimed at attracting four specific groups of foreigners to stay in Thailand for up to ten years, in the hope that they spend their wealth, invest or make use of their special skills for the development of the Thai economy.

Why not just make the country attractive so people will want to come... 

stop the gimmicks.

[mtls2005]

The initial uptake on this visa, once the copious rules, regs are published will be like the first tranche of the SmahtVisa (2018), of which there were a rumored 29 issued.

 

 

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

So 10 years max for pensioners? What then ?

Nice headline but as always lacking detail....

 

Renew again I hope. I hear Cambodians can get a pink ID that allows them leave to remain. Something along those lines for retired Expats?

[sqwakvfr]

I have an easier solution.  Accept proof of overseas government pensions to enable retired expats a smoother way to apply or extend retirement visas or extension of stays.  

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, Gold Star said:

If only they would make life easier for ALL long term residents here, it would attract the wealthy and professionals.

I've lived here permanently for 14 years, arrived 2008, still treated like a tourist.

Every 90 days have to tell them I'm still in the same home, every year have to jump the hurdles.

Why not after 5 years of living here be given permission to reside, end of... no more visa rubbish.

 

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, sqwakvfr said:

I have an easier solution.  Accept proof of overseas government pensions to enable retired expats a smoother way to apply or extend retirement visas or extension of stays.  

That would of course then only apply to the older people.....currently one has to be 66 to qualify for a UK State pension. 

[Boomer6969]

1 hour ago, ChrisP24 said:

10k baht per year, while eliminating the hassle/expense/uncertainty of border runs, and while eliminating the need for 800K in a Thai bank actually sounds good. 

You are such a dreamer, these 10k are just a Visa processing fee, there are many other stringent requirements such as investing in Thailand, income, flat income tax.

[NorthernRyland]

6 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I bet lots of people will apply for that, including from CHina and INdia

Oh god no. That would be a nightmare having tons of yelling Chinese people and gangs of Indians running around Thailand.

[mvdf]

All these people will be granted long-term residence visas, which are good for ten years but must be extended after the fifth year of their stay in the kingdom and must report to immigration every 90 days, with the extension period to last for only another five years or less depending on the immigration officer's mood.

 

Did they intentionally omit that?