Recently Married - Request for Advice on Benefits / Eligibilities

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Muhendis said:

If you are hospitalised in a government hospital for any reason, it would be less costly by something like 10 - 20% if your wife stayed with you sharing your room.

Not in most govt hospitals. Sounds like you stayed on one that reduced the nursing charge if you had an attendant with you -- or more likely levied a higher charge if you did not.

 

In fact in many government hospitals they will not allow you to have a private room unless there is someone with you. Does not have to be a spouse, can be anyone. 

[Robin]

"Yellow Book"  Tambian Baan for farang.  I jumped through all the hops to get one, as suggested by my then local I/O (Chiang Rai) who said it was "important" that i get such  thing.  Since then it has not been the slightest use to me at all.  I have tried to show it at SVB Immigration, (not interested,) and at local I/O when doing 90 day report or Retirement extension, also not interested.

Unless you know of a reason why you need this thing, why bother?

Thai driving license?   Many Thais do no bother.  You can drive legally in Thailand on an International DL, easily obtained in UK.  If you really want a TDL, go to your local DL office with wife and spend a day watching the instructional video and reading the Thai Highway Code, then waste more time with getting a 'medical'  and you should be able to convert your UK license to a Thai license.

INMHO both Tellow book and TDL are WOFTAM

[Liquorice]

@Sun3110
Sent a PM.

[Sheryl]

I have found the yellow tabian ban (and pink ID card which can only be gotten if you have the tabian ban) invaluable.

 

Used it at each extension of stay (both my own and household staff wjo are migrant workers), for driver's license, for new car registration, worker used it for DL and moto registration. Have also  used it at bank, in applying for supermarket discount cards, and it has gotten me Thai price at a number of venues with fual pricing (YMMV on that one).  Use it in dealings with Provincial tax office (to get tax refund on interest). And lastly was able to register for and get COVID vaccine when they first started giving them in 2021. It was months later before there were ways to register and get vaccine without a Thai ID card number. 

 

In fact, because I live in an area with almost no foreigners, I have been able to complete a number of transactions despite an initial "foreigner cannot" response. In other cases a very wary tense face asking for my passport rekaxed into smiles and relief when I offered the pink card.  Likely would not happen in areas with many farang, but out in the boondocks they often do not know how to proceed without something to enter into a mandatory Thslai ID number field on the relevant form. 

[Lucky Bones]

Been married 10 years here.

Wife will still goes off her head whenever. 

You can't change culture.

Just be ready for the good and the bad, like everywhere else.????????

 

[FriendlyFarang]

16 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

It's part of the small print on your Thai insurance policy.

Read 'Licences and Permits on here'.https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293915-c133830/Thailand:Driving.License.Requirements.html

 

If no Thai driving licence is obtained after 90 days your insurance is null and void. Ask your insurers. 

In your previous post you said it's illegal, which means breaking the law.

Now you say a voluntary insurance might become invalid, this doesn't make it illegal.

So you agree now that it's not illegal?

[FritsSikkink]

19 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Some of my thoughts on this (I have a Thai wife).

 

If you are only staying 15 to 20 weeks/year in Thailand, my suspicion is there is likely little to no benefit in Thailand, for being 'legally married'.

 

For me, aside from the companionship of a loving helpful person, the biggest benefit of having a Thai wife is she is a walking translator and someone who can negotiate for different things and often get the "Thai" price, as opposed to the inflated foreigner price ... . But one gets that with a Thai partner if not married.

 

One can obtain immigration extensions on one's permission to stay in Thailand, using the 'reason' to visit one's Thai family (and in some cases being married to a "Thai woman"), but that is not essential. There are other ways to stay in Thailand, and there are Visas that can easily give one 15-to-20 weeks in Thailand.

 

Opening a Thai bank account might be easier with a Thai wife (as being a translator she can possibly smooth things over), but again - not essential.  

 

Drivers license?  I believe there is no need to go for a Thai driver's license if only staying 15-to-20-weeks in Thailand.  If you have a Thai driver's license, you will need to pay attention to the date the license expires and renew if/when required.

 

Health care?  While I live in Thailand full time with my Thai wife, I have superb European Health Insurance that comes with my European pension, that covers both myself and my wife.  So neither my wife nor I use Thai health care.  And we go to the more expensive 'private' hospitals and are fully covered.

 

BUT, I believe since you and your Thai wife have registered your marriage in Thailand, you probably could qualify for Thai health care, IF you obtained a non-immigrant Visa for reason of 'marriage'.  I believe that 'Visa' may be necessary < but I am not certain >  That sort of Visa (justified by being married to a Thai spouse) has a LOT of paperwork involved (more than a non-immigrant Visa for reason of retirement) but it is an approach to consider. It does mean you would have to only go to the Thai public hospitals, instead of going to the Thai private hospitals, where typically the 'private' hospitals are considered by many to be superior to the 'public' hospitals'.

 

He doesn't qualify for Thai healthcare; you need a job to do so.

[oldcpu]

18 hours ago, boonbohmee said:

The nice surprise is that I got a Thai ID card with it. It's pink instead of blue and it says you aren't Thai. So far, it works just like a Thai ID for health care. I've been to the local clinic (anamie) many times and not paid. I just had a covid booster, and just like the locals I didn't pay.

 

I think the COVID Vaccine jabs are offered for free to all, and one does not have to have a 'pink' non-Thai 'quasi' ID card to get such jabs ( ... I typing this noting that I also have such a 'pink-ID' but I never used such for my free jabs in Thailand).  

 

I don't see that free COVID jab as 'proof' that one qualifies for health care.  

 

Having typed that, my Thai wife seems to think if I went for a non-O (or non-OA) Visa for reason of 'marriage', together with my Tabian Bahn and Pink-ID that I could qualify for free Health care in a Public hospital (where I posted that possibility earlier) but I confess - I side with those who say "No - one can't get Thai health care".  

 

With regard to the Type-OA Visa Health Insurance requirements, it does thou beg the question, why does Thailand not require foreigners, on a Type-OA visa for reason of being married to a Thai,  NOT have to pay Health Insurance. Why?   Why would they allow that exclusion because one is married to a Thai ?  Could it be there is a way to get free Health Insurance if married to a Thai ?  I'm just asking.  Don't shoot the person asking the question.

 

Honestly, I don't know, and its not a priority of mine to find out, as I have excellent European health insurance (that comes as part of my pension) that covers BOTH my wife and myself.  My health insurance is more than adequate for Thailand's better private hospitals.

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

With regard to the Type-OA Visa Health Insurance requirements, it does thou beg the question, why does Thailand not require foreigners, on a Type-OA visa for reason of being married to a Thai,  NOT have to pay Health Insurance. Why?  

No insurance is not required for a extension of stay based upon marriage. It does not matter what type of visa you used to enter the country.

[Liquorice]

36 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

With regard to the Type-OA Visa Health Insurance requirements, it does thou beg the question, why does Thailand not require foreigners, on a Type-OA visa for reason of being married to a Thai,  NOT have to pay Health Insurance. Why?   Why would they allow that exclusion because one is married to a Thai ?  Could it be there is a way to get free Health Insurance if married to a Thai ?  I'm just asking.  Don't shoot the person asking the question.

Applying for the Non O-A visa from a Thai Embassy is based purely on 'retirement'
The Non O in contrast can be applied for on the basis of retirement, Thai spouse, voluntary work etc.

 

If you're extending your permission of stay at an Immigration office based from an O-A, retirement, then the Insurance is still applicable.
If you're extending your stay based on Thai spouse, it's not a requirement.

Why is because if applying based on retirement, the assumption is you're single and should you require medical care, then you need a carer, privately or hospital care.
Applying based on Thai spouse if you require medical care, your wife will care for you.

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, oldcpu said:

 my Thai wife seems to think if I went for a non-O (or non-OA) Visa for reason of 'marriage', together with my Tabian Bahn and Pink-ID that I could qualify for free Health care in a Public hospital 

Your wife is definitely incorrect.

 

Visa type has no bearing on access to health care in Thailand (though it can effect whether private insurance is mandatory (and don"t look for logic there) . 

 

There are only 2 circumstances where a non-citizen is eligible for free health cover in Thailand:

 

1. If legally employed and enrolled in Social Security or opting to continue such enrollment after leaving work through private payments. Note that private schools and very small businesses are exempt from requirement to enroll employees in SD. 

 

2.If married to, or a dependent of,  a government civil servant. The Civil Service SS scheme (not the same as SS referred to above) is the only of the three schemed comprising universal health cover in Thailand to include spouses and dependents. 

 

Aside from the above the only free eligibility would be for special services like COVID vaccine decided on ad hoc by the government as being in the national interest to provide.

 

Migrant workers from neighboring countries can get under the so called "30 baht" scheme but have to pay a yearly fee for it. In fact it is now a mandatory condition for them to work here legally. There is so far no such option for foreign retirees.

 

 

[Neeranam]

Was just thinking about the advantages of marrying a Thai. 

 

I get tax allowances for being married, also for my wife's parents who are over 60.

 

Used to be easier for your kids if the parents are married, but not now. 

 

The only advantage for older, retired guys is less money in the bank for a visa, however the disadvantages FAR outweigh this advantage. After living here for 30 years, I could tell you about billions of baht lost due to foreign guys trusting their wives. 

 

There is one other advantage, if you go down to the town house and spend hours and time getting a yellow housebook(that foreigners call 'tabien bahn'), you can get a pink card that means you don't have to carry your passport every 5 years when you renew your Driver's license except in a few provinces, like Roi Et included. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

Why would they allow that exclusion because one is married to a Thai ?  Could it be there is a way to get free Health Insurance if married to a Thai ?  I'm just asking.  Don't shoot the person asking the question.

If your wife is a government officer, you get free Thai healthcare. 

[Neeranam]

20 hours ago, Sun3110 said:

Despite visiting many times over the past 10 years (c. 4 times a year) and my wife visiting England at least annually until the pandemic struck

If you don't live with your wife, then forget the advantages people mentioned about visas. Immigration check with neighbours about if you actually live there, or not.

[khunPer]

23 hours ago, Sun3110 said:

I would appreciate any advice and / or information on what advantages marriage affords me in terms of living in Thailand. Whilst I do not intend to reside in Thailand I do intend to spend between 15 and 20 weeks a year in the country and so, for example, having a Thai driving licence would be helpful, as would understanding other issues such as the position on healthcare (though I may continue to pay for this as and when the need arises in any event).

You can get 60 days extension of stay based on being married to a Thai; i.e. with a non-immigrant type-O visa you can get 90 + 60 days stay in Thailand, which covers 15-20 weeks.

 

I believe you can also use a 60-days tourist via, plus 30 days normal extension of stay, plus 60 days extension of stay based on marriage.

 

Thai driving licens is a must, when you stay – and of course drive – in Thailand for more than three month. You need an international driving permit and your national driving license to obtain a Thai driving license; there are no benefits of being married to a Thai.

You have no benefits of healthcare, you need health insurance or being self-insured, just like all other foreigners...????

[Lung Khao]

22 hours ago, Sun3110 said:

Thank you everyone for your responses. 

 

I am 63 - retired some years ago and don't intend to work again. 

 

Thank for the point about healthcare, regarding the need to arrange my own cover should I decide to spend longer periods of time in Thailand, which is a distinct possibility. I had picked up from previous posts that being on a Non O visa does not require you to purchase a Thai Healthcare policy - but of course, as several of you have pointed out, I still need to pay for my healthcare and if I decide to stay for longer periods in Thailand getting cover in place is strongly advisable. For all my visits I do have comprehensive travel insurance which should cover any health emergencies.

 

Despite visiting many times over the past 10 years (c. 4 times a year) and my wife visiting England at least annually until the pandemic struck, I do not have a thai bank account and have been refused taking a thai driving test with my tourist visa. I had been thinking that both would make my life easier for my stays in Thailand. I realise that I can continue to rely on my international driving licence but I would feel more comfortable having a thai driving licence.

 

I Think I will get a Non O Visa for my upcoming trip and see how far I get with both of these desired steps.

 

Thank you all again for your responses and advice.

 

 

 

 

First of all, Congratulations. Now I

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

 

There is one other advantage, if you go down to the town house and spend hours and time getting a yellow housebook(that foreigners call 'tabien bahn'), you can get a pink card that means you don't have to carry your passport every 5 years when you renew your Driver's license except in a few provinces, like Roi Et included. 

 

 

You do not have to be married to a Thai to do that.

 

How much time and hassle to get yellow tabian ban seems to vary greatly by Ampur.

[Khmer Surin]

On 12/7/2022 at 8:31 AM, Sun3110 said:

I would appreciate any advice and / or information on what advantages marriage affords me in terms of living in Thailand.

It gives you the wonderful opportunity to care of the family’s livestock such as the water buffalo to make sure he/they live a long,healthy and relaxing lifestyle.

[HampiK]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

There is one other advantage, if you go down to the town house and spend hours and time getting a yellow housebook(that foreigners call 'tabien bahn'), you can get a pink card that means you don't have to carry your passport every 5 years when you renew your Driver's license except in a few provinces, like Roi Et included. 

Bangkok Rama 2 Office also not want use the Pink ID and use the Passport instead.

But additional as 3 of my bank accounts, some membership cards are linked with my Pink ID instead of passport.. and there is the same advantage.. no need of changing the Passport number after a new one. 
 

[Lung Khao]

58 minutes ago, Lung Khao said:

First of all, Congratulations. Now I would like to recommend you to take all what you can i.e. Yellow Tabien Baan, Pink ID, Thai DL. In my case getting Yellow Tabien Baan was a little bit complicated but finally I got it, the good think is that you don't have to renew it. When you get Yellow Tabien Baan, getting Pink ID is a piece of cake. Finally as somebody already mentioned, you can easily get Thai DL using International Driving License. You can also use for that national DL without need of translation if issued in English. Once you get them, you need to renew your Thai DL after certain periods: first renewal after 2 years, following renewals, every 5 years and if you don't miss the renewal date, it is also piece of cake. I am not sure at which age they issue Pink ID permanently, but you probably qualify for that, if not you have to do that after 10 years. Why all of that? Sooner or later you may happen to need some of these and older you are, more you're tired, and later you need these, harder to struggle barriers of bureaucracy.

 

[Sun3110]

Thank you to all the respondents to my post. Your thoughts and advice are very much appreciated. 

 

It seems clear that getting a Yellow Tabien Baan and a Pink ID card is very useful, but unless I am living in Thailand, these will most probably not be available to me. If so, I will carry on as I am. I just thought I would explore whether my recent marriage does 'open any doors' so to speak.

 

Thank you again.

 

Sun3110

[IvorBiggun2]

23 minutes ago, Sun3110 said:

It seems clear that getting a Yellow Tabien Baan and a Pink ID card is very useful

A Yellow Book is a complete waste of time and not worth the effort. 

[oldcpu]

On 12/9/2022 at 2:51 PM, IvorBiggun2 said:

A Yellow Book is a complete waste of time and not worth the effort. 

I obtained a 90-day Type-O Visa back last year, and this month a 1-year extension. Immigration asked for proof of my residence location in Thailand. They accepted a copy of my deed of purchase but wanted a copy of my blue book indicating that condo was my residence. Well - to the best of my knowledge foreigners don't get blue books.   So I gave them a copy of the appropriate pages of my yellow book. They accepted that.  ...

 

Was there another way to do this? Likely - but I did not have to.  I had the yellow book. Why use another method?

 

I am likely to apply for an LTR Wealthy Pensioner Visa.  But my condo purchase value is not enough to fully meet the investment in Thailand requirement.  So I decided to purchase a couple million Thai baht of Thai government bonds.   I currently have no bonds in my portfolio, relatively speaking this is not a large amount of money for myself, so why not?  Again this LTR is for a "wealthy pensioner" - ie IMHO for a person who is not worried about not earning a lot of interest on a bond purchase.

 

I went to my Bangkok Bank branch, but for a foreigner to buy a Thai government bond (a new issue) through their branch, they require BOTH a Yellow Book and a Pink-ID card.  The Yellow-Book to prove residency and the Pink-ID (to use the # as the Tax ID number).  Is there another way to purchase a Thai government bond without that?  Quite possibly, but how ??  The easiest thing for me was to purchase such at my bank.

 

So when you state a yellow book is a complete waste of time and not worth the effort - I 100% agree with you, for those who were not attempting to do what I recently was able to do easily. 

 

Each to their own. For some a waste - for others, not so.

 

I do agree, that getting the Yellow book was a hassle. 

 

The "Pink ID" ? The Pink ID was easy to get, but only AFTER I had the Yellow book.

[lopburi3]

8 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Was there another way to do this? Likely - but I did not have to.  I had the yellow book. Why use another method?

Normal proof these days without rental contract seems to be TM-30 receipt, which should be attached to your passport just like 90 day report receipt (which is often also copied).

[Gottfrid]

You can do everything same easy without being married. No benefits at all. The with one exception. If you are under 50 years of age, you can still get a Non-O

[oldcpu]

19 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Normal proof these days without rental contract seems to be TM-30 receipt, which should be attached to your passport just like 90 day report receipt (which is often also copied).

They wouldn't accept the TM30 I had. Which made no sense to me. Maybe it was a bad day for immigration. 

 

They insisted on copy of my condo deed and blue or yellow book. .. For a rental ( which was not my case) they wanted rental contract and copy of owner's ( Thai owner) blue book.

 

It's almost seems every immigration office has its own detailed requirements, which sometimes change from one year to the next. 

 

So on this particular occasion for me, my having a yellow book made it much easier. .. No having to argue that a TM30 ( which they rejected) should be adequate. 

[Rimmer]

Some bickering posts have been removed

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

They wouldn't accept the TM30 I had. Which made no sense to me. Maybe it was a bad day for immigration. 

 

They insisted on copy of my condo deed and blue or yellow book. .. For a rental ( which was not my case) they wanted rental contract and copy of owner's ( Thai owner) blue book.

 

It's almost seems every immigration office has its own detailed requirements, which sometimes change from one year to the next. 

 

So on this particular occasion for me, my having a yellow book made it much easier. .. No having to argue that a TM30 ( which they rejected) should be adequate. 

From previous post it seems you are using condo as part of permission to stay financials (unlike most) so expect that is reason yellow book needed.  

[oldcpu]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

From previous post it seems you are using condo as part of permission to stay financials (unlike most) so expect that is reason yellow book needed.  

Not sure if I understand that.

 

I may apply for an LTR visa soon, in which case I will use my condo as part of my proof of investment in Thailand (needed for a "LTR Wealthy Pensioner" whose income is > $40K US$/year). 

 

But for the Type-O visa that I currently have, its not the case.

 

I recently obtained a  1-year extension on my permission to stay for reason of retirement on my Type-O visa, and my condo value has nothing to do with my proof of financials.   I have (and for some time have had) the appropriate 800K Thai baht in a Thai bank to meet the immigration's 800K Thai baht in a bank requirement.

 

When I went for that Type-O permission to stay in Thailand extension, I was asked for proof of residence.  I provided a TM30. That was rejected.  I started to speak /dispute that, but I was told unequivocally they wanted my rental contract and a copy of my landlords blue book.  I explained I owned and lived in my own condo. They then stated they wanted a copy of the deed to my condo and my blue book.  I tried to explain that as a foreigner I could not get my name in a blue book but I had a TM30 filled in on my own property (with my name in the TM30), but they insisted - they wanted my blue book.

 

So I made copies of my condo deed, and copies of the pages from my Yellow Book (ignoring what they stated about wanting about a non-existent blue book with my name inside for my condo) and they accepted copies of the Yellow Book pages (which I believe look very similar to such pages in a Blue book).

 

Most bizarre - the TM30 should have been adequate, but it was not accepted.  The Yellow book, for whatever reason, smoothed things over.

 

As I suggested before - perhaps immigration was just having a rough day.

 

 

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

I recently obtained a  1-year extension on my permission to stay for reason of retirement on my Type-O visa,

Sorry when you brought up the LTR and condo read it as that was what you were extending rather than future plans.

 

So perhaps they wanted updated proof if TM-30 from awhile ago.  Rental contract seems to be fairly normal ask and copy of Blue Book would prove contract signer OK.  But often exact details are not on any list and why we try to carry everything but the kitchen sink when doing extensions.