Top 10 reasons to retire in Thailand in 2023

[spidermike007]

I agree with 1 and 2. Disagree with 3. The highways are utterly choked. Unless you fly, it is not easy to get around here. Thailand desperately needs transportation alternatives, and regional airports like Hua Hin should be built up and utilized more, in addition to more high speed ferries and rail like in Europe. 

 

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably only spend 2 months of the year here. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. 

 
This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. Some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1000 mb fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there.

 

I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak.

Inflation in the US.

 

I am in the US right now, and the prices and inflation are mind blowing. The cheapest lunch we have found was $30 for two. For 2 sandwiches. That is 1,000 baht, anytime you want something basic. A bag of groceries is 3,000 baht.

A friend of mine is looking for an apartment to move to in LA, and really small, simple places are 70,000 baht per month. Nice two bedrooms are closer to 100,000 baht. Decent homes start at 125,000 baht per month. The cost of nearly everything has gone up dramatically. Runaway inflation? I would peg real inflation in the US at 22%.
 
Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $3000 to 4500 a month. That is 140,000 baht!

 

A newly upholstered motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up.

 

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up.

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800 to 2500 baht. In the US? $150 for a crappy motel. $200 to $300 and up for a nice room.

 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

I order from FoodPanda alot. In a smaller town it is 250 baht for 3 dishes, including delivery. In the US it is $40 for 2 dishes, plus $19 in delivery frees and taxes. That is stupid. 

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300 at a clinic and $2000 and up at a hospital, if you don't have health insurance. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty, with alot of attitude.

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

[KhunLA]

Only 2 original reasons for me:

... basically no RE Taxes

... affordable, accessible healthcare

 

Added plus since staying;

... affordable solar system

... affordable EVs & CS cost

THANK YOU CHINA ????

[ArnieP]

6 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

"Top 10 reasons to retire in Thailand in 2023"

 

no matter what, you'll still need dough in thailand

+1

 

To be in Thailand without money is terminal :(

[mokwit]

21 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I don't expect the country needs to be in the game of supplying cheap retirement options to foreigners like it used to. The requirements to retain money came into being as so many were faking the 800k at that time, along with Stat Decs  and Affidavits. I just find it easier to leave 800k in a FD account untouched....and hence all that has no impact on me. Once upon a time they liked to see 'movement' on the account to prove you were living off it and not working here!  

All valid comments, but it makes everything more difficult for those of us who aren't playing games. I recognise that my extension is probably one of the easiest in the world, but the requirements are becoming more pedantic and exacting to line everything up as they require.

 

The 400k year 'round was ostensibly to stop agents. That requires the cooperation of an IO, but I never heard about them going after the facilitators - they just punished the rest of us with the 400k requirement.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, mokwit said:

The 400k year 'round was ostensibly to stop agents. That requires the cooperation of an IO, but I never heard about them going after the facilitators - they just punished the rest of us with the 400k requirement.

Too many golden  eggs being laid by that goose! I have been driven to use an agent...but mainly because the extension process has become too onerous and crowded, and I have less patience as I get older too. 

[shackleton]

All the good reasons the Majority of us  here on Thai visa

reside in Thailand ???????????? 

You can't beat it ????

 

[Lokie]

5 hours ago, Captor said:

The clean air...

No Scams...

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I agree with 1 and 2. Disagree with 3. The highways are utterly choked. Unless you fly, it is not easy to get around here. Thailand desperately needs transportation alternatives, and regional airports like Hua Hin should be built up and utilized more, in addition to more high speed ferries and rail like in Europe. 

 

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably only spend 2 months of the year here. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. 

 
This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. Some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1000 mb fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there.

 

I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak.

Inflation in the US.

 

I am in the US right now, and the prices and inflation are mind blowing. The cheapest lunch we have found was $30 for two. For 2 sandwiches. That is 1,000 baht, anytime you want something basic. A bag of groceries is 3,000 baht.

A friend of mine is looking for an apartment to move to in LA, and really small, simple places are 70,000 baht per month. Nice two bedrooms are closer to 100,000 baht. Decent homes start at 125,000 baht per month. The cost of nearly everything has gone up dramatically. Runaway inflation? I would peg real inflation in the US at 22%.
 
Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $3000 to 4500 a month. That is 140,000 baht!

 

A newly upholstered motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up.

 

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up.

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800 to 2500 baht. In the US? $150 for a crappy motel. $200 to $300 and up for a nice room.

 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

I order from FoodPanda alot. In a smaller town it is 250 baht for 3 dishes, including delivery. In the US it is $40 for 2 dishes, plus $19 in delivery frees and taxes. That is stupid. 

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300 at a clinic and $2000 and up at a hospital, if you don't have health insurance. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty, with alot of attitude.

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

Tried to get rid of those annoying bold letters, and it ended up getting posted twice. Sorry. 

[spidermike007]

16 minutes ago, Lokie said:

No Scams...

So many scams in the US. Most of them are right out in the open, like $900 a nite for a room in a not so great Four Seasons property, or $3,800 a month for a 2 bedroom home rental in a not so great area of LA. Or $860 for a minor car repair. Or $580 for a speeding ticket. Or $160 for a plumber on a 35 minute visit. Or $80 for a steak dinner. I could go on. 

[spidermike007]

53 minutes ago, mokwit said:

All valid comments, but it makes everything more difficult for those of us who aren't playing games. I recognise that my extension is probably one of the easiest in the world, but the requirements are becoming more pedantic and exacting to line everything up as they require.

 

The 400k year 'round was ostensibly to stop agents. That requires the cooperation of an IO, but I never heard about them going after the facilitators - they just punished the rest of us with the 400k requirement.

I have actually been directed to an agent by an official at immigration. That is how brazen they are. They feel entirely above the law, and they know the recent Big Joke crackdown was a nothing burger, and just for show. 

[spidermike007]

58 minutes ago, ArnieP said:

+1

 

To be in Thailand without money is terminal :(

How true. Life is good for us here, as long as we have cash. But doesn't that apply to everywhere? 

[Reginald Prewster]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Keeping money in the bank year 'round or proving 65k every month from overseas.

 

TM30. You are now dependent on a third party for documentation required for an extension. They should not be refusing your extension if a TM30 has not been filed, they should be going after the non filing Landlord.

1-  Since 2002 I never had troubles with the retirement Visa extension.

Temporary offshore working contract stating my day rate worked as well as a bank book with 800K.

Both without any 3rd party approval.

 

2- Land owner you cannot be but if the Partner goes before you, you can literally "own" the land as long you are the beneficiary who inherits it. 

You own the house on it and you have a right to live a lifetime on the land.

You can sell it too if you want a change.

The only thing left is you cannot rent out the land, or take a loan on it... 

 

3 -as long you are not living in Pattaya or any other Tourist area you will live in the real Thailand or "Land of Smile"..  

 

4 -Hospitals are top of the notch compared to Europe as long you have a good health insurance or the coin to pay cash.

 

5 -The weather (if you like it hot)

 

6 -The food (if you like it hot)

 

7 The girls (if you like it hot, go somewhere else but they are still a good average) 

 

8 -Family sense if you understand they can only work for you to make you happy and you are the feeder.

     (Which you can friendly explain to limit the "donations" to an affordable amount) 

 

9 - A good wife - if you respect her, but if you cheat on her you will be losing your last shirt (like elsewhere in the world)

 

10 -  20  ???  Thailand........ 

Edited April 18, 2023 by Reginald Prewster
spacing

[digger70]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

2. High-quality healthcare

Yep that's fine , only one tiny problem Can't get Insurance  and if one can it's at over the top premiums with a lot off exclusions for preexisting conditions.

So for us Old Sods that means if one Can get insurance we pay for healthcare what we Don't get.

[mogandave]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I agree with 1 and 2. Disagree with 3. The highways are utterly choked. Unless you fly, it is not easy to get around here. Thailand desperately needs transportation alternatives, and regional airports like Hua Hin should be built up and utilized more, in addition to more high speed ferries and rail like in Europe. 

Which will bring all the western issues you hate. 

 

How much does a ferry cost in Thailand, and how much does one cost in Europe?

 

I’ve been driving here since 2000 and don’t find it that bad. 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

 

I suppose if I had unlimited finances, I would probably only spend 2 months of the year here. I despise the government and immigration here, and it does feel like the nation is moving backwards. But, considering the fact that I do not have a fortune, I will stay. There are many issues to consider. Going back to the US is not an option. I would not want to live there now, unless I was being paid over a million dollars a year, and then I would only do it for 3 years, and then leave. For me, it is about quality of life, and my level of fulfillment on a daily basis, which I seem to have here in abundance. A big factor here, is the relatively light hearted attitude of the people. You just do not find that in the US, where most seem bitter, disenchanted, unfulfilled, and heavy hearted. 

While I generally agree, there are plenty of areas in the US with friendly, happy people. 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

 This is an entirely subjective topic, of course. But some of us live very good lives here. Some of us have been fortunate enough to find an outstanding woman, who is delightful to be around, on a daily basis, always has our back, and is fun, smart, and lovely. For me, that likelihood of finding that back in the US, would be very low. So, that is a big factor for me. The second factor is just the quality of life. Sure, I miss alot of the culture back home. The theatre, independent film (which I can download here with no issues at all, and a super fast 1000 mb fiber optic connection, at under 700 baht per month!), stand up comedy, live jazz, etc. But I have a lovely home that I rent, for about 10% of what I would pay in California, I live very well on an income which is not huge, have access to great health care, at a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US, and do not have to put up with alot of the aggravation that I had to when I lived back there.

I used to love CA, I wouldn’t move back now on a bet, unless I lost my family.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I used to have more issues than I do now. I worked on my attitude, which was getting in the way of appreciating Thailand for what it is, and was clouding my experience here. Used to stress over stupid stuff, as you can see from some of my past posts. Used to allow the politics to make me angry. Now it is not something I take seriously, just something I comment on, without anger or an emotional investment. Now, I just tend to laugh it off. Spent some real time back in the US recently, and it allowed some clarity and perspective, that I am very grateful for. Now, I just chuckle at most of the nonsense. Water off a duck's back, so to speak.

Inflation in the US.

Yeah, it gets better when you learn to let go of stuff.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I am in the US right now, and the prices and inflation are mind blowing. The cheapest lunch we have found was $30 for two. For 2 sandwiches. That is 1,000 baht, anytime you want something basic. A bag of groceries is 3,000 baht.

A friend of mine is looking for an apartment to move to in LA, and really small, simple places are 70,000 baht per month. Nice two bedrooms are closer to 100,000 baht. Decent homes start at 125,000 baht per month. The cost of nearly everything has gone up dramatically. Runaway inflation? I would peg real inflation in the US at 22%.

People deserve a living wage. When a kindergarten teacher makes $80k for 100 days of work, what should a plumber make?

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand is still reasonable. It used to be cheap. Has not been cheap for a long time. But, it is still reasonable. I know people who pay 10,000 baht a month for newer 3 bedroom houses in nice towns. In major cities in the US? $3000 to 4500 a month. That is 140,000 baht!

 

A newly upholstered motorbike seat recently redone on my scooter. 400 baht. A friend of mine had similar work done in the US. $275.

 

I recently had a guy come over and insulate my ceiling. I bought the insulation and paid him 2000 baht for labor. In the US? $500 and up.

 

I recently had an electrician do some work on the house. Nearly a full day of work. Paid him 1000 baht. In the US? $500 and up.

 

An oil change for my scooter costs me 200 baht, with Castrol oil. In the US? $75.

 

When I travel here I stay in nice four star hotels in Bangkok. Usually 1800 to 2500 baht. In the US? $150 for a crappy motel. $200 to $300 and up for a nice room.

 

I eat well here. In a smaller town you can get a three course meal for 150-250 baht. In the US? 2000 baht and up, plus tax and a nearly mandatory 15% tip.

I order from FoodPanda alot. In a smaller town it is 250 baht for 3 dishes, including delivery. In the US it is $40 for 2 dishes, plus $19 in delivery frees and taxes. That is stupid. 

 

I visit the emergency room here to visit a specialist, and with x-rays I am out the door for 2000 baht, at a private hospital. In the US? $300 at a clinic and $2000 and up at a hospital, if you don't have health insurance. An anecdote on this subject. A good friend of mine got in a bad motorcycle accident some time ago. He almost lost his leg. He got his first of 11 operations at Bangkok Hospital Samui. It costs him over a million baht. They wanted to do a second procedure. They quoted him 1,400,000 baht. He decided to transfer to Bangkok. He was quoted 460,000 baht for the same procedure, at a top private hospital there. The surgeon told him that he worked at a public hospital too, and could do the same operation there, for alot less money. He told him he would get him a quote. In the interim, my friend called a good friend of his, in San Diego, who is an orthopedic surgeon. Since my friend is a retired chiropractor, he knew all the terminology, and explained what he needed, and asked for the best price. His friend called him back the next day, and quoted him $960,000, with cash discounts! The local surgeon here got back to him, and told him he could do it for 46,000 baht. He transferred, and they did all the rest of his procedures. So, 1,400,000 at Bangkok Hospital, 460,000 at Vejthani Hospital, and 46,000 at the public hospital, with an excellent surgeon. VS. 31,000,000 baht in the US. Again, no complaints from this peanut gallery.

 

Friends of mine, who are single, enjoy the company of a young, beautiful woman for a couple of hours, for 2500 baht. In the US? $800 an hour now for a beauty, with alot of attitude.

 

I could go on and on, all day long. I live at a level here, that I would never be able to live at, in the US, in most of Europe, in Oz, or Canada. Yes, the higher baht is an annoyance. And yes things are more expensive than they used to be. But, it is very relative.

I like that immigration in Thailand tries to keep track of “visitors”, we could use a lot more of that in the US.

[mogandave]

12 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Yep that's fine , only one tiny problem Can't get Insurance  and if one can it's at over the top premiums with a lot off exclusions for preexisting conditions.

So for us Old Sods that means if one Can get insurance we pay for healthcare what we Don't get.

I pay as I go, and it is not that expensive. 

 

Insurance for individuals should never cover preexisting conditions.

 

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It has been 800k in the bank for as long as I can remember and I didn't just get off the banana boat!

800k for single 400k if married or 15k to the local agent/immigration officer.????

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

"Top 10 reasons to retire in Thailand in 2023"

 

no matter what, you'll still need dough in thailand

So far in this thread there has been no mention of a retiree having to forfeit his annual state pension increases.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Long Term Visa: Importance of Thailand’s 90-Day Reporting
by Kriti Sharma 

 

Photo: Freepik

The 90-day reporting is a requirement for foreigners staying in Thailand for an extended period of time. It is a process where non-Thai nationals need to report their current residential address and other personal information to the immigration authorities every 90 days.

 

The 90-day reporting is mandatory for anyone who holds a long-term visa, such as a non-immigrant visa, retirement visa, marriage visa, or work permit. Failure to comply with the 90-day reporting can result in fines, deportation, or other legal consequences. Let us explore how can we seamlessly comply with Thailand’s rules and regulations and the possible consequences if we fail to do so.

 

How can I get my 90-day reporting done?

1. Online reporting

Visit the Thai Immigration Bureau website: Go to the official website of the Thai Immigration Bureau. If you are a first-time user, you will need to create an account by providing your personal information, such as your name, passport number, and email address. You will also need to create a username and password for future logins.

Once you have logged in to your account, you will need to fill out the 90-day reporting form. The form will ask for your personal information, visa details, and current address in Thailand. Make sure to double-check your information before submitting the form. After you have completed the form, click on the “Submit” button to send the report to the Thai Immigration Bureau. You will receive a confirmation receipt after your report has been submitted.

 

You can check the status of your 90-day reporting by logging in to your account on the Thai Immigration Bureau website. You will be able to see if your report has been processed and approved by the authorities.

2. In-person reporting

Before visiting the immigration office, make sure to gather all the required documents, including your passport, visa or work permit, departure card, and any other relevant documents. It is recommended to make copies of these documents in case they are requested.

 

When you arrive at the immigration office, you will need to fill out the 90-day reporting form with your personal information, visa details, and current address in Thailand. Make sure to double-check your information before submitting the form.

 

After you have completed the form, submit it to the immigration officer along with your passport, departure card, and other relevant documents. The officer may ask you additional questions or request further documents, so be prepared to provide any necessary information.

 

Once your 90-day reporting has been processed and approved, you will receive a receipt as proof of compliance. Make sure to keep this receipt in a safe place, as you may be asked to show it during future encounters with immigration officials.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/guides/visa-information/long-term-visa-importance-of-thailands-90-day-reporting

 

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-04-18

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

"The 90-day reporting is mandatory for anyone who holds a long-term visa, such as a non-immigrant visa, retirement visa, marriage visa, or work permit". 

I don't remember having to do 90 day reporting when I had a work permit.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

you got me curious now! ????

Even with some ridiculous immigration issues the good still outweighs the bad compared to retiring in the UK, except maybe a few years down the line when the lack of the state pension annual increases begins to bite.

[proton]

Concerts, luktung, morlam, likay, kantrum, lukrung and associated fun like Wat fairs beer garden concerts and radio station get togethers. The rest is mostly hot frustration with a large dose of idiocy and incompetence, immigration being at the top of that list followed by the Police. I would never have married the mrs without the music and thats largely why I stay.

[couchpotato]

14 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

"The 90-day reporting is mandatory for anyone who holds a long-term visa, such as a non-immigrant visa, retirement visa, marriage visa, or work permit". 

I don't remember having to do 90 day reporting when I had a work permit.

You are doing the 90 days for the Visa/Extension that goes along with the WP, not for the WP itself.

Edited April 18, 2023 by couchpotato

[ikke1959]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Well the TM30, after a trip overseas requirement, was supposedly cancelled, but recent communications with agents and some Expats suggests they want people to do them again! For Pattaya, doing 90 day reports is easy on-line and I would not fret over it. Overall, during my time here though, I feel things are being made more 'complicated' for us. They are having second thought about wanting Western Expats maybe!

I strongly believe they have no idea about culture, habits, etc of foreigners...They are so focussed on everything Thai that everything else is a threat and so also foreigners, except when they come for a short holiday and than leave again

[mokwit]

2 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

I strongly believe they have no idea about culture, habits, etc of foreigners...They are so focussed on everything Thai that everything else is a threat and so also foreigners, except when they come for a short holiday and than leave again

Foreigners undergo a transformation and become dangerous after 30 days.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

It has been 800k in the bank for as long as I can remember and I didn't just get off the banana boat!

Did Thaksin not increase the money in the bank from 250,000Bt to the now 800,000Bt when he was PM?

I do stand to be corrected however.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes,  I do not understand the "all the Retirement rules have changed" rhetoric. Have they really?  It all seems pretty simple and similar just the lines are longer.

One thing I would disagree with on the list is health care.  I do not think it is that great at least not as good as it use to be. And, they do seem to have a tendency to over test.  Add, many procedures are out patient in western countries.  Here, they want you to stay in the hospital for several days. In some cases it may be cheaper and better care to fly home.

Although I don't have much experience of it, I do understand from talking to other expats that in most cases, even in government hospitals, they tend to try and get as much money from you as possible, ie get you to stay as long as possible in hospital, more money for them, charging much more than the local pharmacies for medicine.

[Skallywag]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

I could of 10 reasons why NOT to retire in Thailand but i won't go into it now, Thailand is not what it used to be 10-20 years ago easy pizzy place to live, enjoy and have fun, now it's all about the money and rules and more rules, none of which to make life easier.

Believe it or not, the whole world "is not what it used to be 10-20 years ago".

And yes, inflation means things will cost more - also worldwide fact

Luckily for me, Thailand cares little about enforcing "rules"   5555  

It's all good

[mokwit]

5 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

Although I don't have much experience of it, I do understand from talking to other expats that in most cases, even in government hospitals, they tend to try and get as much money from you as possible, ie get you to stay as long as possible in hospital, more money for them, charging much more than the local pharmacies for medicine.

In fairness, this has not been my experience at the Govt Hospital I go to. I have no suspicion of any unnecessary treatments. Drug prices are cheaper than I can get outside. Things seem to be charged at cost.

 

Private hospitals are another matter.

[NoshowJones]

2 minutes ago, mokwit said:

In fairness, this has not been my experience at the Govt Hospital I go to. I have no suspicion of any unnecessary treatments. Drug prices are cheaper than I can get outside. Things seem to be charged at cost.

 

Private hospitals are another matter.

I understand what you are saying, there are always exceptions, just like a very small amount of farangs think that the unelected caretaker government have done a good job in running Thailand.

[mokwit]

13 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I understand what you are saying, there are always exceptions, just like a very small amount of farangs think that the unelected caretaker government have done a good job in running Thailand.

I was relaying my direct experience at the one and only Govt hospital I have used. I don't think I understand the need for your second comment about Governments and small amounts of falangs. What point were you trying to make?

Edited April 18, 2023 by mokwit

[gearbox]

4 hours ago, Gknrd said:

29-30000 people a year dead because of air pollution. Plunk down 25K in a Thai bank for 6 months a year living (you need to vacate 6 months if you want to breath). Some of the highest ATM withdrawal rates in the world. Immigration hassles.  Military run government catering to the CCP.

Yea, sign me up.  

Most of the issues above can be sorted with enough funds applied...wrt the government who cares, we are not in the electoral roll here, as long as they don't bother me all is good. I've been here more than 5 years now, the only time I had to deal with the police was to file a report about lost driving licence in order to get a replacement.