Opinion Editorial: No, It Isn’t Time to Worry About RETIREMENT VISA Changes….Yet

[Mickboy]

Not such a 'Big joke' now many retiree's will be <deleted> if and when..............

[Deerculler]

I have been in Thailand on a OA Retirement Extension for almost 14 years. Many others like me

Are we responsible for letting the gangs into Thailand.

Perhaps if we were not here.

Perhaps the gangs would not be here.

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

OK thanks, I remeber now that they do, but it is for Thailand/Interpol notices not for criminal record from your home country?

 

I don't. I don't want to have to arrange another document, yet alone one with a date that has to coincide.

 

Why do you like the idea of limiting O applications to one a year, because you won't be affected but others will.

 

Be careful what you wish for, a lot of people "safe" with their retirement extension who were gloating at visa tightenings for others such as "border hoppers" and who thought everyone but them should be horsewhipped and deported got their comeuppance when an extra 400k/proof of remittance of 65k was introduced. be careful what you wish for, the rising tide might reach you.

 

Seriously, all these people who think the rules should be tightened to keep out others - General Prem isn't looking down from the heavens on you thinking, ahh yes, this is the type of good falang who are welcome in Thailand. There are types who come to Thailand that I am not keen on, but any tightening on them will likely affect me also in some way.

Well said. Many retirees feel the need to police other retirees and want limitations on Thai visas and extensions--as long as it doesn't affect them. Why anyone would think it's a good idea to increase the amount of money held in deposit escapes me. They want to have access to less of their own money???  And see it put in non-insured accounts??? Just to get rid of people they consider "trash," as someone put it the other day. How is it going to help people to take out insurance, pay hospital bills, or other emergencies, if their available funds are reduced by another million baht or so? How is it going to help Thai businesses if there is less money available to spend in the country?

[arick]

I am preparing my partners PR visa now as a back up  had enough of this place 

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, TPI said:

So... none of you retirees are thinking that the photo requirements added to "copies of your home bank statement showing your income " for the last 12 months, so that they can see how you pay your B 65K a month into your Thai bank account means nothing???

Where is this "copies of your home bank statement showing your income " requirement applied putativelydiscussed?

 

I also think it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they demand "source of funds" similar to AMLO requirements to prove that they are (supposedly) not ill gotten gains and thus (supposedly) eliminate criminals applications. 

I seem to have read on these boards that some provincial Immigration Offices require evidence of source of the 65k.

 

They could accept only Government and large company pensions as some S American countries do.

 

[Doctor Tom]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

What's missing from the whole plan laid out by Surachate is ANY connection between a farang's ability to pay increased visa or extension monies AND keeping criminals out of the country.

 

As I've mentioned elsewhere, who's likely to have an easier time coming up with a lot of extra cash:

 

--a motorcycle gang criminal involved in selling drugs, extortion, protections rackets, etc etc

 

vs

 

--your basic single or married farang living off his home country pension and perhaps some savings.

 

It's the CRIMINALS who have going to have a far easier time coming up with the extra money that might be demanded.

 

So in essence, the financial requirement alone won't do jack to keep the criminals out of Thailand, at least, not the motorcycle gang types.

 

And that logic, clear though it is to any thinking person, appears to elude Big Joke.  That leads us to the obvious conclusion that the biker gang issues, and  any proposed changes to the financial requirements,  are not connected in any way.  It's the usual Thai smoke and mirrors.. 

[BritScot]

And this is why we left in 2019 "changes/rumours". How can anyone live with this hanging over their heads in later life when you want stability and security? Best move we ever made.

[mokwit]

15 minutes ago, Al BB said:

God knows how long it would take! ....When I was in UK (2008) I needed a CR Check for a job application. Applied in Feb and finally got it in April, No Criminal Record BTW, by which time I had another (Different) Job!

I thought you were going to say: '....by which time I had been convicted for a criminal offence.

 

All those howling for the criminal record check take note - you will have to line the dates up and it will be within a timeframe set by IB which may bear no relation to the time needed to get it from your home country.

 

just stop wishing for things to be made harder. It is far more likely to backfire on you then get rid of the "trash".

[jerrymahoney]

9 minutes ago, BritScot said:

How can anyone live with this hanging over their heads in later life when you want stability and security?

Not saying it's always easy but not worrying about something happening until it happens. 

 

[malibukid]

5 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

No, as I don't see how I could live in Thailand on less than 100k a month.

easy if you don't drink

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

There are many people with tattoos ,Just look at your Tv sports,  Boxers and MMA fighters,Snooker players , Movie stars and many more they are covered in INK.

Are you insinuating that people with Tattoos are criminals . you better look out ,one off those Tattoo covered Sportsman might jus Bump into you.

Go and have a look in prison, pretty much all have tattoos 

[morrobay]

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Difficult for agents to differentiate between Olaf type criminals and retired pensioners.

 

Maybe time to get rid of people with tattoos

Indeed and besides tattoos also block cigarette smokers . There is a correlation these days.It's bad enough putting up with all these cigarette smoking locals. 

[prakhonchai nick]

6 hours ago, Yeah rightio said:

Not if it's required from your home country as per an application for an OA Visa they won't.

When I applied for Permanent residency, albeit 30+ years ago, I needed a report from the UK stating I had no criminal record. This could apparently be applied for through the British Embassy. When I visited the embassy and explained what I wanted, I was asked "Do you have a criminal record in the UK?". My answer, being NO, was totally sufficient for the embassy to issue a document for Thai immigration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, morrobay said:

Indeed and besides tattoos also block cigarette smokers . There is a correlation these days.It's bad enough putting up with all these cigarette smoking locals. 

Good point, that works, also shirtless men

[terje johnsen]

unmatter how mutch money you need for month if its 65000 or 130000 for month the gangs have the money same if its 800k Vs 2000k the criminals have them they only block out the ordenary people they not get the rich people they hoping for.

[mokwit]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Good point, that works, also shirtless men

People with beards - they're obviously hiding something. Any more?

[CFCol]

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Forget increasing financial limits that won't help at all, do a criminal record check instead

OA holders already have had to produce a criminal record check to get the visa.

Maybe it should be extended to "O" visa's too?

[mokwit]

6 minutes ago, CFCol said:

OA holders already have had to produce a criminal record check to get the visa.

Maybe it should be extended to "O" visa's too?

No it should not. If you want to subjugate yourself to the onerous OA requirement go ahead, but many of us are quite happy getting an O extension and avoiding the requirements. Why get this visa? Extra requirements for no benefit other than 1 year on entry and then you STILL have the requirements for each subsequent year renewal..

 

https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/non-immigrant-visa-o-a?menu=5e1ff71bc4281a00c812e8e2

[bluemoon58]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Difficult for agents to differentiate between Olaf type criminals and retired pensioners.

 

Maybe time to get rid of people with tattoos

You heartless bar steward...!!! ???? That'd be me out then! 

[sambum]

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Forget increasing financial limits that won't help at all, do a criminal record check instead

Which IMHO should be mandatory anyway!

 

[DJ54]

Perhaps another trip to non active post for Big Joke is due.. How dare he blame retirees for gang problems. An apology would be good for starters 

[mokwit]

Just now, sambum said:

Which IMHO should be mandatory anyway!

 

So many Turkeys voting for Christmas in this thread.

[retarius]

6 hours ago, Robin said:

Careful about asking for a 'Criminal Record Check'  as my experience of this (in UK) is that you have to apply in person at your local police station and not that quick or easy.   If this was required for every extension (yearly?) how many of us retires would want to go back to home country every year?

Are we sure hat every M/c gang member has a criminal record?

AS ever it would be far easier for criminals to get round this that ordinary citizens.

This is a good point. When I got my police check in the UK, the local police station said it would take up to 6 weeks....lucky I applied early......but surely ion you are residing in Thailand they would know if you had a criminal record in the prior year. 

Anyway I waited the 6 weeks....the I/O didn't even look at it.

[redwood1]

Plenty of good points here

 

But for over 10 years now the visas have been tightening, and many times the tighting has been cheered on by brain dead farangs, who are digging their own grave....

 

And all the new visas that have come out are terrible, not helpful at all....

 

So until this trend in visa tightening stops...The future is not looking so bright...

[Doctor Tom]

16 minutes ago, CFCol said:

OA holders already have had to produce a criminal record check to get the visa.

Maybe it should be extended to "O" visa's too?

Why? Where is the need or the logic? 

[scubascuba3]

23 minutes ago, mokwit said:

People with beards - they're obviously hiding something. Any more?

Bald people, they annoy me

[Artisi]

I for one don't understand all the perceived problems/drama of visa extensions, for over 20 years extending my visa initially for employment, then retirement and later marriage I've never had any problem when supplying the correct legitimate paperwork and I've never considered or needed an agent to circumvent the system. Maybe this is due to complying with requirements (not all that difficult), a civil attitude, and being aware that I'm a visitor in Thailand and not being special and entitled. 

Over the years I've seen many applying for extensions etc and could immediately see why they ran into problems - unwashed, unshaven, dressed like bums, and poor attitude - and they wonder why they are given a hard-time. 

 

[Burma Bill]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

sent shockwaves through the retired ex-pat community

Brown skid marks now appearing on bar stools???

[sambum]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Well said. Many retirees feel the need to police other retirees and want limitations on Thai visas and extensions--as long as it doesn't affect them. Why anyone would think it's a good idea to increase the amount of money held in deposit escapes me. They want to have access to less of their own money???  And see it put in non-insured accounts??? Just to get rid of people they consider "trash," as someone put it the other day. How is it going to help people to take out insurance, pay hospital bills, or other emergencies, if their available funds are reduced by another million baht or so? How is it going to help Thai businesses if there is less money available to spend in the country?

AS was said in an earlier post, the criminal element are probably the ones who could most easily afford to pay any increases in visa fees!

Without wanting to sound like I'm just blowing my own trumpet, or go off topic, I am in a position where I have been retired in Thailand for quite a few years, (and consequently spent a few million baht here) and have seen the Exchange Rate drop from 73 baht to the British Pound to about 40 baht. Also, being honest, I notified my Government that I was retired here and they very kindly froze my Old Age Pension so I no longer get annual increments. Add to that, the increase we have all seen in the cost of living, and I am the kind of person that Big Joke would want to penalise by increasing the amount of money I have to put on deposit in a Thai bank, rather than the criminal element that he is supposed to be trying to eliminate? 

[kingstonkid]

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Forget increasing financial limits that won't help at all, do a criminal record check instead

I think you will also see a crackdown and possibly a need to be registered and approved for immigration companies.