Questions Re: Temporarily Staying In Thailand

[Brickie]

Ok, the preliminaries:

I'm an Aussie, 52, live in Sydney. I would like to move to Thailand for a minimum of 12mths but less than 2yrs. As I make my living by online trading, what I'd ideally like to do is rent a residence either in Chiang Mai or Phuket area and set that up as a base. Would be returning to Oz at least once or twice a year.

What would be the best visa to shoot for bearing in mind I need to be able to:

a/ Rent a house/unit

b/ Be able to apply for broadband & other utilites. I've heard/read somewhere that it's difficult to do these things on some visa's

c/ Set up bank account so trading revenue is deposited directly into the account via the USA broker. Ability to transfer all monies to Oz account when I leave. ie. are there any restrictions on monies earned overseas & credited to Thai account

Anything else I may have missed?

cheers,

Brickie

Edited November 2, 2005 by Brickie

[thaiflyer1]

There are a couple of options open to you,

Being 50+ you could apply for a Non Immigrant O visa either a single entry or multiple depending upon what road you want to take.

If you want to stay in Thailand for a year at a time without the need for leaving the country every 90 days (known as a border or visa run) then apply for a single entry visa based upon retirement..............this would give you a 90 stay upon landing which can be extended (within the last 30 days of said stay) a year at a time upon meeting certain requirements the major one being that you have to transfer 800k baht from a foreign source into a Thai Bank when making the years stay appication...................the idea behind this is that you live off these funds during the years stay.............if you only use 400k of it thats fine you can just top it up from overseas to meet the 800k rule at next extension application.

The only requirement once the years stay has been granted is that you must report your address to local immigration in Thailand every 90 days.

If you intend to depart Thailand during the years stay then you would need either a single or multiple re-entry permit this protects your years stay stamp upon your return into the Kingdom.

Option 2 if you dont fancy bringing 800k in once a year would be to apply in Oz for a Non Imm O multiple entry this allows for unlimited entries into the Kingdom each one attracting a fresh stay of 90 days.............no 800k deposit is neccessary but you must leave every 90 days if you want to or not. This visa is valid for 1 year from date of issue so would need to re-newed.

Either of the above would allow you to rent a condo.

There are no restricitions on money brought in

and deposited into a Thai Bank and you can open an account here with either of the above visas.

There is one more option open and that is to obtain a Non Imm O-A (approved) before leaving Oz this would give you a years stay upon landing with only the 90 day reporting requirement to comply with and no need to bring in 800k until the end of the first year.............only drawback on this one is that you must show a clean police record to the Thai Consulate/Embassy at time of application...............no such record is asked for if applying for the extension within Thailand.................and dont worry ancestors police records are not taken into account (only joking)

[Brickie]

There  are  a  couple  of  options  open  to  you,

Being  50+  you  could  apply  for  a  Non  Immigrant  O  visa  either  a  single  entry  or  multiple  depending  upon  what  road  you  want  to  take.

If  you  want  to  stay  in  Thailand  for  a  year  at  a  time  without  the  need  for  leaving  the  country  every  90  days  (known  as  a  border  or  visa  run) then  apply  for  a  single  entry  visa  based .....>

If  you  intend  to  depart  Thailand  during  the  years  stay  then  you  would  need  either a  single  or  multiple  re-entry  permit  this  protects  your  years  stay  stamp  upon  your  return  into  the  Kingdom.

Option  2  if  you  dont  fancy  bringing  800k  in  once  a  year  would  be  to  apply  in  Oz  for  a  Non  Imm  O  multiple  entry  this  allows  for  unlimited  entries  into  the  Kingdom  each  one  attracting  a  fresh  stay  of  90  days....

Either  of  the  above  would  allow  you  to  rent  a  condo.....

There  is  one  more  option  open  and  that  is  to  obtain  a  Non  Imm  O-A  (approved)  before  leaving  Oz  .....  you  must  show  a  clean  police  record  to  the  Thai  Consulate/Embassy  at  time  of  application...............no  such  record  is  asked  for  if  applying  for  the  extension  within  Thailand.................and  dont  worry  ancestors  police  records  are  not  taken  into  account  (only  joking)

Thanks for the reply TFlyer. Do you know if there are any difficulties in obtaining phone & ISP service on either of those visas? I only ask because as I stated earlier I *thought* I'd read somewhere it was difficult without residency.

cheers

as for ancestor records....I don't think I'd like to go there...lol...

Edited November 2, 2005 by Brickie

[thaiflyer1]

To be honest i dont know with regards to utilities etc..........my internet, electric etc are all in Thai G/F's name.

This said i would think you/d have no problems on a Non Imm visa as opposed to a Tourist Visa in which you might.............but like i say i/m not 100% maybe someone else can help.

[astral]

As you will be renting, all the utilities and telephone will remain in the name of

your Thai landlord. You just need to make sure he/she is agreeable to

applying for the broadband connection.

Always assuming broadband is available in the area where you want to live.

Edited November 2, 2005 by astral

[toastwars]

I never had a problem getting utilities and bank accounts even on a tourist visa, I paid power and water to my building managment and got a phone line in my name no problem. I banked with Ayudhya and had cash transfered easily and cheaply from the UK.

If all of your work is carried out on line and payments are solely transfered to a personal bank account from out side the kingdom you could even get away with a tourist visa, assuming that you don't mind the monthly or 3 monthly visa runand as far as any officialdom is concerened you are just on an extended holiday

[Brickie]

Thanks all for replying, it now gives me something to go on. Looking forward to living in the LOS for a time

BTW allowing approx 60-80k baht a month for expenses. Budgeting on a house & utililties costing around 30-35k. Realistic? I'm basing prices on what I've seen on the 'net.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Brickie

[toastwars]

Are you crazy, houses start at 1500bt a month for very basic but realisticly 8000bt a month is plenty, don't go through the net start a thread here state where you want to live and you will get plenty of info about property for rent. A word of warning don't mention that kind of cash around Thai landlords. A good night out will set ybu back around 500bt, you are way over budget unless you only do champagne and caviar.

[Brickie]

Are you crazy, houses start at 1500bt a month for very basic but realisticly 8000bt a month is plenty, don't go through the net start a thread here state where you want to live and you will get plenty of info about property for rent. A word of warning don't mention that kind of cash around Thai landlords. A good night out will set ybu  back around 500bt, you are way over budget unless you only do champagne and caviar.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK..thanks Was basing prices around Phuket area.. And was allowing 3000b for broadband & 2000b for utilities like a/c etc. I didn't have time when last over there to do any foot slogging.

cheers

Edited November 2, 2005 by Brickie