The options for under-50s who dont want to work in Thailand ?

[Timwin]

And why should there be. It doesn't make any sense to have freeloaders come in.

Of course you were not a "freeloader" when you used tourist visas or 30 day visa exempts in the past before getting your retirement visa! Hypocrites a dime a dozen in these threads. I'd bet 90 percent of retirement visa holders have at least 3-4 tourists visas used before getting theirs.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Timwin

[oldthaihand99]

I stay here full time and have not paid any taxes. Tax collection is not automatic.

I don't want to get the discussion started about taxes again on this topic. See this webpage to see if the funds you would bring into the country is taxable or not. http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html

I'd guess that the vast majority of retired expats in LOS do not pay any income tax to LOS on their foreign sourced income. Or not any more than they'd pay if they were living in their original home country. So my particular predicament may be rather unusual.

BTW there are quite a few threads & a wealth of info discussing the subject of Thai income tax on TV. Easily found with the search engine here.

[BKKdreaming]

When ASEAN is working will you be able to have a work permit in one country and use it in Thailand ?

or a retirement visa in one country and be able to stay as long as you like in Thailand ?

I assume the answer is NO on both questions but I have to ask

[RealisticRon]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

Yes, that's the same answer these fossilized geezers can only come up with, over and over again, quite frankly worse than a effin broking record.

I see your point exactly, have well enough to satisfy the monthly / yearly funds required but don't find any of the other options appealing and all that is in the way is this ridiculous again restriction. Does anyone see a difference between a 40 - 49 year old who wont qualify as opposed to a 50+ year old.???

I see no reason why if you can show a decent sum of money they can't at least issue you a 1 entry 90 non-imm visa??

Thailand would most probably benefit much more from the 35 - 49's who would have made it financially if they are returning around this age bracket than the majority 50+ living on a measly pension.

WOW! How crasss your comment was regarding the over 50's not benefiting Thailand because they are living on measly pensions. Oh Contraire! Scribber of ill will. Just look on the TV ads on here most of the luxury houses and condo's for sale were or are owned by the over 50 crowd who also own restaurants and bars here as well. Many marry and begin construction right away of what could be likened to mansions in their home countries and many more begin the commercialization of the farmland never used before by the families or villages they adopt. GET REAL.

Yes and many (in fact quite a few!) end up losing the lot once the said "mansion" is built. After a year or two of putting up with old misery guts and his pompous self important attitude he's very quickly tossed from the hammock where hes been given orders to the 'slaves' for a year or two and kicked to the curb once the last bit of furniture is moved in and the new shiny black Fortuner is ready to collect from Toyota..... all in the womans name of course.

Edited June 29, 2014 by RealisticRon

[hawker9000]

If you are below 50 and don't like to spend cash, work or study. There is no long stay visa for you. It's very simple.

Oh, I don't know. Staying in hotels or guesthouses, paying for meals & transportation, etc. - have you found some way to do these things without "spending cash"?

Now you're talking touristy things, get a tourist visa for that. This thread was about people living here.

Not true. Go back & read the OP. He says nothing about "living here", and neither does the topic title. But he is asking about under 50s who want longer stays and don't want to work here.

[JLCrab]

Without addressing the contentions made in Post # 112, I do not think it would be a good idea -- if you were ever given the opportunity to make a case regarding Thai Visa/Immigration policies to Thai officialdom regarding the under-50, non-married, non-work permitted, etc., non-Thai male -- that the reason such policies should be amended in favor of such non-Thai males is that the average under-50 Thai male clearly represents a sub-standard example of a human being.

Edited June 30, 2014 by JLCrab

[ukrules]

Just get the Thailand Elite Easy Access membership. 500k Baht and you're good for 5 years.

It doesn't matter if they shut down - the visa is already in your passport and it lasts for the full 5 years. The last time it was shut down it only affected visa renewals for people on longer memberships and those who's passports were full, this situation can be easy to avoid - make sure you have plenty of pages in your passport and that it doesn't expire until well after the visa does, and don't lose your passport. There were no reports of people who had the visas in their passports being turned away on entry - that would be a very serious matter on an international level so I suspect it will never happen regardless of what happens to the relaunched Elite membership.

There's too many people who are sh!t scared of losing out on a few baht. I see this as a low risk, especially as the government were pretty much forced to open it back up again after the previous temporary shutdown.

I can see the 'Easy Access' visa getting very popular once we start to feel the full force of the incoming crackdowns across the board of visa exempt entries, back to back tourist visa holders and more recently Ed visa holders. I've got mine already. No more 90 day trips for me.

[ubonjoe]

When ASEAN is working will you be able to have a work permit in one country and use it in Thailand ?

or a retirement visa in one country and be able to stay as long as you like in Thailand ?

I assume the answer is NO on both questions but I have to ask

ASEAN has been in existence for well over 40 years.

I assume you mean when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) goes into effect. There will be no changes to visa rules from it in anyway.

[stevenl]

If you are below 50 and don't like to spend cash, work or study. There is no long stay visa for you. It's very simple.

Oh, I don't know. Staying in hotels or guesthouses, paying for meals & transportation, etc. - have you found some way to do these things without "spending cash"?

Now you're talking touristy things, get a tourist visa for that. This thread was about people living here.

Not true. Go back & read the OP. He says nothing about "living here", and neither does the topic title. But he is asking about under 50s who want longer stays and don't want to work here.

The OP nor the title don't have to say that, because it is very obvious: for tourists there are tourist visas. This thread is about people under 50 wanting to live here without working, what options do they have, since a retirement visa or extension is not yet an option for them.

[larsjohnsson]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

[larsjohnsson]

If you are below 50 and don't like to spend cash, work or study. There is no long stay visa for you. It's very simple.

Oh, I don't know. Staying in hotels or guesthouses, paying for meals & transportation, etc. - have you found some way to do these things without "spending cash"?

Now you're talking touristy things, get a tourist visa for that. This thread was about people living here.

Not true. Go back & read the OP. He says nothing about "living here", and neither does the topic title. But he is asking about under 50s who want longer stays and don't want to work here.

When he stay longer than 6 months. Then you must say he live here. Or do you belive the other place that he stay less than 6 months is the place he is living in?

With your logic the place where he stays the shortest time would be the place he is living in

Edited June 30, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[BangkokHank]

If you can't afford the 500k for the 5y visa, how the hell are you going to live that 5y without working ? Just sayin'.

You don't get it, do you? HAVING the cash, and wanting to just bury it in Thailand, are two entirely different things. If we were that stupid, we probably wouldn't HAVE the cash in the 1st place.

If you are below 50 and don't like to spend cash, work or study. There is no long stay visa for you. It's very simple.

And why should there be. It doesn't make any sense to have freeloaders come in.

How exactly does one freeload in Thailand? Thailand doesn't even provide social welfare benefits for its own citizens. Do you think they would support foreigners? It's only in the west that we're stupid enough to do that.

[bangkoklasse]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

[MrWorldwide]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

Respectfully, there is a difference. I did my final transfer for the 800K yesterday and it's now safely in my Thai bank where I can earn interest on it - whether I succeed in getting the O visa or not that's still my money. If I had to buy an Elite card I would be kissing 500K+ goodbye - for some, that's pocket change but I'm guessing that for most of us its not an inconsequential sum of money. It's one thing to come to Thailand with around a million baht intent on having the best 12 months of your life - another to bid farewell to half your savings just to be able to stay for that length of time. Not sure how many retirees would be on this board if the rules stipulated that you could stay in Thailand as long as you were prepared to pay the 800K instead of simply having it in your Thai bank account.

[notmyself]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

[stevenl]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

Because this offers a legal option to stay in Thailand, according to the intention of the rules.

[bangkoklasse]

And you belive all people like to do border runs and visa runs to all the countries around Thailand? Many would pay to avoid going out of the country several times every year

[larsjohnsson]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

Respectfully, there is a difference. I did my final transfer for the 800K yesterday and it's now safely in my Thai bank where I can earn interest on it - whether I succeed in getting the O visa or not that's still my money. If I had to buy an Elite card I would be kissing 500K+ goodbye - for some, that's pocket change but I'm guessing that for most of us its not an inconsequential sum of money. It's one thing to come to Thailand with around a million baht intent on having the best 12 months of your life - another to bid farewell to half your savings just to be able to stay for that length of time. Not sure how many retirees would be on this board if the rules stipulated that you could stay in Thailand as long as you were prepared to pay the 800K instead of simply having it in your Thai bank account.

Of course there us a difference. But in reality those money are locked. There is no point in withdrawing it. Because a few months later they have to be there again. And they have to be there until I die or go back to my home country.

And you are not earning much interest. Those kind of accounts that give really good interest are not allowed.

And to get the O visa that you talk about. You don't need any 800k.

And the point was not to show they are the same. The point was: you have to follow the visa rules both when you are under 50 and over 50 years

Edited June 30, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[notmyself]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

Because this offers a legal option to stay in Thailand, according to the intention of the rules.

So it would only be viable (max or min depending on point of view) if you were 45 or under? It's actually 38 (or under) when this visa would be viable.

[hawker9000]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

And I wouldn't! I'd obviously go with the income option. THB65K/USD2K/mo? Can do! Many retirees probably can. (And those that can't quite get over the bar can qualify with a lesser monthly income and some fraction of the THB800K in a thai bank.)

[bangkoklasse]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

Respectfully, there is a difference. I did my final transfer for the 800K yesterday and it's now safely in my Thai bank where I can earn interest on it - whether I succeed in getting the O visa or not that's still my money. If I had to buy an Elite card I would be kissing 500K+ goodbye - for some, that's pocket change but I'm guessing that for most of us its not an inconsequential sum of money. It's one thing to come to Thailand with around a million baht intent on having the best 12 months of your life - another to bid farewell to half your savings just to be able to stay for that length of time. Not sure how many retirees would be on this board if the rules stipulated that you could stay in Thailand as long as you were prepared to pay the 800K instead of simply having it in your Thai bank account.

Why did you transfer 800k to you account here yeasterday? When you later will apply for the non-O visa. I have the non-O multiple visa. And you don't need any 800k to get that visa

[bangkoklasse]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

And I wouldn't! I'd obviously go with the income option. THB65K/USD2K/mo? Can do! Many retirees probably can. (And those that can't quite get over the bar can qualify with a lesser monthly income and some fraction of the THB800K in a thai bank.)

The 800k option is very common here. Every week you can read posts from people that apply for it. Yes if you have a good pension or income that's even better of course

Edited June 30, 2014 by bangkoklasse

[stevenl]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

Because this offers a legal option to stay in Thailand, according to the intention of the rules.

So it would only be viable (max or min depending on point of view) if you were 45 or under? It's actually 38 (or under) when this visa would be viable.

You asked about 'why' I gave an answer. Your answer (good option or not) to that has nothing to do with my answer, please quote posts you're responding to.

[MrWorldwide]

Now im waiting for the answers. In another thread i ask this question and many Grandpas answered. "Get an ED Visa and learn the language", "Thailand not want you here", "Buy the elite card", "Work legally", but there is no way at the moment to stay a longer time 6 month+ in Thailand for people under 50. I dont know why. I have the same problem. Have enough money but not want to buy the expensive elite card.(there can be also problems because a visa is not always a entrie to Thailand even with a elite card)

"I have the money but I don't like to buy the elite card"

It would be like a retired person wrote: I have the 800k but I don't like to have my money in a Thai bank.

Respectfully, there is a difference. I did my final transfer for the 800K yesterday and it's now safely in my Thai bank where I can earn interest on it - whether I succeed in getting the O visa or not that's still my money. If I had to buy an Elite card I would be kissing 500K+ goodbye - for some, that's pocket change but I'm guessing that for most of us its not an inconsequential sum of money. It's one thing to come to Thailand with around a million baht intent on having the best 12 months of your life - another to bid farewell to half your savings just to be able to stay for that length of time. Not sure how many retirees would be on this board if the rules stipulated that you could stay in Thailand as long as you were prepared to pay the 800K instead of simply having it in your Thai bank account.

Why did you transfer 800k to you account here yeasterday? When you later will apply for the non-O visa. I have the non-O multiple visa. And you don't need any 800k to get that visa

i'm retiring here - that means I have to show either income from outside Thailand or 800K baht in a Thai bank account - I chose the latter. Not sure if it was clear from that first post. but I'm 55 and I dont want to keep chasing tourist visas etc - apologies for any misunderstanding.

[bangkoklasse]

It's the Extension of stay (based on retirement) that you need 800k for. If you like to retire here and just have a 12 month non-O visa (also based on retirement/pension), you don't need any 800k in the bank.

(you wrote that you later will apply for the non-O)

[ukrules]

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

One business class flight to Europe each year to pick up a new triple entry tourist visa or an 'O' / 'B' visa / whatever you use costs about 110,000 Baht each time plus the costs of the visa.

One of the above flights every year for 5 years costs 550,000

Add to that the 90 day visa run trips around asia and the associated hotel costs and you will be easily looking at well over 1 Million baht in expenses just to keep your visa current over 5 years.

[larsjohnsson]

@ Hank

When some people repeatedly say that the have the money for long stay visas, but they don't like to spend it on the expensive visa. Instead they do 10-20 border runs every year. Then you could say they freeload

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

Leaving Thailand 15 times. Or 3 times a year. That's not enough for people below 50. Most people with tourist visa or just visa exemption go out at least twice as many times. And they can't be sure that the Immigration will allow them to do it for many years either.

[DrTuner]

You have to count some value to the travel days lost because of the visa runs. Not to mention they are a real pain in the arse if you don't want to go to see Angkor Wat for the umpteenth time.

[moe666]

It's the Extension of stay (based on retirement) that you need 800k for. If you like to retire here and just have a 12 month non-O visa (also based on retirement/pension), you don't need any 800k in the bank.

(you wrote that you later will apply for the non-O)

I think it depends where you get the non-o visa met a guy once who wanted the non-o single entry for retirement and he was asked for the thai bank account with the 800,000k in it as he would need that for the extension of stay in 60 days. He didn't have the account so they gave him a tourist visa. This was in Laos. Even for the O-A visa in your home country you have to submit income amounts.

[notmyself]

5 years with 15 flights around the region and hotel stays is 250k including visa costs. Why would anyone in their right mind pay double? Serious question... Why pay double for the same thing?

One business class flight to Europe each year to pick up a new triple entry tourist visa or an 'O' / 'B' visa / whatever you use costs about 110,000 Baht each time plus the costs of the visa.

One of the above flights every year for 5 years costs 550,000

Add to that the 90 day visa run trips around asia and the associated hotel costs and you will be easily looking at well over 1 Million baht in expenses just to keep your visa current over 5 years.

Can't include the flights to Europe as I would be doing them anyway. 3 return flights (Samui - Penang) is roughly 20,000 Baht. 6 nights in a hotel (3 x 2) approx. 3,600 Baht. 3 x 30 day extensions is around 6k. I've not included cost of gasoline as the immigration office is just over the way. Total cost per year is around 30k but I upped it to 50k because of other expenditures that I would not otherwise have, such as taxis and additional food costs due to eating out in Penang. If I were to be honest with myself I shouldn't include some of the flights because I would go there anyway for the food. Total cost of a 5 year period is 250k. Cost of Elitelite is 500k and I would still fork out for some flights to Penang at the above rate.

Thinking about it... If I did include the cost of 5 trips to Europe then I would have to include them with the Elite card too which would make the cost over one million Baht against 750k using tourist visas.