800,000 or "the amount equal to"

[Craig krup]

There's nothing worse than someone registering for a forum and then asking a question which could have been answered by a quick forum search, two minutes on Google, or two minutes thought. I may be that person

However, I don't think I am. There seems to be an awful lot of ambiguity over what exactly you need to produce for the O-A retirement visa. The London embassy says "..the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht". Now obviously the gold standard way of proving that you have an amount equal to 800,000 Baht is to have 800,000 Baht. But organising a Baht account from the UK is a bit of a hassle, and (frankly) I'm not sure how I feel about effectively taking a £15k punt on the foreign exchange markets. I mean, I'd have made 10% since last July, but then again I know a bloke who had £30,000 in a Malaysian Ringgit account when the 1997 crisis hit.

i) If I include a bank statement and a letter from the bank showing (say) £20k on deposit for years will the London embassy accept it, do you think?

ii) Failing "i" above being accepted, would 800,000 Baht in a Jersey or Guernsey Baht account be accepted?

iii) Failing "i" and "ii" above, would 800,000 in a western bank branch in Thailand be accepted - say HSBC?

You can see where I'm going with this

I'd rather not take a one-off punt on the Baht, and I'd rather not put myself in a position where I could have a dispute with a bank where I've got no leverage.

As I say, 800,000 Baht, or the equivalent, is two different things, and the various consulates and embassies seem to slide over the two.

[nzexpat]

Seems fairly simple !

Ask the Embassy staff what they will accept as "evidence" .

Proof of adequate funds in a UK bank has been "evidence" enough for the many who have successfully applied for Thai visas in the UK in the past !

[Craig krup]

"Ask the embassy staff"...

You'd think!

They don't seem to reply to emails, and the consulate in Glasgow isn't much help. I'm tempted to bundle it all and send it - if they want the £125 you would think they would have to give you the visa, or send the lot back. Mind you, the reason they ask for postal orders might be because they'll take the £125 and not give you the visa!

[OJAS]

The London Embassy website includes the following statement in connection with an O-A visa:

"Proof of income with a minimum of £1,400.00 per month or £1,400.00 or £16,500 annuually" (I have indicated corrections to the obvious glaring typos).

Not a dickey-bird mention of 800,000 THB anywhere on their website as far as I can tell! So goodness only knows where you got that from!!

Click on http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/49 and scroll down to the section headed "Non-Immigrant Type O-A" for the relevant reference source.

For your information, studious ignorance of emails is an art in which Thais generally excel themselves, as I have come to learn for myself ever since I applied for my original O-A visa at the Royal Thai Embassy in London in 2008!

The consulate in Glasgow almost certainly won't be of any help to you since they don't issue O-A visas in any event!

Finally, the London Embassy website makes it quite clear that the £125 fee for an O-A visa is only payable in cash - click on http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/76 for the relevant reference source. So, if I were you, I would trot along to the Embassy in person clutching all required docs, like I did in 2008.

[moe666]

I do not think they expect you to have the 800,000 in Thai baht in England just the equal amount in pounds depending on what the exchange rate is today always nice to have a bit more/

[Langsuan Man]

1. Copy of bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately GBP 14,000.00/annum) or a deposti acocount plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.

source: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

Seems to me that the statement the amount equal to is pretty clear cut that they are not insisting that the amount be in baht but be equivalent to Thai Baht, as evidenced by the approximately GBP 14,000.00 annum listed later on

[OJAS]

1. Copy of bank statement or evidence of adequate finance showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 800,000 Baht or an income certificate with monthly income of not less than 65,000 Baht, (approximately GBP 14,000.00/annum) or a deposti acocount plus a monthly income totaling not less than 800,000 Baht.

source: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/51

Seems to me that the statement the amount equal to is pretty clear cut that they are not insisting that the amount be in baht but be equivalent to Thai Baht, as evidenced by the approximately GBP 14,000.00 annum listed later on

Thanks for this further link which I've now bookmarked for future reference.

Certainly when I applied for an O-A visa at the Royal Thai Embassy in London in 2008, I experienced no difficulties in doing so on the basis of a GBP statement provided by my UK bank. However, the OP should note that 800,000 THB and 65,000 THB equate more to £17,000 and £1,400 respectively these days on the basis of current exchange rates (in addition to studiously ignoring emails, Thais have developed an uncanny knack for not keeping their websites up to date!).

He should also be aware from your link the requirement for all application docs to be notarised by a Notary Public Officer. He should be able to track down a suitably-qualified person near to where he lives via the Notaries Society's website at http://www.thenotariessociety.org.uk/

[Brit_Doggie]

More import is the thai side requiring to see the evidence of an amount equal to 800k on application and renewal of extension of stay,not the uk end.

[TerryLH]

It's also required for an O-A visa I think.

[Maestro]

The London Embassy website includes the following statement in connection with an O-A visa:

"Proof of income with a minimum of £1,400.00 per month or £1,400.00 or £16,500 annuually" (I have indicated corrections to the obvious glaring typos)...

It seems toe that the OP took the text passage he quoted from this web page:

[Craig krup]

Cheers folks. I'm still investigating my options. I spent five weeks in Isaan last year - just to see what was possible - and it's pretty obvious that you could live comfortably on very little. You also learn other things as well, of course! I thought I knew heat from Morocco but Thai heat - the humidity plus the remorseless day and night quality of it, plus the traffic - is something else. You instantly become aware of the fact that this is a country where systems are in place, but they don't prove anything. For example, you have to put your first night's destination on the immigration form, but they've no way of testing this and they will happily watch you invent something. They want to search hundreds of people getting onto the underground, and there is no possibility of that being workable. So the look in a bag but not in the 85 litre rucksack you are wearing. They seize cans of mackerel before you board the plane - it could be drugs or explosives - but they don't open the cans and so miss the opportunity to get you on a drugs or explosives charge.

Ultimately Spain might be easier, but once you hit fifty - as I did recently - mere possibilities become live.

If Kindle Unlimited worked in Thailand that would probably sway it! After five weeks of Fox News last Summer I arrived back in the UK and couldn't relax until I'd joined the Republican Party.

[Craig krup]

I forgot - the visa by post option they've started is postal orders. They've stopped the consulates issuing most visas, and obviously they don't want the hassle of giving you the visa, having a cheque bounce and then having to detain you. So you have to send the £125 (or whatever) in weird bits of paper you haven't seen since you opened your birthday card from your Aunt Mabel in 1968.

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

[paz]

I forgot - the visa by post option they've started is postal orders. They've stopped the consulates issuing most visas, and obviously they don't want the hassle of giving you the visa, having a cheque bounce and then having to detain you.

There are report of people "mistakenly" placing money in the envelope and the embassy being fine with that.

[Craig krup]

£10 for the return of the passport? So, is that included in the fees quoted on the website, or not? It's that little bit of ambiguity you've got to love.

[paz]

£10 for the return of the passport? So, is that included in the fees quoted on the website, or not? It's that little bit of ambiguity you've got to love.

Not included. What people does, is to send also a prepaid delivery confirmation envelope.

[nzexpat]

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Cheers folks. I'm still investigating my options. I spent five weeks in Isaan last year - just to see what was possible - and it's pretty obvious that you could live comfortably on very little. You also learn other things as well, of course! I thought I knew heat from Morocco but Thai heat - the humidity plus the remorseless day and night quality of it, plus the traffic - is something else. You instantly become aware of the fact that this is a country where systems are in place, but they don't prove anything. For example, you have to put your first night's destination on the immigration form, but they've no way of testing this and they will happily watch you invent something. They want to search hundreds of people getting onto the underground, and there is no possibility of that being workable. So the look in a bag but not in the 85 litre rucksack you are wearing. They seize cans of mackerel before you board the plane - it could be drugs or explosives - but they don't open the cans and so miss the opportunity to get you on a drugs or explosives charge.

Ultimately Spain might be easier, but once you hit fifty - as I did recently - mere possibilities become live.

If Kindle Unlimited worked in Thailand that would probably sway it! After five weeks of Fox News last Summer I arrived back in the UK and couldn't relax until I'd joined the Republican Party.

I am sure Spain would welcome you !

Best you pursue the that option !

Thailand is not for you !

[ubonjoe]

£10 for the return of the passport? So, is that included in the fees quoted on the website, or not? It's that little bit of ambiguity you've got to love.

You answer is here on embassy website: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

Other questions can be answered by starting here and doing a bit of clicking: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/4

[Craig krup]

£10 for the return of the passport? So, is that included in the fees quoted on the website, or not? It's that little bit of ambiguity you've got to love.

You answer is here on embassy website: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/401

Other questions can be answered by starting here and doing a bit of clicking: http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/4

I saw the "Each applicant must supply pay an extra £10 on top of the visa fee to cover the return of passport".

Being British, and having spent a lifetime dealing with bureaucracies that usually make some kind of sense, I find it quite hard not to bring all those assumptions to other systems. So, my little mind asks, "Could anyone not want their passport returned? No. So what can this remark about £10 mean? Given that everyone, always, wants their passport returned, wouldn't that be included in the fee? I mean, restaurants don't let you order and then ask whether you want a plate. The £125 seems markedly higher than lots of the other figures quoted for visas. It's a lot higher than applying for the O-A visa in Thailand, for example. So it the remark about £10 actually an explanation of why the cost is higher than through other channels? Are they actually saying, "We've frigged everyone about by withdrawing this service from the consulates, and as you can now see it is more expensive. That, though, is not the case. We have to pay for registered return delivery of your passport. That explains the apparent price hike".

The above reading does make some kind of sense, because as the website says, people are often making multiple applications for spouses and kids. If all the passports are going back to one address I'll bet they don't sens each of them by a separate registered delivery. If they don't, and they ask for £10 "postage and packing" then that - were they not an embassy - would be an offence.

I think they badly need to employ one bilingual person to go through all their documentation and the websites and have it make some kind of sense. It must be costing them a fortune. How many people, every year, go for 30 days in Thailand and then more time elsewhere because they encounter this system and think, "Oh, we'll just go for the thirty - it's all too much hassle"?

[Craig krup]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Cheers folks. I'm still investigating my options. I spent five weeks in Isaan last year - just to see what was possible - and it's pretty obvious that you could live comfortably on very little. You also learn other things as well, of course! I thought I knew heat from Morocco but Thai heat - the humidity plus the remorseless day and night quality of it, plus the traffic - is something else. You instantly become aware of the fact that this is a country where systems are in place, but they don't prove anything. For example, you have to put your first night's destination on the immigration form, but they've no way of testing this and they will happily watch you invent something. They want to search hundreds of people getting onto the underground, and there is no possibility of that being workable. So the look in a bag but not in the 85 litre rucksack you are wearing. They seize cans of mackerel before you board the plane - it could be drugs or explosives - but they don't open the cans and so miss the opportunity to get you on a drugs or explosives charge.

Ultimately Spain might be easier, but once you hit fifty - as I did recently - mere possibilities become live.

If Kindle Unlimited worked in Thailand that would probably sway it! After five weeks of Fox News last Summer I arrived back in the UK and couldn't relax until I'd joined the Republican Party.

I am sure Spain would welcome you !

Best you pursue the that option !

Thailand is not for you !

"Thailand is not for you".

You might well be right! If I'm being honest it's really the low cost of accommodation and "better" weather that are the attractions, and "better weather" is actually contestable. The UK is way too cold and horrible - I nearly fell on sheets of black ice this morning, and it's nearly April - but Thailand is arguably just too hot. I don't think you can even exercise outdoors because you can't get rid of the heat. Maybe riding a bike would work if you had enough water, but 100% humidity and thirty odd degrees stops meaningful outdoor activity.

I'm a teacher, and last week a student genuinely couldn't understand why I'd complained about an advertisement, and got it withdrawn, even when I didn't use the product. She couldn't see why I didn't want people ripped off. She couldn't imagine what possible motive I could have because she couldn't have had that motive. One thing I really noticed in Thailand, and on forums since I've come back, is that nobody ever wants to hear a criticism of Thailand. All criticisms are "moaning", and everyone is free to make a choice, so "Don't moan, just leave if you don't like it. Nobody asked you to come here. It's their country". But of course not every criticism is "moaning" if you actually care about the welfare of other people. My pal's coming back from Bangkok in two months having spent - I think - three years in Thailand. His wife had a high-powered job, he's a clever bloke with his own business, and now they're coming back to the UK. Thailand is losing two people who could have a massive positive impact on the economy. When his wife says, "You'll never make this company work until you acquire the ability to speak your mind in meetings. Rote learning, and deferring to whoever is in charge, is killing you: tell me what you really think about this proposal", she's not having a moan, she's trying to help. But the most noticeable thing about the expat community in Thailand - and admittedly I only spoke to 20-30 people - is that they don't interpret any comment as "It would be better for them if they did this", it is interpreted as, "I'm having a right good moan".

[nzexpat]

100% humidity ?

You should indeed stay away !

Is that the sort of nonsense taught by "teachers" in UK schools ?

How is the "PERIODIC TABLE" learnt other than by "rote" ?

[Craig krup]

100% humidity ?

You should indeed stay away !

Is that the sort of nonsense taught by "teachers" in UK schools ?

How is the "PERIODIC TABLE" learnt other than by "rote" ?

Well for some of the country much of the year the air is as close to saturated as makes no difference. That's what the weather stations say. Bangkok sits at around 80% all year, according to the official stats, and next to the Mekong in July was worse. Humans can't sweat at that saturation point, so no "E=ML" heat loss, so no real prospect of proper exercise.

a) A system centred on rote learning is bad, and won't produce the kind of critical thinking skills that a good Western education does.

All rote learning is bad.

Two separate propositions. Identifying these kind of things is what an education in a good non-rote system allows

[There seems absolutely nothing can do to remove the rogue first "smiley" in the middle of this. I've deleted the whole message and re-typed it. I think I've over-invested].

[Maestro]

This topic having gone off topic with a discussion of the climatic conditions of Thailand, and the original question having been answered exhaustively, this topic is now closed.