Moving to LOS in 10 weeks

[iamkanga]

So as it says in the title I'm going to be moving to Thailand in about 10 weeks and I want to organise things as best I can before I depart. I have done heaps of reading and have a bit of a plan for my initial year or two. I have been coming here for about 10 years but only on 2 week holidays a couple of times a year so I'm not a complete newbie but just hoping to get some good advice to steer me in the right direction and save a bunch of grief.

I am 52 and Australian citizen and plan on returning to Australia every year initially to keep an eye on things back here. So in the first year I plan on coming back after about 7 months because I don't want you to return to an Australian winter one of the main reasons I am leaving.

I am initially plan to live in Phuket though at this stage I am unsure for how long and is certainly is not my intention to make this my permanent base.

I have a rental property and will be renting my current Home out and also a share portfolio. I am keen to hear from others that have similar situations some of the pitfalls that may have been avoided had they known what they know now.

One of the things that I am keen to do given the relatively low exchange rate is keep my money in Australia so I am wondering if there are any disadvantages apart from the paperwork side of things in re applying for a OA visa on my return visits to aus? I am familiar with the financial requirements but it is early stage would just rather keep my money in Australia even though I do have a few hundred thousand Baht in a Thai bank account currently and realise I will have to do bring money up as I need it. On that note is the money bought into the country able to be as proof of income money in the bank?

From my research it appears Oz Forex now Forex is the most economical way to get money from Australia to Thailand (aside from bringing in cash we could be an option except for in Phuket I am unable to get a safety deposit box.) Am I correct in thinking this?

I apologize if I am rambling a bit but to be quite honest i'm not sure exactly what I am asking just general help from the vast experience of Thai visa

Basically any advice is greatly appreciated.

Anyway thanks in advance hopefully I can capitalise on some pearls of wisdom!

Cheers Kanga

[elviajero]

• You will have no problem getting back to back non 'O-A' visas in Australia. With planning the 'O-A' visa should give yo 2 years before needing a new visa.

Transfers in to your Thai bank cannot be used as proof of income for an extension of stay. You would need your income certified by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

[iamkanga]

• You will have no problem getting back to back non 'O-A' visas in Australia. With planning the 'O-A' visa should give yo 2 years before needing a new visa.
• Transfers in to your Thai bank cannot be used as proof of income for an extension of stay. You would need your income certified by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Thanks for confirming that. Do you know if I return to Oz after 7 months will the 12 month extension on return to Thailand still come into play? A bit confused with some talking in the last 30 days of the Visa being the key period for extension.

Cheers

[elviajero]

• You will have no problem getting back to back non 'O-A' visas in Australia. With planning the 'O-A' visa should give yo 2 years before needing a new visa.
• Transfers in to your Thai bank cannot be used as proof of income for an extension of stay. You would need your income certified by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.

Thanks for confirming that. Do you know if I return to Oz after 7 months will the 12 month extension on return to Thailand still come into play? A bit confused with some talking in the last 30 days of the Visa being the key period for extension.

Cheers

Yes.

The visa is valid for 1 year ('enter before' date) from the issue date. Anytime you enter Thailand on or before the 'enter before' date you will get a 1 year stay. If you can do a border hop just before the end of the year you'll get another 1 year stay. As the visa expires during that final 1 year you would need to buy a re-entery permit (1,000 baht) for any trips home to keep the stay alive.

[billinparadise]

Hi ,,,why not apply for a retirement visa in AU I believe it is much easier ,,,friends have done it ,

[iamkanga]

Hi ,,,why not apply for a retirement visa in AU I believe it is much easier ,,,friends have done it ,

[iamkanga]

Sorry if i have not seen clear but that is my intention and i'm planning on doing this on my return to australia seemingly every second year as after the first application i will get a year extension. Thanks

[billinparadise]

Why Phuket? Have you travelled much in Thailand .

[iamkanga]

That is where my girlfriend currently staying with her daughter that is going to university but as i said in my original post is not my long-term plan. I have not travelled extensively but certainly plan on going north at this stage up around the kanchanaburi region. I just don't want to put the cart before the horse and as I learn more about living in Thailand I will be better positioned to make a decision.

[roodujardin]

I am in a similar situation to you except I now do not return to Australia.

After 3 years of renting out my property I noticed expenses rising sharply and income stable. Had my financial advisor run the figures and the return was only 3 percent. Not good. Sold the property and invested elsewhere now recieving 10 percent and no headaches with mananageing a property. All properties are different of course but something to watch out for.

You are correct with Oz Forex, when I researched they were also the cheapest. I tend to transfer once a month and this costs $15. I find this acceptable, cheaper than banks.

I keep my money in Oz, useless keeping excess in Thailand as it wont work for you. This includes the 800,000 for retirement extensions. Its dead money here, that's fine if you have plenty to toss around, I don't, I need it to work for me. So this means getting a Stat Dec once a year to declare your monthly income. You don't need to go to Bangkok, the Australian Embassy runs an outreach program that travels Thailand.

Good luck.

[iamkanga]

App playing funny buggers

Edited June 19, 2016 by iamkanga

[iamkanga]

I am in a similar situation to you except I now do not return to Australia.

After 3 years of renting out my property I noticed expenses rising sharply and income stable. Had my financial advisor run the figures and the return was only 3 percent. Not good. Sold the property and invested elsewhere now recieving 10 percent and no headaches with mananageing a property. All properties are different of course but something to watch out for.

You are correct with Oz Forex, when I researched they were also the cheapest. I tend to transfer once a month and this costs $15. I find this acceptable, cheaper than banks.

I keep my money in Oz, useless keeping excess in Thailand as it wont work for you. This includes the 800,000 for retirement extensions. Its dead money here, that's fine if you have plenty to toss around, I don't, I need it to work for me. So this means getting a Stat Dec once a year to declare your monthly income. You don't need to go to Bangkok, the Australian Embassy runs an outreach program that travels Thailand.

Good luck.

[iamkanga]

Thanks great post!

l agree with you completely the idea behind keeping the properties is not put all my eggs in one basket and see how things go and how I like it first.

Are you able to share your 10% return investment. If I could get that I would probably sell my share portfolio.

Thanks

[1FinickyOne]

Being an absentee landlord can be difficult... unless you have a really responsible management team.

You will benefit greatly from learning language - even if just a couple of words on your own every day.

Best of luck with your move.

[iamkanga]

Being an absentee landlord can be difficult... unless you have a really responsible management team.

You will benefit greatly from learning language - even if just a couple of words on your own every day.

Best of luck with your move.

[mihalis]

All I can say you luck so and so.. Enjoy it, and don't let the bitter expats get to you...?????

[iamkanga]

Thanks though I'm quite cynical and would be surprised if I don't err on the bitter side slagging off some of the shortcomings of Thailand as I see it. Though I do the same to Australia I am by no means parochial. Good and bad everywhere! But am determined to try and keep my big mouth shut!

[tomwct]

Get proper visas before you leave!

[iamkanga]

Get proper visas before you leave!

Cheers

[NoshowJones]

That is where my girlfriend currently staying with her daughter that is going to university but as i said in my original post is not my long-term plan. I have not travelled extensively but certainly plan on going north at this stage up around the kanchanaburi region. I just don't want to put the cart before the horse and as I learn more about living in Thailand I will be better positioned to make a decision.

Very sensible thinking.

[Suradit69]

Hi ,,,why not apply for a retirement visa in AU I believe it is much easier ,,,friends have done it ,

He is applying for an non-imm O-A, which is the visa most people call a "retirement visa."

[Pinot]

You can do the research but you won't really "get it" till you're here for awhile. As Mike Tyson says, "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." LOS will be happy to punch you in the mouth.

Phuket has a strong expat community. That's where you're going to learn the ins and outs of this place. Go for a run with local Hash House Harriers and you'll quickly have 50 friends here.

I think you can live well here for 80,000/mo. Entertainment expenses are the big variable. Think about how to get to that number.

Don't buy a place here (rent) and don't fall in love (for at least six months).

Good luck.

[georgemandm]

Thanks great post!

l agree with you completely the idea behind keeping the properties is not put all my eggs in one basket and see how things go and how I like it first.

Are you able to share your 10% return investment. If I could get that I would probably sell my share portfolio.

Thanks

Great to see you get on tv and ask members about moving to thailand good on you .

1 - don't sell your home in Australia that would be the most stupidest think you can do , keep it for ever , you never ever know you MIT need it in the future if it dose not work out in thailand , to many go to thailand sell up back home and it turns to shit and can't go back home because sold there home and when you get old and sick we all do , it cost shit loads to get good help in thailand, but if you have a home to go back to in Australia you can go home live in your home and see the best doctors in the world for little money not like thailand.

2 . Try not and full in love with the hair loso , thai pussy to many do it and get f??? Over .

3 . Don't talk to many westerns a lot , just work the ones out who will help you out the rest are all f??? Up .

4 . Hop it works out for , I for one tried to live in thailand and it is not for me , I come and go from my country Australia , I love Australia it is just the best place in the world as I see it .

Thailand to me is good to go and come then go back home to Australia.

Do your visas in Australia ever two years like someone has told you a lot better and no thai bullshit if you do in thailand.

Cheers hop it all works out for you .

[sledpull]

Speaking of learning a few Thai words daily! The Nemo App for Thai is fantastic!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Make sure you have appropriate health insurance cover in order to cover your Thailand time, and if you think you'll need/want it, life insurance as well, as the latter is bad to buy in Thailand.

I don't know if Australia has a good mail forwarding/package forwarding service that sends to Thailand. But for me as an American, being able to shop cheaply and broadly on Amazon and then send purchases to Thailand for about $11 a pound shipping has been a godsend over the years. There are lots of western things that are hard to find / overly expensive / not good quality in Thailand.

Also, having a regular mail forwarding service means I can keep my U.S. address for all my financial accounts, government stuff, etc etc, and not run into hassles from banks, brokerages, etc who might want to cancel my accounts if they thought I was living abroad.

BTW OP, you understand, one of the main differences between doing to O-A visa in your home country, vs doing the annual retirement extension inside Thailand with Thai Immigration, is the O-A requires you to have both police and medical check/clearances, whereas the Immigration extensions don't.

Another difference is the O-A also allows you to keep your required bank deposit amount in your home country bank, instead of in Thai banks. But as noted above, the O-A if handled properly can be valid for almost 2 years, whereas the retirement extensions inside Thailand are only annual.

Edited June 19, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[54321]

Hi

I found the visas a bit of a pain (probably because I did not put much effort into understanding them, but also did not like the idea of reporting my whereabouts (for no other reason than it felt like I was being treated like a criminal)), if I am not mistaken you can get a 3 month visa, and you are surrounded by Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Hing Kong.....

I appreciate that rules and regs change, butI stayed for some time initially on tourist visas (about 2 years) and really loved the excuse to get out and explore the region.

Best of luck whatever you do

[gemguy]

Some rules and advice that applies to everyone;

# Learn how to speak Thai...and definitely enroll in Thai language lessons as the rewards and benefits are too numerous to list here.

# Do not buy any property as there is too much chance something ( could be a dozen things or so ) will screw you up or screw you over or screw you around.

If you do buy anything then buy a condo and perform your due diligence...... with great diligence.

Some will disagree but most foreigners do not buy property or houses here and do just fine without all the baggage but some people feel they have to own rather than rent ...but i advise you rent rather than own...just my opinion

# Seriously...Take it easy on the girls and just pace yourself because that is what turns out to be up there in the top 10 percent of what will consume your money faster than near anything else.

# Do not be in any great hurry to secure yourself a full time GF and certainly do not be looking for or too eager to get married, rather let it happen..so to speak and go with the flow...but be very suspicious and very cautious as all too often the women you end up with or could end up with is not what she seemed to be or what you original though her to be.

Truth of the matters is, too many of them are way too devious and you will regret you ever met them.

# Do not get into any business with anyone, be it a foreigner or a Thai, as you are really vulnerable in that respect ....but you could consider buying something's, some products, if the prices are correct and try to sell them back in Australia which is much safer than tying up your money in businesses that are under the influence and or control of Thai people or you are subjected to all the BS Thai rules and regulations and a long list of headaches that will or could drag your business down or drag you through the mud....such as a Go Go Bar or Beer Bar etc.

# Be careful of your fellow foreigners because all too many of them are of very questionable character and "On The Lam" for some reason or another...so do not let yourself be so easily befriended by other foreigners as certain places such as Phuket and Pattaya are full of dodgy people that you will regret meeting and or getting involved with.

# If you are a drinker then I advice you seriously learn to control your alcohol consumption or just give up drinking and lead a healthy lifestyle as part of your Thailand lifestyle, as drinking is the "other thing" amongst the many other things ( women being the first of the many other things ) that is commonly the down fall of many a foreigner that comes here with good intentions but things run amuck while their demise is undoubtedly directly attributed to the copious consumption of alcohol ...which commonly clouds your better judgment about so many other things that you get involved with.....seriously...the alcohol can easily ruin you here in Thailand.

# Stay away from the drugs of any kind and simply do not associate with anyone that is into drugs or talks about doing drugs here in Thailand....and that includes bar girls and any Thai girls and all their friends that all too often are associated with drugs and drug users and their drug using Thai boyfriends ....the Thai boyfriends that they say they do not have.

# Stay away from the Ladyboys as too many of them will ruin your day and too many of them are on drugs and too many of them are thieves and Scallywags..

# Keep your Visa and immigration matters in strict order as they are cracking down on immigration violations here.

You are 52 so you can stay here on a retirement Visa and then obtain the year by year retirement extension with the multiple entry stamp included in your passport

# Keep MOST of your money in Australia and arrange for transfers when you need them

# Do not keep valuables in your room or carry a lot of cash with you.

Your ATM cards will work just fine here and you can open a bank account but it can be confusing at first as some banks will say no while other will say yes and everything in-between...but you can open an account and get a ATM card also

# Rent a nice 40 to 50 square meter air conditioned apartment or condo that is furnished and have with you only what you need and ready to leave in less then 24 hours if need be.

Take the time to really search around for a good value apartment or condo because there are plenty of them out there but you have to look at a lot of them first to find just the right one for a reasonable price....and hopefully a reasonable land lord and building administrators and building staff as all too often they are fit to be shot for some of the mindless stupidity they will subject you to, all too often

# Get yourself a cell phone, of course, while every brand with every gimmick and function is available while you will learn Thailand is not at all back wards regarding cell phone technology and easy access to all that is entailed.

# I would not advise buying or renting a motorcycle as it is too dangerous, although many do and no problem but you can get around easily enough without one...but ..your choice...but please wear a helmet and do not drive like the Thais and add to the road carnage problems.

# Join a fitness center...as your health is one of your best assets and your best investment .

The rest is up to you.....and good luck

Cheers

Edited June 19, 2016 by gemguy

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A lot of very good advice above from Gemguy, and well-heeded.

Someone ought to take that list, print it out, and hand it to every farang arriving to Thailand.

Would save a lot of people a lot of grief.

PS - I would add, if you value your life, try to avoid the inter-city van and bus trips, especially those that involve late night/early morning/overnight travel. Your chances of dying en route on such trips are way higher than they should be.

[iamkanga]

Some rules and advice that applies to everyone;

# Learn how to speak Thai...and definitely enroll in Thai language lessons as the rewards and benefits are too numerous to list here.

# Do not buy any property as there is too much chance something ( could be a dozen things or so ) will screw you up or screw you over or screw you around.

If you do buy anything then buy a condo and perform your due diligence...... with great diligence.

Some will disagree but most foreigners do not buy property or houses here and do just fine without all the baggage but some people feel they have to own rather than rent ...but i advise you rent rather than own...just my opinion

# Seriously...Take it easy on the girls and just pace yourself because that is what turns out to be up there in the top 10 percent of what will consume your money faster than near anything else.

# Do not be in any great hurry to secure yourself a full time GF and certainly do not be looking for or too eager to get married, rather let it happen..so to speak and go with the flow...but be very suspicious and very cautious as all too often the women you end up with or could end up with is not what she seemed to be or what you original though her to be.

Truth of the matters is, too many of them are way too devious and you will regret you ever met them.

# Do not get into any business with anyone, be it a foreigner or a Thai, as you are really vulnerable in that respect ....but you could consider buying something's, some products, if the prices are correct and try to sell them back in Australia which is much safer than tying up your money in businesses that are under the influence and or control of Thai people or you are subjected to all the BS Thai rules and regulations and a long list of headaches that will or could drag your business down or drag you through the mud....such as a Go Go Bar or Beer Bar etc.

# Be careful of your fellow foreigners because all too many of them are of very questionable character and "On The Lam" for some reason or another...so do not let yourself be so easily befriended by other foreigners as certain places such as Phuket and Pattaya are full of dodgy people that you will regret meeting and or getting involved with.

# If you are a drinker then I advice you seriously learn to control your alcohol consumption or just give up drinking and lead a healthy lifestyle as part of your Thailand lifestyle, as drinking is the "other thing" amongst the many other things ( women being the first of the many other things ) that is commonly the down fall of many a foreigner that comes here with good intentions but things run amuck while their demise is undoubtedly directly attributed to the copious consumption of alcohol ...which commonly clouds your better judgment about so many other things that you get involved with.....seriously...the alcohol can easily ruin you here in Thailand.

# Stay away from the drugs of any kind and simply do not associate with anyone that is into drugs or talks about doing drugs here in Thailand....and that includes bar girls and any Thai girls and all their friends that all too often are associated with drugs and drug users and their drug using Thai boyfriends ....the Thai boyfriends that they say they do not have.

# Stay away from the Ladyboys as too many of them will ruin your day and too many of them are on drugs and too many of them are thieves and Scallywags..

# Keep your Visa and immigration matters in strict order as they are cracking down on immigration violations here.

You are 52 so you can stay here on a retirement Visa and then obtain the year by year retirement extension with the multiple entry stamp included in your passport

# Keep MOST of your money in Australia and arrange for transfers when you need them

# Do not keep valuables in your room or carry a lot of cash with you.

Your ATM cards will work just fine here and you can open a bank account but it can be confusing at first as some banks will say no while other will say yes and everything in-between...but you can open an account and get a ATM card also

# Rent a nice 40 to 50 square meter air conditioned apartment or condo that is furnished and have with you only what you need and ready to leave in less then 24 hours if need be.

Take the time to really search around for a good value apartment or condo because there are plenty of them out there but you have to look at a lot of them first to find just the right one for a reasonable price....and hopefully a reasonable land lord and building administrators and building staff as all too often they are fit to be shot for some of the mindless stupidity they will subject you to, all too often

# Get yourself a cell phone, of course, while every brand with every gimmick and function is available while you will learn Thailand is not at all back wards regarding cell phone technology and easy access to all that is entailed.

# I would not advise buying or renting a motorcycle as it is too dangerous, although many do and no problem but you can get around easily enough without one...but ..your choice...but please wear a helmet and do not drive like the Thais and add to the road carnage problems.

# Join a fitness center...as your health is one of your best assets and your best investment .

The rest is up to you.....and good luck

Cheers

[iamkanga]

Thanks heaps for taking the time do give me such a comprehensive reply. Some really good advice in there. Some of which I am already aware of and some new stuff also.

I think the essence of your advice applies not only to Thailand but you anywhere you live in the world but it may be highlighted in Thailand with the ease at which you can kill yourself and lose your nest egg. Not specifically in that order.

Thanks again