Thailand's New 10-Year Visas Meet Mixed Reactions

[Grubster]

4 hours ago, possum1931 said:

What did I say in my last post about this 10 year visa? I said it will be no use to the average westerner unless he is very rich. Now I have read about the health insurance, money in the bank, and monthly earnings, nice to have been proved right.

I hate to be the bringer of bad news but 100,000 baht per month is a long way from rich. Thats $36,000 US a year or twice the very low minimum wage there.

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, fullcave said:

 

I don't get it either. re people that retire to Thailand really so poor as to not be able to afford a 10,000 USD hospital stay that they need to pay an insurance company? 

 

As for finding such a policy, I'm sure they will be available from a friend of your local immigration agent. They will be more than happy to help.. 

Isn't it 10000 dollars a year? A lot of people who retire here are not all that rich. I imagine a lot live here because it is cheaper than living back home, and their pensions go further. 

[DavisH]

2 minutes ago, Grubster said:

I hate to be the bringer of bad news but 100,000 baht per month is a long way from rich. Thats $36,000 US a year or twice the very low minimum wage there.

But it's considerably more than most pensions. 

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Kerryd said:

For all the people thinking about moving to Cambodia/Myanmar, neither country has a "long stay visa" according to the research I've just been doing over the last hour.

Cambodia has a 28 day tourist visa which can be extended once and a "business" visa, also short term.

Myanmar has a number of visa categories (transit, tourist, "meditation") but no long stay visas.

 

Unless someone has links to sites other than the Myanmar and/or Cambodian Embassy pages that show other, long term options ?

 

Cambodia offers 1-year business visa - just buy the business visa on-arrival at the border for $35 instead of $30 for the "tourist" one - you can extend it for a year at a time through an agent, never leaving the country.  According to recent reports, you must also now purchase a work-permit every year - so total cost about $700 USD / yr.

[4MyEgo]

12 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

Same thing people like me that are under 50 and healthy do... buy a TE visa. 

 

TE visa ?

[louse1953]

Two days and still no word on whether this is a new visa or replacing the now OA 1 year visa and then extension.Something is not quite right about this.I will just marry the woman i have lived with for 12 years and get 400k baht back out of the bank.Might even start travelling around a bit more via Savanakhet and take the whole 800k baht out and spend it elsewhere.I have the 3 million,but there is no way i am locking that up in a Thai bank at pitful interest.I will just become a tourist again in other countries and come back to our house in Thailand and spend SFA.

[Kerryd]

4 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

TE visa ?

 

"Thailand Elite"

 

Thailand Elite Card website

Edited November 24, 2016 by Kerryd

[anotheruser]

Just now, JackThompson said:

 

Cambodia offers 1-year business visa - just buy the business visa on-arrival at the border for $35 instead of $30 for the "tourist" one - you can extend it for a year at a time through an agent, never leaving the country.  According to recent reports, you must also now purchase a work-permit every year - so total cost about $700 USD / yr.

 

Just don't sink too  much money into the place so you can move when they change the rules. For the people saying Cambodia is going to get rich IF this goes through with the worst case scenario, that is very doubtful.

 

People that have trouble getting around this will rent some $150 a room in Cambodia and that's about it. 

[rexall]

34 minutes ago, Goethe said:

P.S. We live in an age of terrorism, so the requirement to report to Immigration every 90 days is reasonable.

Edited 22 minutes ago by Goethe

And that reduces or prevents terrorism how exactly?

 

[louse1953]

4 hours ago, alocacoc said:

Even when nothing changes and this is only an option, all this confusion and uncertainty makes many people shy away to retire in Thailand.

 

Apart from that, I would never parking 3MB unless I get reliable interest rates. It stinks. Older farang deposit 3MB and dies later. And, who gets the money?

 

Who ever you will it to.

[anotheruser]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

TE visa ?

 

http://www.thailandelite.com/

 

So  in reality all anybody has to do is cough up a lousy 500,000 Baht. What is funny though is people here are only complaining that the new rules may become a barrier because of cost. They won't say a thing about the fact that it discriminates against people under 50 arbitrarily. 

 

Seems like it is all fun and games until it is your neck on the block for most. 

[Peterw42]

 
TE visa ?

I think he means elite visa, around $20k U.S. for 5 years I think.

[4MyEgo]

6 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Perhaps rather than 3 million being untouched, the financial requirement for those unwilling or unable to show medical insurance should be more, like self insuring. What do you think 2million more?

 

I think the 3 million cannot be touched for the 1st year, I wouldn't have an issue with leaving 3 million locked in an account for self insuring, the only reason I don't have health insurance is they won't touch my mild pre-existing condition, that and they can cancel a policy whenever they want, i.e. the odds stacked against you IMO

[Kerryd]

6 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

Cambodia offers 1-year business visa - just buy the business visa on-arrival at the border for $35 instead of $30 for the "tourist" one - you can extend it for a year at a time through an agent, never leaving the country.  According to recent reports, you must also now purchase a work-permit every year - so total cost about $700 USD / yr.

 

Just found this site a couple of minutes ago. Unfortunately the details are skimpy (and it may not even be happening yet). It was supposed to kick off as of 1 August 2016.

 

Cambodian Retirement Visa

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Amazing that another day and another news cycle passes, and no one in authority seems able or willing to address the issue of whether the existing offerings of retirement visas and extensions will remain in tact, or be "replaced" as yesterday's Khaosod English report referenced.

 

But at least the good news is, today's latest report confirms what various folks here worked out on our own yesterday that the new rich people visas are only to be offered to citizens of 14 higher wealth countries -- which is at least some indication that the new offering -- if it ever comes into actual policy -- will be a new and not replacement offering.

 

It might indeed be a replacement at least for the O-A part for those limited "rich list" nationals. 

[farcanell]

47 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I'm assuming you have kept your residency status, otherwise your up shit creek, i.e. 183 days out of the country and your a foreign resident with Medicare ceasing to be your mate, but like I said, you have probably kept your residency status, i.e. you spend less than 183 days out of Australia ?

 

Interesting.... I've been registered with the ATO as a non resident for tax purposes for eight years, but have kept my Medicare card in date, using my lawyers mailing address.... and was in Oz last year, and successfully used my Medicare card.

[anotheruser]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

I think he means elite visa, around $20k U.S. for 5 years I think.

 

 

I just use the term TE because it seems more clear but it is actually a 'privilege' visa. 

[louse1953]

4 hours ago, farcanell said:

 

My exact plan... just have to remember to renew the membership card ?

 

Small local items aren't worth claiming on, unless you like doing paperwork.... and when the small items do start to mount up... I'm off back to the nanny state, anyway.

Serious accident,stroke, heart attack,or burst intestine,like a mate just had, and you and your mate will not be getting on that plane.4 or maybe 5 years away and no Medicare either.Some of you blokes haven't thought through this at all.If it is not serious why bother going back at all.

[4MyEgo]

4 minutes ago, farcanell said:

 

Interesting.... I've been registered with the ATO as a non resident for tax purposes for eight years, but have kept my Medicare card in date, using my lawyers mailing address.... and was in Oz last year, and successfully used my Medicare card.

 

That's beautiful, I have also heard of others being able to use theirs, but I am sure they will be linked up with Boarder Control (Immigration) sooner or later and wipe us, as we don't pay the 2% levy surcharge (tax), therefore we are not entitled to it.

 

I am returning to Aus in May for a week and am hoping to be able to use it, so fingers crossed.

[anotheruser]

1 minute ago, louse1953 said:

Serious accident,stroke, heart attack,or burst intestine,like a mate just had, and you and your mate will not be getting on that plane.4 or maybe 5 years away and no Medicare either.Some of you blokes haven't thought through this at all.If it is not serious why bother going back at all.

 

Seems like $10,000 is about the figure that would cover emergency evacuation? 

[anotheruser]

6 minutes ago, farcanell said:

 

Interesting.... I've been registered with the ATO as a non resident for tax purposes for eight years, but have kept my Medicare card in date, using my lawyers mailing address.... and was in Oz last year, and successfully used my Medicare card.

 

As long as you are willing to bet your life that will continue to be the case you are good. 

[Anthony5]

3 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

5 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

Serious accident,stroke, heart attack,or burst intestine,like a mate just had, and you and your mate will not be getting on that plane.4 or maybe 5 years away and no Medicare either.Some of you blokes haven't thought through this at all.If it is not serious why bother going back at all.

 

Seems like $10,000 is about the figure that would cover emergency evacuation? 

 

With a heart attack or burst intestine, you're dead before the emergency evacuation gets you back to your home country.

[farcanell]

42 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

 

So if you lost a leg in a car accident and it needed to be sewn back on, would that be in your carry on bag or stowed in your luggage. 

I have thought the same, but the reality of when you need a hospital wouldn't allow you to travel

 

By the time the system waits for you to regain consciousness, sign all the admittance forms, prove / approve payment,  organize an actual doctor who could perform the surgery, it may as well have been put in a travel bag, because you will be needing an artificial limb anyway.

 

the economical model is that self insurance, if you are disciplined enough, is a viable alternative, with the exception of an unknown catastrophy.

 

you get insurance because of the possibility of an unknown catastrophe, which most people don't suffer, and is why insurance companies make money.

 

everything is a risk.... a gamble... how you choose to hedge your bets is up to you.

[anotheruser]

1 minute ago, Anthony5 said:

 

With a heart attack or burst intestine, you're dead before the emergency evacuation gets you back to your home country.

 

Yes, but the flight is paid for. Thailand doesn't care what shape you are in once you are gone. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Worried your pension will run short?

 

So you're a sick senior citizen and the government says

there is no nursing home available for you -

What do you do?

Senior Health Care Solution:

Our plan gives anyone 66 years or older a gun and 4 bullets. 


You are allowed to shoot 2 MP's and 2 illegal immigrants!


Of course, this means you will be sent to prison,

where you will get 3 meals a day,

a roof over your head, central heating, Cable TV, air conditioning

smoking room and you still get to vote,

and all the health care you need!

New teeth? - No problem.

Need glasses? - Great.

New hip, knees, kidney, lungs, heart?

All covered.

And your kids can come and visit you as often as they do now.

Who will be paying for all of this?

The same government that just told you

that you they cannot afford for you to go into a home. 

Plus, because you are a prisoner,

you don't have to pay income tax any more.

IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?

No wonder the rest of the world’s population can't get here fast enough!

 

Ain't the world a strange place?

[louse1953]

4 hours ago, moe666 said:

Has anyone considered why they have a health insurance requirement? A lot of health cost by expats go unpaid, because they have no insurance or money. Do not blame the Thais for dead beat expats living cheap in Thailand and running up bills that go unpaid

I understand the compulsory insurance bit,but what if you can't get it.It's the 3mill i am against,i have better places to store my money than a poxy fixed account.

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, natway09 said:

Mook 23

We are talking here about a major accident or illness that precludes travelling.

Would everyone stop dancing around the reality here.

If you are over 50 & want to retire here then 3 mil in your bank account  in Thailand is not excessive.

If that is too much maybe time to head home & let your ex nanny state take care of you

Singaporeans in Oz have to bring twice that into the country to live there.

Notwithstanding anything else,3 million sitting in a bank at paltry interest rates is an appalling investment and would in effect make this visa poor value.Factor in the other conditions and any decent financial adviser would sound alarm bells. The income requirement is fine as an alternative. 

All the valid questions raised in this forum I can guarantee haven't even been thought about  by the proposers of this legislation .

[JackThompson]

3 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

 

With a heart attack or burst intestine, you're dead before the emergency evacuation gets you back to your home country.

 

Stabilize and evacuate.  Not just evacuate.  $10K should more than cover that to anywhere, considering the insurance company will have a package-deal with the airlines, and the medical here is a fraction of the costs of anywhere in the West.  

[Anthony5]

1 minute ago, anotheruser said:

2 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

 

With a heart attack or burst intestine, you're dead before the emergency evacuation gets you back to your home country.

 

Yes, but the flight is paid for. Thailand doesn't care what shape you are in once you are gone. 

 

Not sure where you going with this but, an insurance that doesn't cover you in Thailand will also not pay for an emergency evacuation, and what are you with an emergency evacuation if you will be DOA anyway.

 

The subject we are discussing in this post is people who refuse to take health insurance that covers them in Thailand, because they think they can get back to their home country where they are covered at any time.

[Grubster]

27 minutes ago, DavisH said:

But it's considerably more than most pensions. 

In the US for somebody who has worked for 40 years no it is less than average.