Moving to Thailand, any help appreciated!

[retiredusn]

If he has no knowledge yet of what he may do, have him get his retirement visa (OA) in England it is a bit of a hassel to get but the basic's are ; 50yrs old, pensions of at least 65000 baht per month this way he is covered for the first year or two here if he plan's the renewal out right. I came on vacation 5 years ago and have been living living here since. Here like everywhere else has its downsides but the upsides outway those by many.

[oddball]

Originally Posted by retiredusn

If he has no knowledge yet of what he may do, have him get his retirement visa (OA) in England it is a bit of a hassel to get but the basic's are ; 50yrs old, pensions of at least 65000 baht per month this way he is covered for the first year or two here if he plan's the renewal out right. I came on vacation 5 years ago and have been living living here since. Here like everywhere else has its downsides but the upsides outway those by many.

Is that right ,you sir have perused Thaivisa probably more often than myself , and yet offer this somewhat simplistic point of view , in all fairness to the OP , the least you could do is offer your phone number , so that when all else fails , as it often does , he has a dependable port of call in a storm . Cum laudum , cum leadum , cum lose-um et alis , but please cum ,Thailand needs your money , much easier to just mail it , at least you still have a place to live .Colin .

[synthia]

Do not put your phone number in this forum! And oddball, don't even suggest such a thing.

The problem that keeps coming up over and over is that things have been changing rapidly, and you never know what is coming down the pike. Some countries grandfather in people who came under lower requriements, but since Thailand requires a periodic renewal, that doesn't happen there.

So the O visa will get you a year, but you can't be sure that the rules won't change next year. That's just the risk you take.

Now anybody can change the rules and nationalize everything and kick all the foreigners out, but that's a radical situation and doesn't happen so often. Unfortunately, Thailand's changes are the norm, not the exception, so you just have to go with the understanding that you might not be able to stay.

[oddball]

Synthia , oh Synthia , my whole response was tongue-in-cheek , just trying to lighten things up a little , have a happy day . Colin

[synthia]

Of course it was. Unfortunately everybody doesn't realize that. You've scared a few people, oddball.

[oddball]

Originally Posted by synthia

Of course it was. Unfortunately everybody doesn't realize that. You've scared a few people, oddball.

Synthia,you have been with me on most of my various posts on Thailand,i like to 'Scare ' people to a reasonable point,Thailand can be a scary place to move to,not only because of the corruption and lack of apparant justice to foriegners,but the myriad changes in immigration with the appropriate visas in place,the temperament of the issueing officer,the contempt and arrogance shown all to often. Many do not like you and many do not want you in 'Thier country ',so many expats get ripped off for all they possess by some sweet,smooth talking 'Teelac',some at the mean end of a fire-arm.
I personally enjoyed Thailand for all it has to offer,it is a fantastic country to visit,a treat to enjoy the people in a moo-ban,so many places of interest to visit and learn a completely different way of life.I could write a long essay on the attributes of Thailand that would/could bring tourists in the thousands,from my own personal experiences and the stories/tales i have enjoyed in an air-con bar/restaraunt.
The bottom line is,they need also to be aware of the 'Dark-side'of Thailand which few people relate to unsuspecting wanabee immigrants,somebody has to do the dirty work!!! Hope you understand me Synthia,Colin

[synthia]

I don't know if it is still true, but the consulate in Hull was at one time extremely liberal with the O visas.

[Ted88888]

Originally Posted by oddball

Absolutely correct , i did it for 7 years , but saw and heard what can happen if you step out of line , even inadvertantly due to a lady-friends shinanagins , Thai are always right and the Falang takes the blame . Just like to warn newbies of the downside so that they go prepared instead of finding out the hard way . Colin .

General truths are not always truths.

My wife (a farang) was involved in a three-car smash up a few years ago and the Thais were found to be at fault and even paid their fines while we were at the police station. So - the "fact" that a "farang" is always at fault is not true. I will accept though that it is the case a bit too often.

A retirement extension on a visa is easy to get and you don't really need to make border runs every 90 days. Or at least mine doesn't require that. Also, usually, any visa will do as there is not a specific "retirement visa" - it is an "extension of stay". Personally, I have found the immigration officials polite and businesslike. That is sufficient for what they need to do and perhaps appropriate. I was not there to make friends or find a drinking buddy - I was there to conduct some business and if I followed the procedures correctly, I got them done. I dressed and behaved appropriately, as we should in any government office. I have had no problems figuring out the ins and outs of various visas and "extensions of stay" while I have been here. They are a bit of a challenge though - in any country.

I find life on Phuket (been here about seven years now) unproblematic, simple, relatively inexpensive (though I DO live well) and relaxing. But - I am not in the bars every night - or any night really - and I mind my own business. I am friendly and get along well with my Thai neighbors and I don't drag hookers into the neighborhood that they need to worry about. Easy peasy.

My reference comes from living in five different countries since 1989 and while I am probably going to p*iss a few people off - I think that experience in a variety of countries softens Thailand's edges a bit. It is, yes, a developing country will all the problems that entails - but if one comes here seeking no special advantage and follows the rules they should do just fine.

If someone comes here and starts dating hookers and (I just can't believe it happens but it does) falls in love with a hooker - then they probably would have fallen for even the lousiest con man back home too.

So . . . I guess what I am trying to say is that Thailand can be a great place for retirement. I suspect that the people jumping off of the tops of hotels, would have had the same problems no matter where they went.

Just my opinion.

[oddball]

Hi Ted88888,you are correct in what you say from a well behaved buisiness mans point of view,the problem is that so many go to Thailand on a much lower strata than yourself.I made my points to these people,but some-one once posted that good advise is mostly ignored,but that is not a reason to not give it.I kept my nose clean also and things went comparatively well for me,but i felt the need to bring to light some of the experiences of the more rambunkcious visitors and expats,there was no intent to offend or hurt the feelings of people such as yourself.Colin

[Ted88888]

I tend to agree with you, Colin - that there are those who come here who may need a bit of "wising up" and even growing up.

That said, I also feel that always stressing the negative puts off the very people we need and want to come here.

I will admit I don't know much of Chiang Mai as I have never lived there and have only visited. I have lived in Bangkok twice before - but it is so huge I couldn't even begin to guess the overall trends there.

But, Phuket in particular, is attracting some very reputable people who intend to make a life here and to contribute to the community as a whole. I don't necessarily mean wealthy people - there are also many very decent people here of modest means (including me). People who aren't out in bars until sunrise and riding home drunk on their motorbikes. In fact, those old-style sexpats are finally and ever so slowly, being squeezed off the island. Good riddance.
Maybe they are heading up to Chiang Mai?

Anyway, in my short time here (almost seven years now) I have seen some excellent changes in Phuket. The days of the sex tourist are limited - more and more families are coming here and rents are becoming too high for the little sleazy bars. All very good signs that Phuket is growing up.

Yeah, not a haven for backpackers any more. But, what has happened is more and more upscale jobs for skilled Thais who can now make very decent wages as the upscale resorts fight for and find they must pay for the best people. Other great benefits? Resorts are realizing the best employees want TWO days off a week, no more songthaews hauling people to work - now the best places provide air-conditioned buses. How many young women now see that - Geez, maybe they can make more money working in a 5* spa than they could as a hooker?! Yeah!

All great things!

They take time, but they are coming. And I want to encourage those things that bring those positive changes. And those people that bring those changes.

But . . . that's just me.