Can I obtain a Non-O Retirement Visa in Thailand with a monthly income of 65,000 THB but without the required 800,000 THB deposit?

Julie, maybe you are right. The easier option. Need to think I through, but for the first year at least I can see your point

Thanks very much. Genuinely appreciated and useful and pragmatic. I may just need a visa agency. Or I may go for the SMART visa for 2 to 5 years and this allows working in Thailand of any form I believe - unless you know otherwise. I should qualify for this as my work is in the renewables / energy efficiency sector. This assumes that I can work at all practically. In practice if I do work it will be part time as the reason that I will get the disability pension from Shell International Gas and Renewables is as, in the view of their Dr and mine, I am not longer capable of the type of employment that they had employed me for. I was only diagnosed with this life condition 3 weeks ago and apparently there is a 3 month period for the body etc to adjust after which it will level out. However, I will practically be more tired than before for life owing to the medication in practice. Hence the pension. So practically I may not be able to work or satisfy clients and compete with others in the business, much as I have enjoyed this in a way previously as a motivating factor. So I may have to "give up" and retire completely - odd as this seems to accept to me mentally at least currently. Reading through responses, I think I'll try to get the SMART visa that is not the easiest to qualify for I believe and see if I can cope with the work and switch later to retirement if needed. If I can't get the SMART visa to start with, then I go for the retirement one straight off, potentially with the help of an agency as you suggest.

Unfortunately the SMART visa also requires cash in the bank at a lower level. Practically I may need to take part of my Shell pension as a "cash up front" lump sum to obtain the cash deposit for this or the pension visa - the THB800,000. However the result of this will be a reduced pension moving forward that is index linked so noting the impact of inflation I'm reluctant to take money now and lose this. Anyway, it is good and useful to understand more - thank you for running this group. I probably wouldn't go for the DTV as it's less flexible that the SMART visa and in time I may acquire Thai clients, currently I rely on Singapore and the UK for clients so Thai may not be necessary but if I live there long term I may spot a few potential clients - this is assuming that I am physically able to work and not to tired! It's a fairly complicated situation, so I do appreciate the advice shared etc. Also it's unexpected and life changing- a few weeks ago I knew nothing of this. It’s not an easy time for us both, my gf/partner May us both as you’ll see and appreciate. Big & real adjustments that must happen, like it or not!

Shrug - you are probably right Jeff. Would it help to take a Thai citizen and speaker along, or practically no different? My girlfriend who I lived within KL is 50% Thai and speaks Thai could be helpful I guess - she speaks Thai but can't read it well as she left to work in Japan then KL about 8 years ago so is playing catch up now that she has returned to Thailand, partly why I want to move there to, but there are other reasons too including practical cost issues, the weather and good food - for what one pays although the food can get tedious I find, at least for me breakfast needs to be western! Cheers,

@Patrick *******

Kevin Parker I thought it 65,000 a month for 12 months so more than this eg 780K over 12 months? Or maybe I've got this wrong Kevin - I may have

Tommy Benjamin Cheers Tommy - I will do so. Really helpful - thanks very much I appreciate it! Cheers from Phuket where I am sitting in a bar now with pool and beer with my girlfriend, well it's Saturday night! I hope you're likewise chilling out this Saturday evening

Haydn Taela Thanks. Logical and useful. Yes, mind would continue as from a multinational not the UK or perhaps other governments that block them when overseas! I just have to try and stop Shell International Gas and Renewables who will be paying my disability pension from June 1st hopefully if not May to pay them to a Thai bank account without auto deductions for UK tax that I then need to try and recover. This is apparently their standard policy and would create BIG issues for me. Good luck with things Haydn. Patrick - currently in a bar in Phuket with my 50% Thai girlfriend playing pool, well it is a Saturday night and I hope that you are relaxing likewise. I don't do bar life every night both for money and health reasons, but hey it's a Saturday ...

Paul Finch Cheers Paul. Thanks good news! Great news in fact. Which agent did you use please? It would be so helpful to know this please and whether you recommend them and also how long ago as policies change from time to time I'm told. Also people what area of Thailand are you in? I understand that certain authorities can be "kinder" than others. Options for me are Phuket, Bangkok or H Hin unless I go somewhere else just for kinder or more thoughtful treatment - which I would for it bit if needed such as Udon. Cheers and thanks a lot. Currently in a bar in Phuket with my 50% Thai girlfriend playing pool, well it is a Saturday night and I hope that you are relaxing likewise. I don't do bar life every night both for money and health reasons, but hey it's a Saturday ...

Joey Wim Nice idea - thanks. Unfortunately I'm now registered as Disables in the UK. Otherwise I would be with you on this and appreciate the thought. Currently in a bar in Phuket with my 50% Thai girlfriend playing pool, well it is a Saturday night and I hope that you are relaxing likewise. I don't do bar life every night both for money and health reasons, but hey it's a Saturday ...

Terary Apellido Good to know how Pattaya view this - thanks Terary. Any idea which States in Thailand may be more pragmatic and helpful? I'm prefer Bangkok, Phuket or H Hin, but people tell me that Chang Mai district is more helpful in such situations

Bernard Rouhaud Thanks Bernard. Although I need to take strong daily medication the Dr tells me that I won't face issues from the Kidney issue itself and impact on me medically, but from taking the medication long term - and that this will probably only hit when I am 70+ and I'm about 50 now so am not worried about this as the same issues at that age may kill me being practical such as an increased risk of cancers and high blood pressure and associated issues, so why worry about this now? This noted, your basic point is spot on. I expect I'll need to take a high excess in return for a lower premier or just self insure, which I'm reluctant to in case things go really wrong, but they have recently anyway for me and one has to just deal with issues as they arise and if these arise I guess. Life is not predictable unfortunately as you probably know better than me, I wish it was more predictable. Thanks again - appreciate it. Patrick

I may or may not but physically capable of working. Both of your comments and useful and valid- I seriously appreciate them all and have lots to learn! I was only diagnosed with this “disability” 3 weeks ago. This is a classified as a disability under both UK and Thailand’s definitions & probably most other countries. It’s a serious condition & without taking the daily medication that adjusts hormone levels etc to compensate I would die in months the Dr tells me. It’s all very sudden & surreal now. But real. The Dr tells me it takes a “typical” person 3 months to adjust mentally & physically. I’m 3 weeks into this. After the 3 months I’ll likely always be more tired than before from the strong medication that is necessary to survive. Without this, I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I would die within a few months without this and was very sick with a high temperature etc for 3 weeks when with my gf and partner in Feb. Hence went to the Dr & blood tests, the diagnosis and so on. This is why Shell International Gas & Renewables will pay a small disability pension that is consistent with my age & service there and not “upgraded” to what the pension would be at 60. So less, but still ok & I’m grateful. After this 3 month adjustment period I may be able to work remotely p/t or not as a consultant & want to do that. Whether physically I’ll be able to with the reduced energy levels likely to have I simply don’t know. Lots of detailed & personal information here, but I simply don’t know what the future will bring & how I’ll be and feel. I’d like to work a little, but this may not be possible. So may need to fully “retire” for practical reasons & live on what I will have. Hence the question in the first place. I hope this helps & makes sense! Many thanks to you both. I appreciate it. Genuinely - and so will my girlfriend / partner May. We lived together in KL & her worked moved to Phuket recently. She’s a graduate that worked in Japan, KL etc for a US company. Life has changed quite fast for us both as you will realise. But this is real and happening for us both. It’s a serious and real relationship. I hope that this helps and makes some sense when explained further. Thanks to you both. Patrick

Richard Wilde thanks a f'king brilliant idea Richard, I didn't think of that seriously! Maybe I go for one of those visas that covers learning Thai part time etc. I'm mildly dyslexic but not to the point of being disfunctional - I had a good grad job with Shell, went to uni and got a scholarship based on brains a long long time ago to boarding school in the UK - lots of bullying, but that's another story for over a beer and doesn't cause any issues now, there were lots of pluses like school with international people that more than offset the benefits most of the time anyway. However, a course visa for 12 months would allow me to save and exist, I could teach English spelling aside or economics to grad level, or learn to cook or whatever or learn Thai a bit I hope - although not the Thai Chi or whatever the exercise or sport based route is called as I'm not well enough and practically although I'm fit as a result of these kidney issues I am aging fast and can't managed a full working week or physical sport. Life can be unfair and change very fast I've realised. But still, I'm currently in a bar in Phuket with my 50% Thai girlfriend playing pool, well it is a Saturday night and I hope that you are relaxing likewise. I don't do bar life every night both for money and health reasons, but hey it's a Saturday ... Thanks again Paul

Phil Delphia Thank you. Is this in a particular area of Thailand please Phil? I'm told that certain areas of Thailand such as Chang Mai are "kinder" regarding their requirements that others. I'd welcome any thoughts or advice on this please - thanks so much. For me Bangkok or Phuket or H Hin would be easiest, but I'm open to moving to Udon for a bit for example if this gets me what I need. It's a difficult situation to be in with the medical issues, but I will do what's pragmatic, although my partner who I lived with in KL etc has a job in Phuket now so this would be the easiest region to go in practice as we intend to rent an apartment together shortly. Thanks and best wishes. I'll use an agent if this is the best way practically, thoughts on who to use would be appreciated and cheers Phil, appreciated. Patrick - from the UK originally although lived in KL working for myself for 10 yrs and Singapore before for 5 years when working for a multinational, all that time ago..

My question relates to having the income but not the THB800K. The other option is a SMART visa for 2 years as I work in renewable energy via my laptop and to work part time for 2 years and save the pension etc. I can't work full time

@THAI *****************************

I don't have the THB800,000 in cash that the non O visa requires as far as I know? Hence the issue

Terry Bill McGinty Malaysia MM2H visas for retirement are very expensive to obtain and would be impractical for me now. I had a Malaysian residence visa previously but this depended on a higher income at a practical level than is now possible with the diability etc and I can't afford to go for the MM2H visa as today this requires about GBP200K or USD250K in a deposit etc

Also, the other option is a SMART visa for 2 years as I work in renewable energy via my laptop and to work part time for 2 years and save the pension etc. I can't work full time

โทมัส ทอม เฟรย์ Thanks. I am certainly considering this, however ideally want to settle in Thailand soon as my gf who I lived with in KL and has worked in Japan, speaks Japanese and English very well etc has now moved to Thailand with her work as she is half Thai and hence I would like to move there soon and potentially we get a condo together as she has suggested - a rented place. She is a 33 year old graduate with a good job and more than able to rent a place alone if she wishes to but obviously I would prefer to be with her. She has worked internationally for more than 7 years and hence we get on, lived together in KL when I was based there and so on. Also, I don't want to rely on friends and this sum is significant for many of them to loan as they mostly have children of school ages and big mortgages. Sadly as the generation after the "boomer" generation many are themselves under financial stress and some years from retirement, although are healthy

Chuck Sievert Useful info thanks Chuck Sievert

Mark Humberger thanks but this doesn't answer my question in that I mentioned that I don't have the THB800,000 for certain visa types including the non- O visa per my post. Shame, but that's where I am

I should get over the sum you mention pension, but not massively so. Then the UK State Pension on top at 68 if I make 68, but that's a long time yet and who knows what the UK Govt will be able to afford then

Thanks Richard. With the right medication that I would expect to pay for privately/personally and can be brought in Thailand - I've checked

Ken Hutchinson thanks Ken. Any idea of the cost of an agent for this please? I should be able to to show the 12 consecutive monthly pension payments by the time of my first renewal. Although I won't have saved the THB800,000 yet sadly. As I have become unable to work relatively earlier, I don't have the full pensionable years for a full pension and the company will only pay a disability person covering the years of service with them only. No complaints! Better than nothing and I'm grateful of this but not enough to live in the UK or N Europe for example