What are the best budget-friendly accommodation options in Bangkok for retirees and how to navigate Thai immigration rules?

@Mark *******

if a retiree doesn't have 800k baht sitting around... they are not retired. But one would have to be absolutely dense to put the 800k in a bank at 0%. I didn't retire at 47 by bring a financial fool. 'Risk your ability to stay in the country'??? WTF are you talking about? Seeing lots of agencies have their doors suddenly closed and their clients kicked out of the country? Didn't think so.

Awesome just keep repeating your mistakes in an attempt validate them👍

@Mark *******

😂😂😂 silly boy

Not as silly as someone that tries to obfuscate the fact that he made an incorrect comment😂😂😂

@Todd ********

I didn't say if they had i said me.... So still a dumb statement...

@Mark *******

awesome. Just keep repeating that to yourself next time you are standing in line at the bank and immigration. Enjoy.

ADMIN: I doubt if she can do the "change of visa type" from a tourist visa to a Non-Imm-O retirement visa. In her home country, she can't get the Non-imm-O visa. Why would it be different in Thailand? So her only option to get a Non-Imm-O visa is putting up the 800,000 THB on a Thai bank account or show an affidavit of income over 65,000 THB, in order to apply for the change?

@Greg **********

in order for her to do the thb per month, she must have the 0thb in a thai bank account for the first year, and that will be upto the immigration office that she goes to if they will accept it. She will also need to provide evidence that she's putting the money in the bank account every month for the year and still have the 0thb in the bank account before she can take out the 0thb

@John *******

this depends. She is NOT a U.S. or British or Australian citizen . . . . If her embassy supplies the affidavit of income, she can do the "change of visa type" from a tourist visa to a 90-days Non-Imm-O retirement visa with an affidavit of income from her embassy. No need to put down an 800,000 THB deposit, and no need to collect 12 months of money transfers

@Viney ******

here is the list of the Immigration approved tgia-listed insurances:

@Jan *****************

1. LTR is the clear winner if you qualify. O-X also a good option if your country offers. 2. If your embassy doesn’t offer affidavit apply for visa in home country and leave your 800k at home. 3. Use an agent and save yourself all the headaches.

@Todd ********

Few people qualifies for the LTR. For the O-X for most countries demands 3 million in a Thai bank, Sydney as the I’ve understand is the only embassy who issues O-X based on funds at home. Most people retire in Thailand based on a Non O with yearly extensions of stay. If you’re from UK, US, AUS or Denmark it’s no legal way around the 800K in your bank for the first year extension of stay before you can switch to the income method for your second year. But of course several things can be done in Thailand if you’re willing to pay.

@Jan *****************

Then you want to be one of those few who qualify for sure!! By far the best visa. Agree that Sydney apparently allows the funds to be kept in Aus for O-X and the second (and more sensible) option for O-X is 1.8M in the bank and annual income not less than 1.2M. Obviously both of those appeal more to someone with a decent income than someone needing to deposit 800k so they can get a 1900 baht visa by queuing up at bank and immigration office annually. If your country fails to support the 65k method, the legal way around the 800k is to use an agent. As you say, you will have to pay. But that is the way at immigration in virtually every country in the world. Even a couple of dozen countries actively selling citizenship and passports. Amazing times

@John *******

it's not needed for the first and second year out of a Non-imm-O/A visa. The 800,000 can remain on her home country bank. Indians can't apply for a Non-Imm-O retirement visa

@Greg **********

yes I have told her that

@John *******

is it 800,000thb or can you have $2000 USD monthly income instead?

@Christa *****

for the first year it has to be 0thb, you will also need to show that you have been putting in the bank every month for the year before you can use the 0 tthb once the immigration is happy they should give you the go ahead to take the 0thb out, but don't you take it out until they have told you that it is OK

@Christa *****

Not for the first year, must be 800k, as the US Embassy no longer issue the income affadavit

@Stevie *******

it reminds me of Florida, honestly…a place to go to wait to die. I’m told there’s more to HH than what I saw. I’m hoping that’s true and will visit again without making a firm decision. However, I just don’t understand blankly saying one should choose there while knowing nothing about the individual’s needs.

@Ruth ******

I'm with you, I'll visit again too as it was just after COVID and it was dead so I'll give the boring shithole another go🤣

@Chris *********

beaches? For what they are. 555. Bangkok gives easy access to everywhere and has a life of its own.

Ruth Regal We like relax with food on the beaches around Hua Hin

@Chris *********

that’s great for you. How do you know that’s what Viney wants? Also, I’ve found better beaches and I like living in Thailand, not expat-country.

@Ruth ******

Yes some people like the lonely beaches on the islands in the south of thailand. But there is another infrastructure, I would miss the BigC, Lotus, Macro and Thaiwatsadu

@Chris *********

and some people don’t find those beaches lonely at all. Still others are looking for more than beaches. 🤣🤣🤣. The OP said she was looking at Bangkok. What part of that post made you think, “This woman is craving beaches”? 🤣🤣🤣 There’s a big world out there that doesn’t involve beaches and even has the conveniences you mentioned, if that’s what one needs. I started out regularly going to Lotus. Now, I rarely do.