What visa options are available for a 37-year-old expat in Thailand?

@Ruth ******

You can learn Thai independently at your own pace at night, while you are working during the day, rather than traveling to a sweaty classroom.

@Tod ********

Where do I sign up? ;) Joking but I presume that would be an area ripe for targeting by Immigration such as ED providers have been in the past.

@Duncan ******

, ,It's totally real stamps

Most agencies offer a 3+12 volunteer visa (a 90 day Non-O and then a year extension tacked on) and your passport comes back with both already stamped in. They are indeed real stamps, from a real immigration office, by a real immigration officer, sponsored by a real foundation. :O You just got them by giving an agency a pile of money and your passport and they were issued under the "or at the discretion of the issuing officer" clause that is a catch all :P

@Tod ********

I never thought they were not real stamps versus they were fudging attendance books if there is similar equivalent with volunteer orgs as there is with some ED providers. I know a few people on volunteer visas and I thought that they were required to rock up on occasion - waves at

@Shayne *********

above :)

With some ED providers (no names), they'll get you to turn up once a month or two to sign a book saying you'd met your minimum attendance requirement when you were never there.

@Peter ******************

Sorry, no idea about Phuket but there is bound to be something.

@Greg *******

I have been in touch with a few, but every operation seems unprofessional even to the suggestion of being scammy... havent stumbled on anything that seems throughly legit :D

@Peter ******************

I felt the same, but that is just how they are, all small privately owned 'businesses' with interesting contacts. Sales/marketing/communication/smooth operations is not really what they do. And that goes for many thai businesses, in my experience. What is required nowadays by immigration to extend a Visa has forced out many of the bogus 'visa for cash' schools.

@Peter ******************

Yeah you probably have a lot to sift through. Problem is there is a very high % who do not want to learn and only want to buy a visa. Lots of laces cater to this so the teaching quality and set up is poor.

@Greg *******

places catering to people only looking for visas is precisely my concern.

@Greg *******

I think you hit the nail on the head, it seems like the education part of the ED is an unwanted part :D

@Greg *******

thank you

@Ruth ******

If you really want to go the whole hog look at the Chula Uni intensive course. Quite expensive and very tough. You will come out reading, writing and speaking to a high level. I know a guy who did it and many dropped out. He said the finishers were mostly Korean and Japanese guys sent by companies who would not dare to fail. :-D :-D

@Ruth ******

It is in central Bangkok though - you might not want to live in Bangkok :-)

@Greg *******

Yeah. I probably should have mentioned that I would prefer a place in Chiang Mai, although I’d be open to other options for learning. Bangkok would not be my first choice, but it’s not out of the question. Given my age, I probably could not handle the intensive. I saw Tod’s comment about people being on educational visas and not really wanting to learn Thai and that has me a bit concerned. I don’t want to be sharing classes with people not serious about learning...feeling a tad bit overwhelmed at the moment. Lol

@Ruth ******

I am learning Thai online right now, one on one, with a great teacher. Just started but enjoying the hell out of it. When I come back to Chiang Mai, I will also do an ED visa even though I could technically qualify for another retirement visa. I just don't want to use my IRA as the basis for that again. So, my plan is to learn as much Thai as I can right now...and then come over and join a language school, with the ED visa.

@Beverly *********

I’m glad to meet someone in the same situation. Did you start out with absolutely no Thai (well, aside from basic pleasantries)? I’m struggling to learn from online resources. I don’t think they really approach the language correctly. A one-on-one tutor might be very helpful while I await regular classes.

@Ruth ******

No Thai, at least none to speak of. Suwadee kah, kohp koon kah, enough to be polite, but not a lot beyond that. That is enough to get by in CM or Bangkok, but not enough for further exploration of Thailand.

One on one is the best way to do it. One on one with my excellent teacher (she is hilarious) forces me to put the words into conversation and teaches me the tones. The language school will be a lot easier once I have moved beyond the beginner stage.

Since the plan is to eventually spend a good deal of my time in Thailand, learning the language is going to be helpful.

I don't really want to use my IRA. I would rather work online and earn the money to put into my Thai bank accounts to use for the future retirement visa. So the ED visa seems the best way to return to Thailand once the "crazy stuff" with the virus is over.

@Beverly *********

Would you mind PMing wiht me? I’d like to know more about your teacher. I may eventually use the retirement visa, but I just don’t see a reason to have them poking into my finances until I’m ready. I’d like to get to Thailand as soon as I get my vaccine.

@Ruth ******

they dont poke into your finances, they just want to see 800,000 baht in your bank. Or proof of 60,000 a month in pmf

@Dan *******

to prove the 60,000 a month (or even a balance sheet), they’d need bank account info, no? I’d prefer not to be sending that to anyone.

@Ruth ******

If I was going to do it I would def consider this. Easy to get the visa with a real Uni plus fee's look very reasonable.

@Ruth ******

Those that do not want to learn do not even attend class so do not worry about them ;-) If I was here to study Thai I would prefer Chiang Mai over Bangkok too. It is a lovely city. I am pretty sure Chiang Mai University have courses.