I've lived in five different areas since I moved over here about 8 and 1/2 years ago . At first I was still bouncing around back and forth between Japan , China and here.. and then covid hit and it was just here.

I've been lucky enough to meet some of the right people and turn what started out as a vacation into a full-blown life. I feel very fortunate for that..

I think it's probably one of the best countries on Earth.. no it's not perfect. But I think Thailand has a lot to offer the world, and has lots of offer us as people who are allowed to stay here..

When you first get here you'll notice a lot of hostility in the expat community. While I don't agree with it , I've started to understand why they're a bit standoffish..

The hostility comes from a desire to keep things the way they are.. and also from a general weariness of aholes that reflect badly on the Foreigner Community as a whole..

If you've seen a lot of the recent news during the high season , there is generally an influx of really poorly behaved individuals.

I'm not saying it's fair.. but the long-term expat community watches that kind of thing and they assume that pretty much everyone new is going to be detrimental to what they have here.

Some of them will warm up to you eventually..

Some of them will remain a holes forever.

Is much of the hostility unjustified?? Yes

But there is a reason.. all it takes is one look at the news to understand why.

If you're moving over here in the near future. I wish you the absolute best in your new life abroad..

Stay positive and don't let a few irritable people get you down.

#expatlife

#TheLandofSmiles

#thegoodlife

#lovethailand

#thailandlife

Hi, thought I would briefly post my experience of visa extension, retirement visa. I went with a friend who was applying for their extension. Bank took two days. Then ended up freezing account for 4 months. Has to be done. In case my elderly and frail friend is a Cambodian scammer or operating mule accounts. Then back to immigration. 12 folders. Then told TM 30 and rental contract and payment slips not enough. Even with every other detail and proof.

Go back and get a signed copy of their ID. Several large photographs of my friend in front of and inside their rental house. Large colour print out of the location from google earth.

Ok. Did that, back to immigration. No. Now you need the rental contract to be a year. And when you do that, if we grant retirement visa, you will be visited every month by the police. Given that my friend already owns several condos elsewhere.1200 k away, that seems somewhat harsh. So essentially they have to leave in the middle of their extended holiday. Fly back to their nearest airport, take a taxi some 150k go to an immigration office there and hope they dont come up with another set of rules. Then taxi back, another flight all to extend a retirement visa. They dont like us. They dont want us here. Thailand for Thai's. I should add the banks cheery assertion that document given out by them would be good for 24 hours for bank book and four or five days for statements was met with refusal by immigration. ''Go back and get them today.'' And no I wont name the provincial office. My friend still has to deal with it.

Got a thai girl pregnant and I’d like to stay here…. I did 3 border runs this year and was planning on doing 1 more in the new year then applying for an education visa - then a Thai bank account - then probably an o type visa for being the child’s father…. Does anyone have any advice for me to make things a bit more simple please 😩😅

Heads up to anyone using Pattaya Immigration. I had my annual interview for the Non Imm. O visa Ext. of Stay thru marriage yesterday. Nightmare. Worst in 28 years. Even my usually unflappable Thai wife was upset at the process. Home photos rejected. Had to go home take more, a 1-hour return drive. Photocopies unacceptable. In and out all morning to get more done then having to queue up again in long queues of at least 40 or 50 people in front of us twice.

The female immigration officer even had a problem with the map to our house which we printed off from Google Maps. Not good enough. It had to be hand drawn with a copy so that means hand drawn twice. Don’t know if the IO was just having a bad day or not but doubt it as a friend said he had something similar happen to him last week in Bangkok immigration. Oh and marriage cert. good for the last 23 years, not anymore. Needs updating every year now so had to go to the Amphur district office do that.

The questions they’re asking nowadays are very invasive as well. Why did you move? (asked twice) How did you pay for your house? Got receipts? Where does your income come from? Got any pension? Proof? Receipts? Be warned. It’s a new dawn in immigration these days and the bank freezes were just the start. I’d be interested to know if anybody’s had similar experiences having done a recent 1-year Extension of Stay on long-term Thai visa. Thanks.🙏

More problems with 90 day reporting online...

Twice I've been rejected previously for 'first report to be done in person...' even though I've been here nearly 10 years and never left the country?

Today a new one..!​ Rejected.. 'can only be submitted 15 days before until due date' even though I was exactly 7 days before, bang in the middle of required range??​🤔​

Thai IT​ and bureaucracy will never cease to amaze me...

I thought we had all the ducks in a row, I have got a Thai marriage certificate stamped and certified, yellow book, Thai ID card and trying to work towards a marriage visa. Now I need to open a Thai bank account to season funds however after having been to several banks that refuse to open an account without a visa, my wife is now taking me to a Chinese bank, I’m having serious reservations about this.

No one mentioned the nightmare that uploading the various documents in the correct format would be. Maybe it's because I'm old and crap at such things.

It took me hours!

Awaiting the verdict.

Update to previous post....

The evisa is a nightmare. They keep asking me for my bank statements proving income over and over....and now on try number 5 they are now saying they want proof of 800 k in particular. They also insist I have the 5 prohibitive diseases health certificate. Ive just gone to the clinic. The one test takes 9 weeks. The tests also cost about 12k baht. Not a train smash but why???? I thought I had done my homework. Clearly not. Goal posts keep shifting. Insane.

My other option is to deposit the 65k into my Bangkok Bank account for 12 months and then apply. Not ideal of course.

Hi. Evisa for non O. What do you do when they now after the fact ask for following up docs...in particular medical certificate in past few months showing no prohibitive diseases. Well I havent had one. Do they mean I must now go for a health check? No mention of a number of things in the online visa system. Now suddenly all these other things. Like ALL the pages of your passport suddenly. Any clarity? I'm in Malaysia

Received this from THAI VISA CENTRE - visa agent this morning:

We've received many concerns from first-time retirees about opening bank accounts.

We can assist with this, but space is limited.

Please note we may not be able to offer this service after July.

If you would like our help, please reply to this message so we can reserve a spot for you.

I went to Thai Revenue department (Chalong) earlier with all the correct paperwork and they told me I couldn't get a TIN taxpayer number until after the tax year has ended. Is this normal? (doesn't sound like a smart way of doing things)

Edit: Sounds like it's just another case of ineptitude and I wont be able to sort this out at the office. Does anyone know an agent that will get me a TIN now for a decent price?

Edit 2: Went again armed with a wall of pre translated text from my accountant everything everything, and despite this I had to spend a whole hour repeatedly schooling them on the law, accounting and the revenue code, with them accepting my arguments each time and then changing the subject and perpetually and erroneously inventing new things I'd need to get the TIN, and after an hour of debunking and debating with 4 staff they just went right back to the start as if we hadn't spoken yet, and at that point I had to just throw in the towel because it was obvious that we weren't going to get anywhere. The principal lady that dealt with me was incredibly smug and rude and childish, and it was very obvious that she simply didn't want me to succeed.. the problem wasn't my paperwork, logic or position; it was her/what she represented. Politeness got me nowhere.