New Long Term Visa - Not Easy To Obtain.

[gotlost]

Well-spoken. I have been here 18 years, never left. Like you, I have traveled extensively over the past 50-odd years and feel most at home here in Surin. I would not want to live in Pattaya or Hua Hin, let alone Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Issan suits me just fine, far away from the maddening crowds (thank you, Thomas Hardy).

I follow this channel. This person an American worked for the Chiang Mai Police for 20 years and had a side arms and a M 16.

 

[gotlost]

BTW. He shows you the good, bad and ugly.

 

[gotlost]

Chiang Mai: Danish man and Thai woman end up in the city moat after night out.



Picture: Manager

Police and rescue services were called after a car was driven into the city moat in Chiang Mai late last night and was submerged.

It happened near Siam TV on Chang Lo Road in Muang district, reported Manager.

At the scene was a wet Danish man aged about 30 dressed only in boxer shorts. He was in a state of shock. He said he had been on a night out.


Picture: Manager

He said that there was someone trapped in the car who unlike him had been unable to exit the vehicle.

Divers found a 40 year old woman unconscious and brought her out and after CPR was given she was rushed to hospital.

The Dane kept saying there was someone else in the vehicle and a search was further done over the next two hours as the Honda Brio with Phrae plates was brought out.


Picture: Manager
But no one else was found so it was assumed that the foreign man was mistaken due to shock.

Police took pictures and are interviewing witnesses to try and determine who was driving and what happened.


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[Stargazer]

Forget about

New Zealand . It has gone to the dogs and is still going downhill fast.
I love my country and beautiful as it is.
Because of what has and is still happening there.
I doubt very much that I will ever return home to live.
It makes me so sad and angry.

At our age, that comment can be applied to just about anywhere The whole world has gone to the dogs (particularly our village, where you must take a staff to fend off aggressive mongrels). Ah, lovely New Zealand. The Chinese have bought up Auckland. The downside of allowing foreign ownership of land. NZ was the first place I went after my first wife died. You or others may enjoy this post about my Kiwi family, and hiking Milford Sound track: Milford Sound

 

[Coffee]

Even though you don't, WHY are you in Isaan then, one of the 20 poorest provinces in Thailand? Friends talk about coming to visit Isaan, and I invariably say that it is not on the top 50 list for tourists in Thailand. Or the top 100. You have to have a good reason to haul yourself way out here in the rice paddies.

Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only be found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

 

[CO-CO]

Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

Nice post Coffee.

"Contentment" is what I preach.

Very, very difficult to acquire especially coming out of the 'rat race' where constant achievement/development is the norm. I soon realised why some people have trouble with coping with retirement.

Moving to Thailand you cannot live like a tourist for long if you want to achieve sustained contentment.

That contentment is often easier to achieve in the rural areas of Thailand, where you have to learn to live with what you have around you. Not too different from the Thais renowned 'subsistence' life style. When you accept that situation, contentment tends to follow - and it becomes easy to justify the local existence.

As always, if you are not happy with your lot - change it (if you can). Thailand is one of the easiest places in which you can change lifestyle.

 

[Ivor the Engine]

Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only be found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

For a change, I agree with everything you say here!

 

[Rice]

Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only be found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

There I was. thinking it was only the women, you came for. How silly of me. Sorry @Coffee

 

[Coffee]

There I was. thinking it was only the women, you came for. How silly of me. Sorry @Coffee

LOL Don't get me wrong, Rice, I came for plenty of women.
(Or should I write 'I come for...' )

 

[lightfoot]

Even though you don't, WHY are you in Isaan then, one of the 20 poorest provinces in Thailand? Friends talk about coming to visit Isaan, and I invariably say that it is not on the top 50 list for tourists in Thailand. Or the top 100. You have to have a good reason to haul yourself way out here in the rice paddies.

I'm here because it's part of our marriage agreement: must stay where wife's family is. Likewise, we stay our summers at my old family farm in Washington State. It's a deal, not a perfect one, but a pragmatic one.

Otherwise, I imagine I'd be in Koh Samui, Phuket, Kao Lak, or Petchabun. If I had Coffee's '$80,000 a month' income, maybe The Maldives or New Zealand.

 

[lightfoot]

There I was. thinking it was only the women, you came for. How silly of me. Sorry @Coffee

It was not my point to be putting down Isaan (I grew up in a poor rural area in Washington State), but rather to state the obvious, as Co-co put better. We're not in Surin for the scenery although Surin is lovely in October before the rice harvest. I have some sweet, loving relatives that I am very fond of. They are dirt-poor, so I am providing scholarships and 'salaries' to help family stay home to take care of kids rather than have to go off to Bangkok to work as my wife did for 16 years. One goal is to supplement the wages of our daughter-in-law who just graduated as a nurse so she can work locally so as to be home nights with our grandson. We have a bright nephew who has just begun university, and we're helping with that. Our daughter-in-law does have student loan debt, and I must figure out whether it's better to just pay it off at once, or gradually. I'm discouraging borrowing money on ag land as is common, vs. the Bank of Malinowski. Also buying too much insurance or lottery tickets.

Where we live April-October in Washington State on 45 rai farm near Mount St. Helens

Sounds like a nice set up you have MEL. Good wishes and I hope one of the Book ends doesn't fall over !

 

[Stargazer]

This thread wandered off topic into some lovely areas! Thanks to all for eloquent commentary. And scenery is available, when we want. We're overnighting at Khao Yai NP. which has some lovely vista of the jungle-clad limestone karst. I hope to spend more time here when care of our very active little 18 month old monkey allows. This is a charming age, but hard work keeping them safe and conversely, the world safe from them. Sitting still is not in their nature.

 

[FERRET]

LOL Don't get me wrong, Rice, I came for plenty of women.
(Or should I write 'I come for...' )

I'll bet you did, POON TANG STYLE.

 

[Deerculler]

At our age, that comment can be applied to just about anywhere The whole world has gone to the dogs (particularly our village, where you must take a staff to fend off aggressive mongrels). Ah, lovely New Zealand. The Chinese have bought up Auckland. The downside of allowing foreign ownership of land. NZ was the first place I went after my first wife died. You or others may enjoy this post about my Kiwi family, and hiking Milford Sound track: Milford Sound

New Zealand is beautiful.
I was talking about the social destruction caused by the current Comrade Prime Minister.
Which a tourist does not see or want to see.
Also I was not talking about dogs in the village. Although the Mongrel Mob is with it's 38,000 members plus all the other gangs are a problem too.
Huge, and I mean a huge increase in crime. Police are finding it difficult it very difficult to control.
Some prisons have been closed to save money. Crim's now get ankle bracelets put instead of prison.
Now the govt. is saying prison numbers are way down.
Even this is only a part of the problem.
The govt. is taking NZ back to the same as apartheid that was in South Africa.
The economy is in really deep shite.
I am not exaggerating.

 

[Stargazer]

Deerculler, I have not been in NZ since 2016, and had not been aware of all you mention. I'll inquire about this issue with my Kiwi 'daughter' in Auckland. I was just kidding about the dog part (sort of, they are a real problem here). And I thought Australian possums were the big problem!

One good thing NZ did in the pandemic was make it very difficult to become a NZ citizen, defending themselves from the mob that want to move from their deteriorating countries to a more pristine one. I actually considered moving there after my wife died, and it became clear I would not be allowed to do so. Unlike Thailand, they were not interested in accepting any rich pensioners (although billionaire Peter Thiel was allowed to buy his way in).

Your comment about the Prime Minister reminds me of a funny incident when we took a Turkish girl who was staying for an AFS year with our family at age 16, down to Guatamala to visit my niece working in a rural village with the US Peace Corps. Guatemala was under harsh military rule, and killed local indigenous people at will. We warned Asla (coming from a country with an actual active Communist Party back in those days before communism lost its luster), who had socialist sympathies (partially in reaction to real fascism in her country. She wound up more moderate), that when we entered Guatamala, to stay silent about her political views or she might be detained or expelled.

She was taken into a room alone at the airport, and asked if Turkey was a Communist country, and her indignant reply was "Certainly not! (unsaid: more's the pity)". Haha. They let her in and we had an uneventful several weeks traveling around Guatamala. Fiery Asla turned into a rather good wife and mother back home. She probably sympathizes with the women and students protesting in Iran now.

 

[lightfoot]

For a change, I agree with everything you say here!

You said it Coffee, different circumstances for everybody but I think you hit the nail on the head.
Long-term retirement home was certainly on my mind when I made the decision do you stay in Thailand permanently.
Great post !
Quote,
Coffee said:
Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

Always starts out as a visit to a Thai village and gf family.
The low-key happiness found in a poorer economic enclave is astounding. [Fully understanding we don't have a clue as to what the reality of and in that village life is.]

To come from a properous western nation where youth have relatively everything yet are killing themselves or others and then traveling to a bum-fúk Isaan village watching elementary students playing fùtból on a dirt field in bare feet because they don't want to beat any further their old, torn brown school shoes used for walking to and from school daily.

Personally I felt really alive and younger.
I returned and began trying to get a better grasp on Thailand by working within the educational system since I had an independent business to support me.
Started slowly to open my eyes before I jumped in with both feet.

That feeling isn't always found in the tourist areas heavily flavoured with westerners.

Do I enjoy (what others may consider a shithole) Surin ?

So far so good. Albeit I hear, read and see a whole lot of fooked up stories of Thai this , Thai that...but that is how living life is anywhere.
Sure I could be unhappy, angry or complaining about 'getting done wrong'...and maybe one dark day in my future I will. (Cancer will teach a fine lesson about that.)

Bottom line: Happiness can only be found within oneself. It cannot be purchased or bought. Clarity of mind never hurts either.

Having a real pleasant family situation is a real nice addition in life as one is blessed while advancing in age.
And yes - so far Surin has been affordable (even with that family!) for this retired chap in his 60s.

So here I will make my Long-term care home...as opposed to an elder-care 'facility' stateside surrounded by strangers.

Having a younger lovable woman to take care of me in the Autumn my life was certainly a deciding element in my decision to settle down permanently in Thailand. I had been bitten by Thailand many years and the comparison between US lifestyle and Thailand is Huge !
Respect for the older generation, family units that stay together was a consideration also. I will add that you have to look at the family unit to see their lifestyle, whether they're hard-working to better themselves or the others, drinkers gamblers just existing to live without any ??? some with their hand out .
This is just a general statement and my opinion.
When people asked me in the US why I like Thailand so much my response was " it's the place that I feel the freest " easy answer because no one can explain Thailand to another person that has not lived in Thailand. I am not sure I can explain it to myself.
Of course in order to make my little Valhalla I have contributed handsomely to the financial status of my Wife and are family.
Been thinking of making a brass plaque with the dates of my endowment for the Valhalla I made.
Maybe that's my little shot of immortality, in the end who cares !

 

[Stargazer]

Well analyzed, Co-co.

Progress report: I applied online on October 31. They are clearly not meeting their stated promise of prompt action (within 20 working days). As of Dec 8, no action. I asked the exec I spoke with in the office to clarify the '10 years, with a renewal required at 5 years' part. If that is simply re-submitting so show you still qualify, no issue. But if they decide to make you pay big again, or change the rules, not so good. No answer about that yet, or expected. Re: the 'only have to report online annually where you reside' part: the time clock gets re-set every time you leave/re-enter, so if you travel at all internationally, you never have to report. That's good. My main concern is that in Thailand, the rules could change mid-stream. There seems to be a powerful health insurance lobby always working to force getting worthless insurance, as well as a banking lobby re: deposit requirements. Currently, there is an out: you must show you have $100,000 or more on deposit in bank to be exempt from the health insurance part, but that can be anywhere, doesn't have to be in Thailand. In an inflationary time (as we are entering) money on deposit earning little is expensive. I have had little success so far arguing that these wealthy pensioners are unlikely to need to stiff Thai medical providers and get kicked out of Thailand over that, so they should stay flexible on that one.

 

[georgefromcanada]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2455332/ib-top-brass-took-bribes-for-triad-visas

There are so many visa options in Thailand 555.

"According to him, the cost of getting such an application approved by the three former commanders ranged from 100,000-300,000 baht per person.
Three former division commanders of the Immigration Bureau (IB) have taken bribes in exchange for approving applications for a non-immigrant visa from more than 3,325 Chinese nationals."

 

[Ivor the Engine]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2455332/ib-top-brass-took-bribes-for-triad-visas

There are so many visa options in Thailand 555.

"According to him, the cost of getting such an application approved by the three former commanders ranged from 100,000-300,000 baht per person.
Three former division commanders of the Immigration Bureau (IB) have taken bribes in exchange for approving applications for a non-immigrant visa from more than 3,325 Chinese nationals."

Wonderful news that its been publicised (and maybe stopped).

 

[Stargazer]

On October 31, I applied for a 10 year 'Long Term Visa' under the 'Wealthy pensioner' provision. Supposed to take 20 working days, enable doing it all on line, and make it easy. As of January 9, it's still pending. I think the Board of Investment's intentions are good, but I seem to be running into bureaucratic obstacles that look familiar. In one case, they didn't like my tax return not being on blue colored 'official' paper (which is only used if you hand write your return). A lack of familiarity with USA tax returns. In order to avoid having to buy health insurance here, you must have had $100,000 USD on deposit since a year before you apply (?!?) (possibly to weed out people faking being rich?), although it does not have to be at a Thai bank. Someone didn't like the looks of my Roth IRA statements from well-respected Vanguard, because they don't look like a Bangkok Bank statement perhaps? Regardless, I'm still waiting, and will have to go ahead and renew my annual Retirement Visa to avoid losing it if this falls through. It's all kind of silly for Thailand to worry so much that wealthy retirees will not pay for their health care, on the penalty of being kicked out I get my health care when needed at pricy but excellent Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, and dental work at Bangkok's superb Dental Hospital. I just pay cash, which they are happy to accept. If I got some expensive illness such as cancer, I'd just fly back to the USA where I have full medical coverage. But Thailand worries about it. Truly making it easy for prosperous people to retire here would certainly benefit Thailand, but there seems to be an urge to make it complex and difficult. I'll post how this turns out when I know.