Interesting Video About UK Retirees in Pattaya

[udontony]

That really sucks. Such a law would  probably be found to be illegal if it existed in the US.

Unfortunately for me and many other expats the law has been challenged in European courts and others but so far it has not been changed.  It would make such a difference to me if it was!

[Sexyfarangman]

Unfortunately for me and many other expats the law has been challenged in European courts and others but so far it has not been changed.  It would make such a difference to me if it was!

 

It's like they're telling you that to get your proper pension you have stay where the weather sucks and the women are overweight. You can't go to a warm weather climate with slim women. That is one hell of a choice UK residents are being forced to make.

[udontony]

Not sure about your first paragraph: never heard of anyone paying less than the current costs since Immigration moved to Jomptien

 

But using an Agent the cost is about £400 and my OAP is £600 so as you say, relatively cheap, less than a month's (4 weeks) pension for those who still have a near full pension.

 

I have another pension so use the 65,000 Baht per month route.

It is a long time since the costs were increased but I did know one person that was on the old rate, he died a couple of years ago.

 

Your costs for buying a visa are accurate, relatively cheap referred to the other ways where someone put the money up for you as a loan or you going back to your home country to get a 12 month visa from there.

 

I also have another pension and use the money income for the year guaranteed by British embassy but at a cost of over £50 for the letter!

[udontony]

It's like they're telling you that to get your proper pension you have stay where the weather sucks and the women are overweight. You can't go to a warm weather climate with slim women. That is one hell of a choice UK residents are being forced to make.

It is even worse for Australian citizens who have to stay in Australia for two years to be able to get the pension at all!   Even if they have been working most of their lives in Australia but retire early to Thailand, they then have to go back for the two years to qualify!  One expat near us has had to go back alone and leave his wife and son here because she has to look after the business that they own, he will be back later this year after his two year in Australia.

[Harvey707]

Thanks for posting this.

 

Although I don't recognise any of the people interviewed I do see many guys just like them in Pattaya.and in the north as well.

 

I think the attraction for them was the the girls and the booze,just as one guy said, but the latter becomes far more important to the point of being a necessity.

 

In Britain we moan about "foreigners" abusing our national health service and it would only be logical that Thais would not be happy about us farangs not having the ability to pay for treatment in their public hospitals but still receiving some and taking up beds..

 

I'm sure at some point in the near future the retirement option will be overhauled in LOS,

 

The current income/savings thresholds have not changed for about 7 or so years and due to the increasing number of elderly farangs needing medical treatment, more stringent financial criteria will need to be applied  in addition to an adjustment reflecting the increased costs of living since back then.

 

Seems only logical

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes its time that the Income threshold was raised to a net 100.000 Baht monthly with perhaps 2.000,000 Banked

[Harvey707]

I can only assume that the 'kitchen table' Retirement Extension system is still in operation.

 

For about 20k one hands Passport and Bank Book to an agent, signs the forms and gets the Passport back all stamped up for another year.

The 800k is deposited overnight and then withdrawn by the agent.

Obviously the paperwork at Immigration wouldn't stand up to investigation, but that's one crackdown they apparently haven't got round to.

 

They may well borrow the 20k, as the guy did in the story I posted (just follow my posts in bold for the story) :-

 

Don't Wind Up Like This

 

.

 

Agreed its a one way ticket to Black listing at immigration.  If you haven't the money in the first place you shouldn't be in the Country

[Sexyfarangman]

It is even worse for Australian citizens who have to stay in Australia for two years to be able to get the pension at all!   Even if they have been working most of their lives in Australia but retire early to Thailand, they then have to go back for the two years to qualify!  One expat near us has had to go back alone and leave his wife and son here because she has to look after the business that they own, he will be back later this year after his two year in Australia.

 

Does this mean that you have to stay in Australia for two years after you retire to get your pension? If so, how are you supposed to live for those two years?

[udontony]

Does this mean that you have to stay in Australia for two years after you retire to get your pension? If so, how are you supposed to live for those two years?

Not an expert on this but I believe that you can draw the pension if you are old enough whilst you are waiting the two years in Australia, or you can go back and work for the two years before you are pension age.  Maybe some Australian member here can clarify this.  All I really know is that the two years in Australia seems to be mandatory so as to be able to get a pension at all!  My friend has another five months or so to go now before he can get back to his wife and son.

[wangotango]

Not an expert on this but I believe that you can draw the pension if you are old enough whilst you are waiting the two years in Australia, or you can go back and work for the two years before you are pension age.  Maybe some Australian member here can clarify this.  All I really know is that the two years in Australia seems to be mandatory so as to be able to get a pension at all!  My friend has another five months or so to go now before he can get back to his wife and son.

australian pension rules suck . I've been paying big tax for over 40 years and the pricks are more or less saying you have to do a means test to qualify for a PART  pension. they can go f###k themselves 

[Sexyfarangman]

Yes its time that the Income threshold was raised to a net 100.000 Baht monthly with perhaps 2.000,000 Banked

 

You'll see that when LOS wants to start getting rid of retirees.

[how122255]

I'm not sure how these broke farangs are able to stay in LOS and get hospital care. Certainly they can't meet the income or bank account threshold for retirement .

Thinking the same thing.

[Edge]

Thinking the same thing.

 

No need to think, read the subsequent answers given.  

[Billyboy294]

Unfortunately for me and many other expats the law has been challenged in European courts and others but so far it has not been changed.  It would make such a difference to me if it was!

 

A guy I know who was a bar manager here for many years packed up  a month ago  because he said he could not afford to live here as his Old Age Penson had not been increased for  many years,

[Billyboy294]

Yes its time that the Income threshold was raised to a net 100.000 Baht monthly with perhaps 2.000,000 Banked

 

For many years i used the 'money in the bank' route when it was 200,000 baht. When it was raised to 800,000 i took a second look.

 

Much to my surprise i discovered that the alternative requirement of having a Pension/income of 65,000 per month did not have to be paid into a Thai bank as i assumed and was not willing to do.

 

So you could meet the requirement for the Retirement Visa. with only having to show a Thai bank account of about 10,000 baht (that is what i was told by Immigration)

 

Several years ago this requirement was raised to 100,000 in the Bank but this year I was told this was no longer required and when I renewed  my Visa in February i did not show my bank account and it was not asked for.

 

So in theory you could have your pension paid into your UK bank but have little or no money in Thailand.

[Billyboy294]

Several years ago a friend used an  Agent to get a Retirement Visa, He said he was taken to a Bank and 800,000 Baht deposited and removed 10 mins. later. He then got his Visa. 

 

An American I was discussing this with recently  said rubbish they dont put 800,000 in your bank. Does anyone know the situation now,

[Edge]

Several years ago a friend used an  Agent to get a Retirement Visa, He said he was taken to a Bank and 800,000 Baht deposited and removed 10 mins. later. He then got his Visa. 

 

An American I was discussing this with recently  said rubbish they dont put 800,000 in your bank. Does anyone know the situation now,

 

Been posted several times above Billyboy.

[udontony]

For many years i used the 'money in the bank' route when it was 200,000 baht. When it was raised to 800,000 i took a second look.

 

Much to my surprise i discovered that the alternative requirement of having a Pension/income of 65,000 per month did not have to be paid into a Thai bank as i assumed and was not willing to do.

 

So you could meet the requirement for the Retirement Visa. with only having to show a Thai bank account of about 10,000 baht (that is what i was told by Immigration)

 

Several years ago this requirement was raised to 100,000 in the Bank but this year I was told this was no longer required and when I renewed  my Visa in February i did not show my bank account and it was not asked for.

 

So in theory you could have your pension paid into your UK bank but have little or no money in Thailand.

I renewed my married visa in February this year and my pension payments checked by the British embassy in BKK was all that was needed, no money in bank and no check if any money came to Thailand at all.

[udontony]

Yes its time that the Income threshold was raised to a net 100.000 Baht monthly with perhaps 2.000,000 Banked

Can not understand your reasoning behind this!  I live here on about half what you recommend with my wife in our own house,  We live well and are never a burden on friends and family, in fact we help them a lot.  Why would you want to penalise us by raising the amount needed to be able to stay here?  

 

If the amount does go up, I just hope that they do the same as last time and allow people already on a visa to still have the same amount of cash income and the new rate only apply to people starting visas.

[Sexyfarangman]

Can not understand your reasoning behind this!  I live here on about half what you recommend with my wife in our own house,  We live well and are never a burden on friends and family, in fact we help them a lot.  Why would you want to penalise us by raising the amount needed to be able to stay here?  

 

If the amount does go up, I just hope that they do the same as last time and allow people already on a visa to still have the same amount of cash income and the new rate only apply to people starting visas.

 

The current levels allow anyone to live a fairly comfortable lifestyle. I can't see them changing this unless there is a massive inflation.

[Billyboy294]

Been posted several times above Billyboy.

Where?

[Edge]

Where?

 

Post # 15 on.....thought you acknowledged Post # 20.

[Billyboy294]

Post # 15 on.....thought you acknowledged Post # 20.

 

Thanks, I knew this was the situation (ie 800,000 in and out) at one time but wondered if this had now changed as this American told me you now just get the visa without the Bank being involved. ie; cutting out the middleman.

 

With a supposed clampdown on corruption at Jomptiern I thought the Banks might no longer want to get involved especially as they are supposed to report to US authorities if an American deposits more than a certain amount  ($10,000?).

[losgrad]

Are we assuming all of these homeless or downtroden have Visa's or care as they may never go to the airport where immigration would check?

 

Some may live similarly in their home country where the 'safety net' may gather and institutionalize them.  Either way, when plans and financial management are ignored or a series of bad luck is encountered, some will spend their last days, months or years much less than comfortable or fun.  In either country, family and friends could help unless bridges have been burned. 

 

It's not all fun in the sun at the end of the rainbow, 'for free' .

 

Enjoy, but balance your lives.

[Billyboy294]

I renewed my married visa in February this year and my pension payments checked by the British embassy in BKK was all that was needed, no money in bank and no check if any money came to Thailand at all.

 

Same with my Retirement Visa in February.

[Sexyfarangman]

Are we assuming all of these homeless or downtroden have Visa's or care as they may never go to the airport where immigration would check?

 

Some may live similarly in their home country where the 'safety net' may gather and institutionalize them.  Either way, when plans and financial management are ignored or a series of bad luck is encountered, some will spend their last days, months or years much less than comfortable or fun.  In either country, family and friends could help unless bridges have been burned. 

 

It's not all fun in the sun at the end of the rainbow, 'for free' .

 

Enjoy, but balance your lives.

 

You would think that the farangs who are living on the beach would be picked up and deported by the Thai police. I can't see how such a person can legally justify being in the country.