Moving to Thailand - February 2019

[George36]

Hi All,

 

Below was my first post today after joining the site. This post was on a thread where the OP was able to get a retirement visa by himself.   I have been going to Pattaya, on and off, since 1979 and a quick move needs to be made.  I have a little over five weeks to go.

 

My immediate concern is visa.  I am working on getting the 90 day immigrant “O” visa from the Thai embassy here in California and believe that it will be successful.  Will keep fingers crossed.  Lol.  Worst case is that I go with tourist visa and hire a service in Pattaya.  Words of wisdom in the visa category would be appreciated.  Thanks.

 

Need to also look at the list of items to set up a household in Thailand.  Will be looking for furnished house for 6-12 months close to the Baht busses surrounding Beach and 2nd Road.  Desire a pool.  My budget is up to 50k Baht a month.  Would appreciate any referrals to property management companies or companies where I could see properties.  Thanks.

 

Any other thoughts or items that I should bring along.  Mostly, I am thinking how to best to get internet, television, cable, any entertainment as I am a homebody and spend most days in cyberspace, reading or television.  Thanks.

 

Looking forward to the move.  Long time coming.

 

Thanks for any replies.  Have a Great Day

 

 

“This weekend, my wife and I decided that I needed to go to Thailand for, at least, a year.  I have been to Pattaya three times within the last two years and my wife was with me one trip.  So, I need to move quick.

 

I am looking at doing the 90 days visa through the Los Angelas, Ca Thai Embassy.  I will be contacting them shortly.  I need to move quick as my wife and I will be going to Spain for seven days at the end of the month and I will be leaving for Thailand around the 15th of February.  Will be staying at the LK the Empress for the first few weeks as I look for a house to rent.

 

i contacted a local visa place, Key, and they told me that I could arrive as a tourist, get the 90 visa and, then, the retirement visa like the OP did.  They indicated a total charge of 34,000 Baht for their services.  

 

Not it sure what I will end up doing but this thread has helped a lot.  Thanks.”

[Justin Side]

Quote

i contacted a local visa place, Key, and they told me that I could arrive as a tourist, get the 90 visa and, then, the retirement visa like the OP did.  They indicated a total charge of 34,000 Baht for their services.

Oh dear.

Do it yourself for 3,900 Baht. 

[ubonjoe]

You certainly will not be able to get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over for retirement at the consulate in Los Angeles. The will issue OA long stay visa or a tourist visa that you would have to change to a non immigrant visa entry.

You best option may be getting the OA visa. It allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date it is issued and you can get almost 2 years of total stay from it, Requirements are here. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

 

 

[riclag]

 I suggest to put all your stuff in storage if you must get out or have little time! Come back to Pattaya and Jomtian and  check out the  many condo's and their rental options! Tons to choose from!  Google Condo's in those cities 

Good Luck

fellow Californian

Edited January 8, 2019 by riclag

[onera1961]

Get a O-A visa for unlimited in/out flexibility into Thailand for one year at least. (can be done for two years also. But ignore that now for overloading with useless information in your case). Don't pay 34K to visa services. Get O-A visa and you're set for one year (can be for two years also). I am on the same O-A visa.

 

If you're ready for 50K/month rent, no need to bring anything. Travel light. You can find everything here. It is as good as the USA. Just grab an O-A visa, passport, credit cards, ATM cards and you're set. No more than 700 USD in cash.

Edited January 8, 2019 by onera1961

[riclag]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You certainly will not be able to get a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over for retirement at the consulate in Los Angeles. The will issue OA long stay visa or a tourist visa that you would have to change to a non immigrant visa entry.

You best option may be getting the OA visa. It allows unlimited one year entries for a year from the date it is issued and you can get almost 2 years of total stay from it, Requirements are here. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=48

 

 

Could he obtain a Non O visa in Lao assuming he gets a single entry tourist visa in LA?

[onera1961]

1 minute ago, riclag said:

Could he obtain a Non O visa in Lao assuming he gets a single entry tourist visa in LA?

Why go through all those hassle? He can get an O-A in LA and set for one year. If his wife is Thai, he can get an O in LA also. 

[onera1961]

13 minutes ago, riclag said:

Jomtian and  check out the  many condo's and their rental options! Tons to choose from! 

He mentioned about renting a house. With 50K/month, he will certainly be able to rent a house with swimming pool in a gated community in and around Pattaya. Beach road and 2nd road (as he mentioned) are dirty and very crowded. One can find a decent condo for may be 15K. If he fancies high rise condo living with sea view, it can also be obtained for 25/30K

Edited January 8, 2019 by onera1961

[Lacessit]

No words of wisdom on the visa stuff. I'll leave that to the experts.

You should bring a good laptop or notebook with you, plus a Kindle if you like reading. Computer stuff is expensive here, and all the keyboards have Thai script. A pretty good choice of smartphones here.

If you play golf, bring your golf clubs. New clubs are stupidly expensive.

[jacko45k]

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If you play golf, bring your golf clubs. New clubs are stupidly expensive.

Or go to a second hand shop, loads of them!

[ubonjoe]

50 minutes ago, riclag said:

Could he obtain a Non O visa in Lao assuming he gets a single entry tourist visa in LA?

That is possible if he can show the financial proof needed for an extension of stay based upon retirement.

He could also apply for a change of visa status at immigration to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry.

[Lacessit]

49 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Or go to a second hand shop, loads of them!

True. However, I haven't seen any top-level brands in the second-hand shops - golfers here tend to hang on to the good stuff.

[arithai12]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Computer stuff is expensive here, and all the keyboards have Thai script.

I didn't think that computer stuff is expensive here. If he has his own laptop then of course he should bring it along but if he needs to buy things here he will find them no problem and also with English-only operating system if he wants. My keyboard has big american keys with qwerty layout and very small Thai letters that I have in fact never noticed.

There is no amazon (except for some items that can be delivered from overseas) but other similar online shops exist such as lazada.

As for internet, it's fast and cheap both at home and mobile. TV sets and cable subscription, a very wide choice... but what did you OP in your previous visits, didn't you ever look around? Anyway most of these things including house rentals can be checked out online.

Good luck with your move, even if it's against the flow at present.

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

My keyboard has big american keys with qwerty layout and very small Thai letters that I have in fact never noticed.

I bought one of those silicon keyboard overlays. 

Usually computers in Thailand are sold without an OS (Windows), but some do come pre-installed. Getting rid of some other dodgy stuff they put on there was more the problem. I would expect prices to be competitive due to lower sales taxes. 

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Justin Side said:

Oh dear.

Do it yourself for 3,900 Baht. 

Not likely one can do the Non-O stamp part in Pattaya w/o an agent or major hassles.   The person running that desk seems to have carte-blanche to make up a rule-set that has little resemblance to the actual rules dictated by Bangkok.

 

Better to come with a Non-OA Visa, get a Non-O Visa at Savannakhet, or setup in Bangkok until you get a Non-O stamp from the Chang Wattana immigration office (I wish I had).

[Benmart]

7 hours ago, onera1961 said:

Why go through all those hassle? He can get an O-A in LA and set for one year. If his wife is Thai, he can get an O in LA also. 

I got my initial O-A in Los Angeles as you said. Very easy as I took my time to gather the required documents. I have lived in Pattaya five years and still learning.  PM me if you have questions and the best of luck.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Benmart
add words

[Suradit69]

9 hours ago, Lacessit said:

and all the keyboards have Thai script.

All my keyboards have English and Thai. Why would that be a problem? Even someone who studiously avoids learning any Thai may find being able to type a few words in Thai to be useful. 

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

All my keyboards have English and Thai. Why would that be a problem? Even someone who studiously avoids learning any Thai may find being able to type a few words in Thai to be useful. 

Nope!

[4MyEgo]

Everybody has probably already given you what you need, however not having read all the replies, don't forget to get private health cover, it's a must.

 

Good luck

[oobar]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

all the keyboards have Thai script

. . . which is handy since you'll be in Thailand, and all the keyboards have English as well.

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, oobar said:

. . . which is handy since you'll be in Thailand, and all the keyboards have English as well.

 

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

All my keyboards have English and Thai. Why would that be a problem? Even someone who studiously avoids learning any Thai may find being able to type a few words in Thai to be useful. 

Life's too short for me to learn 44 consonants and 24 vowels, plus 4 special vowels. I'll stick with spoken Thai.

[Suradit69]

54 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

 

Life's too short for me to learn 44 consonants and 24 vowels, plus 4 special vowels. I'll stick with spoken Thai.

Having a keyboard doesn't oblige you to learn the Thai alphabet and possibly the O/P has broader horizons than you.

 

You might even get to know a real live Thai person who wants to use your computer to search for something in Thai on the Internet ... especially since you've mastered the Thai spoken language.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by Suradit69

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Nope!

Just here to visit the temples and annoy the elephants, hmm?  

 

[jacko45k]

Just now, Suradit69 said:

Just here to visit the temples and annoy the elephants, hmm?  

 

Nope

[MyFriend You]

If you are a homebody, not really into the bar scene, and both of you have gotten the "Shopping Shopping Shopping" out of your systems, look into JomTien Pattaya instead of Pattaya city proper.............there are tons of condo's for rent here, my condo compound has six swimming pools and a restaurant on it.............don't limit yourself to only Pattaya City.  We are a 10 baht that bus ride to Pattaya Klang, then another 10 baht gets you all the way thru beach road.  I elected here because Its quiet, and the craziness of Pattaya is just 10 baht away  

[George36]

Thanks all for the replies.  I will be going through them meticulously today and take notes.  A lot of great information.  Thanks again.

 

I have 18 Thai Embassy workdays to get what I can from the Thai Embassy in LA.  We leave for Spain from 1/31 to 2/7 and, then, my flight to Thailand will be on 2/12.  Will be booking tonight.  We will be heading up to the embassy, 2 1/2 hour drive, Thursday and we are planning on two more visits.  First visit for information and see if we luckily have all the paperwork.  Second for dropping off completed application. Third for pickup.  Fingers crossed.

 

Question please.  What return flight date should I use while not knowing what visa I will enter the country with?  Tourist visa - 30 or 60 day return flight?  90 “O” visa?   One year OA visa?  Looks like I have to have flight out of the country.  

 

Thanks.

[NCC1701A]

21 hours ago, George36 said:

 Worst case is that I go with tourist visa and hire a service in Pattaya.

why hire a service? just go with all the correct info and forms. not that hard.

[ThaiWai]

Consider giving someone power of attorney if you have homes apts etc in the US that you may need to sell in the future.

Have a will drawn up and notarized before leaving stick it in a safe deposit box and give a family member the keys and access rights.

Make as many paperless accounts as possible.

Set up a Charles Schwab Checking account before leaving the states.  Link it to your primary account. No fee ATM usage worldwide. 

Get a Capital One Venture Card. No foreign transaction fees worldwide.

Apply for US Border Patrol and Customs Global Entry Card

Apply for TSA PreCheck Status.

Sell or donate almost everything you own. Freecycle works well sometimes.  Storing crap you will never use again is dumb. Dumping it al is very liberating.

Keep your US cell phone with you.  You may upgrade here and find it does not work in the US, I use my old phone and grab a sim when I am back home.  

Get as many meds as you may need from your insurance company usually not more than a 3 month supply and find out if they are all available here.  If not ask your doctor for substitutions and dosages. 

Have a doctor write you a script for 50 vicodin. You can't get them here and they may come in handy. 

Not sure what state you are from but if you are over a certain age in NY you cannot renew your license without having pre-registered your eye exam and an authorized facility.

Get a proper medical physical and teeth cleaning.

Most importantly APPLY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS PERMIT FROM TRIPLE A. It will save you a lifetime of hassle here when you go for your drivers license here and it cost peanuts to get but is worth ten times it's weight in gold here.

 

[Lacessit]

8 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

Having a keyboard doesn't oblige you to learn the Thai alphabet and possibly the O/P has broader horizons than you.

 

You might even get to know a real live Thai person who wants to use your computer to search for something in Thai on the Internet ... especially since you've mastered the Thai spoken language.

 

 

 

 

I might also encounter a person on TV who doesn't get their pleasures in life out of putting down other posters. i can but hope.

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, ThaiWai said:

Most importantly APPLY FOR AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS PERMIT FROM TRIPLE A. It will save you a lifetime of hassle here when you go for your drivers license here and it cost peanuts to get but is worth ten times it's weight in gold here.

 

Really good advice.