Thailand lifts barriers for more foreigners

[holy cow cm]

4 hours ago, connda said:

But - you can readily see exactly where condo owners stand with the Thai government. 
Anyone planning to do the same in the future should read and heed.

Yes this is a direct slap in the face to people who bought and live in their condos here. Especially the retiree with valid reasons and a valid visa trapped outside.

[jingjing99]

19 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

including

what is the source and how to book a repatriation flight...please any info...?

Suvarnabhumi airport showing arrival flights from Amsterdam and Doha...anyone checking if these flights are bookable...

 

 

[jingjing99]

Visa extensions until 26th September seem only to apply to foreigners in Thailand....

what is the case for Visa holders outside Thailand with Visas expiring this month...

anyone got some input on this...?

 

[Prince77]

On 8/3/2020 at 9:25 AM, ThomasThBKK said:

With a 10 mio condo investment you can get an investment visa. It was 3 mio before they changed it to 10 mio. 

I invested more than 12 Mio. B in a company plus monthly payments for salaries, rent, social security, taxes, suppliers... of about 800.000.- B - as my work permit and visa expired during my absence while not being able to return, I am now stuck in my country without possibility to return soon.

 

So I got nothing for my investments.

[Prince77]

2 hours ago, jingjing99 said:

Visa extensions until 26th September seem only to apply to foreigners in Thailand....

what is the case for Visa holders outside Thailand with Visas expiring this month...

anyone got some input on this...?

 

It will expire - happened to me, too. Have to start again with a visa from outside of Thailand - which is difficult to get under current conditions.

[herwin1234]

On 8/3/2020 at 1:43 PM, holy cow cm said:

So where are the invested in condo retiree or retiree under long lease plans who have their lives here? 

buying a condo, or a Gucci handbag or whatever, is not investing. . Buying a car, or a house, its buying, not investing. Even if the colorfull sales brochure say you are "investing" , you have to understand you are not investing.

 

Investing is making a busines here and creating jobs for people.

[fusion58]

On 8/3/2020 at 1:24 PM, webfact said:

These groups are required to follow the Public Health Ministry’s measures strictly and spend 14 days at an alternative state quarantine site.

So should we take this to mean these groups still need to present proof of insurance, fit-to-fly certificate, C-19 test, etc?

[Prince77]

2 hours ago, jingjing99 said:

what is the source and how to book a repatriation flight...please any info...?

Suvarnabhumi airport showing arrival flights from Amsterdam and Doha...anyone checking if these flights are bookable...

 

 

Flight from AMS and DOH are bookable, however, most likely do not fly as commercial flights.

 

Repatriation flights are allocated by your local Thai embassy or consulate but you need to get a "certificate of entry" first which is applicable to a lot of conditions.

[herwin1234]

2 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes this is a direct slap in the face to people who bought and live in their condos here. Especially the retiree with valid reasons and a valid visa trapped outside.

Such a retiree is trapped outside Thailand bc obviously he doesnt live all the time in Thailand. A retiree who bought and really live in their condo (full time not part time, sometimes Thailand, sometimes their home country) has no problem at all. 

It seems everbody feels entitled for special visa treatment (the newest entitlement seekers are the "seperated lovers".) but fact is, borders are closed, if you were out, you stay out and have to wait until the borders open. 

[Paradise Pete]

21 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

It would be nice if a some point the government addressed the situation of Non-Immigrant visa holders who have one-year retirement extensions who were caught out of Thailand when the country shut its borders. I have not heard nary a word on them; I don't know how many of them there are out there are but I know 3 of them personally. They are willing to comply with the quarantine, however, the 100k insurance requirement is a bit of a lift because two of them are in their 70s. (Two of them own condos and the third shares a home with his Thai wife.)

 

I'm in that situation as well.

[Misty]

On 8/3/2020 at 6:01 PM, scorecard said:

"...To get permanent residency in Thailand, I'm not sure about the criteria..."

 

Thai Permanent Residency (PR) is not based on marriage or having kids and is not based on spending a certain period of time or money in Thailand. It's not based on owning property in Thailand or having large sums of money in the bank in Thailand.

 

The main criteria to qualify for Thai PR is having worked in Thailand on a Thai work permit for 3 continuous years or more and proof that the applicants personal Tax return for Thailand has been submitted and cleared for the same time period, with a document from the Thai Revenue Department indicating 'all finalised'.

 

And there's further criteria: work seen as contributing to the development of Thailand, certificate to prove no criminal record in Thailand or in home country, Thai language skills, proof that the applicant has some form of long-term investments which will ensure the PR holder will never be a financial burden to Thailand (e.g. mutual funds etc.), advanced education. Applicant must pass an interview with more senior immigration panel. And more. 

 

There's an annual maximum number of possible approvals. Actual approval rate is very low. 

 

Folks on visas like retirement visa cannot convert to Thai PR unless they gain a work permit and hold same for 3 years etc., and comply with the tax item, as mentioned above etc.

 

There an announced period of time every year when applications can be submitted (about 3 months only).

Scorecard, many thanks for the information regarding permanent residency applications.  Would you have any additional detail on what is required for the Thai language skills test? Are any sample questions available so I can judge the content and how to prepare? 

 

I study Thai for fun/as a hobby, but I don't need to use it for my work so my vocabulary is more situational. I can read, write and speak conversational Thai.  Right now I'm reading and discussing books like the "Manee Mana" series for fun.  I'd be happy to redirect and double down on my efforts to something more useful for the permanent residency test, but haven't found guidance as to what sort of content this would be. Current events? The economy? Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Edit:  Sorry just realized I posted my question in Thai News.  I'll repost the question in the Thai Visa & Work Permit section instead.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Misty

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Misty said:

Scorecard, many thanks for the information regarding permanent residency applications.  Would you have any additional detail on what is required for the Thai language skills test? Are any sample questions available so I can judge the content and how to prepare? 

 

I study Thai for fun/as a hobby, but I don't need to use it for my work so my vocabulary is more situational. I can read, write and speak conversational Thai.  Right now I'm reading and discussing books like the "Manee Mana" series for fun.  I'd be happy to redirect and double down on my efforts to something more useful for the permanent residency test, but haven't found guidance as to what sort of content this would be. Current events? The economy? Any thoughts appreciated.

 

Edit:  Sorry just realized I posted my question in Thai News.  I'll repost the question in the Thai Visa & Work Permit section instead.

 

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