rzugnoni
American expat in Thailand
Forum posts
65
About me
American
Registration: 13 April 2022
Salary for "Family Helper" by rzugnoni
We have what we call a "Family Helper" for lack of a better term. He does most of the cooking, cleaning, building maintenance, and heavy yard work along with misc., errands. He also acts as our driver from time to time. He also cares for us if one ...
We pay a guy for all odd.jobs, maintenance, gardening, constructions around 10.000 per month and housing off premises plus meals from our kitchen. 9 to 5, Sundays off, sick leave etc. Bonus before NY and Songkrahn. Minimum pay is 300 thb per day, ... Read More
Salary for "Family Helper" by rzugnoni
We have what we call a "Family Helper" for lack of a better term. He does most of the cooking, cleaning, building maintenance, and heavy yard work along with misc., errands. He also acts as our driver from time to time. He also cares for us if one ...
We are paying 13000/month. We do give him time off as he needs it. We have tried giving him a day off each week. Even then he still does things on his own for us. He does not like sitting still for more than a few hours at a time. Whenever he has to ... Read More
Salary for "Family Helper"
We have what we call a "Family Helper" for lack of a better term. He does most of the cooking, cleaning, building maintenance, and heavy yard work along with misc., errands. He also acts as our driver from time to time. He also cares for us if one ... Read More
Noisy Parrot by ThaiTim
Wife and I recently coughed up THB 10 mio for our retirement home in a gated community here in korat. Not long after the neighbour about four houses down bought a parrot then another. He already has a little snappy dog that yaps and yaps all day but ...
I think you missed the: "I just spent THB 10mio on a new house" bit -@ThaiTimYour right. Stupid of me to say that without paying attention to what was written. Sorry. For myself I'm thinking of taking extreme measures to soundproof at ... Read More
Retired in Loei. by rzugnoni
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ...
@rzugnoni聽 Hi, I am an retired architect from Norway living in Loei. I like to do some work with wood sometimes.聽 Could be nice with some contact if you are interested. @helgekrohn2000 -@helgemodernblueHello. I know that this was ... Read More
Noisy Parrot by ThaiTim
Wife and I recently coughed up THB 10 mio for our retirement home in a gated community here in korat. Not long after the neighbour about four houses down bought a parrot then another. He already has a little snappy dog that yaps and yaps all day but ...
Move -@cliffsaoI agree. As unsatisfying as this sounds, move. I live in Loei and was told was a quiet place to retire to. However, between the misc festivals, "house warming" parties, etc it is becoming difficult to look forward to a good ... Read More
Getting a 1-year extension of Non-Immigrant (O) visa by rbakker
I will soon be applying for the initial 1-year extension to my Non-Immigrant (O) visa and would like to keep a record of it here along with any questions that pop up along the way. I'm eligible to apply on Feb 5 2024 because then it's 2 months since ...
I'm on a Type O visa, not a marriage visa and it has always been days for me. Read More
Getting a 1-year extension of Non-Immigrant (O) visa by rbakker
I will soon be applying for the initial 1-year extension to my Non-Immigrant (O) visa and would like to keep a record of it here along with any questions that pop up along the way. I'm eligible to apply on Feb 5 2024 because then it's 2 months since ...
I'm also wondering if this might be another one of those things that can vary depending on the office that a person goes to. Read More
Getting a 1-year extension of Non-Immigrant (O) visa by rbakker
I will soon be applying for the initial 1-year extension to my Non-Immigrant (O) visa and would like to keep a record of it here along with any questions that pop up along the way. I'm eligible to apply on Feb 5 2024 because then it's 2 months since ...
I have been through the 90 day extension several times. They always enter the day that I start the 90 day and the day that it will end. I've counted the actual days on the calendar corresponding to those dates and it has always been days, not ... Read More
Getting a 1-year extension of Non-Immigrant (O) visa by rbakker
I will soon be applying for the initial 1-year extension to my Non-Immigrant (O) visa and would like to keep a record of it here along with any questions that pop up along the way. I'm eligible to apply on Feb 5 2024 because then it's 2 months since ...
I came over on a Type O then extended it for one year. I am married to a Thai. I've done three one year extensions and have not had to show any long term insurance. The caveat is that I did come over here during the COVID pandemic so I had to have ... Read More
Cost of Visa agent by JonSt
Anyone who can share what they paid for agent services for opening a bank account and help with a non-immigrant O visa after arriving in Thailand?I do have the 800k to deposit into a Thai bank account, so I don't need their "help" with that ...
I agree with the "do it yourself" advice. I have found the people at the immigration to be very helpful and want to help. The best thing is if you can bring a Thai friend with you to the immigration office that you want to use and get the ... Read More
1st time in Bangkok by r3152f7794
Planning a vacation in july/August. If I like it (which I'm sure I will) I would like to rent/buy condo in near future. I'm single and will be 65 in November. I plan on retiring soon after. What are some steps I should follow to get the process ...
Learn as much as you can about the types of VISA's that are available for your situation along with the requirements needed for each . Don't assume that by listening to just one person you will get all of the answers that you need. Everyone on this ... Read More
Type O Visa insurance VS Bank Deposit? by Paul_Adams
I've read a lot about this with no clear understanding. The O requires insurance. Does a significant deposit in a Thai bank account (or USA) allow you to skip the insurance requirement.? I have two trips to upcoming trips to Thailand to make ...
I came over in the middle of the pandemic. I came over on a flight that was meant for Thai nationals and for people that are related to Thai nationals which in my case was my wife. At that time I had to show travelers insurance that included ... Read More
Type O Visa insurance VS Bank Deposit? by Paul_Adams
I've read a lot about this with no clear understanding. The O requires insurance. Does a significant deposit in a Thai bank account (or USA) allow you to skip the insurance requirement.? I have two trips to upcoming trips to Thailand to make ...
I am on the Non Type O visa and have been through three yearly extensions and all of the 90 day address verification procedures. I've never been asked about health insurance. Read More
Tax laws. Is it happening? by Teatowel
I've just been watching some videos about these new tax laws. I was intending on renting out my apartment here in Australia and living on that money plus some savings account interest. Both are taxed here at the full rate but now I understand ...
I repeat: Not happening. Read the forum. It's designed to get more tax from wealthy Thai people. Don't worry. -@rbakkerThank you for the response. I do understand that it is targeted to wealthy Thai people . However, it sounds like people ... Read More
Tax laws. Is it happening? by Teatowel
I've just been watching some videos about these new tax laws. I was intending on renting out my apartment here in Australia and living on that money plus some savings account interest. Both are taxed here at the full rate but now I understand ...
Thank you for the response. I was afraid that was the case. I do get taxed on it in the USA. Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe that there is a DTA between the US and Thailand which should mitigate it somewhat. Read More
Tax laws. Is it happening? by Teatowel
I've just been watching some videos about these new tax laws. I was intending on renting out my apartment here in Australia and living on that money plus some savings account interest. Both are taxed here at the full rate but now I understand ...
According to Section 42: "The assessable income of the following categories shall be exempt for the purpose of income tax calculation:(25) Compensatory benefit received by the taxpayer from the social security fund under the law governing social ... Read More
House build in isaan by simonbolton79
Hi I am Simon from the UK.This is my first post here, so please be gentle with me. I am married to a thai lady and we plan to move to Thailand in the next 2 to 3 years and build a house on her land (Isaan), so we can settle there. I am looking for ...
Hi I am Simon from the UK. This is my first post here, so please be gentle with me. I am married to a thai lady and we plan to move to Thailand in the next 2 to 3 years and build a house on her land (Isaan), so we can settle there. I am looking ... Read More
Sending a small teak object to the US by rzugnoni
I live in NE Thailand and I designed and made my own CNC router. My first project was an 8.5" x 11" x 0.75" relief carving of an owl on a piece of teak that I had. My plan was to send it to a friend of mine in the US as a gift. The local post office ...
Thank you. Those are great ideas. Read More
Sending a small teak object to the US.
I live in NE Thailand and I designed and made my own CNC router. My first project was an 8.5" x 11" x 0.75" relief carving of an owl on a piece of teak that I had. My plan was to send it to a friend of mine in the US as a gift. The local post office ... Read More
101 Help moving to Thailand by Paul_Adams
Hello all,Thanks in advance for any help you can send my way. This is my first post.聽 My name is Paul and 65, retired and living in the US.聽 聽Considering a move, short term for trial and possible permanent to Thailand to explore ...
Hi Paul,I retired to Thailand 3 years ago and now live in the Loei area. That is in NE Thailand and about 25 miles south of the Laos border. This is considered in the boondocks but the medical facilities are good as well as some good "Home Depot" ... Read More
What to do with household goods? by SCOMPL
I am considering expatriating to Thailand, and I am curious what others have done with their household goods prior to making the move. Did you hire an international shipping company and send everything to Thailand?I am not particularly attached to ...
@SCOMPLI moved to Thailand almost 3 years ago. I shipped all of my woodworking and machine shop tools. That included a 4200 lb CNC mill and a 2500 lb lathe. The only household goods were my guitar and amplifier, receiver, speakers and a new ... Read More
Shipping personnel items to Thailand by mm9mike9
Does Marrying a Thai national entitle you to ship one time personnel items without paying the VAT Tax ?
My wife was a returning Thai national. However, she had moved back to work on our house and ended up being in Thailand for a little over a year before anything was shipped. I don't remember the exact requirements but I believe that disqualified her. ... Read More
Shipping personnel items to Thailand by mm9mike9
Does Marrying a Thai national entitle you to ship one time personnel items without paying the VAT Tax ?
For me it was about 2-1/2 years ago. I moved some heavy machines including a 4500 pound CNC mill, lathe, about 1000 lbs of raw material, all of my woodworking equipment + some household items in a 40 foot container. I used International Sea & ... Read More
The importance of local language in Thailand by Cheryl
Hey everyone, As an expat, language questions often arise due to the need to communicate effectively in a new country. We鈥檙e curious to read your experiences with learning and using the local language in Thailand. Here are some questions to ...
@Leeds forever! I live near a small town in Loei. Very little English is spoken here which does make it difficult. I am trying to learn Thai but catching the tonal inflections is difficult for me as I am moderately deaf. I am trying but even with ... Read More
The importance of local language in Thailand by Cheryl
Hey everyone, As an expat, language questions often arise due to the need to communicate effectively in a new country. We鈥檙e curious to read your experiences with learning and using the local language in Thailand. Here are some questions to ...
@Leeds forever! I live near a small town in Loei. Very little English is spoken here which does make it difficult. I am trying to learn Thai but catching the tonal inflections is difficult for me as I am moderately deaf. I am trying but even with ... Read More
Marriage VISA by rzugnoni
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ...
@rzugnoni, I suggest that you and your wife go to a Thai Registry Office and ask them how, if possible you can use your American Marriage Certificate to gain a Thailand Marriage Visa.聽-@Barry343The only way to apply for a 1 year extension based ... Read More
Marriage VISA by rzugnoni
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ...
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ... Read More
Marriage VISA by rzugnoni
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ...
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ... Read More
Marriage VISA
I am married to a Thai. We have a US marriage certificate in addition to a certified translation from English to Thai. I have been in Thailand for the past two years on a non-immigrant Type O visa. I am getting close to my third extension and would ... Read More
Pay personal income tax in Thailand over funds brought in from abroad by HKT Expat
In 2022 I stayed over 180 days in Thailand. I did not work in Thailand. I have funds/savings in Europe and make transfers to my Thai Bank account. I requested for a Tax Identification number but the officer asked me to show my bankbook and want to ...
The problem is that they want me to pay tax over the money (a couple of million bath)聽that I transferred into Thailand. -@HKT ExpatSomething is weird with the person that you are working with. I have been here for 2-1/2 years and have ... Read More
True satellite internet by rzugnoni
We will be moving to an area that does not yet have fiber optic for internet. The company that will eventually deliver that, True, does offer a satellite package for internet. I have TRIED Google, in addition to contacting the company and cannot get ...
@rzugnoni we had internet via satellite dish from TOT and it was fine for watching TV and internet calls. We were using it up until Covid hit 3 years ago but this time we鈥檝e gone to 3BB 5G. Still have the satellite dish on the roof which ... Read More
True satellite internet by rzugnoni
We will be moving to an area that does not yet have fiber optic for internet. The company that will eventually deliver that, True, does offer a satellite package for internet. I have TRIED Google, in addition to contacting the company and cannot get ...
@rzugnoni we had internet via satellite dish from TOT and it was fine for watching TV and internet calls. We were using it up until Covid hit 3 years ago but this time we鈥檝e gone to 3BB 5G. Still have the satellite dish on the roof which ... Read More
True satellite internet
We will be moving to an area that does not yet have fiber optic for internet. The company that will eventually deliver that, True, does offer a satellite package for internet. I have TRIED Google, in addition to contacting the company and cannot get ... Read More
90 day reporting online by scbrock
HelloIt's the first time using the online method of reporting for90 days. I got here in August of 2022 and reported in personfor 90 days back in November.Using the online method it is asking me when I arrived. Myconcern is if I say Aug 2022 will it ...
HelloIt's the first time using the online method of reporting for90 days. I got here in August of 2022 and reported in personfor 90 days back in November.Using the online method it is asking me when I arrived. Myconcern is if I say Aug 2022 will it ... Read More
New members of the Thailand forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Thailand forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
The process is not difficult. You should be able to do it without hiring a third party. As "Leeds forever" says, just go onto the website and get the information: "https://thaievisa.go.th/non-immigrant-o". I came over on the Type O visa. My Thai ... Read More
New members of the Thailand forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Thailand forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
The process is not difficult. You should be able to do it without hiring a third party. As "Leeds forever" says, just go onto the website and get the information: "https://thaievisa.go.th/non-immigrant-o". I came over on the Type O visa. My Thai ... Read More
Retired in Loei.
Hello thailand4me,For security reasons, contact details should not be posted on the forum.You can use the private messaging system to share personal information.Cheers,Cheryl大咖福利影院 team -@CherylHello Cheryl,I thought about that as soon as I sent ... Read More
Retired in Loei.
Hi Patrick,Here are the coordinates on Google Earth for our house location: 17掳27'53.51"N, 101掳43'13.40"E. I'm not exactly sure how to send an image on this forum. If you can give me your email I could use that.Most of wife's family live ... Read More
Retired in Loei. by rzugnoni
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ...
Hi Patrick,We live in Mueang, Loei. According to Google Earth it is 533 Km from Bangkok. It is a rural farming area. Mostly rice with some sugar cane. I would not consider Mueang a city so much as a small town. I think that the largest city would be ... Read More
Retired in Loei. by rzugnoni
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ...
Hi Sam,I would be very interested in meeting up with you. I sent you a private message with my contact information.Thanks,Randy Read More
Non O-A Visa seems impossible by kevh
Hello. I'm living in the UK,recently retired,been married to my lovely Thai wife for almost 40 years and we have owned a property in Thailand for about 15 years. Now that I'm retired we would like to spend more than our usual 6 weeks per year in ...
I ended up using Krungthai bank. I did not have a yellow book at that time but a social security statement with my Thai address on it was good enough for them. Siam Commercial Bank would not allow me to. I do not know why. Read More
Non O-A Visa seems impossible by kevh
Hello. I'm living in the UK,recently retired,been married to my lovely Thai wife for almost 40 years and we have owned a property in Thailand for about 15 years. Now that I'm retired we would like to spend more than our usual 6 weeks per year in ...
I have been living in Thailand for almost 2 years. That and option 1 are my exact experiences. I did have to go to two different banks before I was able to find one that would allow me to open a bank account. I had to show my Non-O visa, show a ... Read More
Selling Land in Loei. by Andrew Murphy63
A friend of mine has land in Loei province on the Mekong river across which is Laos. He is looking to sell it. About 75 rai. What's the best way to go about doing this?
You have to be a Thai National in order to own land. One of the exceptions is if the land is being used as a business that is directly tied to the Thai economy. In that case a foreigner can own up to 49% as long as a Thai National owns the remaining ... Read More
Retirement Visa by garyosmond8
HI my name is gary im wondering if anyone has had problems with money going back in your account after doing retirement visa聽
Thank you. I appreciate the response. Read More
Retirement Visa by garyosmond8
HI my name is gary im wondering if anyone has had problems with money going back in your account after doing retirement visa聽
I know that this is probably a dumb question but is that 15 work days or 15 straight calendar days? Read More
Retirement Visa by garyosmond8
HI my name is gary im wondering if anyone has had problems with money going back in your account after doing retirement visa聽
@Leeds forever! Be very diligent with that 2 month rule. I messed up and allowed my account to go below the 800000 baht minimum a week shy of 2 months. I ended up having to wait an extra week which caused me to be late with my 90 day reporting ... Read More
Entry requirements by dlmacrae
Hey there folks..newby here.Im coming to Thailand in a few months, for a few months.聽 Contemplating an eventual retirement visa, but just sniffing around at the moment.My question pertains to the current entry requirements.I am wondering if ...
I moved to Thailand while the restrictions were very stringent. I traveled on a type O visa. There were only 3 or 4 airlines available and I had to book a flight that is only meant for Thai nationals and/or family members. I have a Thai wife. I had ... Read More
Entry requirements by dlmacrae
Hey there folks..newby here.Im coming to Thailand in a few months, for a few months.聽 Contemplating an eventual retirement visa, but just sniffing around at the moment.My question pertains to the current entry requirements.I am wondering if ...
Any airline is required to check either the vaccination or the test result before check-in and boarding, no way to escape it with the actual rules.Probably you can make a test in a center or clinic or sometimes pharmacies nearby your airport just ... Read More
Retirement Visa by garyosmond8
HI my name is gary im wondering if anyone has had problems with money going back in your account after doing retirement visa聽
You can do this at any branch of that bank. I opened my account in Loei but I go to the branch in Chang Khon to get the letter. The wait times at my local branch are ridiculously long. Read More
Good news! Entering Thailand as a nonvaccinated visitor/tourist by Aidan in HCMC
A friend Of mine visiting from Canada returned to Vietnam tonight聽 from his air-border run to Bangkok, Thailand.His only requirements to enter Thailand (without enduring a quarantine), were 1) a PCR negative test result taken within 72 hours ...
There is no reason, except for health related issues, that anyone should NOT be vaccinated. The data overwhelmingly shows that being vaccinated significantly reduces the chances of becoming infected as well as reducing the risk to those around ... Read More
New members of the Thailand forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Thailand forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Hi,It is my understanding that only Thai citizens can own land in Thailand. There are some exceptions such as if you are setting up a company in which case a foreigner can be a partial owner. The other is if you can find a Thai owner that would be ... Read More
Retired in Loei. by rzugnoni
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ...
@thailand4me Hi Patrick,Sorry that I took so long to reply. I was getting notices of replies but now I'm not. I will check my phone settings. Loei Province is a long way from Chiang Mai, about 470 km. I left for Thailand on 28 Nov, 2020, ... Read More
Thailand retirement visa by philb690
Hi,Looking to live in Thailand for 6 months every year on a retirement visa.聽Over 50 run my own UK based business.聽Does anyone have advice on checking emails and carrying on clerical duties from a laptop in a rented villa/condo? Is it an ...
@Leeds forever! Thanks for correcting that. We made the mistake of pulling money out of the account just before the two month requirement. I had to wait an extra 5 days before going for my 2nd one year extension. I ended up having to pay a fine but ... Read More
Thailand retirement visa by philb690
Hi,Looking to live in Thailand for 6 months every year on a retirement visa.聽Over 50 run my own UK based business.聽Does anyone have advice on checking emails and carrying on clerical duties from a laptop in a rented villa/condo? Is it an ...
I had to show my permanent address where I was living in Thailand. I think that the requirements vary depending on the bank that you go to. A few banks would not give me an account no matter what I showed them. Also the bank that I did get an ... Read More
Thailand retirement visa by philb690
Hi,Looking to live in Thailand for 6 months every year on a retirement visa.聽Over 50 run my own UK based business.聽Does anyone have advice on checking emails and carrying on clerical duties from a laptop in a rented villa/condo? Is it an ...
I applied for the same VISA. I had to have an established home address before I was able to obtain a personal Thai bank account. I had to show mail or some other document that showed that it was my address. That said, I live in Loei which is a rural ... Read More
Retired in Loei. by rzugnoni
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ...
Hi Patrick,Thanks for the message!I'm 72 years old and was born in Albany Ca. Then spent most of my life in San Leandro. I've lived in Dublin, Ca for about 28 years prior to selling our house then moving to Thailand at the end of 2020. I am a ... Read More
Retired in Loei.
Hi, I am from the San Francisco Bay area in California, retired the day before Thanksgiving 2020 then moved to Thailand on Thanksgiving Day. I have been happily living in Loei Thailand since then. My wife built a house for us to live in that ... Read More