Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing possible recommendations for attracting more retirees to Thailand. I am making this video basically at the behest of one of our viewers who sent us an email. I am hoping when I go ahead and quote this email, that person will know who they are. So rather a long email here but basically long story short, this person put in some recommendations that they think would help attract more retirees.

1. Reduce the Thai Baht 800k to Thai Baht 400k.

I believe what he is talking about there is currently Retirement Visa holders have to maintain an 800,000 Baht balance in a Thai bank account in order to obtain and retain Thai Retirement Visa status. Now it is also possible to do that with 65,000 Baht per month in pension income and depending on who you talk to, they may use that mechanism, they may use the 800,000 mechanism. I would presume this person is also probably suggesting a concomitant reduction of the pension amount too to go from for example 65,000 Baht down to 40,000 which would look more like for example the O Marriage Visa requirements here in Thailand. That is one recommendation.

2. Recommend that all Retirement Visa types have the very basic minimum health insurance that costs I believe Thai Baht 7,500 per year that I am led to believe many over 70s are now opting to use for Visa renewal as they no longer wish to pay the very high premiums.

So for those who are unaware, especially those who are in 0-A Visa status have to maintain Insurance in the amount of 400,000 Baht inpatient, 40,000 Baht outpatient and the suggestion is especially for over 70s, maybe have some other scheme for those folks.

3. Stop double pricing at all locations.

Well I don't think that is a direct Immigration policy so that might not be overly feasible to have anything in an Immigration context. 

4. Simplify where possible or reduce the amount of photocopies for Visa renewal after the first year of issue.

Yeah. Good luck with that one. I don't mean to laugh but the Thai Immigration apparatus eats paper like a pit in the earth. I mean it devours paperwork and it just is what it is. I just don't see that happening anytime soon. It would probably be a good thing but I just don't see it occurring anytime in the near future.

5. Consider doing away with 90-day reporting after i.e. 1 year of a Visa being issued. 

Again one of the major complaints amongst expats especially here in Thailand is 90-day reporting and unfortunately it is simply a fact of life. It is part and parcel of the Immigration Act of '79.  Folks that are in Non-immigrant Visa status which Retirement Visas fall into are unfortunately subject to 90-day reporting. Would it make folks' lives a little less irritating at times? Yeah I can see that but I think for now at least or at least into the foreseeable future, we are probably not going to see 90-day reporting go away. That said, there has been a lot of discussion and it has been whispered about that 90-day reporting may go by the wayside but I would have to presume that would happen at least in, I don't know how you would do it regulatorily but I guess you could or you could just change or amend the Immigration Act to basically get rid of that provision. It could happen, I just don't particularly see it happening on the horizon anytime soon.