Most travel travel or health insurance worldwide have anywhere between 70 and 90 pages of fine print conditions, they are nearly all the same. When you take out a policy you do not have to state what your health conditions are, the insurance companies will accept the risk SUBJECT THE CONDITIONS IN THE FINE PRINT. When it comes to making a claim, the accident part of your policy will be likely paid but the medical part now will often reveal if your illness is pre-existing when you get treatment. I do not know of any health insurance company world wide that will include any pre-existing coverage for a client with any serious health conditions. I was in the business some years ago selling the stuff for a large Australian insurance company and processing claims. Those who did or do have complete indemnity and unconditional cover have likely gone broke.

There are 2 million people in Thailand asking the same question. That's why condos are so cheap?

This is highly illegal in Thailand but usually pays off. Risk being banned from Thailand if corruption is used??? Risk it if you like. Why not apply for your O retirement visa in your home country e.g. Thai Embassy in Canberra. Once you qualify there is no restriction upon receiving your visa you can then do what you like with the Bt800,000 that's in your Australian bank when you do get to Thailand and it can be good for 2 years. It will be a multi-entry entry Thai retirement visa visa. You need a medical, a police report and an original statement from your bank showing you have the Bt 800,000 in the bank, not photocopies only original bank statements also an application form all signed by a JP and about Aus $300 at the Thai Embassy. Canberra. It took me one week from Perth Australia 2 times. Look up the Thai Embassy website. It's available from most countries Embassy.

What you have not said is "Learn to cook Thai food" 90% of Thai food is cooked in a single wok with 100 different sauces available at Lotus Shopping Mall. It will cost you rd of a restaurant bill or less. You will be able to eat out as often as you please but learn to cook Thai, it will save you lots of money, contrary to popular belief. Cook yourself e.g. 2 eggs on toast Bt20, at a restaurant, Bt100 takes 5 minutes to cook. Sweet and sour pork or chicken on rice Bt40, a restaurant Bt200. Just put it in a cooker stir it around for mins, make sure the meat is in for 10 mins first put the sauce in, and all done. Coffee satchel from Bt6, Home-cooked sweet and sour Bt45. all told Bt200 at a restaurant. 21 meals a week including a few restaurant dinners the cost and very convenient.

The place The "Rooms Hua Hin Residence". There are 2 other types of room lager.

For a 28 s/qm quite a nice condo which is really 25 s/qm as it is 3 s/qm of balcony in Soi 94. I use about Bt1000 electricity a month, water Bt20 a month. I usually have 2 short showers a day and keep my room at about 26 C with A/C. When I'm there.

I have been coming to Thailand 15 times in 15 years on Tourist visas and on 2 Retirement O visas obtained at the Thai Embassy in Canberra Australia. I have never had a bank account in Thailand, it's not required. I have a fee-free debit card a/c bank account in Australia and it's good to be free anywhere in the world. It pays me 5.5% on the balance presently. I get 5 free ATM transactions in Thailand or any place in the World each month. There are some modest conditions which I always meet.

DTV confusion

I'm not sure that anyone knows exactly how DTV will work and there seems to be no definitive answer yet The first 6 months are not up. Many Thai visa experts are confused. If you follow the objectives I have indicated above, it seems if you want to be in Thailand for 5 years you can get the visa, in 6 monthly renewals over 5 years subject to the approval of doing border runs and being absent from Thailand for over a set time i.e. 24 hours. Many Thai visa experts in Thailand are confused. It is not available inside Thailand so most Thais know nothing about it.

@John ******

The DTV is supposed to be good for 5 years provided you leave and re-enter the country every 180 days and have an acceptable reason to apply for it outside Thailand at a Thai Consul or Embassy and proof of your intentions. That's how I read the instructions...So where did I go wrong? 5 years is the major reason why people want to obtain the DTV. It gives you some level of continuity for 5 years and you can be under 50y/o to apply. It is not a retirement visa. i.e. If you have evidence that you are a computer nerd working for a company outside Thailand you are likely to obtain that DTV. And likely pay Thai Tax.