somo

Thanks. That's my idea too. My Santander acc wants me to walk into thier office to do an international transfer and do the conversion themselves at crazy rates. Can I open a London BB acc online?

I have a Bankok Bank acc. here in Thailand but would like to open one at the London Branch as I understand this can make it easy to transfer money to here. Anyone know the process particularly if I can do it online as I live in Esaan and the brances here have no idea about international banking. Any help much appreciated.

Geez!!! I didn't go to apply for a marriage extension just to explore my options. It appears only 10% of respondents here want to offer contructive help while the rest????

Not 'Hopefully" but certainly, as immigration confirmed.

Just to round up. Went to immigration in Chayaphum today. Everyone very helpful and sympathetic but with the big boss not in the office it was decided the best way was to give me a 60 day extension and do the retirement extension later. No one was out to give me a problem just help resolve one. Interestingly they were happy to give me a marriage extension but we didn't have the paperwork with us for that. All in all no big deal ????

Of course she is well aware of the financial requirements. We have seperate accountsbut for convenience our 2 atm cards have the same PIN and she withdrew money from my account by mistake.

That's good to know. I still feel they may well forgive the small break in the rules but 60 days would be fine and knowing this stops me worrying.

I have lived here for 25 years so am well versed in the 'realities of Thailand' and have learned they vary from place to place and person to person. I do not subscribe to the 'them and us' version of reality.

Thanks Phoenix - weel explained. I have never use a 60 day extension so worst comes to worst that looks like my get out jail card. I will go see immigration next week and explain my 'accidental' breech of the rules and hope they take the easy way out for both sides. Thanks all for your input.

"The OP's immigration office surely has similar set up on much smaller scale. " Yeah, he signs off all the extensions and the nice lady IO I dealt with last year laughed when I called him "the big boss upstairs" "Might give the io incentive as much less paperwork for retirement. " Too right and why I switched to retirement extensions.

Ah, now that sounds like an idea. No need to go on a visa run then which would be a right pain. So if I understan correctly I would be entitled to a 60 day extension regardless after which I can extend for retirement. - Brilliant ????

Yeah, I always go well dressed. Been here long enough to know not to piss people off if you want reasonable treatment. Wife willl do the grovelling for me ???? As I said above I think as so often here in Thailand it can all revolve around the mood of the IO at the time. Generally they are a friendly bunch up here and they know me as it is not a busy office with so few farangs around town. If they turn me down I will go through a Pattaya agent which a friend uses.

I just have the one account although there is plenty of money in my wife's acc.

The withdrawal was today and my current ext. runs out on 5th May

I don't understand why I cannot revert to a marriage extension if the IO choose to deny my retirement extension. Until about 5 years ago that's what I had so can't see a problem reverting to it.

I am not risking anything by applying in the usual way. You do seem full of doom and gloom or have you personally fallen foul in such a situation. As someone said above I am sure they have some discretion in the matter. Worst case is reverting to a marriage ext. then going back to retirement next year. While I am here it is worth pointing out that here I have never been told to keep the account topped up for 4 months and never been asked to show statements for more than 6 months before an application so it seems there is a variation in the rules.

No other account. The account was in deficit for less than 30 mins so if I smile nicely I am hopeful they would overlook it. I'll apply in the normal way and appolgise in advance for the mistake. They will 100% notice it so best be upfront about it I think. I know they can be sticklers for rules but out here in the sticks they are not so unfriendly as the Bangkok lot.

That's what I am hoping. Just depends how the officer I get to see is feeling on the day, I think. Worst case is will heve to go back to a marriage extension I suppose. As for the suggestion of opening another acc. without an atm that seems daft. I only need the money in there for 2 months so why tie it up permanently?

I am due to extend my retirement visa next week. However my dear wife just used my atm card instead of hers and withdrew 20k so my account has dipped below the required 800k. I have put the money back in so it was only for 20 minutes. Will that screw up my application or will I be fined or something. I am in Chayaphum and generally the immigration office here is brilliant and helpful but I wonder if there are any regulation covering such a short time where insufficient funds were in my account? Any helpful ansewrs welcome