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My Bangkok Bangkok bank book shows FTT for my transfers.

In the back of the book it shows TRD as "Transferred From Other Account". Is it coming from a Bangkok Bangkok Bank account in Hong Kong.

I can't be 100% sure. HK in this case is HSBC I'll have to ask the guy who takes care of admin for the company, as that could be a significant point that could cause issues for me in the future.

Now that I come to think more about it, transfers do seem to be limited to exactly 50,000 baht so it has to come in as multiple transfers within seconds of each other, which suggests it might be coming from HK to a Thai holding account then to my personal account (I get SMS confirmation, but it is limited in information that I hadn't paid much attention to). If that is the case then I'll have to stop that to avoid any potential issues in the future when going for a Tourist visa (I'm considering Elite, but am reluctant because of cost/benefit unless cornered, so just seeing how far I can go with Tourist route at the moment).

Thanks for pointing that out, and apologies to OP as I don't want to hijack the thread.

Not at all a problem - Glad you chipped in - All information helps in some way.

Thanks - ubonjoe

Nice to get your take on this as the resident oracle - Any reports of multiple 3+ using these forms of proof successfully? - Since as elviajero points out - The objective is to prevent working while in Thailand and is not really based upon the principle that multiple visa per say should be rationed..

Proof of income coming from abroad is the best way to overcome any suspicion you are working.

It seems from reports I have seen that they prefer the proof to be a Thai bank book showing transfers into the country because they are more familiar with them. It also serves as proof you have enough money to live on.

They are not concerned about how long you are staying here.

Good positioning ubonjoe - Like the way that you say it - They are not concerned about how long, but rather you are not working as it allows those making applications to at least understand what the consulate is trying to prevent - Thanks for that.

Thanks - ubonjoe

Nice to get your take on this as the resident oracle - Any reports of multiple 3+ using these forms of proof successfully? - Since as elviajero points out - The objective is to prevent working while in Thailand and is not really based upon the principle that multiple visa per say should be rationed..

@elviajero - Missed a good point that you made - Proof of overseas where the bank funds came from - Since as you rightly say - Their aim is to stop people using the multiple visa working in Thailand and hence if funds are arriving from overseas and being spent in Thailand that might be enough to have them feel that they have satisfied their objectives.

Getting this proof from any Thai bank is fairly straight forward.

@ldiablo Good questions @elviajero Good follow up info. I did not have any red stamp from the consulate - I have just examined the Visa and it is just the same as the previous two others I have with no stamp here or on any other pages. This might be that they were extremely busy that day (over 600 applications - next day there were less than 200) I noticed while I was waiting this notice on the wall - I took picture with Camera - It says that they are looking for 20,000 Baht as proof as part of the documents required. Obviously from other peoples experiences they do not ask for this routinely, but might use this as part of process for multiple applications.

Great comment elviajero - So what you are saying is that if you simply take your Thai bank book with a history of clearly spending and using the account and there is is a reasonable amount of funds in the account sufficient for the next four months until the next double visa application - then presenting this should in fact get a tourist visa for any amount of applications made for a new Tourist Visa - Is that correct?

If as stated the aim of the alcohol ban is - "To protect youths from risky behaviors and vices that could lead to societal problems in the future" - But where is the evidence?

Does the government have any data on what is the problem is specifically? and is there any information or studies that have shown that this kind of law will solve it? - Or is it all based upon a guess?

There will be many workarounds - In my local University there are flyers on most notice boards for various pizza delivery services including just alcohol and no pizza - Why would this law prevent delivery of alcohol using this existing supply route? In fact new delivery routes might get created as motorcycle taxis see this an a opportunity to act as middleman to drive the 300 meters for pick up and drop off services and compete with the exiting food delivery services as they see the market expand.

Outside of this I think the legal age to drink alcohol in Thailand is 20 yrs old - surely that captures the youth target in the current law?

I have just come back from Thammasat University and to the right and within the range of 300 metres of the Uni is the very busy Phra Ahtit tourist centric and not developed around students.

To the left of the Uni most bars and restaurants are catering for tourists visiting the grand palace with many bars for tourists that start around 50 meters from the Uni.

Why would they kill businesses that are entirely aimed at the tourist industry just so that they could satisfy a theory about student drinking?

Then there is the situation where one bar is next to another bar and one falls into the 300 meter rule – how does the measurement criteria work here – where do you start the measurement from? Is it straight line, or a walking route, driving only route, edge fencing of Uni or should it be the end of nearest building? Confusingly there are also an out building to the university that is not part of main campus, but part of the university – Do you start the measurement from here?

There are also bars at the other side of the river direct ferry from the university (240 meters on the ferry, but bank to bank is much less) the place is never visited by students and feels like a million miles from the university (but is actually within the 300 meters rule).

There will be lots more situation anomalies - This ruling will be difficult to understand never mind enforce.

If so, as can be seen from the OP's case, officers seem incapable of interrogating this extensive s

The thing is, they can interrogate the system, find the previous entry and visa details, and that's not enough anyway. The physical visa must be produced at entry, otherwise it would be called e-visa. I guess it's the same for many other countries too.

Good point paz - And that is essentially the real difference between a paper based visa and an electronic Visa.

An-Visa is a computerized record and hence must be part of a dedicated application system networking across some part of the enterprise.

The access to view this e-visa data depends upon the system first being set up and accessed by the end user for data entry made specifically by the end user.

If it has not been set up by the end user and rather then consulate / Embassy issuing the visa - Then the issues are different and you then need to understand what is it that they are required (or actually do) and what information is then place into what type of system, then need to understand if this is built to support networking enterprise access and finally identify who would be granted this access through the notwork to the information in the system - This is a large scale enterprise control management project that is costly to set up and expensive to manage.

This type of work competence, financial commitment and return on investment calculation - Is unlikely to warrant consideration especially if its set up just to provide a convenience service for users (visa owners) that do not have their original visa in their new passport.

The only other reason I can think that this might be implemented would be to check on false paper based visa stamps, but this requires holding data on every single passport that gets a visa and if Thailand gets 20+ million visitors every year with a reasonable percentage using paper based visa then in just a few years the system would become unmanageable.

And all for what....To check on forged stamps or possibly help users who forgot their old passport on entry - Even in Thailand this is probably not going to make much sense and get implemented.

I can see that handing in your old passport is a normal requirement, but what happens if you keep losing your passport and have no passport to hand over?

The MFA does not have a database for visas issued.

People that had a problem with a visa that was issued with an error have gone to the consular affairs department and had to wait for them to contact the embassy or consulate to confirm they issued the visa.

That is why people can get a new passport and get a new visa even after having several in their old passport. It is possible to go back to the same location where they had gotten several visas. All they go by is what they see in the passport.

Blimey - I'm stunned!

So even in the same country where the visa has been issued - they do no record this in any type of computer system and the only evidence of a consulate or Embassy has is what is on the passport itself.

I might be missing something here, but is this not a workaround for the restricted amount of tourist visa applications that can be made back to back, by simply applying for a new passport after using up the max amount of back to back tourist visa applications?

The embassy probably has some records but not to where they could easily enter a name and do a search. All they may have is the info they entered to print out the visa stickers. To confirm anything they would have go back to the files where the application is kept.

Great response UbonJoe - Precise and useful information people can act upon knowing what the situation actually is - Grateful for your feedback

So even in the same country where the visa has been issued - they do no record this in any type of computer system and the only evidence of a consulate or Embassy has is what is on the passport itself.

MfA likely have a database but is not immediately accessible from any Immigration terminal. Some consulates don't bother checking beside what is on the passport itself. Others sends for approval to the embassy in country. Some other claim they have to submit for approval to MfA in Bangkok. There is no uniform approach.

I might be missing something here, but is this not a workaround for the restricted amount of tourist visa applications that can be made back to back, by simply applying for a new passport after using up the max amount of back to back tourist visa applications?

Some people does that, but in reality as long one can prove funds and residence it may not even be necessary.

Thanks PAZ - Yup I get your point that if you had the deposited funds and wanted to do it that way - Then this is a tried and tested way to stay.

I was just really amazed to find out that there was another way around the system that if you had some good reason and did prefer to do it always with a tourist visa.

So assuming you preferred to do the trip to Laos every 4 months (to get the 3 double tourist visas) the max 3 back to back limit is in fact is not a limiting factor - The work around is to get a new passport.

Immigration does not have records of visas issued by an embassy or a consulate.

They only have access to their own records that would show entries, departures and extensions of stay and etc.

How far are the details between different country embassy's and consulates shared in a common database?

For example a tourist visa issued by country Laos (who tend to issue a max 3 concurrent double tourist visa's limit) - If you took advantage the three back to back tourist visas and then changed to a new passport - Then applied through a different bordering country for what is really your fourth back to back tourist visa - Would the previous 3 back to back issued visa from Laos show up on this different country's system?

The MFA does not have a database for visas issued.

People that had a problem with a visa that was issued with an error have gone to the consular affairs department and had to wait for them to contact the embassy or consulate to confirm they issued the visa.

That is why people can get a new passport and get a new visa even after having several in their old passport. It is possible to go back to the same location where they had gotten several visas. All they go by is what they see in the passport.

Blimey - I'm stunned!

So even in the same country where the visa has been issued - they do no record this in any type of computer system and the only evidence of a consulate or Embassy has is what is on the passport itself.

I might be missing something here, but is this not a workaround for the restricted amount of tourist visa applications that can be made back to back, by simply applying for a new passport after using up the max amount of back to back tourist visa applications?

Immigration does not have records of visas issued by an embassy or a consulate.

They only have access to their own records that would show entries, departures and extensions of stay and etc.

How far are the details between different country embassy's and consulates shared in a common database?

For example a tourist visa issued by country Laos (who tend to issue a max 3 concurrent double tourist visa's limit) - If you took advantage the three back to back tourist visas and then changed to a new passport - Then applied through a different bordering country for what is really your fourth back to back tourist visa - Would the previous 3 back to back issued visa from Laos show up on this different country's system?

Three has been reported to be the normal maximum number you can get back to back. Some have gotten more without a problem.

Thanks UbonJoe - Fast and to the point - Great reply - Thanks

The question is in the title, but is it possible to get 3 back to back double tourist visa's from Vientiane?

- Is there a limit of three doing it this way?

(UK Passport holder - I have already two Back2Back tourist visa's and want to go next week for a new one)

As a first timer on a Visa run - I know its a strange world out there trying to figure out what is what. And if you JUST want to cross over and come back in a day - Here was my experience remembered.

The very first visa run I ever did I had the same questions in my mind - I decided on no good information and went to Lao (Vientiene) border crossing in/out = experience is fairly straight forward - train BKK to Nong Khai and the train station distance to border is even walk-able (turn left out the station and keep walking) and the In/out to Vientiane is not a hassle - But remember to take $35 US for the privileged of doing the run. You can do the crossing in the morning and hop on the sleeper near lunchtime back to BKK - or just get 50 Baht Tuk Tuk into Nong Khai and stay the night in a beautiful town

Next I did the Cambodian crossing Poipet - Do not even think out it! - Not a good experience - Read the posts for yourself - Doing the Cambodian crossing for the first time as an independent is not recommended - Or you could go on an organised Van that will take away the problems - But this does leave you less knowledgeable about the process.

Next - I took the train to BKK Malaysia - Its a long train ride, but it a sleeper and setting off at 5pm and arrival at scheduled 8:30am the time is not that relevant - The border is just so easy (and its FREE - no cost) - Get off the train and have a short wait time with fellow passengers and the In/Out is simply brilliant and without stress - Easy no thinking process (Useful if its your first time) - The only issue is you do have to catch the bus back to Hat Yai 20 miles back from where you just came - So walk up the stairs over the bridge and walk down to the Out border control for Malaysia - its about four hundred meters of walking here - But after going through the border and soon as you get to the main road cross over and catch the bus (one ever hour - last one is around 5pm - The many yellow buses are school buses - so do not worry that they just drive past). Back in Hat Yai catch the sleeper train back to BKK - last one is around 7pm or obviously stay the night in Hat Yai.

If I look back at the early experience of options and wanting to recommend the easiest (not the fastest) it would be the Malaysian train journey - It does take a lot longer, but for a first time (if you want to do as an independent) it has the advantage of being the easiest to figure out (Since you simply leave the train and there is the border crossing out of Thailand withing tens of meters - And Into Malaysia is 20 meters further on) and there is not a payment required like there is at every other border crossing. If you just want it over and done with - And do not care about the process then pay the extra and go on a Van / Bus run to Cambodia - so you will be taken care of by people that do this every day of the week protecting you from all the scams and its the shortest time of travel from BKK.

After you done a your first border - You will be more confident for the next - And then an expert after a few more - So Good luck and enjoy your first time.

Good, useful report - Thanks for doing this!

I was aiming to be be in Phnom Penh in a few weeks time, but was going to get a tourist visa and then convert (and extend) when I return back to BKK.

Apart from the inconvenience of the two visits needed for the extra step (for the conversion) in Thailand - Is there any other gain getting the single non-Imm "O" for retirement while in Phnom Penh?

I was surprised when I called the Hull consulate looking to get an O visa recently - And told that for my particular situation this option was no longer available - I needed to be married to Thai or in receipt of State pension (and hence over the age of 65 yrs) - Previously I got this by neither and just by showing funds in a deposit account and being over the age of 50 yrs old to get me the O visa.

For anyone else in my situation - And looking for alternatives - It seems you can apply to London for OA, but doing this requires a medical check certificate / letter and a criminal check certificate / letter and then both need to be notarised.

While I have no experience of doing it this way - Reports are suggesting that the medical and criminal was fairly straight forward and cost for combined was around £150 - £180 (depending upon medical practice pricing), however the independent notarised services were troublesome and expensive - Many were experiencing a total cost around £500, which seems very high.

Obviously the easier way of doing this would be a tourist or an exempt visa on arrival and then converting while in Thailand. And for me it does beg the question - Why go back to UK at all if you are looking for long stay and you are over 50yrs of age, have no state pension and not married to a Thai national?

my doctor cert cost £80 , my police record check was £58 ( dependent on what post service you require I paid £10 ) . The notary £ 60 .

Visa £120 .

Excellent response - giving actual numbers - very much appreciated.

It seems that the medical and the Criminal were about what others are paying i.e around £150 - Its the Notary that many seem to have had bad experiences with - A few people were refused the Notary service from solicitors unless they had the criminal and medical reports sent direct to the solicitor saying that they could not Notarise if the reports were simply supplied by the customer - So the solicitor would need to make the applications and hence the process became more expensive.

It sounds like you got a good price at £60 - well done. While most make the application through a solicitor, there are alternatives - Or did you use lower cost alternative?

I was surprised when I called the Hull consulate looking to get an O visa recently - And told that for my particular situation this option was no longer available - I needed to be married to Thai or in receipt of State pension (and hence over the age of 65 yrs) - Previously I got this by neither and just by showing funds in a deposit account and being over the age of 50 yrs old to get me the O visa.

For anyone else in my situation - And looking for alternatives - It seems you can apply to London for OA, but doing this requires a medical check certificate / letter and a criminal check certificate / letter and then both need to be notarised.

While I have no experience of doing it this way - Reports are suggesting that the medical and criminal was fairly straight forward and cost for combined was around £150 - £180 (depending upon medical practice pricing), however the independent notarised services were troublesome and expensive - Many were experiencing a total cost around £500, which seems very high.

Obviously the easier way of doing this would be a tourist or an exempt visa on arrival and then converting while in Thailand. And for me it does beg the question - Why go back to UK at all if you are looking for long stay and you are over 50yrs of age, have no state pension and not married to a Thai national?

Your total cost should be half of the figure you quoted including OA visa application.

Medical certification from your GP.

Criminal record from Disclosure Scotland.

Notarisation acceptable from your solicitor.

Good feedback - I read the reports from others and was surprised at their experiences for the costs - Seems that the medical and the Criminal come in within a similar rage - The notoarisation - was the service that fluctuated a lot in price - But good to hear that the price can be much less than what some are being charged and prepared to pay.

Obviously the easier way of doing this would be a tourist or an exempt visa on arrival and then converting while in Thailand. And for me it does beg the question - Why go back to UK at all if you are looking for long stay and you are over 50yrs of age, have no state pension and not married to a Thai national?

Not sure that conversion in Thailand can now be said to be particularly easy since 2 separate trips to Chaengwattana Immigration in Bangkok (which, I gather, is the only office in the whole of Thailand which processes non-O conversions these days) will be needed. Probably the simplest course of action for over-50 singles would be to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption, having already booked an onward flight to Vientiane in Laos within this period for the purposes of obtaining a non-O at the Royal Thai Embassy there. A confirmed onward flight to Vientiane would also avoid potential boarding hassles at LHR with a one-way LHR-BKK ticket!

For over-50 singles - This is the first time I have heard that Vientiane will issue a non-O - I thought that they required applications based upon marriage only - Can anyone confirm that over-50 singles can apply for such visa's there?

Vientiane will issue a non-o visa for being 50 or over without a problem. Many people have gotten them there. Just show your passport and a bank book showing 800k baht or an income letter to prove 66k bah income or both to show a total of 800k baht.

Penang will also do the them with the same financial proof..

Mnnnnn - Interesting - I didn't know that - Great info.

Just for clarity - Is the bank deposit only acceptable for a Thai bank deposit - in Baht (and not the equivalent amount in your home country bank)?

And assuming this is the case and only Thai bank deposits are acceptable - Is there a Bank letter required similar to the one expected by immigration here in Thailand?

Thanks Again

Obviously the easier way of doing this would be a tourist or an exempt visa on arrival and then converting while in Thailand. And for me it does beg the question - Why go back to UK at all if you are looking for long stay and you are over 50yrs of age, have no state pension and not married to a Thai national?

Not sure that conversion in Thailand can now be said to be particularly easy since 2 separate trips to Chaengwattana Immigration in Bangkok (which, I gather, is the only office in the whole of Thailand which processes non-O conversions these days) will be needed. Probably the simplest course of action for over-50 singles would be to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption, having already booked an onward flight to Vientiane in Laos within this period for the purposes of obtaining a non-O at the Royal Thai Embassy there. A confirmed onward flight to Vientiane would also avoid potential boarding hassles at LHR with a one-way LHR-BKK ticket!

For over-50 singles - This is the first time I have heard that Vientiane will issue a non-O - I thought that they required applications based upon marriage only - Can anyone confirm that over-50 singles can apply for such visa's there?

I was surprised when I called the Hull consulate looking to get an O visa recently - And told that for my particular situation this option was no longer available - I needed to be married to Thai or in receipt of State pension (and hence over the age of 65 yrs) - Previously I got this by neither and just by showing funds in a deposit account and being over the age of 50 yrs old to get me the O visa.

For anyone else in my situation - And looking for alternatives - It seems you can apply to London for OA, but doing this requires a medical check certificate / letter and a criminal check certificate / letter and then both need to be notarised.

While I have no experience of doing it this way - Reports are suggesting that the medical and criminal was fairly straight forward and cost for combined was around £150 - £180 (depending upon medical practice pricing), however the independent notarised services were troublesome and expensive - Many were experiencing a total cost around £500, which seems very high.

Obviously the easier way of doing this would be a tourist or an exempt visa on arrival and then converting while in Thailand. And for me it does beg the question - Why go back to UK at all if you are looking for long stay and you are over 50yrs of age, have no state pension and not married to a Thai national?

I will be no problem to get another visa in Vientiane. They will do up to 3 of them back to back.

Brilliant response UbonJoe - Clear to the point and just what I needed - Thanks!