pizzachang

4 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

No not easily for most of us to prove it as US Embassy would be the signing authority and they refuse to do so.  So now it must be cash deposited into a Thai bank account each month.  Yes Immigration can make exceptions this year for those that do not have 12 months to show but what they want is confirmation from Thai banks and in future this seems to be the only thing they will accept (next calendar year) from those whose Embassy will not provide letters of income. 

 

As for you bank account - the first 3 digits of Bangkok Bank account indicate location of account - so if you compare your account to another from same bank am sure they will be the same - New York is just a transit point making it easier for direct payment.

Social Security issues a "statement of proof"  Also issues a yearly statement of benefits. 

 you can ask the relevant US government agency to route your payments into your Bangkok Bank account via Bangkok Bank’s New York branch. If you reside in Thailand, you can apply for the service in person at any Bangkok Bank branch (except for micro branches).  Lopburi, is there something I'm missing in this statement from the New York branch?  

So, from the above information, any Social Security Pension Benefit recipient living in Thailand should find this a simple process.  

1. Apply for the direct deposit account in New York, at any main Bangkok Bank branch.

2. Visit the Treasury Department's website and fill out the change of direct deposit form, designating your account number issued when you applied for the d.d. account at your local Bangkok Bank branch.

This takes about 2 to 3 months according to the Treasury Dept website.

Nothing I received stated charges for transferring funds to Thailand, although I assume there will be fees.

This on the Bangkok Bank's New York website:

The US Treasury Department has ceased issuing paper cheques for the payment of Federal retirement benefits such as pensions, annuities or payroll, including Social Security and Veterans Affairs payments, and now requires direct deposit of your benefit into your bank account. You will therefore need to notify the US government agency providing your Federal benefit how you wish to receive payments.

As Bangkok Bank is the only provider in Thailand offering a direct deposit services into a Thai bank account, you can ask the relevant US government agency to route your payments into your Bangkok Bank account via Bangkok Bank’s New York branch. If you reside in Thailand, you can apply for the service in person at any Bangkok Bank branch (except for micro branches).

Since your transactions are transmitted to us as an ACH transaction and process the bank is required to comply with the rules and formats developed by the Electronic Payments Association (NACHA).  The International ACH (IAT) is a special code (a Standard Entry Class or “SEC Code”) for ACH payments that enables financial institutions such as Bangkok Bank to identify and monitor international ACH payments and to screen them in compliance with Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requirements.  The NACHA rules require Bangkok Bank’s New York branch, which serves as an intermediary, to ensure that payments that we receive and that are transmitted to the account of a beneficiary in another country are appropriately classified as IATs. To do this we need to obtain information as described below to the relevant US government agency to your transactions in the IAT format.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You apparently have a extension of stay based upon marriage not a non-o visa entry since you mention the 40k baht income requirement.

You will need show transfers going in to your account every month by way of a bank book or a statement from the bank. Then you will need a letter from the bank confirming your account is valid.

 

Thanks again.  Yes I do have the extension based upon marriage.  Since this is a new Immigration Order, just released, I am assuming that unless an applicant for marriage extension already had an account that complied with the new order, that it will be up to Immigration as to what will be accepted (as far as deposits of 40K into a Thai bank)  I'm trying to get these things conformed to the new Immigration order, because I have only used my ATM from my US bank previously. Much less confusing and less hassle for me as "electronically" there isn't any difference that is evident to me. I'm sure any US citizen receiving State or Federal pensions can easily prove they could access those funds legally and almost anywhere in the world.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

You do not have a New Your account of any kind. They do not have local accounts.You are going to need to change the account you have now to a direct deposit account or open another account that has to be direct deposit account or Bangkok Bank in New York will not process your SS payments.

Best to apply for the new direct deposit account. Then when your SS payments come in you would need to go the bank to transfer the money into your other account.

When you opened your account did you do a SF1199A form to have your SS payment sent to your account?

You do not have a New Your account of any kind.   Funny, since I specifically asked for the direct deposit account in the New York Bangkok Bank.  I will visit the local branch again and ask for clarification.  I don't remember filling out the 1199A form at the local branch. Could I just send it by mail?

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

And that is not acceptable to immigration for extensions of stay - you must show 65k every month into a Thai bank account and have that bank confirm in writing if using income method.

Since I'm using a non - O, I think my requirement is 40K per month.  My S.S. pension alone covers that. I also have a PERS pension.  What is the difference in bank records and "the bank confirming in writing"?  Just wondering if there is a logical reason. 

Ubonjoe,

  When I opened the Bangkok account at the local branch, I also got the ATM card - This was the (according to my understanding) the Bangkok New York branch account, since that is what I requested.  I have only one account number and tested the ATM card to make sure I could withdraw funds locally. Of course, the funds I withdrew were not actually deposited in New York. 

So, from what all these helpful posts are saying, is that I will have to go to my local branch, withdraw funds from the NY account and redeposit into local account - all using the same account number. Correct?

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Also be aware that you will not be able to send funds to Bangkok Bank NY for transfer to Thailand after April 1 using normal ACH domestic system (if that was your plan).

 

As said funds must go into a visit bank access only account in Thailand (although they may allow set up and a deposit or two before they notice).  This is to protect bank as they are responsible for repayment of any funds issued after death.

" transfer to Thailand after April 1 using normal ACH domestic system (if that was your plan)."

I thought the ACH didn't apply specifically to Social Security direct deposits?

29 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If you set up a direct deposit account to have your SS payments sent to via the New York branch you can only withdraw the funds or transfer the funds to another account by doing it in person. You cannot have a ATM/Debit card or use online banking to move funds out of that account in anyway.

Source after selecting this here. https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Transfers/Transferring-Into-Thailand/Transfer-money-from-US-to-Thailand-via-Bangkok-Bank-NewYork-branch

If you set up a direct deposit account to have your SS payments sent to via the New York branch you can only withdraw the funds or transfer the funds to another account by doing it in person. - By "in person" I hope you don't mean in person in New York.  After having set up this account, I'm wondering what the advantage really is for those of us with SS pensions? Also, I'm not seeing any real difference in using my US Bank ATM to withdraw funds in Thailand and using the BBK Bank New York and transferring funds to my Bangkok Bank Chiang Mai account. All my deposits of pensions are easily provable by US bank records and the ATM slip proves I withdrew those funds.

22 minutes ago, hokeedoo said:

it would help to see what you actually asked them.

 

If you open a bangkok bank account here in Thailand and tell them you want ATM, mobile banking and more importantly the ability to do domestic rate International transfer from a USA bank to your account here in Thailand via the NYC office in order to meet Immigration requirements you shall receive. 

 

The new york office is basically a 'transfer station' that allows you to get the domestic electronic transfer rate. It is also the only Thai bank that allows for direct deposit of US type government pensions. It is not a 'bank' itself where you can just walk in the NYC office and say "hey I want to make a withdrawal or open an account". 

 

So, again, not sure what you asked them because many many US expats use Bangkok bank for both direct deposit of governments pensions as well as domestic rate International transfers. Edit: as well as ATM and Mobile Banking

Thanks for your reply - Here is what I sent them. I do understand that S.S deposits and some State Retirement Benefits are different in some way, for the purpose of direct deposit.  I guess I was surprised that the NY Bangkok Bank stated that there was no ATM use - maybe they meant for use in the USA?

Here's a copy of a letter I received today.

New York Branch Help Desk <[email protected]>	3:17 AM (2 hours ago)
to me

On 1/11/2019 at 10:26 AM, Moonlover said:

It really is very obvious, and has been from the start, that what Thai Imm wants to see is money in a Thai bank account, Either 800/400k annually or the requisite monthly incomes as specified.

 

If you can satisfy that requirement, then there is no point in chasing after embassy based solutions. And if you can't meet the requirements then, well you know the answer to that one!

 

Ok mock me if you will, but IMO it's time you all put the old ways behind you and got on with preparing for the future. I started doing that back in October when this first kicked off and I'm now fully geared up to face the next income based extension in August. The one that all the 'gloom and doom brigade' said would never happen.

 

ML

A serious question. Is there a difference in using the ATM machine to withdraw funds from a foreign (US) bank account and having the funds IN a Thai bank account? Since my bank provides a detailed statement showing that the funds were withdrawn at a specific Thai ATM location and my monthly statements show the source of my funds, I have to assume that your post is likely the most accurate speculation...about having funds/adequate amount IN a Thai bank account. So the bank account somehow figures into this new police order?

I seriously doubt that he was begging money to "get ticket home". Of course, this is just my opinion.  Maybe others have similar experiences of people saying one thing and doing another.

20 hours ago, moontang said:

, rife with dishonesty.

I think this is just speculation.  I seriously doubt that mass American retirees are dishonest about their Social Security and or other retirement benefits.  The comment I heard in person about my two pensions was telling....."I wonder why farangs get so much retirement.?  Compared to Thailand, I understand but a minimal retirement pension in the USA is more than enough to live on in Thailand and easily provable. No need to be dishonest, unless someone is trying to hide the source of their income.

On 9/4/2018 at 12:45 PM, Time Traveller said:

I don't quite understand this issue about proof of income. It's seems strange thai immigration are asking this, since the definition of income in USA is different from the definition of income in Thailand - they have different tax codes .

 

Example, according to the IRS, selling shares with capital gains in the US is income. But in Thai tax law it is not income. Accordingly for Americans with investments, they can almost manipulate their income to appear however they want it - by realizing losses or gains to minimize taxable income for any particular year  - hence the reason this request of "proof of income" is pointless. (In fact, taxation of capital gains is pointless as well due to offsetting loses against gains, hopefully the IRS will someday agree!) 

 

I don't even understand the "need" to have funds in a Thai bank. Electronically speaking, it's all the same and I can access money at any time. Just showing that you have the required monthly amount should (logically) be sufficient.

It should be a simple matter to show 3 months (or more) of bank statements as income verification. My bank's electronic banking services include the option to show only deposits. That way you keep your business private. What I'm wondering is, will the affidavit from the US Consulate be required if we just show the bank statements? My bank's deposit line clearly shows where the money originated, e.g. SSA or DRB. By the way, I was asked to produce further documentation in June for non-O extension, but they weren't too particular. An odd comment by one of the officers was: " Why do Americans get so much pension? "

Several aspects to this discussion come to mind. First, there is no real comparison to girly bars, since those are very isolated from the bulk of Thailand and "locals" have to go out of their way, usually at night to observe these. The beach is a public place, no matter what foreign visitors imagine.  So "naked yoga" seems exibitionist at the very least. Personally, "goat yoga" is much more disgusting but naked sunbathers that look like beached beluga whales are the most shocking. You can't "unsee" that kind of thing. Conclusion: If Thai locals ignored nude foreigners who weren't "doing yoga", then the nudists weren't attracting attention, even though technically breaking Thai laws. The exhibition aspect is what turned off Thais, who go about their business in the daytime on a public beach. 

17 hours ago, Mattd said:

If it is being delivered via a means that uses the global shipping program, then all the customs payment is made at the time of ordering, the duties are normally an overestimate and Amazon will refund if it is less.

That's correct. I've used Amazon a bit in the last week or so and so far haven't paid extra customs/tax fees. Some items came within a week and one I'm still waiting on at 3 weeks. I also ordered an item from China (private company, not Alibaba) and received the small package in 2 days.

19 hours ago, Srikcir said:

I'd like to see Mexico respond:

"The US demand for illicit drugs causes and sustains the violence and corruption of drug cartels in Mexico. Therefor, we make it a condition of the new NAFTA that all illicit drug use in America stop."

Will Trump agree to Mexico's meddling in American sovereignty?

Trump wants to control Mexican sovereignty - not going to happen.

The Mexican cartels are responsible for their own actions. Trying to suggest that the US is the cause of a Mexican cartel is quite a stretch.  Similar to (IMO) saying car manufacturers are responsible for drunk drivers. A nation is defined by it's borders, both physically and metaphorically. Walls work; anyone who says otherwise is not using all their faculties to observe walls in use in every country in the world. I do agree that lax control of our borders has contributed to the need for walls in many areas of the USA.....where they were not common, exceptions being the wealthy citizens who always knew the value of a wall.

Chiang Mai Lightning , agree with that ! Not just dogs. Last year I visited PhiPhi Don for a week and it has a major cat problem. Ripe for a rabies outbreak.

15 hours ago, oilinki said:

I wonder if the greater air humidity contributes to the spark length and therefore how visible /noisy the sparks are here?

 

 

I think the reason is the round terminals on the plugs. I don't notice sparking on flat terminals /w ground. I've noticed that the round terminals fit, is loose and the outlets don't grip them well.

Time.  There is only so much of it in a relationship. How it is divided between the two people, should give you an indication or a starting place.  Also, remember - the person with the least amount of desire controls the "sex".

Last, relationships are built on trust, which can be looked at 2 ways. You can always give the "benefit" of the doubt about any doubt you have or you can trust but verify (sort of like building trust over a long time period. The first method is like having the 'wall of trust' already built and only removing 'bricks' when the trust is violated.

22 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

defined as 4 or more people shot at the same time/place .....there are an average of one mass shooting per day for the past 2 years in the US.  To me that's not 'a rare event.'   I'd like to see none.  Perhaps gun lovers could tolerate 2 or 3 or 4 mass shootings per day.

 

As for individual (and up to 3 shootings per incident), ....the US is slightly ahead of Thailand's average of 35 road deaths per day.  I have opinions about drunk and stupid drivers, but that's another topic.

Don't know where you get your information but I suspect it's one the well-known sites that do not favor privately-owned guns. https://www.vox.com/cards/gun-violence-facts/mass-shootings-rare-united-states   Just one of many corroborations. Also FBI statistics support these statements.  Now, since you decided to substitute insults for intelligent debate....you can advance to 2nd grade debating skill level and get your Gold Star