pdebuck456

Me as well. Arriving 25th this month, same frequent flyer program as you but through KLM flights from AMS. Also flying business (company expense 😉 ) and doing enough flights/year to reteain Flying Blue Gold or Platinum which gets you the Skyteam Elite Plus tier. Won't be really testing the "business" fast track this time as I opted to pay for it (booked through the Sawasdee app, reccomended), usually when arriving on the KLM flight it's not too busy and you are through immigration in pretty much under 15 minutes, but if the flight is only so much as 20 minutes late, you suddenly are queing together with a few widebody planeloads arriving from all over the world. Had this happen to me twice last year, resulting in queing well over an hour! Having my own place in BKK and having to fly up and down between the EU and Thailand between 7 and 10 times/year I usually only travel with hand luggage, so when immigration goes smooth I hop into my taxi about 15 to 20 minutes after getting of the plane. Getting unlucky at immigration can easily stretch that to 1,5/21 hours!

Last trip (january) I also got denied while holding business class ticket on the way in. The officers guiding traffic didn't even want to look at my ticket and indeed got quite rude when I politely told then I flew business. Additionally, thos counters only had like 2 or 3 (Thai) people queuing, so not that they were backlogged in that area. When leaving I was however allowed the fast track security/immigration (everything on the departure level, no need for the escalator up one floor), but since the automatic immigration gates you hardly save any time!

I always carry my drone as carry-on. Never had an issue, is regarded as a laptop. which also tend to have sizeable batteries.

Kind of weird as the bank statement and letter are valid for 7 days. For the last few days between extension application and the issuance of the bank statement/letter they ask to update your bankbook, so they can confirm nothing untoward happened with your balance those days. Additionally, there are banks who do not issue the statement on the same day (I thought Bangkok bank), so how would that work then?

Business (or first) class ticket holders used to be allowed to use the fast track section of immigration, but apparently this is now reserved for BOI related stuff such as LTR holders, smartvisa holders etc. Now business class flyers are however allowed to use the priority lanes at the regular immigration zone. So when arriving from the gates and turn into the immigration area, keep right, together with the "Thai passport" holders. Keep boarding pass ready to show at the staff there, you'll be let through. I ususally just queue up with the rest of the farang travellers, as this goes pretty fast most of the year (usually less then 10 minutes), unless you arrive at one of the "peak" times (like 6:00 AM when all the Europen Thai Airways flights arrive). When I see it's crazy busy, I just go right and do priority, although can also have queues if there happen to be some elderly people, or people in a wheelchair. There's only two booths, and often just one staffed.

Last one on this as we are digressing... Yet heaps and heaps on the DTV visa! And I am sorry, not having a back-up plan worth a few 100k Thai Baht, Thailand is not the place for you...Be smart, save up and then come over here.

I'm kind of confused about that nail/coffin thing. The rules are pretty clear, and there are lots and lots of people simply abusing the system. Long term stay, get proper visa. Short term stay (actual tourism), visa excempt. Medium term stay tourism, get tourist visa (up to 90 days with extension after 60 days, or get multiple entry tourist visa for even longer). For a lot of nationalities getting a visa takes little time/effort, not even having to come out of your chair for it (E-visa). Yes, tourism is not doing good, but that was with up to recently very liberal visa exempt entry rules, the current lull has none to very little to do with visa's. The best booming years in Thai tourism was when visa rules were way stricter (90's, with only 15 days visa excempt)!!!

Oh yes, and reducing the visa excempt back to 30 days is also once more talked about. As usual with Thailand, might happen tomorrow, might not happen at all and stay at 60! Not the first time it is talked about without it actually happening. But could end up being a pain in the behind if it does happens, a few days before you fly out (as I am sure Murphy would time it), and you were planning on staying more then 30 days...

With a bit of extra paperwork (police clearance in home country, health insurance, ...) a Non O-A (multiple) can be applied for, and then only need to show funds in homecountry, no need to move it into Thailand and lock it up...You do need to have equivalent of 800,000 Thai Baht in your european home bank! It's not the best of times to move big chunks of cash with the current strength of the Thai Baht! Once you have one of those, you do as many trips as you want in one year!

You should not have a problem and will be allowed in (2026 is a new year). There is however a chance you will be questioned and asked to provide proof that you abide by the minimum requirements to be allowed in on a visa excempt entry, so make sure you are prepared: Be able to show the equivalent of 20,000 Baht, prefereably in cash (Baht or foreign equivalent), best not to trust good internet and being able to log into internetbanking. CAsh is easy to show on the spot. Have a confirmed outward ticket within 60 days of your arrival (again, best be prepared and print out). Have a confirmed booking of hotel, o some sort of proof of where you'll be staying. If you have i's dotted and the t's crossed, you will be allowed in. This said, if you expect 2026 to be a repeat of last year, I would just get on with it and apply for a visa. The process is fairly easy nowadays, no visits to embassies or consulates needed, just a little extra expense for the E-visa and the peace of mind that comes with it. Which one to go with would depend on your personal circumstances, but tourist visa has virtually no requirements, apart from the ones you need anyway to get in on visa excempt!

Ah, good to know! Assumed LTR retiree had the same restriction on work as the regular retiree extension! There might be a way towards LTR, but through the highly skilled route, as my companies (both the one here and the one back home) are solidly in one of the BOI approved sectors. That way the 80,000 USD does not have to be passive (if i read it correct), and there are some other advantages, mainly a flat 17% income tax rate on money earned in Thailand. It would (possibly) also absolve me of any tax risk on foreign earned income as the tax I pay back home is way higher then 17% and my country has a double tax treaty with Thailand. Number of employees not soo much an issue as i have two actual working employees here, and on a marriage extension that is sufficient (as opposed to 4 employees on a non-B visa) to support the workpermit. Food for thought and more money to my accountant so he can go straight to work whether feasible and tax efficient😆!

Absolutely! If I ever get retired it'll be either LTR or regular retirement extension, but both of those are incompatible with me needing a workpermit here in Thailand. And prefereably LTR, even more easy as, if I understand correctly, no need to deal with immigration, nor do 90 day reports.

Is that before or after tax? In Europe that's some serious income if after tax! Even before tax that would be substantial if retirement. I would reach that only if allowed to count the dividends my own company pays me yearly on top of my regular salary as the owner/director... Common for Americans, much less so for Europeans. As said, in my case it opens up a much easier way to open and run my Thai company/subsidiary under the marriage extension.

Good chance next year I'll do it myself, when you snatch an online appointment, you're also in and out pretty fast. Regular que ticket, not so much, expect between 2 (very lucky) and 5 hours! Or get there like ungodly early! Not my definition of a fun day out 😅

Mainly just getting it right first time! It is a lot of paperwork, and chances, especially first time round, are substantial you miss things! Plus the in and out of immigration in 15 minutes flat. They actually went with my whole file a week upfront to immigration, getting it pre-approved, so I was in and out in 15 minutes when I went (along with the wife) the 25th Also during that pre-approvement the request came for the receipt of the KhorRor2! Which neither me nor my lawyer were aware of it was needed.