sandyf

My bank TTB(previously TMB) does that. I have been using online banking since 2009 and only update the book once a year, the majority of entries are consolidated, for some reason not all. It has been that way for many years, probably before immigration started the monthly transfers or checking on balances. You canot blame the banks if immigration change their ways.

I think it was about 2012 that VFS took over, prior to that it was done at the embassy. A friend of mine tried to get visa for his wife in 1999 and any reference to a book would be an understatement, more like a volume set. They wanted records of all communication and a multitude of photos along with all sorts of financials, and then the visa was rejected. He registered a complaint with the embassy and we had to stay in Bangkok for another couple of days to sort it out. After another couple of interviews with other embassy staff she was finally granted the visa. Past experience will always influence the perspective of some, particularly if it was a one off. I have been doing it almost every year since 2009 and there has been significant changes since then. When my wife first applied she had a 20 minute interview at Regent house and then about 5 minute phone call from the embassy to check her English. I fully expect to be pushing up daisies before they stop asking repetitive questions, people only die once and you only travel on a certain date once. Data storage seems to be an alien concept.

The real problem here is a lack of co-operation between the MFA and BOT, but then govt depts working hand in hand is as common as a 9 bob note. When the long term visa scenario first raised it's head in 2014 it wasn't really a problem as those serious about staying in the Kingdom could come on a 12 month ME visa which was quite acceptable to the banks and gave people more than enough time to get sorted. Unfortunately the MFA saw fit to remove that option from the evisa platform leaving the opening of accounts a bit up in the air. Simplest solution would be for the MFA to reinstate the ME option.

First 2 points totally irrelevant. Thread is about tourists and most advanced economies require a utility bill to open an account, something not normally available to tourists. Thailand is only trying to do what other countries have tried, but you seem to think the other countries have failed.

Another that wants to distort the context. The thread is about banking regulations and it's effect on visa processing.

Always those that want to distort the context.

May come as a surprise but foreigners and tourists are not the same thing.

Apologies. For those that choose to ignotre context I will amend. How many of tha advanced economies allow tourists to open bank accounts and how many allow people to arrive through normal channels without a visa and stay for years on end. Referring to illegal migration is an unnecessary distraction.

The writing has been on the wall for over a decade, item 2 on this email from the bank in 2014. At the time the forum view was the bank were wrong and nothing would change.

When I started it was the Thai Military Bank and only have had one small problem. In 2014 I goy an email from the bank that my details were inconsistent with bank policy and if not amended I would lose access to online banking. It was to do with the address, which was the Apex Hotel from when I opened the account in 2000. A trip to the bank and problem solved. People on this forum are always whinging about lack of standard in Thailand but as soon as they do something to tighten up on regulation abuse the whinging starts. They only want change where it suits their agenda. How many of tha advanced economies allow tourists to open bank accounts and how many allow people to arrive without a visa and stay for years on end.

We saw a sky like that 3 times yesterday, absolutely torrential each time. Been a lot of heavy rain last 5 days, bright and sunny today but with high humidity, condensation on the outside of the window with aircon at 27.

The going away party got cancelled due to the covid.

Rabbit hole comes to mind.

That is a distorted perspective. There was a study carried out in 2015. From the Ai Thailand's effective rate of protection on wine is 179.46%, which is significantly higher than the nominal tariff of 60%. This means the total cost of imported wine to a consumer is more than doubled due to various taxes and levies, according to a study published on Thai Journals Online (ThaiJO). Explanation: Nominal Tariff: The stated import tax on wine is 60%. Effective Rate of Protection: This is the total cost of protection to domestic producers, including the nominal tariff and other indirect taxes or regulations. The 179.46% effective rate: This figure indicates that the actual protection provided to local wine producers is much larger than the 60% nominal tariff. This means that imported wine is effectively priced 179.46% higher than it would be without these taxes, as noted in a study on ResearchGate. This is how the calculation is made in the study. "1.1.3 Tax Structure In Thailand for wine there is a tariff of 60 percent on imports. All other taxes compound off from the imports cost, insurance and freight (CIF) plus the tariff cost. Domestic wine taxes are calculated just on the cost and not the remaining values of the CIF and import tariff. Because of this the tax burden falls more heavily on the importers, creating favorable advantage to domestic wineries."

Take it you never noticed over the years the US citizens posting how easy it was to get an income letter from their embassy.

Why the brackets, I do not post false information. As it happens it is my niece's birthday today and have heard she is in bed with Covid, but she is an obs & gyny surgeon. Bit of a blow, she is finished at that hospital in a couple of days and starts a 3 year career development course next month.

Nothing more than an ill thought out assumption. You seem to overlook that some offices may want to see info on the source provider. eg pension document. Anyone in difficulty is more likely to turn to an agent than mess about sending money back and fore.

You are free to believe what you want. In the real world my niece is a doctor at a regional hospital. She tells me that doctors at her hospital that become infected are not allowed to take time off as before and may be infecting patients. With the number of patients a government hospital doctor sees in a day numbers would rise dramatically.

Wine is controversial around the world. Here in Thailand there is a fundamental problem in that the vineyards are still in a state of infancy and not capable of producing wine efficiently making it quite overpriced for the quality. A few years back the government raised the tax on imported wine in an attempt protect the emerging domestic wine industry. With the bulk of the wine consumed being imported the prices are in the hands of the importers and having established a new benchmark figure based on the tax rise it would be a bit of wishful thinking to expect any noticeable reduction. If you shop around there are some fairly cheap wine to be had. The Best Supermarket in Pattaya sells a 3 litre box for about 850 baht, but I can't see any restaurant adding it to the price list. They also have a bit of a predicament, reducing the price for an existing wine may be seen as offering a cheaper product. I have seen some restaurants that allow you to bring your own with a 200 baht corkage. Unfortunately no easy solutions and a case of living with it, or not, as the case may.

You couldn't be more wrong, on all points.

This started long before any talk of changing the tax laws, about 7 years ago for UK embassy. The transfers establish a positive net income rather than some paper indication of gross income. A bit of an inconvenience, but the Thais always get bashed when they try and do the job more thoroughly.

A frend of mine needed a hip replacement last year. He was told at least 2-3 years, he paid the £12K and went private. Another 90 year old friend fell and broke his hip about a year ago. he was in hospital 10 days and then sent to a care home for a week to get physio before going home. Took all the furniture out of the lounge and put in a hospital bed and commode. He was told the physio people would attend in a week, took about 3 months, all initial work had been lost. Delusional to think it is improving.

Why start bringing up issues on something that hasn't happened. If the changes do happen to materialise, the majority of expats living on their monthly income will be in a much better position than they are now. It is up to each of us to manage our affairs as best as possible under what circumstances prevail.

I was in the same position when the UK embassy did the same thing. I went to HCMC and got a ME visa until I had the 12 transfers under my belt. That may not be so easy now so money in the bank may be the easiest solution. Good luck.

Never going to happen. Does he really believe that Aberdeen has forgotten the last time it was a major oil hub. Ended almost overnight leaving many in negative equity. For some time yet, oil and renewables will live side by side.