homemade514

central - 7 days. did it a couple months ago.

I opened a new bank account the other day with kasikorn to season my funds, previously doing that with Bangkok. I was able to open bank account no issues. I’m on a non-o based on Thai spouse. Brought my passport, marriage certificate, wife’s ID, wife’s tabien baan, our rental contract, my drivers license (which has our address on it). And if you have half thai children, they want your kids Thai birth certificates. if you don’t have drivers license they may want you to go get a cert of residency. You need that for a DL so that’s why it could be used.

Probably not. The letter just verifies the amount that is in the bank account on that day. It’s a very simple letter. But without it, you cannot get your visa extension. In Chiang Rai you also need the previous two months bank statements and your bank book updates.

this doesnt have to do with immigration - the bank can make up their own rules regarding the money you hold there. and now they want your money for atleast 4 months if they are going to write you a letter for immigration, otherwise you arent getting a letter. with that to say - i do not know how that is actually enforced. if they totally freeze your account, which they cant do. or not allow the limit to go down past the 400k/800k mark which is more probable. either way, i'd recommend switching banks, unless one has the means to hold their money for atleast 3 months longer per year.

No it’s two months prior and then just the under consideration period, so that’s three months. but now you need to have it in 4 months before you apply, and then you keep it in during the under consideration period, so that’s 5 months total. or 2 months before as per immigrations policy, but if you want the letter, you need to sign a form and then your money will stay in an additional 4 months…. 6 months total. so now this ties up peoples money at least an extra 2 months.

Really hope other banks don’t follow suit and only Bangkok Bank is going rogue

I think the big question here is how will they enforce the money being in the account after you’ve already applied for and gotten your visa extension? Are they going to freeze the account which they can’t do?

This is not good for Bangkok bank to do at all. They are certainly going to be losing many customers because of this and putting a lot of people in a horrible position with no warning at all.

No.

Thank you for sharing! Good to know at least that it isn’t just up here in Chiang Rai. This is not going to be good press for BKK Bank at all.

I know what it is but thank you. it is a new BKK bank policy. Most likely to prevent money being moved around, agents who abuse the accounts, etc…

yes i understand! - but they would not give my buddy a letter confirming the funds - unless he signed a form from them saying that the money needs to stay in the account for 4 months - i do not know how they will implement that.

Has anyone very recently had any issues regarding applying for a 1 year visa extension using banked money method (400,000) for two months, and particular at Bangkok bank, and them saying that it now needs to be four months? Bangkok bank saying that and not Immigration. I do NOT know how they would implement that nor do I know why. They have made no announcements regarding this and immigration was clueless as well. A friend had that happen for them today (in Chiang Rai) and I’m trying to see if this was just a one off occurrence as I have never heard about this and I know it’s not an immigration policy. He was eventually given the letter to confirm the funds for the past two months. But they said the money now needs to be in for four months. Thanks!