CMBob

There are multiple reasons to get a Thai tax ID. (1) If you need it for work or other purposes, (2) If you hope to have your bank no longer withhold the 15% tax on interest (for the first 20k baht or whatever) and presuming your bank will honor that request (as some posters say has occurred), or (3) If you want to file a Thai income tax return to receive back the mentioned tax from the Treasury. I obtained a tax ID years ago and filed a couple of tax returns and got the withheld 15% back when it was worth bothering with it (haven't bothered in the last couple of years because the interest withheld wasn't much but may do it again in January as you can claim back 3 years worth). Would note that I attempted (2-3 years ago) with my tax id card to ask my bank (SCB) to stop withholding the 15% and they simply said "no can do." Maybe I'll try again.

I did at both Bangkok Bank and SCB 20+ years ago but, like you said, things have changed. This past fall, I tried to open a Bangkok Bank account with only my 45-day exemption and they said "no" (I had to wait until I converted to a Non-O). You could visit a couple of branches of whatever banks and give it a try but, if that doesn't work, you're only option (if they'll handle it) is to use an agent.

Yes, open early for applications this year. Opened Monday (17th).

At CM Immigration last (2021) October, I converted from exempt to a Non-O and, while they could see from the bank passbook copies that the 800k had been in there for several years, there was nothing in the passbook (SCB) that reflected the funds came from abroad (the funds were deposited 10-12 years ago and the passbook CM Immigration saw only covered the last several years). Perhaps I got a break because they could see that the funds had been there for many years and/or that they could see I had many prior extensions based on retirement and gave me a break due to covid. Not sure.

According to the translation I've seen of the current Immigration Act (BE 2522), it says that one must report one's address upon "completion" of a ninety day period." In the OP's case, he/she hasn't completed a 90-day time period when leaving on the 90th day. And, while I never concerned myself with calculating the exact time before, I just looked at a couple of my 90-day Receipts of Notification and indeed the next report dates are on the 91st day (counting the first day).

I realize you have no need for a long time to renew your US passport but currently the answer to your question is easily obtained by a simple review of the Bangkok Embassy website section dealing with passport renewals. To assist, I'll paste the following from the website: Q: What payment methods are available for use via Pay.gov? A: You can pay the $130 fee by electronic check/transfer, credit/debit card, PayPal, or Amazon Pay on Pay.gov. This amount cannot be altered. You must pay the fee in U.S. dollars.

As has been noted, renewing a US passport must be done by mail absent some unusual factors (using the Embassy website section for renewal will tell you if you have certain factors that would require you to go to the Embassy/Consulate.....but only a small minority would be allowed to do so). Personally, I found the mail-in deal to be easy and quick (DHL on a Monday from Chiangmai to the Embassy in Bangkok and return of the new and punched old passport (and Immigration letter) on a Thursday 11 days later). A lot faster and easier than renewing it in the states (would note that renewal in the US appears to be heading to an online procedure for all/most next year although the process there is not anticipated to be anywhere near as fast as getting it done here in Thailand). You pay for the new passport itself online with a credit card (before you could do the credit card thing or pay via a bank draft) and you must include a bank draft for 100 baht for return of the new and old passports (I don't see how an agent can get the bank draft for you although I have no clue if the Embassy would have a problem if the bank draft was from somebody other than the person applying for the passport). Anyway, the process is easy.

Don't believe so.....the 30 day extension will be tacked onto the end of the visa exempt time period. When one converts to a Non-O (from an exempt or tourist visa), the Non-O will run from either the date of application or within a week or so after the date of application. And, as you know, annual extensions (based on retirement or whatever) will run from the date of expiration of your current permission to stay or extension even if you apply for it 30-45 days before the expiration date.

I asked that very question last week and was told that the flu season here is "now"; as such, I went and got a flu shot this past Friday.

Between October 1st and March 30th, you'll get visa exempt entry of 45 days (it's simply an exempt entry and it's not any type of visa). And, yes, you can extend for another 30 days at CM Immigration for 1,900 baht and some paperwork. Would recommend going for your 30-day extension 10+ days before your 45-day exempt time expires just in case you run into a paperwork problem (not likely but it could happen). Mae Sai border is not currently open for farang but, then again, you certainly don't need to do a border run if you're only staying 60 days.

Renewed my US passport here this past December and used the bank draft option for both the renewal fee and the 100 baht return mailing fee; however, checking the Embassy website info, the bankdraft option for the renewal fee isn't available anymore (although one still has to go get a bankdraft for the 100 baht return mailing fee). Would obviously be helpful simply to allow a credit/debit card for both fees and that'd eliminate the need to go get a bankdraft. And, yea, anybody without a workable credit/debit card apparentlyl simply can't renew their US passport here.

Ignore....double post