Bert Jones

Good to know...thanks Joe.

That's very interesting Sumrit, thanks for the information...

That's very interesting to know...I hadn't realised I could buy a single re-entry permit from airports...I have always gone to immigration to buy it. Can I get a permit from any airport that has international outbound flights? from Chiang Mai for example...going to Taipai? As long as I return within my original extension of stay, can I come back into Thailand at any date or is it limited to a month or two?

I know I need to report back to immigration within 24hrs of arrival.

Thank you very much Pib, that's what I'll do then...and I already have an account with BB. Thanks again....what a great source of information this site is.

Sorry to sound so unsophisticated ... could someone please post a link to the type of foreign currency account available. If this is acceptable to TI, it may well be a better option for me. The uncertainty of the upcoming elections is putting me off depositing the 800k baht into a Thai bank account. I worry about getting it out again.

Which office was this at?

16 hours ago, Pib said:

OP,

The way you described the Bangkok Bank account it sounds like a "fixed" savings account which means once it matures a 15% withholding tax of total interest earned will be applied.  Or if interest is possibly paid monthly the tax withholding will be applied monthly.  Also, any withdrawal before it matures may cause loss of all or most of the interest earned on the entire amount.  Example: say you earn Bt12,000 in total interest....on the day that interest is paid a 15% tax withholding on the Bt12,000 will be applied which equals Bt1,800 tax.  You can get that Bt1,800 refunded each year by filing a tax return/refund request with your local revenue office in the Jan-Mar timeframe.  Not a hard process....in about a month you will be refunded the full Bt1,800 assuming you don't have other earned income which might reduce the refund. 

 

If you have the attitude of "can't be bothered with filing for a refund" then you have effectively lowered the interest rate you were receiving....but you will make the Thai govt happy since they will get to keep the money you didn't ask to be refunded.  

 

You might want to consider opening a Krungsri Mee Tai Dai account instead which currently pays 1.3%, comes with a debit card, ibanking, no interest penalty on withdrawals, can withdraw two times per month fee free....3rd and subsequent withdrawal per month incurs a Bt50 fee.   Also, no tax withholding unless you exceed Bt20K total interest earned per year.  At 1.3% of Bt800K that equates to Bt10.4K interest per year....interest is paid monthly.   Maybe consider the MTD account lie a regular savings account but pays almost 3 times the interest of a regular savings account which only pays  around 0.5% or less.

 

If you want to squeeze every possible baht out of savings account then go with "fixed" savings account but just keep in mind the restrictions and tax withholding on a fixed account.   If you are fine earning a little less than a fixed account but have pretty much no restrictions and not tax withholding (unless interest exceeds Bt20K) then go with a Krungsri MTD account.

 

9 minutes ago, BarnicaleBob said:

I have decided to move out when my retirement visa runs out next year, rather than tie up so much money on a low interest account.  We will keep our house here but only visit once or twice a year for 30 days at a time.  It's not just the deposit requirement, but that is the final straw of many issues.

Pib, CIMB pays 2.5% !!! not too shabby. Bob, that's a great pity.

Capitalist economies only work when money is being spent. People are the economy. In the financial crises that gripped the western economies, interest rates went to near zero, thus making loans cheap, so the money could be spent into the economy - invested or nice new shiney cars bought, but also to discourage saving. Foreign money is no use to Thailand if sat in a bank accounts. Our ex-pat money is of little use to the Thai economy unless we spend it. It won't be long before the money has to be seen leaving Thai accounts.

"Except for the fact that the average salary in Thailand for 2018 is just over 14,000 per month"

It makes no difference. Thais want tourists spending their hard earned money here. They don't want poor settlers making a home here. This is a very protectionist society. They make it difficult to buy land, work and now, retire here unless you spend a lot of money. The days of Farangs living like Thai men in Thailand are coming to an end...show us the money or live in another country or go back home.

Thanks Joe.

Thai immigration service must be a very good earner for Thailand...they must make a fortune!

If I leave the kingdom for a short break in Taiwan, do I need to purchase a re-entry permit? or does my extension of stay allow 1 exit re-entry? I currently have a retirement extension of stay. Thanks.

Are you 100% on that Greg?

I spoke directly to the officer at the Irish embassy in Bangkok...they are still issuing affidavits and will continue to do so. They do actually scrutinise my statements and a one point rejected my application... 

Sorry to hijack the topic...but does anyone know what the fines are for late extension applications...looks like I will be a week late. Would it help if I notified IO that I will be late or just turn up a week late and pay the fine...or would they refuse my application and make me re-apply for a new non O ?

I would imagine falsifying a marriage document is easy, in order to make a claim against any estate.

"But not the other way round" typical of Thai laws.

If that is 100% correct...then I'm definitely never getting married to a Thai woman! Thanks for the reply. 

Does anyone know what legal rights a Thai woman married to a UK man has. Upon death, does the Thai woman have a UK legal right to the estate of the deceased? Is a marriage between a UK man and a Thai woman legally binding in UK law?

Thanks for all the responses guys, I'm still non the wiser though ... I live in Chiang Rai. I will stay in BKK for several nights  upon my arrival back, then go to Hau Hin as planned. I will report to Chiang Rai immigration when back in CR. If they get funny with me , sobeit. I've always maintained ...if Thailand doesn't want me, other Asian countries do...all I ever do is spend money here, I cost them not a penny!

Burt.

Thanks for the response LIK, I thought the reporting was to validate where you are living...?

So providing I still have the same permanent address (where I pay rent), I don't need to attend ?

I can't find the rules for this anywhere...you would think the Thai authorities would publish the information somewhere.

Burt.

Hello all. Would someone be kind enough to advice on the following...

I have just done a 90 day reporting (retirement visa). At the same time, I paid 1000baht for a single re-entry permit that I need for a short trip to UK. I arrive back in Thailand in mid September (within the 90 day reporting). I was told that I need to report back to immigration within 24 hours of re-entering Thailand. Is this indeed the case? I fly into Bangkok and had intended to stay in BKK for a week or so and maybe travel to Hau Hin...but now it seems I will first need to return to Chiang Rai immigration...a big inconvenience to say the least. Is there a way around this. Appreciate any help.

Burt.  

UbonJoe and elviajero,

Thank you both very much for the replys...it is now clear to me. Without you guys to help, where would we be.

You deserve a lot of credit for your unselfishness and your generosity with the knowledge you have gained.

Best regards and thanks again.

Bert.

Hello forum,

Sorry if this has been answered many times, I thank you for any wisdom you can give me.

I recently obtained a Non'O' retirement visa. At the time of processing, I asked for a multi-entry, but only paid 1900baht, so obviously the officer didn't get what I asked for and just said I needed form TM.8 for multi entry, baffled, I let it be.

I will now apply for a Multi-entry visa and pay the 3800bhat fee. My question is :- do I need to give dates of travel? (the form is asking for dates, but I'm not sure of dates...there flexible) can I just come and go from Thailand within the 6 month period or do I need to inform immigration each time I leave and then re-enter ? I did speak to immigration by phone but was none the wiser...also, if I am away when my 90 reporting is due, what happens? I read somewhere that I can report online, but the link I tried failed to load.

Any advice is most welcome.

Bert.