Lemonltr

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

There have been some posts about the codes Kasikorn use but I don't recall them. Bank books do not show all the a bank can use.

I use Bangkok Bank and the FTT (foreign telex transfer) code for international transfers is not shown in the book.

For many years my BKK a/c has stated FTT. I use Nationwide and Swift but always transfer sterling, never baht. Cost to be deducted by BKK. 

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Basically no unless he could send it into the country from abroad to make up the difference for few months.

It has to be a total annual income 480k baht transferred into the country for 12 months to reach the average of 40k baht.

Joe. This is the first time I've read that the imported money has to be an average. I read that they insist on monthly. I started bringing in 65k monthly in January but would be happier to bring in 200.000 every 3 months. Is there documentation to this effect? Thanks. 

41 minutes ago, Samyan said:

How much of the 400,000 baht has to be kept as a minimum deposit. 200,000 baht?

I believe so. Then bring more money monthly in the next year and reduce to 200.000 in the bank fter 3 months. eventually just bringing  in 65k monthly. 

On 3/19/2019 at 7:01 AM, ubonjoe said:

Your plans to change to the income option will not change the requirements to keep 800k/400k baht in the bank.

It is not defined yet what the punishment will be for not maintaining the funds in the bank will be but it appears your next extension application would not be accepted forcing you to leave the country to start all over again.

My suggestion would be to start sending the 65 baht into your account now and try to do the extension based upon income. Immigration offices should accept less than one year of income this year according to a directive sent to them.

I am very much an amateur so please don't shoot me down. But I might be inclined to play safe and stick to bank method in Sept.19. Then how about from that month bringing in 35.000 baht monthly. After a further 3 months start spending 400.000 of capital Next extension apply using the combination approach with 420.000 income to bank and 400.000 in Bank. Rinse and repeat downwards. 

My "retirement" visa expires late November. As I was unaware of the new rules I only started bringing in 65k in January so will only have 11 months at 65k. Its possible that I'll be refused but the problem with this is the very short time available to "clean up" and sell car. They should allocate somebody at Immigration to assess expats situation months in advance so that we have ample time to arrange to leave in an orderly fashion. 

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

It appears the banks are providing the usual bog standard letter, no verification of monthly transfers. Statements will be required and you can fight it out with the immigration officer

Bangkok Bank prints FFT with all incoming foreign transfers which you would think adequate as it appears to signal that. Strangely however FFT is not listed among the bank codes in the bank book. 

Also re statements - surely a bank book Is a statement in book form. If immigration had insisted on seeing the bank book instead of a bank letter any agent circumvention would be impossible. Deliberate? 

3 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

if i have a incoming wire transfer of 65,000 baht/month, do i need leave 400,000 in the bank year round or

can I use partial or ALL of the 65,000 each month?

I am doing the same as you and started bringing in 65k monthly as my embassy will not provide a letter. Under the previous system if you had 65k income you had no need to have any funds in the bank at all. I'm hoping that now I have transfers as proof instead of a letter that the same applies. No funds in the bank needed. ( although I have some). 

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Assuming you can no longer get an embassy letter.

The leniency in the memo refers to telling officers not to be so strict about demanding the full 12 months of transfers as this is a new scheme (income method without embassy letter) with the understanding that next year the full 12 monthly imports will be a hard requirement.

The memos about these changes refer to FULL income method only. That means monthly transfers of at least 65K baht every month.

They don't mention the combination method at all.

Ubonjoe and others are convinced that this new scheme for income method without embassy definitely is meant to include combo method applications.

Combo method applications with embassy letters remain definitely unchanged.

As there are no explicit mechanical guidelines on what constitutes a valid combo application without embassy letter (as there is for the full 65K) so far reports are indicating such combo applications without embassy letters are likely to be problematical. 

That could all change tomorrow, next month, or by the time you need to apply based on further  memo from immigration explicitly explaining the specific rules for combo applications without embassy letters.

But even then, yes, obviously, there would likely still be inconsistent enforcement at various immigration offices. We see that for rules that have been in place for several years, so such messes on something so new are entirely predictable.

That is why I am suggesting the following, especially to people that plan to do a combo application without embassy letter THIS YEAR --

If you are able and if you want to avoid a high risk of rejection, consider doing a full 800K baht seasoned full bank account method until this fogginess with combo/no embassy letter gets better resolved. 

It's one thing to tell people it should be OK based on our rough interpretation of the written rules, we hope it's going to be OK, but I'm saying that is not good enough.

We need better assurance than that and for the time being anyway, that assurance can be found with a full 800K seasoned bank method where embassy letters have never been required in the first place.

Good luck.

Thank you Jingthing for taking the time to answer so extensively. As a Brit my embassy letter is stopped. I had decided not to trust the combo method and bring in 65k monthly but still have 300k banked. You are right. I believe we are entitled to clear instructions. 

4 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

I have read that immigration was instructed to be "lenient" during the transition period. However like most things at the Immigration office the rules vary from office to office and from person to person.  

Thanks. 

My 'retirement' extension ends 22nd November. As normally I bring in around 160 - 200.000 baht quarterly I brought no money in during December as I was unaware of any changes then. Although I will have about 300.000 baht in an account seasoned by November and assume to be allowed the combination method I have started to bring in 65.000 monthly as from January. My concern is that I will only have transfers for 11 months in November. Am I likely to have problems as if so I need to plan in advance. Thanks. 

I gather, maybe wrongly, that the 'income' method does not now apply to those unable to get embassy letters but proof of bank deposits in a Thai bank does. If I have for example 300.000 seasoned in a Thai bank I ought to be able to use the combination method and bring in less than 65.000 monthly from this month till renewal in November but I'm so nervous about that. Will I be turned down? 

As I see it it would be better if they dropped the 65.000 monthly requirement for those people and asked for ANNUAL deposits/bank holdings to the value of 800.000 baht. That way we could calculate during the year. 

50 minutes ago, phkauf said:

With Bangkok Bank's policy change for US transfers through the ACH system, I will now have to use the SWIFT system. So instead of making monthly transfers from my US accounts, I would likely make a transfer once every three months for 3X the normal monthly amount. So instead of say 50 thousand Baht every month, 150,000 every three months.

Question: will Thai Immigration look at this differently than the monthly transfer for the monthly portion of income? I plan on topping up the balance with a large deposit closer to my renewal date to satisfy the combo method requirements.

I have the same question exactly but have further ones. 1. I use swift and my BKK bank book then states KU. FFT. but does not explain what it means. Will this be acceptable to immi? Next, my extension Is in November but I brought no funds here in December. In othet words when does this requirement start. Am I non qualifying already? We need a firm starting date. 

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

1 hour ago, Lemonltr said:

You wouldn't be able to use any of the 800.000 baht for hospital bills within 3 months of applying for an extension. 

Of course he can. He would just need to use the agent method for the next one, or get a tourist visa. Any other problems you can think of?

OK. You want to be exact. He would have to abandon his plans to do it by the 800.000 method 

You are nitpicking. 

As for depositing 65.000 baht monthly, I assume for a year in advance. As far as I am aware this has not been officially stated. If it has I have two questions. 1. Would it be acceptable to bring in 195.000 baht each 3 months. 2. If an unmarried retiree had 400.000 (50%) baht in the bank would he only need to prove monthly inward deposits in a Thai bank of 32.500 baht? 

I spent 3 days in Vientiane. Left on 18th Nov. Presumably with 90 days extension. Further 3 days in Korat Hotel. Arrived at my Pattaya condo where they insisted on copying my passport "as it was new rule" presumably to inform immigration. To be safe I went to Jomtien next day and was told by a young lady that I hadn't seen before that it wasn't needed as I was returning to the same address. The only problem is that I have no proof and am vulnerable. 

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No problem to enter the country. 

You will use both passports on entry to use the re-entry permit in the old one. Immigration will stamp you into the country in the new one.

Then you will need to go your local immigration office to have your stamps transferred.

Thanks ubonjoe. Big relief to know in advance.. 

It looks like I'll have to make a journey very shortly back to the UK and stay a while  (have multiple re-entry visa) and may have to re-new my passport when there. I will need a "retirement" extension of stay in mid November. (need new passport for that)

My question is : Am I likely to have any problems re-entering with my  current 'extension' in a cancelled passport while entering Thailand with the new one?

Thanks for any information.

11 hours ago, rwdrwdrwd said:

I think they meant they had only drank 2 Leos, which is pretty much 2 pints of beer.

Sure there's plenty of people that do that and don't think they are over the limit.

I drink 3 small Leo's maximum when out. I have been pulled into the booth and tested 3 times after 3 small bottles. Every time either 22 or 23 against 50 limit. So quite confident if done fairly. 

I just returned from 2 weeks in the UK and the young lady in the Jomtien immigration said the same to me. " You don't need to report unless you have been out of the country for over 1 month. Still nervous for next time though.