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I have a hand drawn map that I keep photocopies of in my Retirement Visa Extension bundle along with a checklist with notes on everything else required, any differences in a year and how long every step in of the application takes. There are so many few unoccupied minutes on the day of application that I copy the checklist forward for the next year's application and fill in as much of it as possible. Last year's application was tedious but I can see on the checklist for what I will need in a couple of month's time that the skeleton is ready eg the map is in place : )) Joy! It makes application less tedious for me, eg I have a note saying for example photos with blue background was said to be needed in 2023 but a white background was said to do in 2024 - oh & yes there is a little plastic folder on the 2026 section with a choice of both - more joy !! : )) What surprises will there be! Good luck all

I have had the crazy day experience at Chaeng Wattana for at least the last 6 years where they would NOT accept statements printed the day before even when the balance matched a bank balance slip printed on the day. No, they need statements up to & including the date of application which can only be achieved by going to the bank first before applying. When the SCB branch in the Govt Center closed, I started keeping a record of the time since there isn't much else to do. There is a branch nearby that opens at 08.30 that makes the day not impossible! 2024 2025 2026 Outside SCB 07.30 08.05 08.10 Enter SCB 08.30* 08.30* 08.30* * 1st in queue Leave SCB 08.50 08.45 08.42 Arrive CW 09.00 08.55 08.56 Queue number 32 33 37** ** also got on line appt @ 10.00 CW check docs 10.35 10.58 10.20 ** lose on line ap to agent pushing in Submit docs - start 10.50 11.20 10.46 All docs with them now 11.00 11.35 11.30# # copy on lineTM30 rqd unavailable Docs returned done 11.45 13.30 13.45 to me but they could find it online They insist on bank statements throughout the whole year which I don't think is a standard requirement but if they think is it is important, I make it as easy for them as possible.

Hi Mutt Daeng The WISE account in my name received a test transaction in GBP(£) from my UK bank. I requested a transfer in Baht to my bank at SCB in Thailand. The transaction request requested the home address of the accountholder which I entered. My WISE account takes my address from my Thai driving license which uses syntax with slight differences to the syntax SCB uses (i.e. one refers to a soi, the other the soi and Thanon name, one refers to province as BKK, the other Bangkok). WISE confirmed the transaction was sent before confirming it had been returned by SCB. I exhaustively enquired into whether syntax errors might have caused the rejection at SCB and at WISE. SCB recommended that I ask WISE to use a SWIFT transfer request to make the transfer, WISE insisted that they do not make transfers using that process etc. You the picture - of being pig in the middle but not giving up finally the WISE helpline finally said "Hang on, its not the syntax - you are registered with us as resident in Thailand and we are not allowed to make transfers between accounts in Thailand" (don't ask me why it was the SCB end that apparently bounced the transfers each and every time, SCB could not explain, nor could WISE helpline say how a Thai resident might use their service - it sounded like a self defeating business model - BUT WISE did allow me to get my money back. I guessed that most people here have opened their WISE account based on a UK address & therefore WISE can transfer from a UK resident account to an account at a Thai bank. Is that your situation? Was your WISE account opened based on a UK residence & did you subsequently then register it to a Thai address (using a Thai driving license or similar)? I would like to use WISE for its exchange facilities but my real interest is in finding a way to have a lump sum paid to me based on my current address etc but without it having to go into a Thai bank that will scrutinise transfers back to the UK over 50,000 baht. Really, I'd like it to go into my UK bank but I struggle to support its address now with utility bills etc sufficiently for the pension administrator. I'd really like an account the money could go to before deciding how much comes here. I'll be finding that the tax free element of a UK pension is taxed here next and the benefit can not be used in the UK without justification at a level of 50k baht.

I was asked by another institution (not HSBC) to use Microsoft Authentificator to reset a password yesterday and came to a block. I phoned the helpline in the UK. They said OTPs do not work on their system from outside the UK (not sure why) and Authentificator had to be used. The codes I generated here on Authentifactor all failed acceptance when submitted from my laptop here. I remembered what J said in his posting above about surmising a time setting problem cause Authentificator codes fail so I asked the helpline to try a code on their keyboard that I generated here. It worked so the setting mismatch must be due to some other characteristic in the submission made from here. I hope VPN will sort it.

It doesn't sound right to me either but 100% I could not get the cash from WISE (based on my Thai address from driving license) into SCB here (nor to my wife's account at SCB) for the reason they told me according to their helpline. I don't know why you can, I am envious, perhaps it is that my account is newly set up. WISE helpline did say they would allow me to get the money held with them back to the UK account it came from & thankfully, in making that return they did not notify my UK bank of my Thai address (phew).

Sorry for the tardy reply. Yes, the helpline explained the restriction to me over the phone - no link to it in writing.

We might have got a step forward, would you believe, WISE helpline now say that they are UNABLE to make transfers for people (that have notified them they are) resident in Thailand either to or from their WISE accounts. Do your WISE accounts work by virtue of you having registered with WISE as being at some non Thai (so UK) address? SCB may bounce my transfers from WISE because WISE show my address as in Thailand whereas I guess SCB has me on a non immigration or other basis (so not resident at my registered residence address)! Is this a snippet of hell, or what?

That might be it, SCB call me Mr. , I did try that but dealing with machine matching the could be a discrepancy created by omitting a space after Mr.[space] or Mr.[no space] or some other unobvious entry.

Hi I have a newly created WISE account and been unable to transfer money from it to my SCB account. I assume the block is to do with my home address. WISE is set up with the form of that address shown on a Thai driving license (i.e truncated) but SCB uses more characters and a different truncation. For instance WISE refers to my province as TH_10 but SCB calls it "Bangkok" Or WISE lists my street by the people most use X Y Road but SCB refers to it by the more official term Soi xx Z. The good news is there are no costs in making a payment request so presumably both sides use machine matching. The bad news is that all 10 payment requests made so far have been returned from SCB to WISE saying their details are not recognised. Then we get into a spiral of doom. SCB bank staff have checked what I have entered with me but transfers still fail. It seems WISE overwrites or supplies my driving license style address when the payment is submitted & of course, SCB does not want to change their records to adopt the driving license format instead of the Soi xx Z style they choose to use. The WISE helpdesk advised deleting the recipient record as "mine" and setting it up afresh as belonging to someone else so a home address would not be required BUT this seems to fail in WISE because the recipient name matches the WISE account. On the other hand, if you deny ownership of the recipient account the system then requires tax related information on the source of funds to pass on to SCB. The discussion above mentioned uploading a statement for WISE to bring their address in line with SCB (rather than the driving license they rely on as official ID) - is that the way to go next or are they going to then close the account!? I might try paying a real third party to see if WISE can pay to a Thai bank at all in my case. Any ideas guys? Many thanks 5

Wow! I am very grateful to have your first hand experience shared, thanks v much, MD. I don't think I'd find the confidence to give it a go without it even though biometrics are so clearly the way forward. I set up facial recognition at SCB here last week now that it has become available to foreigners. I wondered how long it will be before it'll be integrated that as a check on ATM or transactions in person, will we even need a card or bank book?

Thanks for your reply MD. Can you say a bit more about setting up of bio-metrics, it sounds like they may be a way forward. Did you set them up when you were here or would the set up be better done when in the UK. Thanks v much, I'd hate to mess this up unnecessarily.

Yes, the error says there is a timing difference between their recipient server and mine.

I downloaded the HSBC banking app for my UK bank to my mobile this summer and use it occasionally here Thailand. It is useful but the security codes it generates for approval of a transaction fail because the time setting on HSBC servers (presumably in the UK) is checked against the time setting of the servers here that submit the request for the security code (i.e. based the phone's internet here in Thailand). Codes required to log on to HSBC online banking DO work but transaction approval codes that have to be requested via the app fail because of the timing issue between the servers. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Is there a way round it? I was okay using a manual fob for authorization codes until I downloaded the app (and didn't expect to be required to use the app). I suppose it is the way forward, after all SCB just closed its online banking to get its customers all on its mobile app. Is it the same with the apps for all banks? Which bank is pain free? I wonder if it is time look into using a VPN service. Are they the way forward? Do you use VPN and what for? How useful is it? Would for example a VPN service overcome the banking app timing hurdle I have stumbled into? Thanks in advance for your advice, with kind regards to all, 5

Why don't you use the flow chart that HMRC provide? It had several tests and under one a count required of the amount of time 24 hour periods spend in the UK. It was quite straightforward with no greater tax burden in changing residence status. The assessment for income tax is different from pension, I believe pensions are based on where you are when the pension starts with the obligation on you to notify the DWP of a change - hence guys here report getting the uplifts paid to them for the number of days they have visited the UK before payment reverts to their commencement rate when they return here. Best would be to get it started resident in UK and have holidays here but be prepared to notify them when it becomes more than "holiday". Is that right guys?

So guys, I share the frustration of having pension uplifts withheld because of the absence of a SS agreement with the jurisdiction we are in but surely isn't our real issue how to get the new ID issued to us so we can see how to avoid draconian pitfalls that it may lead to? Does anyone know whether two tier kier plans to have a process for the issue of digital ID cards to foreign nationals in the way a system is in place for the replacement of passports anywhere in the world? Do we have to apply for a card next time we visit? Might it be done on line? Don't we just start by logging our finger prints in Europe & the UK as we have been doing here for a long time. There can't be much new about facial recognition for someone holding a passport can there? I agree that AI is bound to change the landscape regarding online info and bank accounts but I can't think of a government system that has properly delivered what it was implemented to achieve.

Last summer, a booking to hire a car failed for me in the UK through me holding a Thai license and Thai debit card at a location away from an airport. We can discuss the complications to hiring a vehicle on a different thread, I had managed it a week earlier and was stuck needing to order a taxi in that town. The hire company guys strongly recommended using UBER, so I signed up using my debit card number, booked the ride and deleted the app when it was over. A month later a string of fraudulent charges were drawn from my account all on one day described as "UBER*TRIP. i should have removed my card from UBER before deleting my account. My bank says the responsibility to follow up the fraud lies with UBER (as their job was to provide a card that paid out). I have registered a a query with the fraud notification line at UBER a month ago and had no response other than to bat a second query back. I would like to put UBER under pressure to return the money falsely removed from my account, or failing that have them explain what went wrong. If I was in the UK I would be on the phone to the "helpline" for however long it took to get action but that it not so do-able from here. I would like to make a claim against the appropriate legal entity via the small claims court to stir some action out of their head office but have not jet even been able to establish the legal entity UBER*TRIP trades through. Does anyone know? UBER seem to excel at anonymity and hiding from transparency. Has anyone got suggestions for making their life a bit more honest? What would you do? Thanks for suggestions in advance, KR

OJAS - thanks for your advice. As it happens, I do have two on the WISE list of 6 besides the passport. I do have the Thai car and Thai bike license and a pink National ID card. The Passport is a bit weird isn't it? It is a document for crossing borders, I can give them it with chapter & verse on interpreting my current right to stay if it won't befuddle them in the USA or wherever they are. I might have a go. The narrow requirement placed on me by my pension started this question off. It is to tally up the bank account they will pay with my identity using home address which has to be here unfortunately. My only bank statement that ties in with my entry on Electoral Register (here) is with SCB. They would pay it imo but would then have a lump sum in a Thai bank & the task of justifying moving the amount that I wouldn't want to spend here based on a 50,000 baht threshold for inquiry. The crux of my question is how to get a statement held somewhere (like UK) where the justification bar for moving amounts is more reasonable. I'll have a think about WISE & the suggestion of Monzo by hot&sticky in case there is a way of applying with an account in my name at this address in Thailand. It seems do-able though a barrel of pain awaits if it wasn't done right. KR

Thanks for your response. It is helpful to think it through. I would have to present it as you say as planning to be here part of the time when not at the UK address, rather than being here 100% & perhaps risk becoming a different class of customer. Reading the rules may help! KR

I have heard that Monzo is more open to a foreign address holder. Are they? I might try opening an account, thnx I have HSBC and may notify them of my address here but stories make me wary. Has them having your Thai address affected the banking functions open to you? The Touch & Go function of my Debit Card was a lifeline when in the UK, do they change it if notified of the accountholder being resident abroad? I was told it would probably be withdrawn.

I meant to put That is all said in the HOPE the government ...

Thanks for your advice. WISE sounds worth trying, I could run my existing transfers through them and see how well they would meet the pension administrator's requirements in the meantime. A pension lump sum would be infinitely better going to WISE than sending it to a Thai bank & having to justify transfers back to the UK over 50,000 baht OR giving up the one off chance to take the tax free lump sum to avoid transfer back hassle. That is all said in the government won't remove the choice of a tax free lump sum in the next budget after dragging pension pots into scope for IHT.

I have a Thai licence, house book, HMRC correspondence here and other stuff but the pension administrator sets out specific requirements (like the bank statement) to be checked against an electronic check of public records - hence all my questions. They administrator goes to town on initiation process it seems but I'd bet that requesting payment to a different bank won't receive the same scrutiny once the pension payment is setup.

I was surprised to find how easily I could get on to the UK Electoral Registry based on my address here to prove my address to a pension company. I too haven't voted for ages, but I only had to write to the electoral service covering the address I was last registered at for them to add me to the Register without a hitch and send confirmation here as the evidence the pension company required. And as extra plus, it means I could add a vote against two tier kier and his crying crew at the next opportunity.

I know what you mean, but this pensions administrator has narrowed its process right down. Its just unlucky my sister passed away, I don't want to impose too much on my cousin who is happy helping me in her place.

I use my cousin's address & am not on the utility bills etc If you are interested, they test identity, link that to bank account but it is a f*** to have a sizeable lump sum paid into a Thai account and be faced with sending the majority of it back while justifying transfers in excess of 50,000 baht.