Orient Express

I have an account with Wise in EUR, and wish to transfer money from that account to my Bangkok Bank THB account to pay for a condo. I visited Bangkok Bank HO to ask about how I can get the FET document with a Wise transfer. I was told not a problem, as long as the partner bank Wise uses for the transfer is Bangkok Bank.

I would have thought this was straightforward, but on contacting the Wise helpdesk, I have been told the following: “Unfortunately, as there are a lot of factors involved in this, we can't guarantee which partner bank will be used.”

Just frustrating. The real estate agent I’m using said they have had terrible problems in getting an FET when a different intermediary bank is used (presumably Kasikorn). Using Wise rather than SWIFT saves me about EUR 300 – 400.

Has anyone any experience of this or ideas about how to resolve it?

As a part follow-up, I have received quotations from Thai Visa Centre in Bangkok and Maneerat in Pattaya for a non-O 3 month visa + 12 month retirement extension where I provide the funds; and opening a bank account.

I am staying in Bangkok, but the TVC price is more than double the Maneerat price, so the differential is far too much to ignore, and consequently I would like to try Maneerat. I don't mind going out to Pattaya since I have never been, and it's a good opportunity to check it out.

My questions, for those who have experience of this, are:

1. Am I right in thinking Maneerat uses Jomtien IO and not some strange up-country place?

2. Is it a problem if I have a Bangkok address (serviced apartment)? I'm not worried about the bank account being in Pattaya because I intend to deposit the funds and not touch them all year. However, I am concerned if there are any immigration implications, because I don't want further problems down the line.

Thanks for any input.

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Agent for opening an account is about 5k including bogus insurance, if you put the 800k in ASAP then easy to do the next steps yourself, otherwise agent will still charge 20k+ probably 

I think I'll take the hit - I just want to get it over and done with, preferably over the next three weeks so that I can stick to my original travel plans.

2 minutes ago, khunjake said:

If they didn’t actually cancel the visa, then it is still valid. Perhaps try suwannaboom next time. 

The problem is I don't know what she wrote into my record. She did say categorically that I couldn't re-enter as a tourist, so I don't think I'd risk it.

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Just get a non imm o based on retirement, avoid the drama and stress. First 15 months 30k incl multi re-entry permit, subsequent year 12,500 + re-entry permits.

 

If you have the financials it's a lot cheaper but more dramas

Yes, I will via an agent. I will be able to provide the funds but need to open a bank account.

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

 

Please post a photo of this note, they don't always (ok, rarely) say what the offictells you they do, obviously remove any identifying data.

Well, it is written in English so I can tell you exactly what it says. 🙂

"Next time need apply non-immigrant visa".

She also spent about five minutes typing something on my record, and I got pic and fingerprints taken again.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Not saying it's correct attitude from the immigration officer however think your issue is that you have a good option since you are 60+

Have you ever had a non O? 

 

Everyone refers to "retirement visa" 

In actual fact is a non O with annual extensions and the requirement is age 50+. 

 

 

 

I haven't - yet. I did consider this pre-Covid but the pandemic changed things and I continued to work. I guess it is the only option now so I will pursue it.

reposted to correct forum

On 6/29/2023 at 11:09 AM, Don Chance said:

I can't remember ever having a very good hair cut in Thailand. Maybe i'm too cheap at 100-150 baht but it seems to be the going local rate.  I tried a google recommendation a while ago and it was a disaster.  Most Thai's simply have no formal training at hair cutting. But i often see Thai's with really sharp haircuts?  Seems anywhere in a tourist zone is a no no.

Phra Ram 9, Metro Mall, Easy Cut - 150 baht. The woman in the first chair on the left (by the entrance). A queueing system operates (they have 4 chairs), but I always ask to wait for her (and, so it seems, do others). Clearly, you're not going to get a coiffeur-of-the-year masterpiece at that price, but she takes time and care, and doesn't mess it up. I always leave 50 baht tip, and she is very appreciative of it.

I am currently in Thailand on a 60-day tourist visa. I arrived from Europe at the beginning of April, and planned to get a 30-day extension so that I could stay to the end of June, when I have a flight booked back to Europe. My previous visit to Thailand was also on a tourist visa, arriving at the end of November 2021. I arranged a 30-day extension to this visa at CW, but because I had to fly to the UK at short notice at the end of January 2022, I actually left before the expiry date of the original visa. Consequently, I spent just over two months in Europe between Thailand trips. Both of the tourist visas were obtained from the same embassy (in my country of residence).

Now that travel restrictions are easing significantly - not only in Thailand but also in neighbouring countries - I’m thinking of a quick trip (a couple of nights) to KL, which I have not visited yet. I would plan to do this instead of extending the visa, so at end of May/start of June. This would mean re-entering Thailand (hopefully) on a visa-exempt stamp. This isn’t a visa run in the usual sense, in that I am a “real” tourist, but I am interested to know if there are any risks involved, for example because of the amount of time I have spent in Thailand over the last six months.

5 hours ago, sunsetlover said:

Thanks for the detailed report Orient Express. A couple of questions:

 

a) Was an onward flight ticket (before the presumed expiration of the 30-day extension) requested, or perhaps informally asked for?

 

b) Was the TM30 asked for and submitted? I'm also staying in a hotel and we all know they (are supposed to) do that electronically with Immigration.

 

c) Only the main passport photo page and TM6 (last entry stamp) page need to be photocopied, or every page with a Thai entry/exit stamp?

 

Your report on the Red Line is appreciated. I thought it was running still on "trial" times, every half hour or 15 min during rush hour times. I plan to do the same, MRT to Bang Sue to Laksi.

(a) No, nothing requested at all.

(b) No, although I had taken a copy with me, just in case.

(c) Yes, only main page and current visa/entry stamp.. I had another Thai entry stamp (visa exempt entry) and extension from February 2021, but I did not make a copy of it.

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Awesome trip report, although it seemed more about transportation to/from CW - which I'll admit will be helpful to some.

 

Given that the time I spent in the Immigration section at CW was only 25 minutes, there wasn't much else to say! ????

Actually, there is one more point - I had a pre-filled TM7, from the inputtable pdf files usefully supplied by ubonjoe in the "Immigration Templates" thread. Both the girl who initially checked my documents and the IO seemed quietly impressed by this, so I'm not sure if many people do this.

46 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

With the previous system you just swanned in ~ 15 min ahead of your appointment, was it desk L1-32?, to check in.

 

Waiting for some trip reports with the new appointment procedures.

I visited CW on Tuesday (to extend a tourist visa) with an appointment - but was never asked for evidence of it.

Trip report here:

9 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

You don't have a Tourist Visa.

You have a Visa Exempt Entry.

When your 30 days are almost up apply for a 30 day extension.

That should take you until 8-9th April.

How does that work?

Visa exempt until 7th Feb + 30-day extension to 9th March. Still a month missing ...

Since this will be my first visit to CW, does anyone have any handy tips? All I know is that I have to go to Counter J (no. 24). I will have a completed TM 7 with me, and photo, of course. I also have a TM 30 copy from my hotel, if required. Where do I go to make photocopies of my passport pages, for example - is everything clearly signed?

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If you entered on tv you will attend CW for extensions. 

Appointments currently not available. 

For folks that entered visa exempt they will attend Mueang Thong Thani for extensions. 

Thanks - actually, I've just checked the appointments website and it seems to be working again for Bangkok. I've booked for tomorrow afternoon.

When I entered Bangkok in February last year on a 45-day visa-exempt stamp, I went to MTT for the 30-day extension.

I now have a 60-day tourist visa which I want to extend by 30 days - do I go to CW or MTT for the extension? And am I correct in thinking I can't make an appointment online at the moment?

In preparation for applying for a non-O visa, I need to open a bank account in Thailand.

Bangkok Bank will open an account for me if I get a reference letter from my current bank back home in Europe. The bank in question will only give me a reference if I go into a branch - not possible currently, since I am in Thailand on a tourist visa.

I am loath to use an agent to open an account, but may have to, since other options are more complex. I am aware of Siam Legal's service at USD 150, but can anyone recommend an alternative (by DM if you do not want to post openly)?

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can only extend a 30 day visa exempt entry one time for 30 days,

But in the current situation, after the 30-day extension, you can apply for a further 60-day Covid extension - correct?