Red Phoenix

Yes, a rather strange practice. But considering that the Request Form is provided on the spot for free in less than 10 minutes at the DLT, and that Immigration on receipt of that Request Form also provides you with the Residence Certificate in less than 10 minutes at no cost, makes you endure this minor bureaucratic nonsense with a thai smile...

Imo his best option is to go Monday morning first thing to his Phuket Imm Office, and plead forgetfulness and happy to pay the fine for his error. In the extreme case that Phuket would not allow him his 30-day extension due to the 6 day overstay, they will provide him with a 7-day 'Leave the Country' Permit, allowing him to organize for a nice trip abroad instead of him now fleeing like a 'thief in the night' while that might not be necessary at all.

A useful overview for those having to get hold of Residence Certificate at CW. But what a contrast with my up-country friendly and efficient SiSaKet Imm Office. Just like TallGuyJohninBkk I needed a residence certificate to apply for my Thai driver's license. At the SiSaKet office a residence certificate is provided on the spot, it takes 10 minutes and is free of charge. But you need an official Request form from the organization where you need it for. So I had to go first to the SiSaKet DLT (10 minutes down the road from the Imm Office) where they provided me with that filled-in Request form in 10 minutes and equally for free. Then back to the Imm Office with that request form and they provided me with the residence certificate on the spot. Then to the DLT, with that residence certificate, my Passport, my IDP (International Driver's Permit, as my Belgian Drivers License is not in english language), and the 60 THB medical certificate that I got in the clinic near my home. Armed with those documents, it took less than 1 hour (including the visibility and reaction test) at the SiSaKet DLT to hand me both the Thai Car and Thai Motorcycle Drivers Permit (320,- THB in total). That was January this year.

For info > A fully legit onward-flight ticket reservation only costs 10 to 15 US $, so there is no need to buy an actual flight-ticket (even the cheapest burner-ticket).

It are actually TWO statements that you need: #1 - Bank Account Statement > Statement issued by the bank that you are the owner of the Bank-account, as well as the Balance that account shows. That Bank Account Statement can be issued on the spot by your bank. #2 - Bank Transaction Statement > A document issued by the bank showing the transactions that were done on that Bank Account, such that Immigration can see that the balance has never been under 400K in the two months preceding the issue of that document. The info on that Bank Transaction Statement is same as on your updated Passbook. Note that it is customary to do a small transaction on the Account, when going to the Bank, and after that requesting the Bank to provide you with both Statements. And then go to Immigration with the Bank documents issued on that same day. By doing that small transaction, the Bank Account Statement will feature the latest status, and it is also featured on your updated Bank Pass-book. The possible "problem" now is that if you have a Fixed Deposit Account where you kept the +400K, that the balance on the Bank Transaction Statement might not yet feature that last transaction you did (because at many Banks the FD Account balances are only updated overnight). However - as mentioned higher - your Bank Pass-book will feature it, and if you have a sensible Imm Office, even though they might require that Bank Transaction Statement, they will see from your Bank Pass-book that you met the +2 months seasoning requirement of the +400K. NOTE: Some Bank branches might have to ask Headquarters to issue that Bank Transaction Statement, and it can take up to 5 days before you get it. In that case, you need to do the small transaction a couple of days before you plan to go to Immigration. And then do another small transaction on the day you pick it up, such that your Bank Account Statement and PassBook will be up-to-date on the day you apply at Immigration.

Thanks. I live relatively in the sticks, and the closest KrungSri Bank branche is +40 km away. Otherwise I would certainly open a Fixed Deposit Account there, and move the +800K from my Kasikorn FD account there. As my Kasikorn branche is conveniently located for me, I would keep my regular Savings account there, and of course Kasikorn being a WISE partner-bank ensures quasi instantaneous transfers from abroad.

When I use WISE to transfer funds from my European bank to my Kasikorn Account, immediately after the moment I confirm the transaction, I already hear the Ping of the money having arrived at my Kasikorn account.

Just for info > I live in SiSaKet province and did open a Kasikorn bank-account there in August 2020 without a residence-certificate. I entered Thailand on a Non Imm O-A Visa, the permit of which was due to expire in January 2021. Due to travel restrictions at that time (I am not vaxxed) I could not leave Thailand as I planned to apply for a new Non Imm O-A Visa in my home-country. So I was forced to apply for the 1-year extension of that Non Imm O-A Visa, which required 800K on a personal Thai bank-account. So I went in August 2020 to the local Kaskorn bank-branche to open a personal bank-account. At first I was turned away by the desk-officer because I did not have a Work-Permit, although I explained that my Non Imm O-A Visa strictly prohibited doing any work in Thailand. One week later I returned and asked first to talk to the Bank branche manager (which was not in the previous time). I was accompanied by my Thai girlfriend who has a Kasikorn bank-account, and after a short pleasant talk with the Bank branche manager, she guided me to the same desk officer that previously told me that it was not possible to open a bank-account without a Work-Permit. But this time that 'requirement' seemed to have mysteriously gone away, and she opened a personal bank-account for me. I ONLY had my Passport with the valid Non Imm O-A Visa based permit to stay, and my girlfriend had her Passbook and a copy of the House-book with her. I also had a copy of my 90-day report notification with me, but that was not asked to show. NOTE 1: This was almost 3 years ago, so it is indeed possible that requirements for opening a bank-account have been tightened in mean time. But I read on the Forum several accounts of people in same situation with a Tourist Visa that were able - with some perseverance - to open a Bank-account in order to be able to apply for the Non Imm O Visa. It seems that most KrungSri Bank branches are easiest for doing so, without any additional documents required than your Passport. NOTE 2: Using a Visa Agent to help you with opening a Bank-account might be indicated, when turned away or being confronted with document-requirements that you are not able to meet. Such service costs approx 4.000,- THB, and might be well worth it to open the required bank-account, and as mentioned before it is recommended to insist that the Visa Agent would help you with opening one at either Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank (due to them being WISE partner-banks).

Crossing the border illegally is an absolutely terrible idea, as you won't have a Permit to stay stamp in your passport, and any check of your Passport by police would result in you being arrested, fined and deported. And if you have stayed a considerable time in Thailand, slipping back same way to Malaysia would also be to no avail as your Permit to stay there would also have expired in mean time, creating the same problem. He probably thought that buying a flight-ticket out of the country would solve the problem, but of course border-Immigration would have to stamp him 'out' and would almost certainly see that he has no 'in' stamp as they are routinely checking for overstay. Maybe he did it deliberately being tired of his illegal status and knowing full well that it would result in him being deported back to his home-country.

Thanks, a helpful account for those wanting to do same. Note that since you did a land-border crossing there is no need for an onward flight-ticket, so it is only logical that the Thai border immigration officer didn't ask for it.

If your wife is Thai she will have no problem opening a bank-account in Thailand. However, if you plan to use that joint account for meeting the financial requirements of a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement application, be aware that you would then need DOUBLE the amount (i.e. 1.600.000 THB instead of 800.000 THB) to meet the requirement, even if it is only for YOUR application. It would be better if your wife opened a Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank account, and that once that you are in Thailand you open a personal account only on your name at the same branche. It would be useful if your wife when opening the account already talked with the Bank manager about you arriving later, and whether they would also open an account for you without the need of having a Work Permit (which is not allowed when applying for a retirement Visa) or other constraints. Basically you would only be able to show your Passport, your Permission to stay and the Housebook of the place where you are staying, but your wife having an account at that Bank branche would be the 'convincer' to open one also for you. Note that she - and later you - should insist on talking to the Bank branche manager first, as the officers will be far less inclined to open an account for you hiding behind bank regulations or fear of face-loss when not fully familiar with the process of opening an account for foreigners.

If your rogue Koh Samui Imm Office is adamant in that you cannot apply there for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa from your Visa Exempt entry, there are only 3 options for you: #1 - Apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate abroad (e.g. at a neighboring country - e.g. at the Savannakhet Consulate), and after your return to Thailand you would then be able to apply for the 1-year extension of that Non Imm O Visa. #2 - Apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at a Thai Immigration Office in another province, but which would require that you do a change of address to that other province , and once that you got the Non Imm O Visa from the other province, then return to Samui, and do a change of address again to your original Samui address. #3 - Engage a Samui Visa agent to do get hold of the Non Imm O Visa for you. You can either make use of a 'fixer' agent in order to circumvent the +800K financial requirement, or engage an agent to simply help and represent you to get hold of the Non Imm O Visa. Since you planned on applying yourself, you will most probably meet the financial requirements already, so it is just the hand-holding service that is needed from the Visa Agent. > In your case I would strongly suggest to go for option #3, as that will be the cheapest option, since it will avoid you having to travel abroad or to another province to apply for the Non Imm O Visa.

Yes it does - upon re-entry the 90-day clock starts ticking again. But his local Imm Office might notice at his next visit the gap in his 90-day reporting history, and fine him 2.000 THB. There are no other consequences, so if the doesn't care about the potental fine and has no time to do the 90-day report before his departure, he might simply skip it,

You can still do it till due date on-line. If you are not able to do it on-line, you can also still do it during the grace period of 6 days after due date in person at your local Imm Office. When you leave without having it done, you may be fined 2.000,- THB on your next visit to your Imm Office when they notice the gap in your 90-day reporting. There are no other consequences than only that fine (if they notice it).

Just for clarification > I presume from what you wrote that you entered Thailand Visa Exempt or on a Tourist Visa, and that you want to apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage. If that is indeed the case, the document that OJAS provided spells out the requirements for such application. And to meet the financial requirements it is indeed EITHER 7.1 (Embassy issued Income statement) or 7.2 (Thai Bank statement showing 400K on a personal Thai bank-account). Probably some confusion/lost in translation issue by the Sakhon Nakhon Imm Officer, so do go there and have the issue clarified. Note: Do bring a printed copy of the Requirements document, but be aware that Imm Offices can add additional requirements on top of the official requirements. But in your case it is a clear-cut 7.1 OR 7.2 clause that needs to be met, and not both.

I would recommend either Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank. Both of them have a large network of branches in Thailand AND are used to dealing with foreigners (which cannot be said of some of the other Thai banks). On top of that both of them are WISE partner-banks. That is important if you plan to use WISE to transfer the 800K to your personal account. Using WISE with other Thai banks only allows to transfer max 50K per transaction, while there is no such restriction when using WISE to transfer funds tor Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank. Note also that if you use WISE to transfer to another Thai bank, that it is always routed via one of those two partner-banks, which means that the transfer will turn up as a 'domestic' transfer on your bank-account of that other bank. And as Immigration requires evidence of the foreign origins of the funds when applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, it means that you would have to visit either Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank for a statement that the funds arrived there and that they then transmitted it to your other Thai Bank. Opening a Bank account in Thailand is not as easy as you might think, as every branch of a Thai bank acts as a little fiefdom and while branch office A might reject you as customer, branch office B of the same Bank at the other side of the street, might accept you. So you often have to shop around to find a branch of a Bank that will accept you, but your best bet - in view of the above - is to first try opening an account with Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn Bank. If not possible, then KrungSri Bank or Siam Commercial Bank are options, but you should avoid the 'pure' Thai clientele banks as they are always very busy and are not used to dealing with foreigners.

I agree that in +95% of cases that a Visa Exempt entry and subsequent extension will be the best option. But the OP asked specifically about O-A vs O, and - if you already have or opted for Health-Insurance that also meets the Non Imm O-A requirements, AND - you return to your home-country at least once every 2 years and then re-apply for a new Non Imm O-A that that would be an attractive option if you do not mind the above minor hassle. The benefits being that in such case you do NOT need to park any money semi-permanently on a Thai bank-account, and you only need to visit your Thai Imm Office for your 90-day reports (or do them on-line). NOTE: I added that the OP should PM me re the health-insurance policy as there are some additional aspects to take into account when he considers the Non Imm O-A option.

Because I made some minor changes/amendments in the new post.

Recenly a similar thread was opened > It might be useful for you to check it out. I posted the below message there, and there were some responses of interest to it. Added also NOTE 3 = = = When you meet the requirements to apply for a 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa in your home-county AND you have a Health-Insurance Policy that meets the Non Imm O-A requirements, it could be worthwhile to apply for a Non Imm O-A Visa, provided you go at least once every 2 years to your home-country and during your stay there apply for a NEW Non Imm O-A Visa. The benefit of doing so is that: 1 - There is no need to keep any funds semi-permanently on a Thai personal bank-account (thus freeing up 800k/400K on your Thai bank-account); 2 - There is no need to visit an Imm Office during the 2-year period that the Non Imm O-A Visa can provide you (this is literally so when you do your 90-day reports on-line). 3 - The 1-year Non Imm O-A Visa is multiple-entry the first year (but you should only buy single-entry Re-Entry Permits in the 2nd year for your trips abroad, and REFRAIN from doing so for your return-trip to your home-country, thus 'killing' your current Permit to stay and being able to apply for a new Non Imm O-A Visa in your home-country). NOTE 1: The above was my plan to stay in Thailand and avoid parking +800K semi-permanently on a Thai bank-account, but because of COVID restrictions at the time when I should have left to my home-country I was forced to switch to a Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement. NOTE 2: The minimum coverage (and annual fee) for a Non Imm O-A compliant Health Insurance policy has been upped considerable in mean time. But if you opt for a Health Insurance policy to cover you while in Thailand, it will still be worthwhile to opt for one that meets the Non Imm O-A requirements, in order to 'enjoy' the benefits of the Non Imm O-A Visa. NOTE 3: PM me about the Health-Insurance options to ensure you get the most out of the Non Imm O-A when you opt for it. But be aware that if you do not intend to visit your home-country at least once every 2 years (and re-apply for a new Non Imm O-A Visa), that Dr Jack is correct and that entering Thailand Visa Exempt (or on a Tourist Visa) and then applying for the Non Imm O Visa at your local Imm Office is then the better option.

https://co2coalition.org/publications/challenging-net-zero-with-science-lindzen-happer-co2-coalition-paper-released/

UPDATE - Correction > The amount is 400.000 THB, and some Imm Offices require a couple of days 'seasoning' of that amount.

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/18อุทธรณ์คำสั่งของพนักงานเจ้าหน้าที่ที่ให้เดินทางออกนอกราชอาณาจักร-ตม.11.pdf The link above allows to download the document by which you can raise an Appeal to the order of the Imm Officer to leave the Kingdom.

It is an obvious case of him being confused by the Thai Immigration rules. In his case - apart from his mistake to use an ATM instead of having the money transferred from abroad - opting for the 'Monthly income method' to meet the financial requirements for the extension of his Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, is the WORST choice he could have made. With a Thai wife and dependant child applying for an extension based on either of these two reasons, has much lower financial requirements to be met. With a Thai dependant child you only need to show 200.000 THB on your personal Thai bank-account at the moment of application . And NO need for any seasoning of that amount, nor for providing evidence of the source - so you basically only need it 1 day < the day of application > on your personal bank-account. I would advise him to contact a lawyer with knowledge of Immigration requirements and preferably with Immigration connections, to plead eased circumstances and address his case 'higher up' the Immigration ladder.

These gender-confused children and adults have a very heavy cross to bear, and for sure they need help. But surely not from 'qualified experts' that support their delusions and 'help' them with irreversible surgery. Some of them outgrow their mental issues and immensely regret what they did and the permissive society that allowed it.

And if you don't get any e-mail confirmation or it does not show any status on the on-line 90-day report site, you can do it in person at your local IO till 6 days after due date.