Equatorial

Are there any steps that one needs to take to ensure that the wife gets the money in the bank (e.g., the 400k or 800k financial requirements for visa), in case of husband's death?

I just dialed a US 800 number and it worked fine. Please post the number you're trying to call, including the country and area code, I'll try and dial it and see what happens. (I am assuming that it is a business rather than personal phone number and that posting it does not violate the board rules.)

I hear you! I have LINE on my phone, but only because some of my friends insist on using it. Atrocious application design, horrible user experience, no support. I tried to convince my contacts to switch to WhatsApp which is a clearly superior product, but here in Thailand everyone (including farang!) appears to like LINE. Big long sigh...

That's what I like to know! Can they just pull 10,000 or 100,000 Baht out of your bank account whenever they want to?

Corrected URL: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/financial-world-expects-policy-reversal-on-taxation-of-foreign-income-repatriated-to-thailand-502050 It's an interesting read. The last Q&A from the article:

No I have not. At 3 Bath per minute direct dial, if I need to make one or two 10-minute phone calls a month, to an overseas bank etc., that's 30-60 Baht per month. It's not worth my time downloading yet another application and creating yet another account.

I disagree. They call it harmony, because they want to somehow turn it into something positive. In reality, it's pretense and avoidance, pure and simple. Nothing to do with harmony. Unresolved conflicts continue to exist and simmer inside. Being suppressed, they just resurface later, with much more destructive force.

Generally speaking, I would agree. But not in this case. This is not a matter of talking to anyone - this is a matter of using the available technology. At technology, I'd say that we farang are much superior to our Thai wives. I figured out the USSD codes, signed up for the 00500, queried the rates, and dialed the overseas numbers entirely without my wife's assistance. And I can say with confidence that it was a lot easier for me to figure out than it would be for her. Here is what Grok has to say on this topic: And here is the AIS response to the international rates queries:

I think the OP wants to offload all of the hassle to the agent. Ideally, hand over the passport (and the fee) to the agent, and come back a few days later to pick up the passport with the fresh EOS. The agent does not need to go to another province etc.; just walk the passport to the local office, wait in line, hand over the paperwork, and get the passport with the EOS from the IO. Nothing nefarious. No rules broken. No bribes paid. This type of service is commonly used in Europe. Maybe not for visa, but for a variety of interactions with the bureaucracy. You're just paying for the service in order to avoid wasting a day dealing with the bureaucracy.

1/ They came back the next day and asked for an additional document that was not on the original list. I just checked, they asked for "An Invitation Letter from the Family Member." (I was applying for marriage-based Non O.) I submitted that additional document the same day. I received an email with the approved e-visa 6 calendar days after I submitted the application. 2/ Yes, at the time of submitting the application. 3/ I don't know if I had to be. But I was so I didn't give it another thought. I do not recall being asked where I physically reside. But I would be extremely careful with applying through a country where I am not physically present, as I suspect there must be some rules about this. And if there are, I suspect the penalties for violating those rules might be stiff. Maybe someone with first-hand knowledge can elaborate.

That makes sense. I'll take it one step further - using the "reasonable person standard," a person who fulfills the requirement has no reason to suspect that bribing an official is taking place. Bribing for what? The "reasonable person" would think that he is strictly paying for the agent to do the legwork. OTOH, I seriously doubt that the "reasonable person standard" even exists in Thailand!

พยาน (phayan) - a witness [noun] (a legal term) Learned that yesterday at the local police station. Luckily I was there only as an observer rather than in a starring role...

I applied for Non O at the LA consulate and I don't know if this is true for other consulates and embassies, but the consulate web site listed exactly what document they required for Non O. It was an easy process to follow. Surprisingly so

I'll try to rephrase the OP question. (In fact, I've been wondering about it myself.) Does using an agent to get an EOS, for logistical reasons (a.k.a convenience) rather than for reasons of non-compliance with the requirements, involve any risk? I don't know the answer, but I think it boils down to one thing. Given that the applicant fulfills the EOS requirements, the only way this can be "risky" is if the act of using an agent rather than doing the legwork in person is prohibited by law, rules, or regulations. I do not know the answer - to answer it would take someone familiar with Thai law. My guess would be that, given a large volume of EOS' processed for applicants who do not fulfill the requirements, the risk for someone who actually does fulfill the requirements and only uses an agent for convenience, is negligible.

Sorry to hear that. If you have a way to see your itemized charges it would be interesting to know what happened. After I make an int'l call I always look at my itemized charges and so far I haven't had any issues. On postpaid, the 003 rate to the US is B2.5, compared to the 00500 service at B3. I used the 003 service exactly one time. The quality was atrocious.