TaoNow

My advice to ex-pats who want to use the 800K baht money-in-the-bank method is to view this deposit as a bond. It is an expression of financial viability which Immo wants to see for those who seek a one-year extension of the permit-to-stay for reason of "retirement." If you can afford to do that, and just leave it in a fixed account in a Thai bank, then you eliminate all the mental stress of exchange rates, transfers, and lost investment opportunities elsewhere. It is the most painless way to remain in Thailand indefinitely if you are age 50+ years. 'nuff said.

I truly sympathize with ex-pats (like Sheryl) who are stuck with a rogue Immo office(r) in an out-of-the-way province (Prachinburi?). I was wondering: Does speaking Thai with the Immo officer make any difference? At Immo/CW, I studiously follow the lead of the officer. If s/he speaks to me in English, I stick to English. If in Thai, then it is Thai all the way. But, I have never noticed a difference in attitude or treatment at CW whether I use English or Thai. In that location, language is not a factor since the service has been consistent and professional over the decades I've used it. Just a postscript: While Sheryl owns her house but not the land on which it sits, I own the land where "my" house sits, but not the house itself. But, that is a story for another thread.

I may be wrong, but I think OP is referring to the Beung Kan Immo office. That is adjacent to the Mekong River.

This interesting post (and the follow-ups) brings up some important points: 1) OP wasn't pulled out of the line because of his passport -- since he hadn't even reached the PP Control desk. So, the content of his PP was not the reason for the initial harrasment. 2) OP had his cell phone out and, presumably turned on -- that is something we can all take note of and be careful to avoid. 3) Based on the later communication with the Immo staff in Bangkok, OP would have been denied entry at any Thai border crossing due to history of "too many" (land-border?) visa-exempt entries. 4) While that does not excuse the unprofessional behavior of the Phuket Immo officer, it does point to an important fact: 5) Thai Immo staff are not a welcoming committee. They are there as gatekeepers. And the officer who screens your passport can deny entry if they suspect you are abusing the visa-exempt entry system. 6) Yes, you can appeal to a higher-up -- but that still does not mean they have to grant you entry. Ex-pats need to understand that entry to Thailand is not a right -- it is a privilege. 7) Finally, OP says he has family inThailand. So, the question is why he (I presume OP is a "he") did not have a family-friendly visa that easily allows entry to visit wife, child, etc. 8) In sum, Thai Immo seems to be saying: "Get the proper visa the best suits your reason for being in Thailand --- and keep visa-exempt entry to a minimum." 'Nuff said.

I have done both: marriage and retirement. For me, the clincher was the fact that I could do the retirement extension on my own, at my convenience, and not have to bother anyone else. 'nuff said.

OP: The following statement confused me a bit: Based on reports by others doing retirement extensions, Immo looks for evidence that funds in excess of 65K baht (equivalent) was depposited into your Thai bank account from overseas each month for the past 12 months. They simply verify this by looking at your bankbook, which should have the code for foreign cash transfer for each amount. I haven't seen anything about reconciling with the bank in the US. Frankly, Immo doesn't care where the funds come from -- just as long as you have 12 consecutive transfers into your account from outside Thailand. So, what was the confusion at the office you went to. And it would help to know which province you did your extension at. Thanks.

@ Hummin -- to get us back on track (and not your individual situation): The reason that Immo is pressuring certain embassies to verify claims of pension income is that they are trying to weed out those ex-pats who are trying to get around the financial requirements of a retirement extension (i.e., 65K baht per month from overseas; in-country bank account with liquid 800K baht pre/post extension date). You, Hummin, may have the financial means to satisfy the Immo regs, but your embassy will need to provide proof of that to Thai Immo going forward. And the only way they can do that is by a sworn statement that you have a verifiable pension income of at least 65K baht per month. As others have pointed out, an ex-pat in Thailand may have a 65K baht monthly income from assets other than pensions which no embassy is willing or able to verify. That is where the injustice lies. But, we ex-pats have to live within the rules.

Tod and Khunper are correct -- at least in my experience. I entered Thailand with a "Non-B" visa in December, 2007. Then, I did a 60-day extension of "permit to stay" for reason of visiting a Thai spouse. Having established the financial requirement of the 800K baht in the bank, I was then granted a new extension for the purpose of "retirement." Nothing has changed since my experience in terms of Immo regulations. This all seems quite logical and clear-cut. Not sure where the confusion is.

I'll add to a few others in this useful thread. In April this year, I used the appointment system (for Immo/CW) since I have to go to a branch of the SCB bank to get my (fixed) account updated on the day (plus the annual statement, etc.). (You cannot up-date a SCB fixed account at their ATM machines -- must be a counter action.) So, I got to Immo well ahead of my 10:30 appointment. I checked to see if the lady at Desk 32 was there and not busy with another expat, and asked her (humbly) if I could be served. She was very efficient without speaking a word. So, that was done pronto, and I got my stamped extension about 30 minutes later (about 11 a.m.) Then, I went to the queue counter for the re-entry permit stamp ticket and was astounded to see a queue # of 283. They were only up to 90 or so at that time. However, with no urgent need to do the re-entry thing (and, like TGJ, not wanting to chance the airport at midnight) I said 'screw it -- I'll come again in a few days. ' Which I did, and got out of there with the re-entry stamp before 9 a.m. On the other, more irksome issue of raising the 800K baht bar,...after having lived here for 50 years, I would place my bet on our being grandfathered in. My rationale is as follows: (1) Most "legitimate" retirees in Thailand have sustained the flushing out of the ex-pats (mostly USA, UK, Australia, some Danes) who did not meet the financial requirements of the retirement extension and could not get letters from their embassies guaranteeing that they had the financial means (i.e., 65K baht/month). So, that has removed the claim of ne'er-do-wells mooching off the retirement extension scheme. (2) If Immo was bothered by the bent agents who allow ex-pats without the financials to cop a retirement extension, that is their internal problem -- not ours. (3) Regarding the bike gangs, I cannot think of another instance where the Thai government took a broad-brush approach to tar all ex-pats for the sins of a minority. But, that could be my naive wishful thinking! (4) Finally, I have trusted the majority of my Thai counterparts in the government for 50 years, and been treated fairly overall. I urge those of you who read this to do the same, and give them the benefit of the doubt.

Thanks for the first-hand trip report. Those are always the most valuable posts on this part of the Forum. Have you tried the mail-in option? I did that once during the flooding in 2011 and it worked well.

If ASEAN NOW continues to allow these threads that promote corruption of Thai Immigration officers, it should be considered a rogue website. Please clean up your act, folks. There are whistleblowers around...

A related pearl of wisdom I gleaned from this forum: Arrange your finances so that you are more valuable to your Thai wife by remaining alive for as long as possible.

You said a "typical use" (i.e., of multiple accounts). Do you have some data to support that assertion about TV members who extend on the basis of retirement? The point is, as a veteran poster, you need try to be as objective as you can about the simplest and most straightforward ways to comply with retirement extensions at most/all Immo offices around the country. Otherwise, some members will be led astray.

JT - I thought I made it clear I was referring to money-in-the-bank method, and also that it need not be 800K year-round. Please respond to the point made that multple bank accounts are not necessarily useful or needed.

Yellowtail: Obviously, I didn't mean to hide the 800K baht. I just meant that the funds could be deposited in a Thai bank savings account, and let it earn interest until the need to activate it for annual renewal of the retirement extension. But, thanks for posting to help clarify mine.

Many moons ago, I argued withJingthing that we retirees should view the 800K baht (money-in-the-bank) method as a "bond" submitted to Immigration. IOW, Immo wanted some guarantee that we retirees had financial viability. JT vehemently objected, saying that the 800K baht funds were not tied up, as an escrow account or bond arrangement would be. While that is true, I felt that TV retirees who wanted peace of mind should simply stash the 800K away in a liquid, Thai savings account and forget about it -- until renewal time. That, in my view, is equivalent to placing a bond on our guaranteed retirement extension of the permit to stay. It has worked for me, and no need for "multiple accounts."

Pumpuynarak: I think 'grain's' point is that, if you cannot afford to maintain the 800K baht balance in a Thai bank account for the periods required, then you cannot afford to do a retirement extension (using the money-in-the-bank method). Grain is absolutely correct that the 800K+ is your money and can be withdrawn in full with a single visit to the bank, to do whatever you want to with it. We all accept that 'burden' (who use that type of retirement extension).

Just a footnote: Anyone who is paid locally in Thai baht by an official instition or business should (must?) have a Thai tax ID#. Nothing strange about that.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, flying domestic to/from Don Muang was the most pleasant, stress-free experience I have ever had in an airport in 50 years. And, that's after flying in more than 40 countries, mostly in the developing world.

For a number of years (2008-2011), I maintained a dual residence: one in Bangkok (for annual processing of a retirement extension), and one in Phuket where I resided for most of the year (for 90-day address reports). There was never a problem with Immo in either location. That doesn't mean there won't be a problem now.

So, until the LTR conditions become a bit more attainable for us less-wealthy, but with sustainable retirement incomes, I'll continue to suffer the annual extension visits and the 90-day reports. Keep us posted if you hear of changes.

True, Pib and Ryan. But I would think that the only people on this Forum interested in the LTR option would be those of lesser means than the "Wealthy Global Citizens."

Clearly the 4 categories of qualifications are separate. For example, there is one for a wealthy pensioner and another category for someone who is still working (i.e., not a retiree). Thus, not all four conditions need to be met; just one of the four. Still, not an easy hurdle for many.

Beside the 2,000 baht fine for a late 90-day address report, Immo may put a big red stamp in your passport saying you were delinquent. At least that I was my experience 10 years ago at Immo/CW when I was 3 days past the 7-day grace period. That said, when I got a new passport, there was no transfer of the red stamp, thankfully. I didn't ask why they needed to put a half-page red stamp in there, but one possibility is that a repeat infraction could up the fine. So, the stamp is a precautionary alert to the Immo officer. (Maximum fine for late report is 5K baht). Any other explanations?

True, UJ was patient as a Saint. Prior to him, Lopburi3 was the TV Forum guru who had all (most) of the answers. Big shoes to fill, in any case.