TaoNow

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 Grain is absolutely correct that the 800K+ is your money and can be withdrawn in full with a single visit to the bank, to do whatever you want to with it.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.

somo -- you did the absolutely correct thing to do. Don't let others scold you.

Don't know about Chaiyaphum, but in Bangkok, Immo/CW would probably consider the dip below 800K to be a violation of the terms. I would go to you local Immo office ahead of time to see what their position is.

I guess I did miss the boat, TGJ, as I registered the marriage to my Thai wife with ACS in 1979. Sorry you are hard done by.

TGJ -- actually, what do you have to notarize? You've been here long enough not to need that kind of support from ACS/US Embassy. As I noted in another thread, try to be as independent as you can as an ex-pat. That is skillful. Don't rely on a spouse, an agent, the consulate, the embassy, or any which way. You will enjoy life more and have less need for forums like this.

I would go to Immo/CW ASAP and do the 90-day report and pay the (probably) 2,000 baht late-report fee. If you get there early, you should be out before 9 a.m.

Although I have done the marriage extension in the past, for me, the clincher for doing the retirement extension (after age 50) was the fact that I could do this alone, without having to bother or depend on anyone else. My policy in dealing with Thai Immo is that you will have much greater peace of mind if you know the ropes and that you can do it yourself - whatever it is. Any reliance on someone else being there (or using an agent) means you are losing some degree of control of the process. Not worth it. You are an ex-pat. Man up. Show that you can do it yourself without holding anyone's hand. 'Nuff said.

There is another reason to carry your passport when you travel up-country: If you happen to lose your ATM card (with a Thai bank), getting a replacement up-country will probably require showing your passport. Thus, I carry mine (plus my bank book for the ATM card) whenever traveling overnight in Thailand.

Lemsta69: OP said the following in his/her first post: And people actually go to an immigration office? This suggests that OP is getting around the requirement of appearing in person at Immo to renew an annual extension of stay. If you think that it is odious that people object to this corrupt practice, do you also think it is odious to complain about how corrupt Thailand is?

I was able to find the following news report through a Google search: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/american-teacher-charged-with-reckless-homicide-over-8-year-olds-drowning-in-chumphon

This morning (March 7) on Channel 8 News, there was a disturbing story of a foreign English-language teacher who was charged with negligence in the death of a Thai friend of his son. I didn't catch all the details, but the teacher (didn't get the nationality), his (non-Thai) wife, their son, and a Thai friend of the son went to a beach on the ocean (didn't get the name of the beach). The two boys had an inner tube and went into the surf to play. A rogue wave came in and knocked the Thai youth under the water, and he was taken away by the current. The English teacher frantically tried to rescue the Thai youth but could not find him in the churning water, which was now over their heads. I post this since it is a situation that many of us ex-pats might have found ourselves in, and with dire consequences all around. Did anyone hear the whole story or have a link to a credible news source on this incident?