oldcpu

As was pointed out, if you can prove the money you have abroad, was earned prior to 1-Jan-2024, then you can bring the money into Thaliand via either method, tax free. The comparison then comes down to where is the most fee? is it the cost (admin/exchange-fee) of multiple ATM withdrawals or one large swift transfer. Why 1-Jan-2024? Because in year 2023, two Thai ministerial documents , Por-161 and 162 noted that any money in one's foreign accounts pre-1-Jan-2024 could be considered 'savings' and not taxable when remitted to Thailand. So what many of us did, was obtain an official bank statement of one's foreign savings as of 31-Dec-2023. And after that, keep a spreadsheet recording the money that one brings into Thailand, so to prove that the money remitted to Thailand is credibly from before 1-Jan-2024. In which case (if pre-Jan-2024) there is no Thai tax on that remitted to Thailand income. However if one is living from pay-check-to-pay-check and has no pre-1-Jan-2024 savings, this is all irrelevant. Note also, this likely applies to cash savings in one's foreign accounts and does not apply to pre-1-Jan-2024 equities or other holdings. I am also no tax expert, so its best to confirm such yourself.

As Hummin inferred, the exchange rate between currencies is a factor. One could get great interest abroad, but end up with a lot less money when the foreign currency is exchanged into Thai baht, due to an increase in Thai baht vs the foreign currency (or a global fall in the foreign currency). And the reverse is also true. One could make out really well due to a currency shift between Thai baht and one's foreign account. Like it or not, most of us as expats, who have a substantial amount of our money abroad, are in a limited fashion, 'playing the currency market' by the money we bring into Thailand. In all honesty, I don't know the best way forward. One could keep almost all their money abroad, and then if Thai baht assessed weak (and if no tax impact for remitting money to Thailand) bring a LOT of money to Thailand - enough to say to last for 5 or so years. The remainder and majority of one's money can remain abroad at a higher interest rate - until another opportunity of a weak Thai bah presents itself. Still , dependent on how long it is before currency fluctuations, that can also be a failed strategy. Clearly taxation is a factor here as well. Obviously, for those who live pay-check to pay-check, all of this is irrelevant. And as the saying goes - one pays their money and one take's their chances. I think it just important to keep in mind, exchange rates can be a factor, and it is not only about interest rates.

Interesting. I think Android 16 was released about 2 weeks ago. My 'old' Samsung A53 5G phone had Android-12 when it first came out, and the Krungsri app worked fine with the phone then. Samsung have subsequently pushed an update to Android-15 on my Samsung phone. Keeping one's phone up to date is one nice thing about Samsung phones. There are good security reasons for trying to stay with a current version of Android. Even thou Android is based on GNU/Linux, much of the inherent GNU/Linux security has been compromised/removed so to make Android more user friendly. The older Android versions have security holes and are more easily hacked. I understand its expensive to buy a new phone, and I also appreciate it is a major PIA to move to a new phone, but do keep in mind, even if another bank allows you use to use a mobile app on your phone (where Krungsri may not) it could be very well be that you are taking a risk by continuing to use that older phone with those bank's apps. The country of Thailand is not totally devoid of hackers. So I recommend, keep this in mind, and perhaps keep an eye out for a sale, where you may be able to upgrade to a newer phone. .... Do thou , take note if age-70 or older, this may (or may not) cause you a problem to change phones. I honestly do not know - and I am curious to read if anyone > age-70, since MARCH-2025 (this year) has successfully installed and had activated the Krungsri online app on their smartphone? .

I like to use Bangkok Bank for transferring money from Europe (or from Canada) to Thailand, via Wise. I don't live pay check to pay check (in fact its been pre-1-Jan-2024 since I last transferred money to Thailand). So having money show up in seconds is not important to me. However last I looked (pre-1-Jan-2024), Wise has limitations as to how much one can transfer to Thai banks, ... and one could transfer more via Bangkok Bank. Hence typically I would first transfer money into Bangkok Bank from abroad, and then once in Bangkok bank transfer to Krungsri. Again, this is NOT an approach for those who live from pay check to pay check. According to : https://wise.com/help/articles/2932335/guide-to-thb-transfers the only supported Thai banks by Wise are: Kasikorn Bank Krung Thai Bank Siam Commercial Bank CIMB Thai Bank Bank Of Ayudhya (Krungsri bank) Kiatnakin Phatra Bank and further, as already noted in this thread, the maximum amount that you can send per transfer depends on the recipient's bank. Recipient bank Maximum per transfer (THB) Bangkok Bank Public Company 2,000,000 Kasikorn Bank 2,000,000 Siam Commercial Bank 1,499,999 Other recipient banks 500,000 My recollection from pre-1-Jan-2024 is Krungsri had limits on the transfer amount compared to Bangkok bank that were even lower than 500,000 THB. Clearly thou, I am not up to date on this.

Krungsri updated the T&C for their app in February-2025, where upon they added the "not over age-70" clause. Typically, when T&C are updated, users are nominally notified and advised of a need to accept new T&C. I honestly can't recall if I was expected to agree with the new T&C on the Krungsri smartphone app, but like you I was skeptical until someone pointed out to me the new T&C that very very clearly state (in English language) those age-70 and over do not qualify for use of the Krungsri mobile app for smartphones.. So given, now that it is very clear (in the English language Krungsri T&C) that it says no Smartphone app use is nominally allowed for those whose age is >70 (the wording in the T&C is slightly different). Will they enforce this? I don't know. My speculation is that they will not enforce for users whose current phone has the app. My experience backs that up. But I also speculate they MAY enforce this as soon as a user switches to a new different phone with the app. I am nominally planning to buy a new phone in next couple of years (my Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is getting rather old) and I will then need to re-install the app. Possibly if I buy another Samsung smartphone, the Samsung app transfer process (from an old to a new Samsung) will mean the app moves over mostly seamlessly, but I suspect there still may need to be some interaction with Krungsri personnel at that time to activate on the new phone. And if that happens, an employee who knows their T&C (this is my speculation) may not allow me to proceed with the interaction to have the Krungsri app work with the new phone, since I will be (and I currently am) well over the age-of-70. Now having typed that, as I noted, my account with Krungsri is relatively substantial - so perhaps the branch manager may instruct their employee to 'look the other way' ... and perhaps not. And also... perhaps there is an English language issue (read further in this post) in the T&C. I don't think i am over thinking this. Again, I suspect I might encounter such when I move to a new phone, so I have NO experience on this yet. And in life, as much practical, I also prefer to be forewarned in advance. Where I am curious, has ANYONE since March-2025, who is older than age-70, successfully installed a new Krungsri mobile app and managed to get the Bank to activate it? And if successful, was your bank account with Krungsri 'substantial' or just a relatively small amount? My Thai wife, looking at the Thai wording of the T&C, believes the T&C in that (over age-70 not allowed) may apply to a Krungri bank account that one can open without actually showing up on the bank (specific to Thai citizens only) - and NOT apply to my bank accounts. But she also concedes she does not know, and because of the uncertainty, until now I have elected not to share that the T&C wording may be account specific (as it also may apply to all on-line accounts via the mobile app). Obviously, I am very curious to learn. I also have Bangkok Bank and SCB accounts, and in future, I may use those for my money transfers instead.

You have seen the T&C. It's not nonsense. Whether Krungsri proceed to follow their own T&C is something that I can't predict. I am age 71v and I sm still using their online smartphone app regularly. However when I go to replace this smartphone I suspect I could have issues due to the Krungsri T&C. My hope is given my account with Krungsri is relatively substantial that they will ignore their published T&C. But I don't know . I posted what this could mean. Believe it or not. Frankly I don't care if you disbelieve.

I have a Krungsri account. Many of the current concerns is them stopping their computer online browser login service, and hence requiring one to use a smartphone for all transactions. However they also have a constraint in their smartphone online app T&C that those older than age-70 are not allowed to activate a new online app on their phone with Krungsri (I may have the wording not precise). Which means those > age-70 with Krungsri are back to using cash transactions, like the old days ... or go to the bank to have bank-to-bank transfers made. Like the old days. .

No. You just failed to read. My point has always been about you talking about and you going for a NEEDLESS TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE. No. I never posted about expats needing to get a Tax Clearance Certificate. The MOST that I posted about a Tax Clearance certificate was that it is ON the books (for a different purpose) and if Thailand wanted to, they could bring such a measure into play. However i also noted the Thai government thought such a PIA and hence I did not, and I do not, believe they will bring such into play. Stating forum members should consider their own tax situation is NOT a contradiction. Not in the slightest. You simply can not read or you like to make up imaginary viewpoint to debate from, since you can't debate the actual view points stated. Do they? If their pensions from abroad are civil service or military, per most DTAs they can not be taxed by Thailand, which per Royal Decree means they are exempt Thailand tax for such pensions, and hence exempt the Thai tax calculation, which means they are not to be considered as assessable income when reviewing the Thai calculation. Further, if their pension is from years prior and as of 1-Jan-2024 was prior year savings, per Por.161.162 any such remitted income is exempt from Thailand tax, and hence exempt the Thai tax calculation, which means they are not to be considered as assessable income when reviewing the Thai calculation. Further, if the DTA (like Canada's DTA with Thailand) states only Canada (and NOT Thailand) can tax Canadian sourced pension, then per Royal Decree means they are exempt Thailand tax for such pensions, and hence exempt the Thai tax calculation, which means they are not to be considered as assessable income when reviewing the Thai calculation. Show me your references for demographics. I have read the Royal Decree, I have read a number of DTAs, and I have read some of the Ministerial Directives/Instructions, ... and note they mean MANY, ... MANY, ok ?? MANY expat's remitted income is exempt Thai tax and not to be included in considering the assessable income threshold. To a large extent it depends on individual DTAs which expats should famiiarize themselves with in regards to the source country of their remitted income. No. My "aged" Canadian pension(s) are not taxable by Thailand per the Thai-Canada DTA. My civil service European pension is from working in Germany where German civil service pension is, to the best of my knowledge, not taxable by Thailand. No it is not irrelevant. It is very relevant with timing being important. As a non-resident to Thailand, I brought a LOT of money into Thailand prior to 2019 when I only became a Thai tax resident in 2020. I have been living off of the pre-year 2020 money ever since. Also , for myself, NO REMITTED money brought in to Thailand after 31-Dec-2023. I also have an LTR-WP visa, but I have not had to use that for any taxation exemption aspects as of yet. And I have relevant DTAs which exempt me from Thailand taxation. Thailand talks of a lot of things. Don't they. ok? Thailand are also talking of stopping taxation on remitted income for a while. Will they? Or is it just talk? ok ? Did I say Thailand talks of a lot of things? I think i did. Nonsense. If you want to see real scaremongering, look in the mirror while you read your own posts. Absolutely !! Which why I have stated MANY times expats should be familiar with the DTAs of their source income country with Thailand. For example, in my case, also familiar with the Thai-German DTA. Clear enough for me. Obviously its not clear for you, ... ... as you fail to put a big qualification every time you post about Tax Clearance Certificates, ... you totally fail to note that there is NO TALK, NONE, NADDA, by the Thai government , for the Thai government possibly re-introducing the Tax Clearance Certificate. NO TALK. NONE. NADDA. Further, if I read your posts correctly, you paid money so to get a Tax Clearance Certificate when NONE was required. Absolutely NONE required. Good job! lol !! lol !! lol !!!!!!! Covered needlessly. I think that should be clear to ALL on the forum, except for 1 person. That person is you. I don't know how many. Nor do I claim to know how many. I do know many expats, likely myself, who through either their income source (DTAs with Thailand), or their living off of pre-1-Jan-2024 savings remittances to Thailand, or who are living off of money brought into Thailand when a non-resident, have no income that qualifies as being assessable in Thailand. The biggest group (of those that I noted in the previous paragraph) have DTAs which cover them from a tax threshold (to file) perspective. Clearly we won't agree on this. Your paranoia drove you to ask for a Tax Clearance Certificate (when such not necessary) and then you proceeded to post multiple times how that was important. There is no talk about such Tax Clearance Certificate being necessary by the Thai government but that has not deterred you. There is likely not much point in us pursuing this. Do you really believe many on this forum will believe your paranoia about needing a Tax Clearance certificate? .

Further to this, for the moment I will stick with Krungsri, but i can see i am a bit on "thin ice" here, with my being age-71, my use of the online app is in jeopardy. Likely I will change my banking soon in regards to Krungsri. Given I like to pay most of my purchase in Thailand by smartphone online money transfer (from Krungsri), I may switch to using my Bangkok Bank account, or my SCB account for such in the future, where they both have smartphone apps. I am also tempted to simply close my Krungsri account (where I have finances sufficient to give me Krungsri Exclusive status) and move all my funds in Krungsri account instead to KBank. With that amount in KBank I can then obtain unlimited (outside of Thailand) Priority Pass (airport lounge access) or alternatively in Kbank obtain once/day gym access to certain health clubs across Thailand, where Phuket' Alpha Fitness club (which I visit about 6 times per month) qualifies for that. I've been happy with Krungsri bank to date, ... but I really do use the smartphone banking app regularly, so it appears Krungsri may no longer be the best bank for myself for such use.

Unfortunately I think that may only be a fix for a few years. When it comes time to replace one's phone, I am not convinced one can just roll over ones mobile access to the new phone. I would be curious to read of any new experience , after February 2025, of any Krungsri mobile users age 71 or older who tried to roll over their Krungsri mobile app to a new android phone.

Porthos and anchadian. Interesting. Thanks for pointing that out for a more recent T&C, with "Effective date: February 17, 2025". I note as you point out, in para-1.2 of this more recent T&C that it states "The basic qualification of the User is to be of age 12 or over but not exceeding 70 years. " That suggests I no longer qualify for a Krungsri app if para 1.2 applies to the T&C for using the Krungsri Online application. If it applies to only opening "applying" for the application then it suggests one who previously applied and obtained the app at age-70 or earlier may still be allowed to keep such. I first installed the app at age-67 (?), and I am now age-71 and I regularly use my Krungsri Exclusive card, and regularly pay bills via both the PC-based-internet browser based Krungsri website (which is to close in October) and occasionally pay bills via an android Krungsri app on my smartphone (and do MANY "scan" money payments with the Krungsri app.. I wonder, given my accounts (including investments) with Krungsri is definitely very 'substantial' , if they will 'look the other way' for me using their Krungsri app, or despite my financial status (and given my age) require me to stop using the Krungrsi app? Likely in the next year or two I will buy a new smartphone, and at that time I will then need to re-install the Krungsri app on that new smartphone device. This makes me think I could have issues then with a new Krungsri app. I do like to use my phone for payments via the Krungsri app, so this could lead me to close my Krungsri account and move my very large amount of investment away from Krungsri, unless they make an exception (not mentioned in their T&C, for large accounts (both cash and investment)). These are interesting times as one encounters things as one grows older.

I find no mention of that in their T&C. Perhaps you would like to share your reference for that? I am over age 70, I have multiple Krungsri accounts ( different types) and I have encountered no such limitation. Again, please share your reference for that assertion.

There are no contradictions in my post. You simply fail to read and draw wrong conclusions. Nonsense. You have no statistics for that. Many expats prefer NOT to keep most of their money in Thailand. So that group typically are covered by por.161.162 when they remit income to Thailand. Many expats income come from countries with DTAs with Thailand where the DTAs need to be examined to assess if Thailand can tax such income. I gave you examples (civil service/military pensions) where Thailand mostly can not tax such in most DTAs. I gave you the example of Canada, where Thailand can not tax pensions from Canada. How many DTAs have you actually spent the time looking at? You make statements of demographics with nothing to backup what you state. I pointed out aspects of DTAs with regards to tax exemption. Thailand may do a lot of things in the future, such as making foreign income remittance tax free. They are talking about that now!! Are they talking about tax certificates now? Are they? Are they? No. Again - your paranoia. No contradiction. You simply can not read. The thing is , you go BEYOND calling it a possibility in most of your posts. You infer it is about to happen. Again, there has been no mention of government circles about bring this tax clearance certificate back. In 100% contrast there has been talk, in Thai government circles, of going beyond por.161.162 and making foreign income remittance tax free for some more time. So what? I have ALWAYS maintained one MUST look at the DTA of their source income, and if and as appropriate, file or not file a tax return. Further in cases such as civil-service/military-pensions, and Canada pension, no tax credits needed. Thailand simply is not allowed to tax such. Why can you not understand that? Maybe you need to spend some time reading DTAs as opposed to pontificating on tax credits? As long as it is made clear this is your speculation , while mentioning there is absolutely NO talk in the Thai government about the tax clearance certificate being re-introduced, then there is nothing wrong. Have you added that caveat? No. You have not. THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG. Clear enough for you? Because you fail to omit this is 100% your speculation. Clear enough for you? Indeed. Thailand is talking about extending por.161/162 with no tax on remitted income. And you are spending money to get an unnecessary tax clearance certificate. Too FUNNY. MUCH MUCH TOO FUNNY That fine. Do you mention that? No. Instead you infer others MUST get a tax certificate, with no caveats that it is your speculation with NO THAI GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS saying otherwise. Nor do you mention you had to file an income tax return because you are not bringing in por.161/162 excluded from tax saving, nor do you mention you had to file an in one tax return because Royal Decrees nor DTAs exclude you from paying tax - unlike many of us where were exempt from paying Thai tax. Frankly - you are deliberately misleading, extrapolating your situation to many, where there are many with which your situation does NOT apply. .

Yes. Exactly my worlds. Do you disagree with that? Yes, and many expats income comes from countries where they keep most of their money outside of the country (as savings), and when the many expats in this group bring in that money into the country it comes under Ministerial instructions por.161.162, and this money of the many is tax exempt. Plus many expats have been taxed already, where per DTA their (for example Canada's DTA with Thailand in regards to pension income, and pretty much all country's DTAs with Thailand in regards to civil servant/military pensions) where Thailand has no taxation rights, and the income is exempt from the Thai tax assessment, and hence the tax threshold for filing a Thai tax return is not reached if no other remitted or local Thai income. One needs to know the details of their DTA to understand if foreign income (that is not savings from pre-1-Jan-2024) is exempt, or not exempt, in Thailand. Sure. Many things are possible. But the Thai government is not talking about it. YOU are not the Thai government. In this case, neither do you. Perhaps in your mind it has been 'may', but not in every one of your posts on this where you go on about this .... Which is why I stated expats need to be familiar with the wording of their DTAs. I gave you an example - Canada. Per the Canada-Thai DTA, only Canada has the right to tax Canadian pension income. Canada does tax such pensions and Thailand has NO RIGHT to tax it. This is no myth. Don't believe me. Read the Canada-Thai DTA. The same is true for pretty much ALL civil service/military pensions from most countries with DTAs with Thailand. Thailand has no right to tax those civil-servant/military pensions, and in many of those countries the civil service and miltary pensions were already taxed by those countries. Thailand can not tax those incomes and that is no myth. Again, it goes back to what I typed, one needs to be familiar with the DTA of their source income country, and based on that and based on their income decide if an income tax form needs to be filed in Thailand. Further, there is NO NEED at present time to obtain a tax clear certificate to renew one's permission to stay in Thailand. NONE. NADDA. Now one point where possibly you and I have some common ground - if you go back to my posts a LONG TIME back, some expats were claiming there was no way Thailand could ever enforce taxation on expats, to which I noted, like you note today, there is the possibility to bring back the Thai tax clearance certificate. But having typed that, do I think it will happen? No. It was a PIA in the past. Further, Thailand currently wants money brought into the country. That is just a lot of speculation. Many things can happen in the future. Currently Thailand is talking about , and considering, no taxation on remitted income. Will that happen also? its just more speculation. Who knows what the future will bring? Until it happens, if one rants on and on and on and on and on about it, ... and then one goes and get a needless tax clearance certificate when there is ZERO need to do such, when one pays an agent or accountant to file their tax return so they can get that certificate, then, yes, I see that as paranoia. Prudence dictates file a tax return if required, but prudence does not dictate pay someone money to file a tax return when the tax return is not needed just to get a not needed tax clearance certificate. Instead, prudence dictates pay attention to Thai tax laws, and Thai immigration requirements, but don't inappropriately jump to conclusions and take unnecessary unilateral $$ costing action when unnecessary. Taking premature actions in such cases is paranoia. Not prudence.

lol !! clearly you 100% missed my sarcasm. lol !! It was a 'dig' at the paranoia of some on this forum. lol !! I think you know who. Read my post again , and think about such. Because there is no need to consider such. Simply DO NOT file a tax return if it is not legally required - and file a tax return if it is required. No certificate of clearance is needed for annual permission to stay renewals. None has been mentioned by the Thai government. None. Nadda. Nothing. Guess why. The why is because there is no plan to require such. Rather you simply deliberately did NOT include the 'may' in many of your previous mentions. One should spend their time pondering on changes that are more likely to occur. What is "many" ?? My view is many have income from countries with DTA with Thailand, ministerial directives (por-161/162) that cover their remitted money, and Royal decrees which need to be considered given their income, which for many means remitted income is exempt from the Thai tax calculation, it is NOT to be considered assessable income and hence the threshold in which a Thai tax return is to be submitted is NOT reached. Ergo in such many cases, a tax return only needless creates work for the Thai RD, creates needless work for the expat, and gets a big grin and a very BIG, a massive BIG thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, from the agents/tax-advisors who take the expats money for filing a totally unnecessary Thai tax return to provide a totally unnecessary Thai tax clearance certificate. There is no government talk of a tax clearance certificate needed. None. Likely the Thai government does not want the PIA associated with such (with proof being they no longer use such in the present, after having it in place for a while). Well we will disagree there. I see needless paranoia in your view . Agree.

No it does not. You claim there will be a tax certificate required for those who want a visa permission to stay renewal sometime in the future. Sometimes you say "may" be required. Sometimes you omit the word "may" so to annoy or to frighten or to show your own paranoia. I state follow Thai tax law. Simple. If no Thai tax return is required do not submit one. If one is required then submit one. I also state it highly unlikely a tax certificate will be required, and those who keep claiming such will be needed, ommitting the word "may: on multiple occasions are simply pushing their own paranoia on others. Thai history has proven the tax certificate used in the past was a PIA and Thailand realized such, and no longer require such. There is no contradiction there.

Yes - but if you read the press - you do read it? you will read the most recent Thai government approach is not asking for tax certificates. Not in the slightest. ZERO . NADDA. NOTHING. Rather they have instead been talking of allowing tax residents to bring money in tax free. That is a very very VERY far cry from a tax certificate. Sure - and I have swamp land in Florida and a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you. "scaremongering" ? Those are NOT my words in my post you quoted. You did read my post? Right? But now that you mention it, yes, you are scare mongering in regards to a tax certificate being required. At least on that we agree. Yes.

I think that is likely branch and location specific. Here in Phuket the Bangkok Bank in Central Festival shopping mall is always crazy crowded while for example Krungsri and other banks are a bit less crowded. I do also note one needs significantly less money/ investments with Krungsri to get vip access ( ie allowed to wait in a comfortable bank lounge separate from the masses ) than Bangkok bank. Overall I prefer Krungsri over Bangkok bank, but I kept Bangkok bank account as my experience was it was superior for transferring money into it from abroad ( compared to Krungsri). However it's been 18 months since I last transferred money into Thailand so I will need to revisit this.

There was a a recent Wise announcement. https://wise.com/help/articles/2932335/guide-to-thb-transfers Starting on 6 May 2025, the following banks will no longer be supported due to payment system upgrades in Thailand: TMBThanachart Bank (011) Citibank (017) Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (018) Standard Chartered Bank (020) United Overseas Bank (024) The Government Savings Bank (030) HSBC (031) Deutsche Bank (032) The Government Housing Bank (033) Bank For Agriculture And Agricultural Cooperatives (034) Mizuho Corporate Bank (039) BNP Paribas (045) Bank Of China (052) Thanachart Bank (065) Islamic Bank Of Thailand (066) TISCO Bank (067) ICBC (070) The Thai Credit Retail Bank (071) Land And Houses Retail Bank (073) Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (Thai) PCL (SMTB) (080)

What's to stop them from bringing it back? The same thing that stopped them in the past. That will stop them. It was to much of a PIA for immigration and for the RD to follow up. Rather all they have to do instead is point out to all uninformed expats to the posts of some on this forum ... lol ! That should be sufficient to scare expats (whose income does not qualify for filing a tax return, much less having enough income to qualify for paying tax) into posting unnecessary tax returns, creating unnecessary work for all. Unnecessary work for the expats. Unnecessary work for the Thai RD. .. .But the tax specialists / agents who make money off those who file unnecessary tax returns should benefit. lol ! Don't get me wrong. Expats need to be familiar with DTAs of the countries from which their income originates (to assess if a Thai tax return needed) and expats need to be familiar with some relevant Thai ministerial directives (to assess if a Thai tax return is needed) and even familiar with some Thai Royal Decrees that are associated with Thai tax law. And then make a correct assessment whether an income tax return filing is needed . I further note, if one can believe the current speculative reporting in Bangkok Post and some other news sources, things are moving very far away from any tax clearance certificate wild speculation. Rather the speculative reporting suggests Thailand is wanting to encourage funds to be brought into Thailand, tax free.

lol. It does not have to be cash. Typically Thai banks offer different investment schemes, and nominally if one goes with one or more of their investment schemes to make up the 5-million THB, then one will qualify for their debit or credit card that has the perks that one is looking for. Reference the amount of money - really - that is relative. What might seem like an enormous amount for some, will indeed seem like 'chicken feed' for others. Relative is relative is relative.

lol. or one article just copied the other in order to show the 'reporter' is doing some work.

Depending on how much money you can put in the bank, there are a number of alternatives to Bangkok Bank where one can obtain perks for using their bank. If you travel by air one or twice a year, and like to use the lounge at the airport, then some banks offer credit cards or debit cards, which provide 'lounge access'. SCB Bank: For example SCB bank if one has an account with them, offer a "SCB Planet Card" (a debit card) which can (if a certain amount of foreign (non-Thai) money is debited to/spent via that card, will provide some limited airport lounge access per a calendar quarter. I can't recall the foreign currency amount, other than I easily met it as I had to book some transport in a foreign country, and I used the Planet card for the booking. Krungsri Bank: If one has a lot of disposable savings, or willing to invest money via Krungsri bank (picking qualifying investments) and if one invests up to 5-million Thai baht, then one qualifies for Krungsri Exclusive status. This offers a number of perks with the Krungsri Exclusive credit card, including a couple of dragon passes per year (for free lounge access) and 8 all-day gym access per month to certain gyms (check to see if one in your area). One also gets 'points' for purchases ... etc ... And one can use the VIP area at Krungsri bank branches and avoid the crowds in the main bank waiting area. Krungsri Bank - they have Krungsri Travel card (a debit card0 gives 20% off of many Agoda bookings). This is very useful for Thai citizens who travel. I think thou a foreigner needs to have a Thai work permit to qualify for this card. K Bank: Another possibility is K-bank, where if one obtains the K-Bank Wisdom card (credit card), one can get either unlimited priority pass (for airport lounge access) or alternatively unlimited all-day gym access (check first to see if qualifying gym in your area). One does have to place 5-million THB in their bank either via investments through the bank, or money in cash. Of course if airport lounge access is of no interest, and/or gym access is not appealing, then this is not a consideration in the slightest. There may be other better cards too. By no means am I an expert on this. Typically, to get any 'perks', Bangkok Bank demands a LOT more money spent via their bank, or invested via their bank, or sitting in a cash deposit in their bank, than any other Thailand bank.

I know when using Wise that Krungsri has limits when transferring money to Thailand. I have accounts at both Bangkok Bank and Krungsri (and recently SCB) and so when I wish to transfer money to Thailand, I typically transfer money 1st to Bangkok Bank, ...and once in Bangkok Bank I will transfer the money to Krungsri bank. Having typed that, its been over 18-months (from what I recall) since I last transferred money to Thailand. Further I transferred a lot of money to Thailand some years back when I was a non-resident. Likely thou, if I wish to buy a new car, I may consider transferring some more money to Thailand (via Bangkok Bank). Reference your comment about multiple transfers to by a condo. When I purchased a condo in Thailand back in 2016 (?), I was in Thailand and needed to transfer money from Europe to Thailand. I recall I had a limit on my European account as to how much I could transfer in any given transfer. Foolishly (?) I did not check such before departing Europe to Thailand, and when in Thailand, I was not able to get the European bank to raise the limit (they wanted me to go into the office in Europe to do so). Hence I ended making something like 10 or more transfers over the course of a couple of weeks. A bit of a PIA as I suspect you can image. ... I learned after that to plan just a bit better.

I am of the view health insurance is incredibly useful, so its just a matter as to how one wishes to obtain their Health Insurance. In comparison to the Type-OA visa, the LTR is superior for the LTR does NOT require health insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company. Health insurance from a foreign branch of a health insurance company is viable for the LTR if one can get the company to write a letter of compliance with Thailand's LTR health insurance requirement (by including certain key words/phrases and financial coverage numbers in the letter). One can NOT do that with a a Type-OA. In terms of the Type-O visa, then yes. I agree. If one can not afford health insurance, and/or wants to gamble on staying healthy and never wanting to spend a cent on health insurance, then the LTR visa is not the visa to choose and the Type-O makes more sense.