bmanly

This is why I want to let it go. About 10 years ago I had 2 fraudulent charges against my card. I picked it up early enough and got most of it refunded but I don't want to risk it anymore.

I have a Kasikorn account with an ATM Debit card. It is going to expire soon. Due to the amount of fraud and scams going on in just about every country on earth I am thinking of letting my card go, in other words not renewing it. So currently I get charged 300 baht a year for this card plus 20 baht per Month. My question is, if I let it lapse and not renew it will they still charge me the 300 baht a year? Do I need to see them or just let it lapse? I don't really need the ATM card as I have a Bangkok Bank account as well and I can use that ATM card. Plus I do everything else via internet banking. So will they still charge me?

Yes thousands do. There are a lot of people who would much rather stay 45 days than 30 days on a visa exempt. In some cases it is a deal breaker for some people. There are heaps of retirees out there looking for a nice place to go for 6 weeks.

I have an account with both Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn. I find Kasikorn better with the app and less paperwork when you need to change details. But one thing I have never really understood is why you have to pay for a ATM card every year? It's like 300 baht a year and you are charged that even if you don't get a new card. In my home country of Australia, all my ATM cards are free, all the time, even on renewal.

Thanks Pib, I am glad we didn't try setting this up in Australia then. They don't tell you these things. The point of concern is that we live in Australia and we just want to check her online account [oh hang on, no longer online account] to make sure everything is correct. So I guess I must encourage her to get this set up at a branch. That means she has to buy a Thai sim insert in phone and go to the branch [It can't be done on wi-fi]. Why do they make things so hard? Cheers.

You did the right thing. I have a Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Account and both have web access, mobile app and ATM cards.

It doesn't happen in my country Australia. I have several banks accounts, all are accessed either by web on my PC or mobile app. It is unheard of to shut off internet banking for people, just saying.

Wasn't this a surprise. My Thai wife is going to Thailand next week. Tried checking her Krungthai account online, can not. Not game to try set it up overseas due to fear of getting blocked out. It's a bit stressful, she is old and doesn't use apps. I told her the only option is to go into the branch and get it sorted when she gets there. Honestly did they think about old Thai pensioners when doing this?

My maintenance fee for my apartment alone in Australia is 14,000 baht per Month. In Thailand most are around 1,000 P/M. Of course for any farang with farang money from jobs or pensions from their home country will live far cheaper in Thailand. Now reverse that and Think about a Thai in Thailand on a Thai salary or pension and they are all struggling. We are just fortunate to be able come to cheaper places like Thailand. I have no hesitation to buy a pad kapow moo and a beer for 100 baht in Thailand but in Australia that same meal with beer would be 450 to 600 baht and I just don't do it. It means a better life in Thailand in comparison.

I have 2 very good recommendations for very well connected reliable long term agents that have doing this in Pattaya for 30 years already. I might do it too if things get too complicated. Apparently when this agency goes to Jomtien they carry dozens of applications and passports at a time doing everything including 90 day reporting for those that can not do it for themselves, it is all legal too.

I don't know about this but I will say that 2 of my friends live in apartments in Pattaya (not in the same building as mine) and they both managed to get the retirement visa without long term contracts. I mean I know the owners of mine could write one up for me, doesn't mean I won't move in a couple of months though.

Thanks mate, I have time to load my account (although the exchange rate is terrible right now). Or maybe do the way suggested in that thread. Much appreciated for all your help.

Jomtien

Yes I do with Bangkok Bank.

I stay in the same serviced apartment year after year with receipts. They do everything correctly including submitting details of arrival for TM 30 card.

Both Canberra and Sydney require health insurance called a longstay from a Thai company. That insurance I must buy for a year and it's something I don't need as I have regular travel insurance from Australia. The Thai insurance is very expensive, like about 100K a year one quoted. I want to avoid this at all costs. This is why I am only considering the visa exempt/conversion option. Here is what it says. A certificate of health insurance issued by Thai insurance companies covering the entire period of stay in Thailand containing the detail of coverage as follows; In-house patients of not less than THB 400,000/policy year, as for out-patients, not less than THB 40,000/policy year. More information can be found on https://longstay.tgia.org/ - A photo of the medical insurance policy (in English) which expressly covers treatment and medical expenses in relation to COVID-19, with minimum coverage of 100,000 USD. The insurance must cover the total duration of stay in Thailand.

That sounds like a good plan and one that I will most likely follow. How do I go at the airport when I check in as I will have a 4 Month return ticket. Should I buy a one way ticket a to say Cambodia showing that I will be leaving within the 30 days thus looking like no complications for the airline and Thai immigration on arrival if checked? Thank you for your time and reply, much appreciated.

Australian passport entry in May this year. I intend to arrive on a visa Exempt and convert to Non O Retirement just for the ease of coming and going but once in Thailand I'm not forced to leave every so often. It is the better visa for me as I've done so many neighbouring country trips and I am no longer really interested in doing anymore. So I have already booked a 4 Month stay in Thailand, sometimes I stay longer but this time it's 4 Months. My questions are, if I convert my visa exempt to a non o, lets say 15 days after I arrive, how and when does the 12 Month part start? My goal is to be in Thailand each year to renew the 12 Month extension, i.e. not letting it lapse and just renew each year. What Month will this example need to be renewed each year? Second question is that I thought of getting a non o from Sydney Consulate but it states I need some longstay health insurance from a Thai company, link here: https://longstay.tgia.org/ but when I try to book a 4 month stay those Thai companies only offer insurance for 12 Month stays and some of them want nearly 100K for such an insurance policy, it seems way over the top for what I need for 4 Months. I am just trying to find the simplest and cheapest way through all this and get a yearly retirement visa, what's the best way forward. Thanks for any help.

Thanks for the reply mate. The problem is that we got married 32 years ago and she never changed her name in Thailand. She has had my surname since marriage and shortly after became an Australian citizen. Her name and ID card in Thailand is still her maiden name and the passports would not match up. So this TM30 report is done in person at CW or can it be done online? Thanks.

No, not have for long time. She is an Australian citizen.

My wife is a Thai travelling on an Aussie passport and her intension is to stay with her family in Bangkok. The ideal situation is to apply for a TV single entry in au and then extend this visa a further 30 days. The questions are: 1. On arrival does the family need to register her as she is staying with them? 2. Normally they never register her and we just leave before the 60 days. In this case if they do not register her will there be a fine when she goes to extend her TV at the 60 day period for 30 days? 3. If they do need to register her exactly how do they do this? Where do they go to do this? They are just householders, not a hotel or business, what's the simple way to do this for ordinary family people? 4. Where are the locations to make the extension in Bangkok? Is that Chaweng Wattana the only place? Just trying to find the simplest way for her to do a 2 and half Month holiday with family. Thank you.

It's been 3 years since I have been in Thailand however I keep my sim going and it is still valid. There use to be a list of codes for certain data plans. I was paying around 370 for an unlimited 1 mbps plan but I think everything has changed now. What I need is a bolt on pre paid data plan, I don't need a phone call plan. Is there a list of plans with the codes I need to enter somewhere? I have checked on the truemove site but they keep wanting me to sign in or join a monthly post paid plan but I don't want/need that. Do any of you have the codes and plans or any other recommendations? Thank you.