JimGant

Not as long as the passbook is NOT updated over a period involving X number of transactions (no idea what X is). Then, you'll get a consolidated entry netting out all the transactions. That's where a withdrawal *below* the minimum amount required in the account could occur. And that is why the 12 month bank statement requirement came about, as the 12 month statement shows all transactions. Some Imm offices have enforced it, like CM, while others, like CW, have allowed copies of passbook pages to suffice. In DrJack's case, the IO saw a 4 month gap in his passbook entries -- and probably recalled a briefing about consolidated entries occurring when passbooks aren't frequently updated. Well, there was no consolidated entry (it would have been coded), but the IO was none the wiser. So, maybe the higher ups at CW have decided that, if their IOs can't adequately read passbook entries, might as well require 12 month bank statements. I'm sure that individual situations will vary with the IO, as with all aspects of the annual Imm goat rope. But, I guess, to be safe -- best get the 12 month bank statement. No big deal, actually -- except for Bangkok Bank (and maybe others), where you have to build in a 7 business day lead. time.

Jeez, you've haunted this forum for years. And you seem amazed that many of us (not necessarily at CW) have had to provide a 12-month snapshot of our bank account -- while you only had to provide photocopies of your passbook pages. Why? Well (duh) because if you have a multi month gap in transactions in your passbook -- it just may mean the consolidated entry is disguising a dip below minimums required. Gotcha this year. Sorry. Maybe bring the whole packet next year -- 90 day report, TM30, maps, bank statements, whatever the latest read on possible requirements. Be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best. Why complain about Imm trying to identify possible cheats. Just feel good that they let you get away with the bank statement absence -- until next year.

And what about this....... Presumably the operative phrase is, "t-shirt is not allowed," as my business attire went in the trash when I retired. The fanciest shirt I own is a polo shirt.

Yeah, that happened to my neighbor, Vladimir. The Thais sent him back to Russia. Heard from him last night. He was sipping a beer in a pub when the press gang collared him and several other able bodied males. He leaves for basic training in the morning. He believes the Ukraine won't be as nice as Phuket. But, hey, your mileage may vary.

Right. And if your intention is NOT to leave anything to a family member who otherwise, if you died without a Will, would get his or her fair share, then, yes TELL your intentions in your Will. This doesn't apply to someone not in the statutory line of inheritance, i.e., those legally considered if you die intestate. Thus, a GF would have little traction to argue for being left out of a will. "But he loved me mak mak" isn't mentioned in the Civil Code.

Ah, just like classic cases in the US by the disinherited. Thus, for the disinherited of family members (who would normally get something if you died intestate), you need to specifically state in the Will something like, "I leave one dollar to my worthless son, Seymour." Otherwise, they could claim you forgot, but wanted to leave them their fair share.

Better yet, never fight an unpopular war, period. I guess George Bush the Second never got the memo.

I haven't gone thru this drill yet, so I'm just guessing. But I would think you would need to show you've actually subtracted X amount from your IRA. Since I do my RMDs in early January (so if I croak the wife has one less block to check, since Uncle Sam wants your RMD in year of death), such proof would be easy. Believing an IRA drawdown would be acceptable comes from my analysis of documents required if you're going for a global citizen LTR. In this application, you need to submit tax returns. Well, a US Form 1040 has line items for my Air Force pension, for my Social Security, and for conventional (taxable) IRAs. Also, other line items for income acceptable by BoI, namely dividends and interest (and I would believe capital gains is acceptable, as one of the "other" forms of income solicited by the BoI). So I would think this snapshot of all my taxable income would be, in full, acceptable in satisfying the income requirement. But, with my Air Force and Social Security getting 8.7% cost of living raises, I won't need that IRA to cover the gap. And with the dollar up 14% against the baht, in the gravy! (Oh, yeah -- the stock market. Nevermind.)

It does not have to be witnessed ('tho I'd recommend you do have it witnessed). Amphur involvement unnecessary. Here's an example of a simple holistic Will: https://www.samuiforsale.com/other-miscellaneous/sample-text-holographic-will.html

Yep. Minors age 0-15, in person. Otherwise, by mail.

Not so in Thailand or the US. Is this common in Europe?

Yeah, I guess I'd trade rich and young for old and comfortable. Unfortunately, that opportunity has come and gone. Sigh.

I guess you're not a Yank, 'cause you currently cannot go in person for a routine passport renewal.

Yeah, that was a case of arrogance by the US. And we got our rear end handed to us, largely due to high enemy morale, bolstered by a Soviet supplied air defense system. Those SA-2s and related radar system (heavily manned by blue eyed Soviets) shot down hundreds of Thuds and Phantoms -- and at the end, 11 B-52's. Now, how about some payback! Ukrainian morale bolstered by US and NATO air defense systems (maybe even the Israeli Iron Dome system) could really do the trick. And, like the Soviets in Vietnam (and North Korea), might as well embed some Western advisors. If that torques the Soviets, er Russians off, just tell them to remember Vietnam. Yeah, that might do the trick -- and assuage some ill feelings I still have from the Vietnam air war. So you Ruskies, maybe time to re-think all those "Make the Soviet Union Great Again" hats.

Have her made a co-signatory of your account. This gives her legal access to your account -- and she can have her own ATM card if she wants. Her name is invisible on your passbook (UV readable), so Immigration won't consider it a joint account (which it isn't) for visa extension purposes.

That's not correct. The land office will certainly accept a Will properly probated, without having an Amphur involved. But, yes, an Amphur requires a Will prepared at the Amphur to be in Thai. Furthermore, they also require that you, the testator, be able to speak and read Thai. So, not many farangs writing their Wills on Amphur templates. But, you can go the secret Will route, bringing your English written (or whatever) Will to the Amphur, folded, witnessed, and affixed with an Amphur stamp. Then, sealed in an envelope -- and put away to be retrieved by your executor upon your death. Your executor can then have it translated, if need be. Or, I guess, you the testator could have a certified Thai translation of your Will be included in the sealed envelope. But bothering to include an Amphur seems a waste, because "registering" a Will is not a requirement (accept in a few peculiar situations, not affecting most of us).

Certainly a Wealthy Pensioner can be less wealthy than a Wealthy Global person. In fact, he can only have 40k in current income, plus investing 250k in Thailand -- half the investment required for Global persons.

Actually, it's only current income of 80k for Wealthy Pensioner. The 2 year requirement is for Wealthy Global Citizens. Probably makes no difference for most. And in my situation, I'm retired Air Force, 20 years only. But that pension plus my Social Security gets me to 75k. The remainder is made up with drawdowns of my conventional IRA, which the BoI views as a self-administered retirement annuity. And remember, BoI is only looking for gross income (I asked). So, if you've got an IRA of any flavor, or a 401k -- you may be closer to the 80k retirement than you think...... It was no hardship to withdraw from my IRA, since I was required to withdraw anyway, due to the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) requirement, which more than covered that 5k gap.

You're quoting the requirements for a Wealthy Global Citizen, which are more onerous than the requirements for a Wealthy Pensioner. Those requirement are given, above, by soisanuk.

Can be issued from a foreign bank. But a debit card must have either a MasterCard or Visa logo. Thus, my Union Pay Bangkok Bank card wouldn't work (not that I'd try and use it, having a nice cash back US credit card -- and being adverse to any and all debit cards, for security reasons).

So if you're paranoid about your passport, why would handing over your passport to an agent middleman vice handing over a sealed envelope at the post office assuage your concerns? Particularly since the agent will then have to use the mail renewing system, identical to what you would have to do... So, if you're paranoid about continuity of possession, not sure an agent is your huckleberry. But, there seems to be some interest in an agent for renewing US passports, based on some replies here. Just for my own curiosity, what are some reasons posters here see an agent as superior to the easy mail renewing system for US passports? This question for computer literate types, and those who are ambulatory enough to go to the post office and bank. Thanx.

My post office will accept a photocopy of my passport. For EMS and DHL deliveries, I've never had to show ID -- just sign. For my and wife's passport renewal this year, the deliveries were signed for by our maid, who didn't have to produce an ID. I suppose, if I'd signed for them, and ID was asked for -- again, the photocopy of passport would suffice.

So, you had to drop it off, then pick it up at the Embassy -- and you don't even live in Bangkok. And you liked that method very much.... Unless you're computer illiterate, so too your partner -- doing it by mail is about as easy as it gets. Yes, you must drive to the bank for the return mail bank draft and then to the post office (or DHL) to mail the application to the Embassy. Then wait 18 days (in my case) for the new and old passports to be delivered by EMS to your house. Not much easier than that Now the agent's going to have to do all the same steps as you would for a mail application, since there are no passport renewal appointments at the Embassy, except for emergencies (which doesn't include an expired/expiring passport, says the Embassy). And there's going to be some shoe leather involved, unless they do home service (which, for 12000 baht, I would hope they might...). So, no real advantage for an agent, that I can see, what with the ease of mail renewal. IMO

Sounds like the results of a probate hearing, where the Will's declared beneficiaries are validated. Probate fees have been shown on this forum to be as much as 50,000 baht. Obviously, situations and lawyers would affect this figure -- but haven't seen anything higher in price shown on this forum -- for what that's worth.

Why, then, do we have so many here in Thailand, and -- at least those with rudimentary reading skills -- haunt this forum with their complaints? Some folks are never happy wherever they live -- and, sadly, many of those end up in Thailand. We can only hope that their 'never satisfied nature' will eventually rid them from Thailand. Fortunately, most farangs here are happy, decent residents of their new country -- and don't have the time to waste complaining on a forum or FB.