JimGant

Any idea what "non-Thai social welfare" refers to in para 6.2, above?

Yes, doing a little background research before you spout off erroneous information on a forum -- would be a nice touch. And much more helpful to the poor soul looking for solid advice.

Wrong. The legal document can be the English version, with a copy needed in Thai to process thru the Thai court system. A Google search will make this clear. OP, you're good to go. Don't know what your assets are, but maybe, even if bank accounts, will not have to go thru probate thus no need to get an up-front Thai translation. Even if you had a single Will, written in the UK, that says something like, I leave all my worldwide assets to blah blah -- it, as a foreign Will, would be acceptable in Thailand:

Ah, justice. Nice to have a good news story on this forum.

Of course they are. Why do some Imm offices require copies of your bankbook for the past 12 months? And others require a bank printout of your account's past 12 month history? Both methods for the same reason: To see if you adhered to the Police Order requirement to keep 800k in the account for 3 months after extension renewal; to never have gone below the 400k requirement; and finally to see that you've now had 800k back in the account two months prior to your current renewal application. Sorry if this makes ditching your agent and going straight -- so difficult.

Kinda hard to prove you had 800k in the bank for three months past last year's extension renewal date -- and then never went below 400k for the rest of the year -- IF you used an agent to dodge this requirement. So, I'd say ditching your agent, and going straight -- could prove problematic.

....'cause they don't have secret handshakes and brown paper bag agreements with other Imm offices.

I doubt anyone could have done a better job, given the circumstances, primarily Covid. Easy to say someone could have done a better job -- but talk is cheap. Somkid's resume is fascinating. He was a co-founder, with Thaksin, of TRT -- then used his economic position and smarts to reverse the debacle of the 1998 economic collapse. Then he became part of the junta -- obviously hired for his knowledge and capabilities, and not political affiliation. And this guy is no slouch, having a PhD from the Kellogg School of Management from Northwestern University, Chicago -- a five star pedigree. No, I think someone of his capabilities, including the capability to have fans from the many aspects of Thai politics -- would be a win win for the next Thai government (and nice that he's not a soldier). And having someone with the wisdom of 69 years (which, by the way, ain't old, says this 77 oldster) gives me more confidence than I would have in an idealistic youngster.

Could you just renew your old 40/400 policy to a 3.5M/60K policy, i.e., you didn't need to fill out a new application form, since this really is a new policy vs a renewal?

Sure gives you a leg up those living in Chiang Rai or Udorn. What a pain to have to waste a couple of days to go to that traffic jam..... Eventually, maybe the Imm offices will be read in on the LTR visa issuing process, as they were supposed to have been, according to the original LTR advertisement: And what about replacing your current permission (extension) of stay with a new one-year LTR permission of stay? Is this part of the Visa issuing process at BoI; or can you do it at your local Imm office (doubtful, as they've yet to be read in on LTR visas, at least the podunk Imm offices). Or do you have to exit and re-enter Thailand to get that permission stamp, akin to what you have to do for an Elite visa?

Now what?

Yeah, but it says "it should arrive in seconds." Are they worried about nano second rate changes? Doubtful. So why the warning for an instantaneous transfer -- unless they realize their advertised arrival time may be bogus..... If it does arrive in seconds, and since ACH pulls are batch, sounds like they're giving you a loan for low amounts, like this $1000 transfer; but if you send more than $2600, it will now arrive tomorrow. Send $50000, it will arrive in a week. Thus, yeah, warnings in these scenarios for Bank Debit (ACH) are warranted. [Note: What Wise once called "Bank Debit (ACH)' are now called "Connected bank account (ACH)." Maybe because Wise can return money to your bank account, which would be a push Bank Credit, not a Bank Debit......(?).]

Sounds like Jomtien Imm officers have discretion to issue you an irritant order, if they're not happy with your nose piercing or forehead tattoo, or whatever....

Thanks. I had not noticed that some folks (apparently the walk-ins) were being treated differently. And, yes, they took my paperwork, told me to sit, and when I asked about a queue number, they told me 'no need.' So, I guess there is an advantage to having an appointment, as one would hope. Very few empty seats (1:30), but I was out of there in about 40 minutes. No re-entry stamp.

My recent retirement extension, in Aug, at CM Immigration had an appointment, which I made online (very easy, efficient). After having all my paperwork screened in the tent area, I was told to head for the counter. No one had asked if I had an appointment, so I added myself to the queue (not very long), then quickly went to an open counter. Handed in my paperwork and told the Imm officer that, "I had an appointment." Oh, he said. Didn't ask what time it was for (I was about 20 minutes ahead of schedule) and didn't seem to act as if it made any difference. Anyway, he said go sit down by counter (the one furthest left) and wait for your name to be called. I asked about a queue number, and he said, "no, just wait for your name to be called." Anyway, after name called for photo, 20 minutes later was called to collect passport. Most of us sitting there were called, so not even sure if the queue number system was applicable at this counter.....maybe it was being used, but I was not really paying attention. And were those being called, the ones with appointments (and thus some kind of ahead of queue priority)? Question: Is getting an appointment worth anything? If I'm on time, do I get to jump ahead of the walk-ins? Am I then a "wait to be called" vs. someone with a queue number? Or if I'm late (or early), am I just another walk-in? If the appointment has no benefit, why subject yourself to the lack of flexibility of when to show up at Immigration. Thus, hopefully somebody reading this has a better understanding of the appointment system than I do, or can find with a search. Thanx.

Meaning the testator must accomplish one of the two forms of an Amphur Will? Otherwise, I'm still confused on what are the mechanics of showing up with a Will at the Amphur and saying, "register this." Or, is there some other official location for registrations of Wills?

Or the historical printout of your last 12 month bank activity. Not required by all Imm offices, but certainly by CM. Thus, if you don't update your passbook often, a consolidated entry might hide withdrawal activity not allowed. The 12 month report would see thru this.

My dual citizen wife checks into the airline with her US passport, and goes thru Imm with her Thai passport, which, of course, doesn't have a US visa (as the US passport covers that aspect). They don't care -- if the US detects somebody screwed up allowing her to board that flight, well, it's the airline that screwed up, and it's the airline that pays for her return. Immigration has no pertinent interest. The OP's daughter apparently checked into the airline with her UK passport. Then, what she should have done, is fill out a brand new TM6 departure card, with the arrival part still attached. Using the old departure card, where the arrival part was now on file in the data base, might have triggered a situation. Thus, for all intent purposes, she would look like a new passport holder, on her first flight out of the country. Yeah, if they were curious about no visa, she's just flash her UK passport -- doubtful they'd spend any time researching the Thai entry stamp in that passport.

Where in the Civil Code can I find that?

The term "registering" a Will seems to be getting a little convoluted here. Since I can only think that the Amphur is the only place where you could register a Will, I guess we're talking about Amphur Wills. And they come in two flavors: Or... So, if you write you own Will at home, or have a lawyer prepare it for you -- the only way to have it "registered" at the Amphur is to present it as a secret Will, sealed away in an envelope, with no one in the Amphur knowing what's on it. [The first method has you making your Will out at the Amphur, not submitting an already made Will.] Obviously, you must leave information with the Amphur on who's to retrieve this sealed envelope, upon showing your death certificate. I guess your Executor would be the one. And, yeah, your Will hidden away in the Amphur's safe seems to give added authenticity to such a Will, should you be worried about its authenticity being contested. But who here fits that bill? Not many, I'm sure. Thus, there certainly is no requirement to "register" your Will -- nor for most, any real reason. So, no, you (or your lawyer) don't just swing by the Amphur with your already prepared Will -- and say, please "register" this.... But, the secret Will, I guess, fits the bill.

Geez, cut the poor dad some slack. You think the ways of Immigration are straightforward?

You need to use the same passport for exiting Thailand as the one (or the country thereof) you entered on. She could not switch to her new Thai passport to exit through Immigration. But, she could, and should, use her UK passport when checking into the airline -- to avoid visa questions, as airlines don't know or care that you also have a Thai passport. So have your daughter use her new Thai passport next time she enters Thailand (and when she exits) -- at least at Immigration.

Obviously her UK passport was involved in her entry. Her mistake, as her Thai ID and an expired Thai passport are perfectly allowable for entry for Thais. My wife is dual US/Thai and years ago she was advised to hide her US passport when entering Thailand on her Thai passport --'cause some Imm officers are not well briefed on dual citizenship, and will opt for the US passport. That your daughter was standing at the counter with a Thai ID, expired Thai passport (?), and a UK passport -- guess what they'll reach for.

Wow, that would be inconvenient, if you used one of those fraudster agents (unless they have a secret handshake with Imm to deal with this, assuming Imm is hard over on this requirement....). Certainly in this situation, ignore would be the operative word -- if possible.

Some banks (not including Bangkok Bank) require some activity before they'll update the passbook. Obviously CM Imm wants a current, accurate updated passbook -- so if you need to do a small deposit or withdrawal to do this, so be it. But CM Imm doesn't require such activity just for its own sake. Thus, my Bangkok Bank passbook updates just fine without activity -- and this is fine with CM Imm. By the way, CM Imm certainly does require two bank letters: the twelve month variety (that would show activity that might be disguised in a consolidated passbook entry); and the snapshot letter of your current passbook balance (and don't forget to get a photocopy of this page with the latest balance). The below is the guidance I got several years ago from an agent (the hand holding, legit kind), which I could show to a Bangkok Bank clerk otherwise not familiar with such bank letters: