Anyone NOT Using Income Letter & Using ONLY the Monthly Income Method?

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, quandow said:

That's my issue. I've decided to bite the bullet and put the money in the bank, but want to know how to get it to my son when I pass.

Can't you write a will? May be bank can suggest the process to get the money in case of your death. I don't think Thai banks take the money of all Thai people when die. 

[Jeffrey346]

1 hour ago, tugman said:

You  can longer get a letter from UK or US Embassy.

Not true..  You can get the letter prior to 1 Jan 2019. 

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Which leaves the 400 or 800K deposited in a Thai bank as the only certainty for the future. 

That is assuming that immigration does not make any changes allowing the extension to be done without a proof of income from an embassy.

Those people that have extensions due next year after the 6 months they will be valid for will have to decide what to do before 2 or 3 months before their extension is due.

[joebrown]

What irks me the most about the BE's inability to guarantee the retirement income of UK expats is their unwillingness to even attempt to find a solution that might be acceptable to Thai Immigration.

What's stopping the BE from obtaining a written authority for them to contact the Pension provider/company initially so that a pensioners' declared income can be verified? As far as I'm aware pensions are payable for life, usually with a minimum annual increase of ##%, or the annual Cost of Living Increase.

I have 3 pension providers (State & 2 Private). Surely it's not beyond the BE to verify these at the outset, and then examine bank statements every year provided by the pensioner to guarantee the income for Immigration.

Yes, it's probably going to increase the BE Notary Fees, but I for one would gladly pay up to 10,000bt as a starter, followed by the normal annual fee of 2,500bt.

[ratcatcher]

24 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

The problem is not that of the Thai immigration.  The problem is that the Embassies will not establish rules on how and what is needed to verify your income.  many Embassies are still doing the letters.  BUT unlike the UK and US they actually make y prove that you have the money.

 

This is where the letter comes in. I am not sure if the embassies are willing to look at it or not BUT there are simple ways to make sure that a person has the income coming in.

 

For us canucks, it is simply showing a 3-4 month period in our bank accounts statement that shows the income coming in at the same amount every month.

 

If the Embassy wanted to take it further, they could set up a computer that the customer can log into the account in front of them and show them the funds are real in a real bank.

 

The problem is that both these embassies have not been doing their job and the Thais have called them on it.  Now rather than clean up their act they are going to just cut everyone off.

 

Remember Thailand is till and will still accept the letters.  It is the embassies that are refusing to guarantee that they have done due diligence before signing the letters

Good post. All the excitement is about the fact that 3 embassies, so far anyway, have decided to cease issuing letters of affirmation of funds.

Granted that these 3 embassies, UK, USA and Australia probably constitute the largest majority of expats settled in Thailand. 

Meanwhile Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France, Sweden and many other nations' embassies have so far been silent on the matter. That may change, but as of this date it is still possible to get letters from all embassies until the end of 2018 and mid Jan for the other country. 

As others have said, it is not the failure of Thai Immigration but the failure of the embassies to agree with the requirements. 

[Peterw42]

9 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

wont work,as soon as u die the thai police ask for all bank accounts,atm cards and your account is frozen,

after you die ur embassy will issue a letter stating ur dead and allowing the holder to withdraw your money..

Yes, in theory accounts get frozen etc but in practice how would the Thai police have any idea what accounts you hold and where. There is always a window before banks are notified etc, if at all. Even back in Australia I operated mother and fathers accounts after their death and it was me, the executor of their will, who eventually informed the banks, not an automatic report from police. I would imagine the same in Thailand.

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, soleddy said:

They want 800.000 into a Thai bank so that if you die intestate they will keep it or else pick up the interest as a "fee" for holding it. Your lawyers in the UK or US will take about two years to get it back for a nice fee, and the bank also gets a nice fee for the transfer.

So why die intestate?  Have a lawyer draw up a Thai will and give your heirs a copy.

 

not sure why you would US or UK lawyers since they would have no standing in Thailand. Fees to bank for transfers would be negligible.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Suradit69

[OneeyedJohn]

I'll be delighted to not have to cough up £52 for an embassy letter, however not having 800K sat in a bank is a cause for concern.

I just hope there is some middle ground to be found before I am confronted with that scenario.

 

Am currently applying for my letter from the BE via email ( max of 5Mb otherwise their servers will not accept ) 

 

12th December is the cut off date for applications.

[Curt1591]

"My Immigration office doesn't have a problem with using just the monthly distribution. "

 

I hesitate to join this discussion. But, I will say that the Thai Immigration supervisor, with whom we spoke, at the Changwattana office, said that evidence of the monthly distribution needs to come from a Thai bank. Upon showing my SSI statement, My annuity management statement, and my US bank statement, showing distribution and receipt of the funds, we were told it would not be accepted.

Of course, everyone's mileage may vary ...
 

[Suradit69]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Even back in Australia I operated mother and fathers accounts after their death and it was me, the executor of their will, who eventua

Same with me in the US. Never had a problem with accounts being frozen or access to other assets denied even before my mother's will went through probate.

[IssanMichael]

2 hours ago, soleddy said:

They want 800.000 into a Thai bank so that if you die intestate they will keep it or else pick up the interest as a "fee" for holding it. Your lawyers in the UK or US will take about two years to get it back for a nice fee, and the bank also gets a nice fee for the transfer.

As confirmed by another poster, you need to do a will in thailand and have it witnessed etc. you can google and get a copy which i did. My wife and i went to the bank a couple of weeks ago (SCB) and organised that my account with the 800k in it can allow 500k a day to be withdrawn, so when i go she can empty the account and not have to wait around for months and involve lawyers etc.

[wgdanson]

24 minutes ago, OneeyedJohn said:

I'll be delighted to not have to cough up £52 for an embassy letter

That's £4.50 a week over the year. Anything else you do not like coughing up for?

[Suradit69]

22 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

"My Immigration office doesn't have a problem with using just the monthly distribution. "

 

I hesitate to join this discussion. But, I will say that the Thai Immigration supervisor, with whom we spoke, at the Changwattana office, said that evidence of the monthly distribution needs to come from a Thai bank. Upon showing my SSI statement, My annuity management statement, and my US bank statement, showing distribution and receipt of the funds, we were told it would not be accepted.

Of course, everyone's mileage may vary ...
 

Yes, the system is evolving from a proof of income method, where there was no requirement that the income be deposited into a Thai bank,   to a money in a Thai bank method  ... either Baht 800,000 left in a Thai bank or evidence that Baht 800,000 was deposited over the previous 12 months ... where evidence of income is no longer provable or relevant.

 

Maybe

[AGareth2]

2 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

That's £4.50 a week over the year. Anything else you do not like coughing up for?

I think you mean a month

[wgdanson]

Just now, AGareth2 said:

I think you mean a month

Ooops sorry, Alzeheimers setting in!

[Caine]

2 hours ago, soleddy said:

They want 800.000 into a Thai bank so that if you die intestate they will keep it or else pick up the interest as a "fee" for holding it. Your lawyers in the UK or US will take about two years to get it back for a nice fee, and the bank also gets a nice fee for the transfer.

Well said I’ve been saying this all along, just scammers from top to bottom 

[JohnnyBD]

2 hours ago, soleddy said:

They want 800.000 into a Thai bank so that if you die intestate they will keep it or else pick up the interest as a "fee" for holding it. Your lawyers in the UK or US will take about two years to get it back for a nice fee, and the bank also gets a nice fee for the transfer.

My wife will withdraw that 800k before anyone else knows I'm dead... ????

Edited November 13, 2018 by JohnnyBD

[wgdanson]

10 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

My wife will withdraw that 800k before anyone else knows I'm dead... ????

Mine will possibly withdraw it BEFORE I pop me clogs !

[onera1961]

34 minutes ago, Caine said:

Well said I’ve been saying this all along, just scammers from top to bottom 

And prejudiced to towards UK, Americans, and Australians. All other embassies (including Canada) are gladly issuing income affidavits. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, tugman said:

You  can longer get a letter from UK or US Embassy.

 You can get income affiidavits from the U.S. Embassy until the end of 2018. And once obtained, they're supposed to be valid with Immigration for up to six months after the issue date.  Whether Immigration will honor than in 2019, who knows...

 

[onera1961]

1 hour ago, phuketrichard said:

wont work,as soon as u die the thai police ask for all bank accounts,atm cards and your account is frozen,

after you die ur embassy will issue a letter stating ur dead and allowing the holder to withdraw your money..

Really? If true, I guess police is now raiding all dead farangs accounts. it gives another reason to use agents. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by onera1961

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, Curt1591 said:

But, I will say that the Thai Immigration supervisor, with whom we spoke, at the Changwattana office, said that evidence of the monthly distribution needs to come from a Thai bank.

So did said supervisor specifically confirm to you that such evidence did NOT need to be backed up by an Embassy letter/affidavit?

[Curt1591]

17 minutes ago, OJAS said:

So did said supervisor specifically confirm to you that such evidence did NOT need to be backed up by an Embassy letter/affidavit?

This is why I hesitated to post.

She gave 3 options - The doomed Embassy letter, 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, or 65,000 THB deposited, monthly, in a Thai bank. 

Although we didn't address it, there should be no need for any verification, other than one's Thai bank statement. 

And, since I am opting for door #2, the 800,000, I didn't enquire into how long a history of deposits may be needed. 

Any further answers can be found here: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/location1.html

I'm out of here ...

[OJAS]

3 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

This is why I hesitated to post.

She gave 3 options - The doomed Embassy letter, 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, or 65,000 THB deposited, monthly, in a Thai bank. 

Although we didn't address it, there should be no need for any verification, other than one's Thai bank statement. 

And, since I am opting for door #2, the 800,000, I didn't enquire into how long a history of deposits may be needed. 

Any further answers can be found here: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/location1.html

I'm out of here ...

OK, doesn't sound too promising then.????

[Suradit69]

17 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

65,000 THB deposited, monthly, in a Thai bank. 

I would assume/hope that a total of baht 800,000 deposited over 12 months would suffice rather than requiring monthly deposits of baht 65000. 

 

This  past year my total was close to baht 900,000, but monthly deposits varied above and below baht 65,000. And some people prefer to deposit quarterly, etc. 

 

Have to admit the baht 800,000 method, while not attractive, is looking a lot less unattractive (and less complicated) than what may be the surviving alternative methods.

 

one can hope some reasonable resolution will emerge since the potential complications will fall on immigration officers' shoulders as well.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Suradit69

[Moonlover]

It really is too early to be asking this question. We have all been, over the years, 'conditioned' to presenting the embassy letters at each application and Immigration have been 'conditioned' to require those same letters. It has become the norm, therefor it is unlikely that anyone has even tried.

 

So I really am not surprised that no one has come up with a positive. answer. (other than a couple of rather vague responses)

 

As UJ indicated earlier, we will have to wait until the new year when applicants start presenting requests without those letters, that we will begin to see a pattern.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Moonlover

[Moonlover]

55 minutes ago, OJAS said:

So did said supervisor specifically confirm to you that such evidence did NOT need to be backed up by an Embassy letter/affidavit? 

 

28 minutes ago, Curt1591 said:

This is why I hesitated to post.

She gave 3 options - The doomed Embassy letter, 800,000 THB in a Thai bank, or 65,000 THB deposited, monthly, in a Thai bank. 

Although we didn't address it, there should be no need for any verification, other than one's Thai bank statement. 

And, since I am opting for door #2, the 800,000, I didn't enquire into how long a history of deposits may be needed. 

Any further answers can be found here: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/location1.html

I'm out of here ...

 

24 minutes ago, OJAS said:

OK, doesn't sound too promising then.????

Why does that not sound promising?

[Jingjock]

5 hours ago, patekatek said:

I'm going to the embassy this week to get the income affidavit notarized but I do worry about the next extension in Feb of 2020.  Hopefully the issues will be straightened out by then.

Read the previous 2 posts to yours, the letter from your embassy will only last 6 months?????

[OJAS]

22 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

 

Why does that not sound promising?

Could mean that evidence would still need to backed up by a non-existent Embassy letter/affidavit

[dick turpin]

3 hours ago, Tony Hanscomb said:

Well the rule states that the 800k must be in the bank 3 months before application, my advice is to whip it out after the renewal is done.

Transfer 800K into my Thai bank account and that's my income for the year....whats not to like.