I have extended via the ‘retirement ‘ option since 2005

This year I will use the ‘supporting the Thai spouse ‘ option

My funds in Thailand are closer to 2 million Baht-obviously more than the minimum 400,000 K  requirement.

Is it possible that immigration (Chonburi) could deny me my choice due to this high bank balance?

That's not a high bank balance

If appearances are anything to go by it is far more money than many expats in Pattaya have. A lot of them look destitute. 

They might try to persuade you to stay with the retirement option as it's (apparently) less paperwork for them.

14 minutes ago, Delight said:

Is it possible that immigration (Chonburi) could deny me my choice due to this high bank balance?

I suspect they will attempt to get you to go down the retirement route again.

 

For some reason I've read many reports of people over 50 being strongly encouraged to go down the retirement visa route instead of the marriage extension route. I suspect it's one way to get rid of you to a different department.

Why wouldn't you just stick 800k in a fixed term and never touch it. 

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why wouldn't you just stick 800k in a fixed term and never touch it. 

 The 'never touch it' bit disapoints me

 The 'never touch it' bit disapoints me

Yes its your money why not be able to spend it if you
A have to
B want to

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Best to get it down to an amount less than 800k. Chances are very high they will not allow you to change with that much in the account. It has happened before. I can recall a case where they did it for retirement without mentioning it until it was done.

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Best to get it down to an amount less than 800k. Chances are very high they will not allow you to change with that much in the account. It has happened before. I can recall a case where they did it for retirement without mentioning it until it was done.

Can I ask WHY they would do that? After all, as long as he's over the bar in whichever option he chooses, what difference does it make to TI?

9 minutes ago, Crossy said:

They might try to persuade you to stay with the retirement option as it's (apparently) less paperwork for them.

 When persuation becomes coercion -that's when the problems begin.

If I open a bank account in a different bank and deposit say 500K -could that work -or will they smell a rat

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why wouldn't you just stick 800k in a fixed term and never touch it. 

Other than Fixed Deposit, do they accept money market fund account?

1 minute ago, ivor bigun said:

Yes its your money why not be able to spend it if you
A have to
B want to

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With new rules you effectively have to keep 800k or above for 5 months and then also the 400k rest of year. One could easily make a mistake. Grab wrong card, misjudge dates, whatever. I'm just going to lock in 800k. Have another account for living. To each their own.

4 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Can I ask WHY they would do that? After all, as long as he's over the bar in whichever option he chooses, what difference does it make to TI?

Because the retirement extension is easier for them to do and thus the one they prefer to do.

Also no look at the application by the division headquarter when it is sent for approval.

4 minutes ago, Delight said:

 When persuation becomes coercion -that's when the problems begin.

If I open a bank account in a different bank and deposit say 500K -could that work -or will they smell a rat

That is exactly the solution.  Put 450K Baht in another account and use the bank-letter from that account.  The money will need to be in the account for 2 mo "seasoning" before you apply for the marriage-based extension.

7 minutes ago, Delight said:

If I open a bank account in a different bank and deposit say 500K -could that work -or will they smell a rat

How would they smell a rat. The would never see the other account.

7 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

That is exactly the solution.  Put 450K Baht in another account and use the bank-letter from that account.  The money will need to be in the account for 2 mo "seasoning" before you apply for the marriage-based extension.

Or if it's too late to season in a new account, take out all but 500k and use the letter from the original account... Tell them you bought your mia-noi a new car... 555

37 minutes ago, Delight said:

I have extended via the ‘retirement ‘ option since 2005

This year I will use the ‘supporting the Thai spouse ‘ option

The extension would be issued on the basis of being the spouse of a Thai. It's not "supporting".

 

37 minutes ago, Delight said:

My funds in Thailand are closer to 2 million Baht-obviously more than the minimum 400,000 K  requirement.

Is it possible that immigration (Chonburi) could deny me my choice due to this high bank balance?

Yes, it's possible. Unless you're planning to work and are happy to keep 2M in the same account there's no reason for you to insist on a change. It is the same 1 year stay regardless of the reason for it.

 

IMO you should leave 400K in the account used for immigration, and transfer the rest to a separate account. That way they will have no choice, but to issue the extension based on being a spouse.

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Because the retirement extension is easier for them to do and thus the one they prefer to do.

Also no look at the application by the division headquarter when it is sent for approval.

I honestly have to say i dont know the latest retirement visa rules in Thailand because i live most of the year  elsewhere where its much easier to obtain visas but let say if u own a 3 M bht condo in Bangkok and u are above 50 years do u still need to have 800 k in bank? Or is condo ownership sufficient?

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

How would they smell a rat. The would never see the other account.

 I hope you are correct.

My showing a neat and tidy 500 K deposit -say 3 months before applications -with no withdrawals -may raise eyebrows.

I assume that the letter from the bank will show the deposit date and the current balance. Both values being the same. 'How do I live ' they may ask

That said it's worth a try.

 

With new rules you effectively have to keep 800k or above for 5 months and then also the 400k rest of year. One could easily make a mistake. Grab wrong card, misjudge dates, whatever. I'm just going to lock in 800k. Have another account for living. To each their own.

Actually i do have two accounts and another in my wifes name ,but as i say its my money why cant i spend it?

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33 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Can I ask WHY they would do that? After all, as long as he's over the bar in whichever option he chooses, what difference does it make to TI?

Because they can is the simple answer.

Friend of mine was refused a married extension and issued a retirement extension because he had about 1.3mil in his Thai bank.

He wanted the extension so he could get a WP on it. He ended up having to change it to a B and using that for the WP meaning leaving to get the B single and going through all the time and effort to get the B extension with all the company paperwork etc.

Total waste of time and money.

4 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Because they can is the simple answer.

Friend of mine was refused a married extension and issued a retirement extension because he had about 1.3mil in his Thai bank.

He wanted the extension so he could get a WP on it. He ended up having to change it to a B and using that for the WP meaning leaving to get the B single and going through all the time and effort to get the B extension with all the company paperwork etc.

Total waste of time and money.

Mmmm, it's even worse than I thought. Great customer focus all round ...

15 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

I honestly have to say i dont know the latest retirement visa rules in Thailand because i live most of the year  elsewhere where its much easier to obtain visas but let say if u own a 3 M bht condo in Bangkok and u are above 50 years do u still need to have 800 k in bank? Or is condo ownership sufficient?

Yes, or have proof of an income.

 

You could only get permission to stay based on condo ownership (Investment) if it is new and worth 10M+.

13 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Mmmm, it's even worse than I thought. Great customer focus all round ...

In all honesty I reckon just as many people in Imm' are as confused about all this as most expats are.

A simple addition/sentence at the end of the 'new rules' clearly stating 'This applies only to retirement extensions' might have helped.

Edit.

Should have added 'and to applicants who cannot provide evidence of 65,000 baht/month income.

32 minutes ago, Delight said:

My showing a neat and tidy 500 K deposit -say 3 months before applications -with no withdrawals -may raise eyebrows.

I assume that the letter from the bank will show the deposit date and the current balance. Both values being the same. 'How do I live ' they may ask

That said it's worth a try.

We need money to live but I do not need 40K a month for my wife and I to live on. I have only one account. One with 402K in it. I trust my wife (yes, I am silly) and she has cash in her bank account that I have given her and she trades shares off it. 

 

I live off the 402K account and every month, using Transferwise, I put 30K into it. If they ask me how I live, I have the 30K deposits as proof. I have never been asked questions and never been denied an extension. I never let the deposit go below 402K. Two months before I need to go to Immigration, I season the money as in I do not touch that account. I just do one transaction at a Bangkok Bank using my foreign ATM card doing a cash advance for 30K over those two months and kept the receipts.

 

If you used another bank to have your other money in, you would not have any problems.

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

That's not a high bank balance

 

1 hour ago, changside said:

If appearances are anything to go by it is far more money than many expats in Pattaya have. A lot of them look destitute. 

And a lot more then most Thais - I read a report yesterday saying 81% of Thais do not have 50K in a bank, so for many, two million is a lot of money.

54 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Actually i do have two accounts and another in my wifes name ,but as i say its my money why cant i spend it?

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Of course you can spend it, immigration will not stop you from doing that.

 

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

I honestly have to say i dont know the latest retirement visa rules in Thailand because i live most of the year  elsewhere where its much easier to obtain visas but let say if u own a 3 M bht condo in Bangkok and u are above 50 years do u still need to have 800 k in bank? Or is condo ownership sufficient?

I heard of owning a condo > 10 million baht lets you get away with that 800K.

 

1 hour ago, changside said:

If appearances are anything to go by it is far more money than many expats in Pattaya have. A lot of them look destitute. 

What really matter is invisible to the eyes. Do you expect them to be in a designer suit and chauffeur driven in smog filled stinking sois?