1 hour 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?

You did know that he is talking about Thai Immigration? Creative rule interpretation is part of the job description.

 Thanks to all who contributed

 

I have decided to stay with ‘retirement’ method in 2019

I will apply for ‘extension of stay to support  a Thai spouse' (official definition ) in 2020

My ‘too much money’ problem will be resolved due to a combination of the following factors

A   - Regular month to month spending

B- Moving funds to  a soon to be acquired  bank account with another bank

At the time of my 2020 application the letter from my primary bank will detail funds –much less then 800K Baht

29 minutes ago, Delight said:

I will apply for ‘extension of stay to support  a Thai spouse' (official definition ) in 2020

Official definition;

 

“2.18 In the case of being a family member of a Thai national (applicable only to parents, spouse, children, adopted 
children, or spouse’s children):
Each permission shall be granted for no 
more than one year.”

 

The extension is issued based on relationship. Support or dependency doesn’t come in to it. The 400K you’ll be required to show in the bank is to support yourself during the 1 year stay.

13 hours 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?

Many, the marriage extension requires a lot more paperwork and effort than a retirement extension. Visits to the home being an example. 

You most certainly will have some BIG problems with that huge bank balance, they will not process your application if it is over 400,001 Baht or if it has been seasoned for longer than 91 days prior to applying.

 

The best thing I can suggest is that you make a wire transfer to me here for the additional excess funds. Please pm for bank details.

30 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Many, the marriage extension requires a lot more paperwork and effort than a retirement extension. Visits to the home being an example. 

Some are now reporting home-visits for retirement when making honest, in-person applications.  But it is much more likely if based on marriage (certain in some offices), unless using an agent.

2 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Some are now reporting home-visits for retirement when making honest, in-person applications.  But it is much more likely if based on marriage (certain in some offices), unless using an agent.

Oh no, I have to buy a Rottweiler!

so much more paperwork needed for marriage extension.. Stay with the retirement. 

They may well do so. Simplest answer is open a new deposit account with just 40K.

23 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Oh no, I have to buy a Rottweiler!

The home-visit is one of the few steps which makes any sense in terms of verifying the relationship is genuine.   I would have welcomed this, if they would have simply accepted my legit application.   But they wanted agent-money - not honesty.

 

And, of course, anyone faking marriage for a visa will use an agent and skip  the hurdles - including home-visits - so can continue living here on false-premises, as always.  As long as tribute is paid, "valid reasons" for extensions are not important to them.

34 minutes ago, Formaleins said:

You most certainly will have some BIG problems with that huge bank balance, they will not process your application if it is over 400,001 Baht or if it has been seasoned for longer than 91 days prior to applying.

 

The best thing I can suggest is that you make a wire transfer to me here for the additional excess funds. Please pm for bank details.

Absolute garbage, I regularly used a long standing fixed account with 500000 TB in it to get Thai Wife extension. It is post like this that run TV.

2 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Absolute garbage, I regularly used a long standing fixed account with 500000 TB in it to get Thai Wife extension. It is post like this that run TV.

500K would work - because less than 800K.  An account with 800K would allow the IO to change your extension to "retirement."

7 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Absolute garbage, I regularly used a long standing fixed account with 500000 TB in it to get Thai Wife extension. It is post like this that run TV.

If 500,000 baht then you will get a extension based on being married as it's 300,000 short of 800,000 needed for a retirement extension. ????????

PS.

I don't want to extend my wife she's put on enough weight already.

I'm sorry, but this question or "problem" is now the least of all worries you should have. 2 million in the bank and you are afraid that they deny your stay? Why on earth would immigration do that? You are the guy they want to stay.

14 hours 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. 

That's often the sign of someone having a fortune in the bank. Look at the British aristocracy, half of them look like they don't have a pot to p.iS.s in.

If they see more money than 400 or 800k what are they gonna do? force you to pay and upgrade to Elite visa?

6 minutes ago, jesimps said:

That's often the sign of someone having a fortune in the bank. Look at the British aristocracy, half of them look like they don't have a pot to p.iS.s in.

Cultivated sartorial inelegance.

14 hours ago, Delight said:

 The 'never touch it' bit disapoints me

 

14 hours ago, ivor bigun said:

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

The nominal loss of interest is part of the overhead of staying. Factor that in and move on.

21 minutes ago, jesimps said:

That's often the sign of someone having a fortune in the bank. Look at the British aristocracy, half of them look like they don't have a pot to p.iS.s in.

 

14 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Cultivated sartorial inelegance.

Beach Road must be the aristocratic playground central station then.

12 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

 

Beach Road must be the aristocratic playground central station then.

????????

That's where it all started many years ago.

????????

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

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

The wife maybe have ideas how to 'invest' the money? 555

34 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

58 minutes ago, jesimps said:

That's often the sign of someone having a fortune in the bank. Look at the British aristocracy, half of them look like they don't have a pot to p.iS.s in.

Beach Road must be the aristocratic playground central station then.

If they were poor, they would not have money to spend there.  You will see the poor ones on the opposite side of Pattaya - far from the beach.  When my now-wife and I were first looking at different rental options, we checked out some "great deal" listed apartments over there.  Just looking from the outside, she vetoed all of them. 

 

That experience is why I always laughed when people with retirement-extensions claimed though those of us using Tourist Visas (with the attendant travel and other expenses) were "too poor" to live in Thailand.  I have seen how/where where the poorer retired foreigners live - though I don't see any harm from them staying - not even visible from where the wealthy live and eat.

I had the same problem the immigration in my province, for some reason they needed to let everyone in the waiting room know what I brought in a month and my bankbook balance. With that out of the way they wanted me to file under 'retired' and not 'marriage'. I fixed this problem after about four years of the same thing always happening. I opened another bank account just for Thai Immigration. I am not trying to hide anything, I just don't want to get mugged on the way back home. A second account from Bangkok Bank took a lot more paperwork than the first account … it also brought me peace of mind

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

500K would work - because less than 800K.  An account with 800K would allow the IO to change your extension to "retirement."

Would they just do that automatically without being asked to by the farang?

1 minute ago, GalaxyMan said:

Would they just do that automatically without being asked to by the farang?

I really didn't ask, as soon as I got another account … that Immigration Officer was transferred 

12 minutes ago, GalaxyMan said:

Would they just do that automatically without being asked to by the farang?

This has been reported as happening - yes.  And when the farang needed to support a work-permit (cannot on retirement), was told they would need to leave the country and start over to change it to what he requested (and qualified for) on the TM-7 form.

I gave up on the retirement visa,to complicated and there’s no way I put that kind of money ina thai bank,,I spent 6 months a year in Vietnam on the beaches and just use tourist visas to stay6 months here ,,,simple no headaches.....

2 hours ago, digbeth said:

If they see more money than 400 or 800k what are they gonna do? force you to pay and upgrade to Elite visa?

The question was really aimed at a person previously on an ext based on the 800k in the bank retirement, who wanted to get a married ext yet keep the bank balance.

59 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

This has been reported as happening - yes.  And when the farang needed to support a work-permit (cannot on retirement), was told they would need to leave the country and start over to change it to what he requested (and qualified for) on the TM-7 form.

Never ceases to amaze me how much time and energy they waste on this stupidity.

 

All of this nonsense with the retirement extension has me wondering whether or not I'd be better off getting the marriage extension. The money issue doesn't affect me. I don't need to work, but it might be nice to have the option if I get bored chilling out (not very likely this side of the Big BBQ).

I applied for my first ‘‘extension of stay to support a Thai spouse' 3 years ago, and showed a embassy statement that I had an income of about 80.000 a month.
I was told by the immigration that I could get a retirement extension with that income, with less paperwork.

I replied that I still would like the extension on grounds of support a Thai spouse'.
Was then told that is up to me to decide, and was given the ‘‘extension of stay to support a Thai spouse'. No problem.