We deal in cash right now, he bills me for last month's variable electric charge, flat rate for cable and water. Rent for the next month is also part of the bill and a fixed amount.

 

Any way to setup payments in a safe, automated way that a Thai landlord would be comfortable with?

Bank transfer (which is super easy with KBank's mobile app) is acceptable to most Thais, unless the landlord is concerned about a tax bill, in which case they will continue to insist on cash. However, at my last place, the cash transaction involved my getting a physical receipt, which is something you will likely want.

Its called a direct debit. 

Almost every bank in Thailand have either internet banking or/and mobile banking. 

Unless I am missing something, why are utility bills/services being paid in landlord’s name and subsequently reimbursed by you?  

 

Rent should be paid to landlord and, this of course can be an automatic recurring transfer.   If cash is required, you should be getting a proper receipt for the transaction. 

 

Utilities and services can also be separately paid on a direct debit basis via your bank account. 

 

If for whatever reason you prefer your current arrangement, you could negotiate a fixed monthly payment to your landlord that would be based on the sum of all known bills, plus an anticipated average monthly amount for the variable utility bills (perhaps based on historical data from last year).  You could have an agreement that the final bill would be balanced periodically, every so often, and that you would settle any excess payment separately, or any overpayment you may make would be applied as a credit toward future months bills/rent.

 

There is no way that I know of that a variable payment between two individuals could be easily automated as such.

In Thailand the landlord usually upcharges apartment electric bills. 

23 minutes ago, Soneva said:

Unless I am missing something, why are utility bills/services being paid in landlord’s name and subsequently reimbursed by you?  

 

Rent should be paid to landlord and, this of course can be an automatic recurring transfer.   If cash is required, you should be getting a proper receipt for the transaction. 

 

Utilities and services can also be separately paid on a direct debit basis via your bank account. 

 

If for whatever reason you prefer your current arrangement, you could negotiate a fixed monthly payment to your landlord that would be based on the sum of all known bills, plus an anticipated average monthly amount for the variable utility bills (perhaps based on historical data from last year).  You could have an agreement that the final bill would be balanced periodically, every so often, and that you would settle any excess payment separately, or any overpayment you may make would be applied as a credit toward future months bills/rent.

 

There is no way that I know of that a variable payment between two individuals could be easily automated as such.

 

I've heard some old buddies talk about having regular monthly payment set up in their internet banking but if needed they can adjust the payment at any time, but before the payment date when there is a need to adjust. Internet banking is so easy, so not difficult to do this. 

I actually have this set up to be done automatically. Money comes from the UK, wife gets the automatic urge to go and pay the rent - even variable - at the bank machine at 7/11