2020 BKK CW Retirement Extension trip report

[Ajooma]

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Ryan if your doing extension at CW, here is what has always worked for me.

Dont go super early waste of time. Also there is appointment system now.

When arrive go to your bank for letter and make deposit. Then upstairs for your appointment. Easy peasy. 

 

That wont work if you use Siam Commercial bank as this branch is now closed at CW ... all other banks are fine though.

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, caughtintheact said:

13 hours ago, John Drake said:

Don't worry. Next year they'll be harping on the fact that you dared to fill them out while not doing so in their presence and issue you with new blank ones to fill out while you sit there.

Bring copies of both.

Actually in June they were handing out the extra forms along with blank TM7 for everyone arriving early so we could fill them out while waiting in queue chairs.  

[Mike Teavee]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 Exactly the same for me yesterday...

 

I was a bit worried, because the line IO kept my bank book and passport when we walked out.. And I was afraid maybe she had mislayed my bank book (I didn't know she'd need or want to keep it).  But sure enough, the bank book AND the passport were handed back to me together later after having been signed off by the supervisor..

 

Lol, I was nearly given somebody else's TMB book instead of my Bangkok Bank book by the officer that does the initial document check, but the 2 are quite different so I pointed the mistake out to her. 

 

Could have been a different story if the other person had a Bangkok Bank account, I wouldn't have noticed as I had no need to look at the book... 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

27 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I took a Taxi from CW to Mo Chit (I knew the new extension was closer but I couldn't remember the name of the station save it started with Wat ???? ) - Meter was 113 THB & it took around 20mins... 

 

Ya, after yesterday's experience taking the taxi from Mahathat to BKK CW, and then later from MTT back to Mahathat, I'd probably opt to go the traditional Mochit route the next time -- at least so long as Chaengwattana Road continues to be a construction disaster zone.

 

But I hadn't seen any reports here of anyone actually using the Mahathat BTS route for a trip to BKK CW, so I figured I'd give it a try and see how it compared. Now I've done that, and reported my judgment. Stick with Mochit for now.

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Mike Teavee]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

How much was your convenience enhancing agent service at BKK CW?  Not judging... just asking... 

It was 7,000 for the Agent, 1,900 for the usual extension fee & 100 for the Bank Letter so 9,000 all in. 

 

For that they complete all of the paperwork (including doing a hand drawn map to my condo, hardly difficult as I live right next to a BTS station), drove me to CW & take you through each stage of the process from Bank Letter, getting a final photo copy of the updated Passbook to the extension itself. 

 

As mentioned in the other thread I was in & out in 30 mins as I didn't have to wait around to collect my passport / bank book, will pop into their office in Soi24 tomorrow to collect them (it's only 3 mins from Phrom Phong BTS station) 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Lol, I was nearly given somebody else's TMB book instead of my Bangkok Bank book by the officer that does the initial document check, but the 2 are quite different so I pointed the mistake out to her. 

 

Could have been a different story if the other person had a Bangkok Bank account, I wouldn't have noticed as I had no need to look at the book... 

 

 

You might have suddenly become "unusually wealthy" Thai style....  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, Mike Teavee said:

It was 7,000 for the Agent, 1,900 for the usual extension fee & 100 for the Bank Letter so 9,000 all in. 

 

For that they complete all of the paperwork (including doing a hand drawn map to my condo, hardly difficult as I live right next to a BTS station), drove me to CW & take you through each stage of the process from Bank Letter, getting a final photo copy of the updated Passbook to the extension itself. 

 

As mentioned in the other thread I was in & out in 30 mins as I didn't have to wait around to collect my passport / bank book, will pop into their office in Soi24 tomorrow to collect them (it's only 3 mins from Phrom Phong BTS station) 

 

 

Thanks... that's not bad for the service you received...

 

Basically, there seem to be two main classes of visa agents here...

 

--the kind that charge very high/much higher prices, and claim to be able to secure extensions and such for people who don't actually meet the required criteria to receive them.

 

--and those who charge more modest prices, will only handle clients who actually do meet the required criteria, but will do the form-filling, hand-holding, facilitating to make the whole thing less of a stressful headache.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

That wont work if you use Siam Commercial bank as this branch is now closed at CW ... all other banks are fine though.

 Is it still closed even now?   And just temporary for remodeling or relocation, I'd hope???

 

[Ajooma]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 Is it still closed even now?   And just temporary for remodeling or relocation, I'd hope???

 

Still closed now and unfortunately will not be reopening ... closed permanently (called head office and they confirmed).

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

Still closed now and unfortunately will not be reopening ... closed permanently (called head office and they confirmed).

 

WOW!! That's surprising...and inconvenient for farang SCB customers...

 

Any idea what's the closest alternate branch location?

 

In the old days, there were times when I had wanted to use a Standard Chartered branch for a bank deposit...but never did for Immigration purposes, because they didn't have a branch at BKK CW... And the closest one nearby was at Central Chaengwattana Mall, and didn't open daily until 10 am, which would have been especially bad in the old days prior to the current appointments system.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

25 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

As mentioned in the other thread I was in & out in 30 mins as I didn't have to wait around to collect my passport / bank book, will pop into their office in Soi24 tomorrow to collect them (it's only 3 mins from Phrom Phong BTS station)

 

But you did still have to make at least a fleeting appearance in person at BKK CW...  The agent couldn't quite swing it where you could just stay at home/work, and have them do it all by remote control....  That's the kind of service I'd like!!!

 

[Ajooma]

12 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

WOW!! That's surprising...and inconvenient for farang SCB customers...

 

Any idea what's the closest alternate branch location?

 

In the old days, there were times when I had wanted to use a Standard Chartered branch for a bank deposit...but never did for Immigration purposes, because they didn't have a branch at BKK CW... And the closest one nearby was at Central Chaengwattana Mall, and didn't open daily until 10 am, which would have been especially bad in the old days prior to the current appointments system.

 

Another poster reported that Chulabhorn hospital Siam Commercial branch was now the closest branch to CW but to be honest I haven't checked whether there are any closer branches nearby.

 

This year I got my letter and statement from my local Siam Commercial branch the day before and then scheduled my appointment for 13:30 at CW the following day which gave me time to transfer a small amount online into my bank account and then update my bank book at a Siam Commercial branch close to where I live on the morning of my appointment before I traveled to CW for my 13:30 appointment.

 

Normally I would update the bank book at CW upon arrival but luckily read a report from another poster informing of the Siam Commercial closure at CW.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Ajooma

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

This year I got my letter and statement from my local Siam Commercial branch the day before

 

As said before, this was my first time doing a bank deposit based retirement extension. So I wasn't really clear on just how old the bank account confirmation letter could be at BKK CW... But thru this experience, I've seen where BKK Immigration in their email has said up to 7 days prior is fine.

 

Hopefully I can rely on that for the future. So it'll either be that and get my letter from my local branch a day or two before, or, perhaps move my 800K from Krungsri to BKK Bank...  Have to think about that in the months ahead.

 

I kinda dislike having to sit around BKK CW on my annual "Day of the Dead"/Dia de los Muertos and cool my heels for 45 minutes while the Krungsri branch there diddles with my account letter, even if the Immigration appointments system now gives me the time to allow that waiting.

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[DrJack54]

55 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

As mentioned in the other thread I was in & out in 30 mins as I didn't have to wait around to collect my passport / bank book, will pop into their office in Soi24 tomorrow to collect them (it's only 3 mins from Phrom Phong BTS station)

After you attended bank to sign etc, what happened next? Back upstairs to attend immigration officer and check your paperwork etc, or just walk out front door.

[Ajooma]

13 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

As said before, this was my first time doing a bank deposit based retirement extension. So I wasn't really clear on just how old the bank account confirmation letter could be at BKK CW... But thru this experience, I've seen where BKK Immigration in their email has said up to 7 days prior is fine.

 

Hopefully I can rely on that for the future. So it'll either be that and get my letter from my local branch a day or two before, or, perhaps move my 800K from Krungsri to BKK Bank...  Have to think about that in the months ahead.

 

I kinda dislike having to sit around BKK and cool my heels for 45 minutes while the Krungsri branch there diddles with my account letter, even if the Immigration appointments system now gives me the time to allow that waiting.

 

 

 

I would recommend to stick with your current bank and just get the letter and statement from your bank within the 7 days before your extension appointment (I always get my letter the day before).

 

The problem with the 12 month statement from Bangkok bank is that this takes up to 7 days as has to be requested via their head office ... the other issue which may come up with shifting your funds from your current bank account to another different bank is that immigration may well interpret this as a breach of their funds requirements upon your next extension application as you will have dropped below their threshold in your current bank account ... with their newish rules in place regarding the amounts that must remain in the bank account it seems to me that we are now locked into using the same bank account indefinitely or we risk jeopardizing the following years extension application.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Ajooma

[Mike Teavee]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

After you attended bank to sign etc, what happened next? Back upstairs to attend immigration officer and check your paperwork etc, or just walk out front door.

Upstairs, the agent is there is make things easier for me, I still had to go through the same processes of getting my documents checked & photo taken... 

 

But CW was so quiet it was just a 5 minute wait at Desk L & straight from the Lady checking the documents to the Immigration Officer who stamps your passport. 

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

 the other issue which may come up with shifting your funds from your current bank account to another different bank is that immigration may well interpret this as a breach of their funds requirements upon your next extension application as you will have dropped below their threshold in your current bank account ... with their newish rules in place regarding the amounts that must remain in the bank account it seems to me that we are now locked into using the same bank account indefinitely or we risk jeopardizing the following years extension application.

 

Ahh... that's a good, interesting point. I wonder how that would work with Immigration... switching accounts and account numbers mid year (let's say during the 400K months period), not in the 3 months after or the two months before... (Thanks for the warning on that kind of a move...)

 

Wonder if anyone has any direct experience with that?

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Ajooma]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Ahh... that's a good, interesting point. I wonder how that would work with Immigration... switching accounts and account numbers mid year (let's say during the 400K months period), not in the 3 months after or the two months before... 

 

Wonder if anyone has any direct experience with that?

 

Ive only read a couple of reports of other posters who have inadvertently dropped below the 800,000 threshold within the 3 month grace period after their previous extension and this seemed to cause a lot of problems so wouldn't like to chance a full fund removal even if to another bank account in the same applicants name ... it would be a gamble.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

44 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

Normally I would update the bank book at CW upon arrival but luckily read a report from another poster informing of the Siam Commercial closure at CW.

 

That would come as a pretty rude surprise... arriving at BKK CW ready to get your bank letter prior to your annual Immigration session, and discovering that your SCB bank branch there has disappeared... permanently...

 

It's some news that deserved to be spread more broadly so folks around these parts who are farang SCB customers in BKK will know.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, Ajooma said:

Ive only read a couple of reports of other posters who have inadvertently dropped below the 800,000 threshold within the 3 month grace period after their previous extension and this seemed to cause a lot of problems so wouldn't like to chance a full fund removal even if to another bank account in the same applicants name ... it would be a gamble.

 

I was mentally trying to figure out if something like this would work... start out with 800K+, then after the 3 month lockdown period, move 400K+ of that to a new account while keeping the other 400K+ in the original account, and then just prior to the next year's two month seasoning period, move the final 400K+ into the new account...

 

I think that's keeping 800K and 400K in one account or the other at all the required times during the year. But I have no idea how Immigration would respond to that.

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[DrJack54]

Just now, Mike Teavee said:

Upstairs, the agent is there is make things easier for me, I still had to go through the same processes of getting my documents checked & photo taken... 

 

But CW was so quiet it was just a 5 minute wait at Desk L & straight from the Lady checking the documents to the Immigration Officer who stamps your passport. 

 

 

 

 

I'm not being picky but seriously think your romancing the stone. Basically you did everything that anyone that did not use an agent would have been able to do.

Granted you did not need wait for pp return. That normally would be 1 hour. 

Then to say agent is 3 minutes away for pick up of pp next day. It's not going to be round trip anything like that. 

I would be embarrassed to say I paid 7000baht for basically nothing. 

It's a very simple process especially for someone that meets requirements and not looking for a "fix"

[Ajooma]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I was mentally trying to figure out if something like this would work... start out with 800K+, then after the 3 month lockdown period, move 400K of that to a new account, and then just prior to the next year's two month seasoning period, move the final 400K+ into the new account...

 

I think that's keeping 800K and 400K in one account or the other at all the required times during the year. But I have no idea how Immigration would respond to that.

I think you would need to check with immigration at CW whether this would be acceptable and then get the approval in writing as proof just in case ... it would still be 'squeaky bum time' at your next extension application though ... ????

Edited August 20, 2020 by Ajooma

[Mike Teavee]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I'm not being picky but seriously think your romancing the stone. Basically you did everything that anyone that did not use an agent would have been able to do.

Granted you did not need wait for pp return. That normally would be 1 hour. 

Then to say agent is 3 minutes away for pick up of pp next day. It's not going to be round trip anything like that. 

I would be embarrassed to say I paid 7000baht for basically nothing. 

It's a very simple process especially for someone that meets requirements and not looking for a "fix"

Horses for courses, I used these guys last year as I was working in Singapore and only had 1 day available for me to do my extension so had to get it right 1st time & was impressed with how easy they made the process so I used them again this year... 

 

I think I got good value for my money, but I do rank spending on things that make my life easier highly when it comes to what I perceive as good value... I also pay 20K a year for annual membership to Thailand Longstay Management which gets me Fasttrack arrival/departure at BKK airport, I could stand in a queue with everybody else for 45mins - 1 Hour but I think wasting time queuing is worse than "wasting" money - Not had the best use of it this year with CV19 but used it at least 40 times last year, I was working in Singapore so visiting Bangkok 2 times most months. 

 

 

Oh I also paid them another 1,500 to do my 90-day report, I could have done this myself for free but I've never done one (Never not been out of Thailand in any 3 month period) or been to the new office & having read people's reports on here about going to the new office I again think I got good value.

 

 

Edit to add: I normally have lunch in one of the English pubs on Soi 33/1 on a Friday so it really is no inconvenience to take a small detour & go to Soi 24 to collect my passport on the way, reminds me, I need to pop into Villa as well for some liquorice allsorts ????  

 

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by Mike Teavee

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I'm not being picky but seriously think your romancing the stone. Basically you did everything that anyone that did not use an agent would have been able to do.

Granted you did not need wait for pp return. That normally would be 1 hour. 

Then to say agent is 3 minutes away for pick up of pp next day. It's not going to be round trip anything like that. 

I would be embarrassed to say I paid 7000baht for basically nothing. 

It's a very simple process especially for someone that meets requirements and not looking for a "fix"

 

I think there's a monetary value to have convenience and not having to worry about anything during the trip down to BKK CW, including talking to and trying to understand the masked, behind clear shields Thai speaking IOs. (For me, that whole experience is never anything I relish, but I put up with it because it's only one day out of the entire year, hopefully.)

 

Whether that convenience and resulting removal of stress is worth the paid price...I suppose...is up to each individual person.

 

Edited August 20, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[JTXR]

Interesting, but you don't mention the insurance requirement.  When I did my retirement extension of stay at CW at the end of June, it was the insurance stuff they paid most attention to.

[messi]

29 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That would come as a pretty rude surprise... arriving at BKK CW ready to get your bank letter prior to your annual Immigration session, and discovering that your SCB bank branch there has disappeared... permanently...

 

It's some news that deserved to be spread more broadly so folks around these parts who are farang SCB customers in BKK will know.

 

One solution to this issue may be going to SCB Head Office located at SCB Park Plaza (Ratchadapisek Road) and close to the BTS station Phayonyothin 24 (https://goo.gl/maps/PqTpamS1a6FZbt8d8), get the letter there and after that proceed to CW (it will be around 20' by taxi)...........to be confirmed once I do that next month.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

49 minutes ago, JTXR said:

Interesting, but you don't mention the insurance requirement.  When I did my retirement extension of stay at CW at the end of June, it was the insurance stuff they paid most attention to.

 

fyi...

 

 

[Egrax]

Did anyone here doing 30-days extension using embassy letter? how was it goes?

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, JTXR said:

Interesting, but you don't mention the insurance requirement.  When I did my retirement extension of stay at CW at the end of June, it was the insurance stuff they paid most attention to.

That was because you perhaps were doing extension based on retirement and your original entry was non O-A. In that case you need medical insurance. 

If your married you could change extension based on marriage and not need insurance.

[lopburi3]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

As said before, this was my first time doing a bank deposit based retirement extension. So I wasn't really clear on just how old the bank account confirmation letter could be at BKK CW... But thru this experience, I've seen where BKK Immigration in their email has said up to 7 days prior is fine.

 

Hopefully I can rely on that for the future. So it'll either be that and get my letter from my local branch a day or two before, or, perhaps move my 800K from Krungsri to BKK Bank...  Have to think about that in the months ahead.

 

I kinda dislike having to sit around BKK CW on my annual "Day of the Dead"/Dia de los Muertos and cool my heels for 45 minutes while the Krungsri branch there diddles with my account letter, even if the Immigration appointments system now gives me the time to allow that waiting.

That I read as the letter itself - not the update of passbook.  But if machine working should not be any wait - although my experience with that branch was machine did not return my passbook and staff had to retrieve and update (which they did not appear to know how to do without transaction - took 30 minutes).  Was not using for extension and just a normal update.