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Foreigners Face New Hurdles in Opening Thai Bank Accounts

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3 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

Your 2 interrogatives are not what I wrote.

They were your words. 

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  • flyingtlger
    flyingtlger

    Each and every day, Thailand is looking like a bad place to work or retire.....  

  • HappyExpat57
    HappyExpat57

    Obviously a term you're unfamiliar with.

  • HappyExpat57
    HappyExpat57

    In all fairness, the agents who have been assisting retirees without seasoned money in the bank have been performing an illegal act. The law to have the 800k in the bank was meant to keep riff raff ou

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3 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

no it is not

Yes, it is. 

 

It circumvents the law. 

 

The next thing you will be saying is it's not illegal to ride a motorbike without a helmet, because it's up to the police office if he fines you or not.  :cheesy:

2 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

2 words are important "Officer's discretion",  

Who the f**k is going to rely on "officer's discretion?????

 

2 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

its the same as if you are riding a motorbike with out a helmet and a cop stops you he might fine you or he might warn you and let you off  its his discretion

No, that's not the same. 

 

Riding without a helmet is illegal.  No "if's, no but's."  Simple as that.  Just because a police officer choses not to fine you DOES NOT mean that riding without a helmet is legal. 

 

33 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I supplied a link.  You should read it.  It sets out what the banks must record, retain, and report. 

It does not!

54 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I posted a link and highlighted a quote within that link. 

 

It explains it all, and disproves your BS. 

It does not!

I will ask again;

What specific information do Thai Banks record (and potentially disclose) to other entities WRT any ATM transactions?

I will add to that "What specific information do Thai Banks record (and potentially disclose) to other entities WRT any Credit Card transactions?

2 hours ago, CallumWK said:

it is just people like you they are after.

You have confused the threads.

 

I already have two Thai bank accounts. Neither one of them are "mule accounts."   Obviously, because they are controlled by myself.  

 

How dumb can you be to confuse the "mule accounts" thread with the "opening accounts" thread?  :cheesy:  

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

I've got money in the bank, baby.

So have I, just not in a Thai bank.  I bet my interest rate is higher than yours.  You are being taken for a fool by the Thai government.

 

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

My visa extension is legal.

My visa extension looks the exact same as yours.  :cheesy:

 

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

I've filed my taxes this year, and last year, and the year before.

I'll be filing before 31st March. 

 

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

And I got my three Sinopharm jabs.

You are a big spender.  :cheesy:

 

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

How 'bout you, Charlie Brown?

All good here. 

 

My 800k is back in my home country, earning way more than your 800k in a Thai bank, earning a pittance. 

 

My extension is the same as yours, and I bring in more than 65k a month anyway, so can always revert to that. 

 

I had the jabs back when they were needed for freedom of travel.  Haven't bothered since.  

 

An agent will file on my behalf before the 31st March.

 

I'll be on the golf course when you are queuing at the TRD and Immigration Offices. 

 

Charlie Brown is happy, and the beauty is, the agent's costs are paid for by simply leaving my 800k in my home country, where it earns over 5%.  It's a no brainer.  :smile:  

 

Go on, say it, "My extension ONLY costs 1,900 baht."  :cheesy::cheesy:

 

 

7 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

If I ever saw a prolific troll,

Then you would be looking in a mirror. 

35 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Who the f**k is going to rely on "officer's discretion?????

 

No, that's not the same. 

 

Riding without a helmet is illegal.  No "if's, no but's."  Simple as that.  Just because a police officer choses not to fine you DOES NOT mean that riding without a helmet is legal. 

 

No idea !!  think i have to agree with the other posters Troll  Khun !!

30 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Yes, it does.  Read it. 

 

 

I did and it does not answer these questions!

 

I will ask again;

1. What specific information do Thai Banks record and  disclose to other entities WRT any ATM transactions?

2. What specific information do Thai Banks record and disclose to other entities WRT any Credit Card transactions?

Please answer with specific information and not either your opinion or obscure links, just the source links to the info you provide, not that you ever will given your posting history!

59 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I'll be

 

No need to post any more until you was been, m'kay?

 

image.gif.7bbc4a58dcb6705c81e6681be3ff55d9.gif

Just keeps getting better all the time.

On 2/17/2025 at 11:32 AM, proton said:

 

Burden on friends and family for a start, these people without a pot to piss in should not be here legally.

 

Once again, unless your own friends and family are being burdened by this, and assuming that you have never and will never use government hospitals, how exactly is this affecting your life?

10 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Well its correct you have Not done your research  it is up to the immigration officer to grant the visa or not (with or with out money) you can not get away with That Fact

You have not done your research -- you have not read the Immigration Act (1979) even though I have posted a screen shot this topic.

 

Here is your fact From Section 35:

 

Each application of an alien for extension of temporary stay shall be made in the form and with payment of fees as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations. 

 

This is the ministerial regulation as in the Police Order:


5. In the case where an alien applicant does not meet the full qualifications stipulated by the criteria herein or in other cases not
specified in this Order but a competent officer equivalent to or higher than inspector is of the opinion that the alien has legitimate reason
for staying in the Kingdom of Thailand ...

 

AND THIS IS THE PAYMENT OF FEES (AT 3.):

image.png.116af8956c7598b365d47f7ad0922762.png

17 hours ago, sandyf said:

You are perfectly free to believe that the personal circumstances of a foreigner have no bearing on opening a bank account in Thailand, but it doesn't make it a fact.

Well actually, it does... This is only about opening a bank account, nothing to do with your personal issues.

11 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:
14 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

Your 2 interrogatives are not what I wrote.

They were your words. 

No my words were: And just who uses mule accounts. Someone who deals with large amounts of unreported cash money that they would have a hard time explaining the source of that money. Like someone who receives large amounts of cash from a "reputable agent" 

i made my bank account last october at Bangkok Bank , had nothing just my passport and money.

 

Guess these times are over now ! 😄 But probably not, depends with whom you go there and if the branch manager likes your face or not i guess.

 

if you put 2-3 Million thai baht on the table and say " i want buy small condo" or if you are over 50 say " need put 800K into account for visa" odds are way higher you will get one, because they will understand you need one.

 

But i felt its getting more strict because i had to give my german tax ID  (huh?) and they scanned my face at Bangkok Bank.

 

They said tansfers over 50K need face scan or something like that.

 

 

15 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

You are wrong

 

 

.... on both counts

Thailand is Upper Middle-Income, according to the World Bank. Then again so is Papua New Guinea (Upper Middle-Income) - a country where the poverty, and related violence, is right in your face (how WB comes up with these rankings is anyone's guess - perhaps because PNG has energy and minerals, but the populace are poor as poor can be).

On 2/17/2025 at 7:54 AM, spidermike007 said:

It always feels like there are multiple interests that conflict with each other here. TAT is desperately clawing its way back to a high volume tourism destination, then you have other elements within this hapless and spectacularly incompetent administration that are doing the opposite, and sabotaging tourism.

 

Then of course you have daily reports about the RTP and immigration, and other factions that again hurting tourism, in addition to the daily reports about crime which really don't affect us too much, but nonetheless likely have some sort of impact on tourism. 

 

I always tell my friends who are visiting here for the first time to keep in mind one thing - Thailand is not a foreign country, Thailand is a distant planet. Which works for me, I find the incomprehensible and unpredictable aspect of this place quite refreshing. 


it is quite simple and has never changed.

 

They want our money but don’t want us staying here permanently. 

17 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Well its correct you have Not done your research  it is up to the immigration officer to grant the visa or not (with or with out money) you can not get away with That Fact

I will put it again for you as I did page 6 this topic:

 

And as per Section 35 of the Immigration Act (1979) as you roughly reference above, if a 'competent official' chooses to waive the nominal extension requirements, he or she is allowed to do so to the tune of 2000 baht as stipulated in item 3 of the Immigration Act (1979) fee schedule.

 

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

I will put it again for you as I did page 6 this topic:

 

And as per Section 35 of the Immigration Act (1979) as you roughly reference above, if a 'competent official' chooses to waive the nominal extension requirements, he or she is allowed to do so to the tune of 2000 baht as stipulated in item 3 of the Immigration Act (1979) fee schedule.

 

 

 

 

Dyslexia

43 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Dyslexia

You can get personal if you like -- but I don't  see any way given the regs that anyone in a capacity of "discretion" as in Section 35 can LEGALLY charge more than 2000 baht for the privilege. 

image.png.2be5425af7b485fda5cb032889427c17.png

2 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

Thailand is Upper Middle-Income, according to the World Bank. Then again so is Papua New Guinea (Upper Middle-Income) - a country where the poverty, and related violence, is right in your face (how WB comes up with these rankings is anyone's guess - perhaps because PNG has energy and minerals, but the populace are poor as poor can be).

 

 

Thank you.

 

Hopefully any posters who keep claiming otherwise will read this.

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

I will put it again for you as I did page 6 this topic:

 

And as per Section 35 of the Immigration Act (1979) as you roughly reference above, if a 'competent official' chooses to waive the nominal extension requirements, he or she is allowed to do so to the tune of 2000 baht as stipulated in item 3 of the Immigration Act (1979) fee schedule.

 

 

This would be good to know if true.  But if true, that would allow an official to waive only the 2000 baht filing fee, not the underlying requirements for the extension, which are not detailed in the act.  

 

I've read the Act but can't find that statement in any form.  What am I missing?

 

Section 35 states:

 

Each application of an alien for extension of temporary stay shall be made in the form and with payment of fees as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations. The alien may be permitted to stay in the Kingdom pending the decision.

 

https://royalthaipolice.go.th/downloads/laws/laws_03_03-03.pdf

To the above. This is the ministerial regulation as in the Police Order:

 

5. In the case where an alien applicant does not meet the full qualifications stipulated by the criteria herein or in other cases not specified in this Order but a competent officer equivalent to or higher than inspector is of the opinion that the alien has legitimate reason for staying in the Kingdom of Thailand, the application shall be forwarded to the Commander of the Royal Thai Police or an authorized competent officer for further consideration of the alien's application. 

https://www.thaiembassy.cz/uploads/download/EwgNBPpX8T2vY5jxRdR.pdf

 

_______________

 

So I will presume that, while the 'competent officer' has the 'discretion'  to waive most of the nominal requirements, he/she cannot waive the fee schedule.

 

This was a Act promulgated (1979) by the late King Bhumibol and as such specific requirements as enacted cannot be treated as such piffle.

9 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

Well actually, it does... This is only about opening a bank account, nothing to do with your personal issues.

Doesn't matter how hard you try, not going to be another Billy Connolly.

9 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

To the above. This is the ministerial regulation as in the Police Order:

 

5. In the case where an alien applicant does not meet the full qualifications stipulated by the criteria herein or in other cases not specified in this Order but a competent officer equivalent to or higher than inspector is of the opinion that the alien has legitimate reason for staying in the Kingdom of Thailand, the application shall be forwarded to the Commander of the Royal Thai Police or an authorized competent officer for further consideration of the alien's application. 

https://www.thaiembassy.cz/uploads/download/EwgNBPpX8T2vY5jxRdR.pdf

 

_______________

 

So I will presume that, while the 'competent officer' has the 'discretion'  to waive most of the nominal requirements, he/she cannot waive the fee schedule.

 

This was a Act promulgated (1979) by the late King Bhumibol and as such specific requirements as enacted cannot be treated as such piffle.

So as i said many posts ago a competent officer' has the 'discretion to grant a visa  but you still have to pay the fee

9 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

So as i said many posts ago a competent officer' has the 'discretion to grant a visa  but you still have to pay the fee

Yes 1900 baht and a nominal fee to the agent. So where does the other 10,000 or so baht go?

 

 

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