2 minutes ago, brianburi said:

Used Maneerat last Tuesday for retirement extension renewal. 

A few changes from previous year.

Go to immigration first in Jomtien, have photo taken,

Go to Central shopping mall AIS shop and get mobile account in my name.

Go to Bangkok Bank in mall and get daily allowance changed to 1 mill Baht on mobile banking app. Lady at desk very helpful,  a few forms to sign and photo taken.

Go to Beach Road Bangkok Bank, Bank seating area packed with foreigners, Wait to be called to counter........

I waited two hours., I'm not writing about what happens next, its all smoke & mirrors....., but no charges for bank transfers,  save 1800B from last year.

Passport gets mailed back to you

Spend two days with wife chilling on the beach.

Go back to the boonies....

 

Did you not already have a mobile account in your name, or you needed a new one specifically for this transaction?

10 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

Did you not already have a mobile account in your name, or you needed a new one specifically for this transaction?

No,  for the last 19 years both our phones in the wife's account.  The lady at AIS counter completely understood,  I had to pay up my last bill by cash,  and she opens new AIS account.

They give you a slip of paper with details and you show that to BBL counter staff.

Thinking back, I should have gone to our local AIS store and Bangkok Bank and done before.

Unless it changes I will be better prepared for next year......

1 hour ago, BrandonJT said:

biggest agents are the ones that had this happen.  Because they were opening so many accounts at the same bank branch

I honestly don't know. 

Are Tik Tok & Mots actually bigger & busier than say Maneerat?

What's still not clear (to me anyway) after reading this thread is what happens if someone entered visa exempt and needs to apply for a non-immigrant visa first.

 

As per the previous thread from a few months ago, agents in Pattaya couldn't help such a TOURIST to open a bank account anymore. That was a bigger issue than just using another branch or even another bank for the yearly extensions, because opening a new account at another bank is straightforward for someone who is already on a retirement extension and just needs the next one.

 

I wonder if that has been resolved as well or remains an issue. 

16 hours ago, Caldera said:

What's still not clear (to me anyway) after reading this thread is what happens if someone entered visa exempt and needs to apply for a non-immigrant visa first.

 

As per the previous thread from a few months ago, agents in Pattaya couldn't help such a TOURIST to open a bank account anymore. That was a bigger issue than just using another branch or even another bank for the yearly extensions, because opening a new account at another bank is straightforward for someone who is already on a retirement extension and just needs the next one.

 

I wonder if that has been resolved as well or remains an issue. 

This week I saw a sign in the office of my visa agent about applying for non-o status. It included information on what it would cost to open a bank account. So yes: the issue seems to have been resolved.

On 3/28/2025 at 9:45 AM, roobaa01 said:

Gdy

Which kungsri branch is Cambodian int using now ? 

 

Wbr

Roobaa01

The one in Central Festival Pattaya 

59 minutes ago, jimn said:

The one in Central Festival Pattaya 

Thank you very convenient 

Wbr

Roobaa01

I am hearing that Bangkok Bank have now stopped dealing with agents for retirement extension renewals as per my topic a few months ago, including Maneerat. Has anyone heard the same. This is very recent.

21 minutes ago, jimn said:

I am hearing that Bangkok Bank have now stopped dealing with agents for retirement extension renewals as per my topic a few months ago, including Maneerat

Hearing from who re Maneerat. 

First hand report would be useful. 

2 hours ago, jimn said:

I am hearing that Bangkok Bank have now stopped dealing with agents for retirement extension renewals as per my topic a few months ago, including Maneerat. Has anyone heard the same. This is very recent.

Not true. Used them about a month ago for my visa, no problems at all getting an account with BB.

5 hours ago, JontS said:

Not true. Used them about a month ago for my visa, no problems at all getting an account with BB.

A month ago might as well be 10 years ago with the way things are moving right now.

Just phoned Maneerat as I did back in March about this.Apparently there is a problem with using 2 BBL branches those being at Pratamnak 1 and Sukhumvit.

8 hours ago, chang50 said:

Just phoned Maneerat as I did back in March about this.Apparently there is a problem with using 2 BBL branches those being at Pratamnak 1 and Sukhumvit.

 

Did you buy any chance ask them if they have increased their price from 12.5K for non-O retirement extension?

39 minutes ago, zz4096 said:

 

Did you buy any chance ask them if they have increased their price from 12.5K for non-O retirement extension?

I didn't but I know several people who have recently paid 15.5k..

Maneerat can't use the BBL branch on Beach Road anymore. They are using a branch in BKK now hence the 3000 surplus for the retirement extension.

25 minutes ago, ExpatDraco said:

Maneerat can't use the BBL branch on Beach Road anymore. They are using a branch in BKK now hence the 3000 surplus for the retirement extension.

 

How using a branch in Bangkok leads to a 3000 baht price increase is anyone's guess. At some point they'll be better off just producing the documents outright and giving the IO a little extra to scrutinize the documents even a little bit less.

11 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

How using a branch in Bangkok leads to a 3000 baht price increase is anyone's guess. At some point they'll be better off just producing the documents outright and giving the IO a little extra to scrutinize the documents even a little bit less.

 

1,640 of that will be the out-of-province transfer fee and the rest will be for the additional risk I guess. Not great but not unexpected given recent events.

 

Not a good situation all round with using Bangkok Bank for extensions at the moment. It's taken a couple of months to filter through but when I raised the issue at the end of March when I had problems using Cambodia Traval and Bangkok Bank, many posters dismissed it blaming the agent for bad dealings. All round now there are issues with dealing with Bangkok Bank. Wise transactions are now taking 1 or 2 days rather than instant.

3 minutes ago, jimn said:

Wise transactions are now taking 1 or 2 days rather than instant.

First up thanks for alerting forum re BBL and your experience back in March. 

Indeed it was a deeper issue. 

Regards WISE transfers.... 

I did a 1.9mil last 2 weeks and a 100k on Friday 13..from my Oz bank with WISE. Both instant

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Not a good situation all round with using Bangkok Bank for extensions at the moment. It's taken a couple of months to filter through but when I raised the issue at the end of March when I had problems using Cambodia Traval and Bangkok Bank, many posters dismissed it blaming the agent for bad dealings. All round now there are issues with dealing with Bangkok Bank.

Not if you meet the financial requirements and don't use an agent.

 

1 hour ago, jimn said:

Wise transactions are now taking 1 or 2 days rather than instant.

As @DrJack54, no such problems using Wise.

What are you stating as the 'reason' for the transfer?

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

First up thanks for alerting forum re BBL and your experience back in March. 

Indeed it was a deeper issue. 

Regards WISE transfers.... 

I did a 1.9mil last 2 weeks and a 100k on Friday 13..from my Oz bank with WISE. Both instant

 

But your WISE transfers are to Kasikorn Bank, not to Bangkok Bank, right? I think the poster you've quoted makes a valid point - there's a broad range of issues for foreigners using Bangkok Bank nowadays. 

11 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

But your WISE transfers are to Kasikorn Bank, not to Bangkok Bank, right? I think the poster you've quoted makes a valid point - there's a broad range of issues for foreigners using Bangkok Bank nowadays. 

I did tests with Wise as I have bank accounts with Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krungsri. Bangkok Bank transfer would arrive sometime in next 2 days, SCB and Krungsri would arrive in seconds. The issue is Bangkok Bank. I always put the reason for transfer as General Living expenses.

59 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

But your WISE transfers are to Kasikorn Bank, not to Bangkok Bank, right?

Correct