Parental extension 400k money in the bank 2 or 3 months before renewing visa?

[Kenny202]

Hi all. Coming up to do my 12 month parental / parent of a Thai child extension in August. I've had this extension 6 years now and normally 400k in the bank 2 months before applying (even though technically you are only required to have the money in the bank the day you apply parental). I saw a video on Dan about Thailand the other day saying the law has changed and money in the bank for retirement visas / marriage visas now 4 months before applying? Does anyone know if this is correct and if parental visas will be effected? 

 

I don't know about other areas but our local immigration in large NE city never seems to have more than a few people waiting, if that anymore. Really does appear last couple of years, here at least expats are definitely leaving. Wonder why? Looks like tax laws, whether real or imagined was the last straw for some

[Upnotover]

The 4 months thing is all about Bangkok Bank issuing their letter, nothing to do with immigration.  If it was 2 months before then repeat that, there have been no changes.

[Tod Daniels]

1 hour ago, Kenny202 said:

I saw a video on Dan about Thailand the other day saying the law has changed and money in the bank for retirement visas / marriage visas now 4 months before applying?

And this is why you don't watch You Tube videos about anything to do with immigration stuff. Most foreigners don't know sh*t from Shinola about what's what with entry/visa/extensions 

As @Upnotover correctly pointed out this is a BANGKOK BANK policy and has nothing to do with immigration rules changing (which they have NOT done) 

Bangkok Bank got called out for all those 'ghost accounts' so they did the typical thai knee jerk reaction, started closing accounts of people on tourist/DTV's and started implementing a new policy to discourage agents from banking funds for people for an hour to get the bank letter, update the bank book etc. They decided to make people have to keep the funds in the account for 4 months instead and they have you sign a paper stating you agree to have the funds "frozen" 

You are correct insofar as there is no requirement at all to have the 400K baht banked money method based on raising thai child in the account for any length of time other than it has to be in the account on the date you apply for the extension. However many immigration offices follow the same seasoning requirement for thai child extensions as married to a thai ones and require you have the 400K seasoned for 2 months before you apply 

Check with your immigration office, well before you're going for the extension (just in case they also do the 2 months seasoning) so that you don't run yourself out of time   

[Kenny202]

5 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

And this is why you don't watch You Tube videos about anything to do with immigration stuff. Most foreigners don't know sh*t from Shinola about what's what with entry/visa/extensions 

As @Upnotover correctly pointed out this is a BANGKOK BANK policy and has nothing to do with immigration rules changing (which they have NOT done) 

Bangkok Bank got called out for all those 'ghost accounts' so they did the typical thai knee jerk reaction, started closing accounts of people on tourist/DTV's and started implementing a new policy to discourage agents from banking funds for people for an hour to get the bank letter, update the bank book etc. They decided to make people have to keep the funds in the account for 4 months instead and they have you sign a paper stating you agree to have the funds "frozen" 

You are correct insofar as there is no requirement at all to have the 400K baht banked money method based on raising thai child in the account for any length of time other than it has to be in the account on the date you apply for the extension. However many immigration offices follow the same seasoning requirement for thai child extensions as married to a thai ones and require you have the 400K seasoned for 2 months before you apply 

Check with your immigration office, well before you're going for the extension (just in case they also do the 2 months seasoning) so that you don't run yourself out of time   

I always allow for the 2 months seasoning anyway, rather than go in and pick a fight with them as I have seen others do. No big deal for me. I despise Bkk bank. I have an account but main account now SCB, much easier getting letters etc. Bkk Bank make you feel like you should be bowing and scraping when you walk in the door. Never anyone has any clue of anything out of the norm, particularly relating to anything to do with foreigners...and rather than check and maybe even educate themselves they just fob you / tell you it can't be done. Reminds me of the level of service we used to get from any Aussie government department or Aussie banks back in the day, ANZ in particular back 10 years ago. Profit off your money, add fees for nearly everything and generally treat you like they are doing you a favor. I have been out of Australia for 10 years but probably still the same 

[Tod Daniels]

16 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

I always allow for the 2 months seasoning anyway,

wise choice 👍 best of luck with it 

 

[Formaleins]

On 7/7/2025 at 5:53 PM, Kenny202 said:

I always allow for the 2 months seasoning anyway, rather than go in and pick a fight with them as I have seen others do. No big deal for me. I despise Bkk bank. I have an account but main account now SCB, much easier getting letters etc. Bkk Bank make you feel like you should be bowing and scraping when you walk in the door. Never anyone has any clue of anything out of the norm, particularly relating to anything to do with foreigners...and rather than check and maybe even educate themselves they just fob you / tell you it can't be done. Reminds me of the level of service we used to get from any Aussie government department or Aussie banks back in the day, ANZ in particular back 10 years ago. Profit off your money, add fees for nearly everything and generally treat you like they are doing you a favor. I have been out of Australia for 10 years but probably still the same 

Ha ha! Between Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn and Thai Panit, the three of them were so useless they were almost unable to set up a monthly Direct Debit to make sure the family had income when I was working in China - But what is even more startling, was trying to get the bank to cancel the DD (yes, after about an hour one of them managed this immense task, and got the DD to work) - Cancelling the DD was ten times worse than trying to get it in the first place! Star prize goes to Kasikorn though with a 15 month wait for them to clear company cheque payment from my employer in Hong Kong Dollars.