6 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I have always used Bangkok Bank and I have never had my 800k frozen for four months.

Several threads regarding BBL rogue action of freezing bank account for 4 months in exchange for "Bank Letter" which is a requirement for extensions. 

 

8 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

The accounts may have been frozen for other reasons eg not keeping up to date info with them.

No. 

45 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Several threads regarding BBL rogue action of freezing bank account for 4 months in exchange for "Bank Letter" which is a requirement for extensions. 

 

No. 

 

I replied to the comment, "If you do not yet have a Thai bank account do not use Bangkok Bank as they freeze your 800k for 4 months after the day you apply for the bank letters needed for your 12 month extension. "

 

The comment implied it was a standard action, it is not as my account has never been frozen. 

 

And why would they freeze the account for four months when the requirement needed for the visa extension is 800k in the bank for only three months.

 

There are lots of reasons for freezing a bank account.

 

I had a bank account frozen in the UK once.

 

How would you know why all the reported bank account freezes were due to the fictitious four month rule?

 

A Crystal ball?

 

7 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

How would you know why all the reported bank account freezes were due to the fictitious four month rule?

 

The OP does not have a Thai bank account. Plans to open one with Non O eVisa. 

Only a crazy person would opt for BBL at this time. 

Kasikorn just one suggested better option. 

Also they do bank statement on the spot. 

 

Removed an off-topic post with information extension requirement in reply to a post about visa application at sn embassy.

On 10/19/2025 at 11:38 AM, ian carman said:

Just to clarify if I have a non o retirement I can still get a 60 day extension,Thai wife 

Doesn’t have to be a non o marriage?

Not if you go to korat immigration, i was on a 90 day non o retirement last year went to get a 60 day extension thai wife, and they said no,you came in on retirement  visa, cannot,it left me 3 days left on my non o 

7 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

I have always used Bangkok Bank and I have never had my 800k frozen for four months.

 

The accounts may have been frozen for other reasons eg not keeping up to date info with them.

Nope. I went to see them and my account is fine and up to date. The issue is if your 800k has been in your account for less than 4 months before your extension then that 800k is frozen for four months after. This is my and the OP's situation hence my reply to him.

12 hours ago, lanng khao said:

Not if you go to korat immigration, i was on a 90 day non o retirement last year went to get a 60 day extension thai wife, and they said no,you came in on retirement  visa, cannot,it left me 3 days left on my non o 

Hopefully just Korat .Will be doing mine at pathum Thani 

If one wants to request an extension in Thailand when the initial 3 month Non-O (got online) expires.

 

Will the immigration office in Thailand accept the foreign bank statement  ? Thank you. 

5 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

If one wants to request an extension in Thailand when the initial 3 month Non-O (got online) expires.

 

Will the immigration office in Thailand accept the foreign bank statement  ? Thank you. 

No.  Thai bank in your name only.  Funds in place 2 months prior to application.

6 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

If one wants to request an extension in Thailand when the initial 3 month Non-O (got online) expires.

 

Will the immigration office in Thailand accept the foreign bank statement  ? Thank you. 

The funds 800k need to be in a Thai bank account in your name only seasoned for two months to apply for 12 month extension

On 10/21/2025 at 6:15 PM, Greenwich Boy said:

Nope. I went to see them and my account is fine and up to date. The issue is if your 800k has been in your account for less than 4 months before your extension then that 800k is frozen for four months after. This is my and the OP's situation hence my reply to him.

 

 

I have done three annual visa extensions.

 

I have the 800k in the bank two months before the extension and three months after, then I use the money in the account so it is stays over 400k at around 450k, then two months before the extension I top it up again.

 

I once went to get a visa extension but it was one day before the two month rule, the immigration officer told me to come back the next day so the two month rule was fulfilled. 

 

I doubt Bangkok bank have anything to do with the rules of the extension, that is up to us, they do not work for the immigration office and if so why only Bangkok bank? It makes no logical sense.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I doubt Bangkok bank have anything to do with the rules of the extension, that is up to us, they do not work for the immigration office and if so why only Bangkok bank? It makes no logical sense

This is a BBL thing and nothing to do with immigration. 

It's an action taken by BBL alone and yes "makes no logical sense" 

 

On 10/21/2025 at 11:20 AM, DrJack54 said:

 

The OP does not have a Thai bank account. Plans to open one with Non O eVisa. 

Only a crazy person would opt for BBL at this time. 

Kasikorn just one suggested better option. 

Also they do bank statement on the spot. 

 

 

The letter is confusing, it does not state the amount?

 

And it states it depends on the type of visa?

 

When you refer to BBL are you referring to Bangkok Bank?

 

8 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

The letter is confusing, it does not state the amount?

 

It's not really important. 

Most likely 400k marriage and 800k retirement. 

9 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

And it states it depends on the type of visa?

Just poor wording. At a guess referring to "marriage visa" And "retirement visa" 

No such animal. They (at a guess mean) extension based on retirement and extension based on marriage. 

11 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

When you refer to BBL are you referring to Bangkok Bank?

BBL is Bangkok Bank 

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It's not really important. 

Most likely 400k marriage and 800k retirement. 

Just poor wording. At a guess referring to "marriage visa" And "retirement visa" 

No such animal. They (at a guess mean) extension based on retirement and extension based on marriage. 

BBL is Bangkok Bank 

 

Thanks for the info, I will make sure there is 800k in the bank four months before, it might not be necessary but I will do the usual belts and braces approach as it is easer to avoid a problem than solve one. 😄

 

It is only a loss of about 1300 baht in interest anyway so not work bothering about. 

13 minutes ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

It is only a loss of about 1300 baht in interest anyway so not work bothering about. 

You may wish to consider changing to income method in the future. 

Without embassy letter that does take a year of running both methods in concert however best thing I have done. 

Years overdue. 

I have just done the non o based on married to a Thai a couple of weeks ago and have no Thai bank account.I was under the impression that when you apply in the uk you don’t need to show the £10000 in your bank ( £5000 is enough ) in the uk.you only need show this when you apply for the yearly extension in a thai bank. I went to immigration and they gave me a letter to prove my address for opening a bank account ( which I did at k bank ) they advised me to apply for retirement visa as a marriage visa is to complicated. I’m now in the process of doing this I also asked about extending my visa based on having a Thai wife and was told I could get 45 days 

hope that helps 

24 minutes ago, SERGERAMOS said:

I have just done the non o based on married to a Thai a couple of weeks ago and have no Thai bank account.I was under the impression that when you apply in the uk you don’t need to show the £10000 in your bank ( £5000 is enough ) in the uk.you only need show this when you apply for the yearly extension in a thai bank. I went to immigration and they gave me a letter to prove my address for opening a bank account ( which I did at k bank ) they advised me to apply for retirement visa as a marriage visa is to complicated. I’m now in the process of doing this I also asked about extending my visa based on having a Thai wife and was told I could get 45 days 

hope that helps 

This post has a LOT of problems.

 

You did a non-O based on marriage WHERE?  From the embassy?  Yes, of course it requires proof of funds. 

 

You then entered Thailand on this non-O?  Regardless of what you were told (I assume by the bank staff, but your post is unclear), you cannot apply for the extension based on retirement if you entered with a non-O based on marriage.  The first extension must be for the same reason the visa was issued for.

 

Visiting Thai Family extension is for 60 days, not 45 days.

1 hour ago, SERGERAMOS said:

I have just done the non o based on married to a Thai a couple of weeks ago and have no Thai bank account.I was under the impression that when you apply in the uk you don’t need to show the £10000 in your bank ( £5000 is enough ) in the uk.you only need show this when you apply for the yearly extension in a thai bank. I went to immigration and they gave me a letter to prove my address for opening a bank account ( which I did at k bank ) they advised me to apply for retirement visa as a marriage visa is to complicated. I’m now in the process of doing this I also asked about extending my visa based on having a Thai wife and was told I could get 45 days 

hope that helps 

When you apply for a visa from a Thai Embassy, the required funds can be in any bank account.

When you apply to extend your permission of stay at Immigration in Thailand, the funds must be in a Thai bank account in your sole name.

 

Which Immigration office did you visit?

1 hour ago, SERGERAMOS said:

I went to immigration and they gave me a letter to prove my address for opening a bank account ( which I did at k bank ) they advised me to apply for retirement visa as a marriage 

That would have been a certificate of residence. 

If you had an existing Non O marriage then extension based on retirement is not the norm. 

Which immigration office. 

Are you using an agent. 

 

Edit: from other posts are you dealing with Udon  Thani? 

 

18 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

This post has a LOT of problems.

 

You did a non-O based on marriage WHERE?  From the embassy?  Yes, of course it requires proof of funds. 

 

You then entered Thailand on this non-O?  Regardless of what you were told (I assume by the bank staff, but your post is unclear), you cannot apply for the extension based on retirement if you entered with a non-O based on marriage.  The first extension must be for the same reason the visa was issued for.

 

Visiting Thai Family extension is for 60 days, not 45 days.

I did a non o in the uk I had to show funds in my uk bank account and marriage certificate. I then entered Thailand and was stamped in for 90 days. I went to udon Thani immigration and got a residence certificate so I could open a Thai bank account which I did. 
while I was at immigration I asked about extending my visa at the end of 90 days and was told I could get 45 days

i asked about extending my visa after the 45 days for 1 year for marriage and was told it would be more easier if I did a retirement visa but had to have 800000 in my bank for 2 months 

if I have got my wires crossed I do apologise as my wife was doing the talking 

28 minutes ago, SERGERAMOS said:

I was at immigration I asked about extending my visa at the end of 90 days and was told I could get 45 days

If that's what they stated then fine however the funds would need to be in the new Thai bank account for 2 months seasoning to obtain the extension so normally obtained in last 30 days of stamp validity. 

28 minutes ago, SERGERAMOS said:

1 year for marriage and was told it would be more easier if I did a retirement visa but had to have 800000 in my bank for 2 months 

Immigration should have made you obtain the first extension based on marriage as that's what the Non O was based on. 

However less work for them so making things simple for them. 

 

Edit: you do realize that extensions based on retirement have much higher financial requirements. 

The 800k needs to be in account for 2 months prior to application and maintained for 3 months after approval. 

Not below 400k in other months. 

Marriage only 400k for two months prior to application+ under consideration period.. 

15 minutes ago, SERGERAMOS said:

I do apologise as my wife was doing the talking 

Therein lies the problem. It's your application, you do the talking and learn.

 

You can apply for a 30 day extension and an additional 60 day extension, married to a Thai.
If you entered with a Non O based on retirement, then the first extension should be for the same reason.

 

'Easier', yes for the Immigration officers to process an application based on retirement than Thai family, but not his decision to make.
Extension based on Thai spouse only requires 400K in a Thai bank, your sole name, for 2 months prior to submitting the application.
Once the extension has been granted, you can withdraw and spend the lot if you so wish.

 

These IO's infuriate me, thinking foreigners can just pull an extra 400K out of thin air.
I'd have replied 'OK, I'll do the extension based on retirement if you can just lend me the extra 400K'.