Apologies in advance if this has been covered in other threads.

I have to extend my Retirement Visa in Pattaya next week. Today I went to Bangkok Bank to order a 12 month statement which was fine. I asked about the letter that details just the foreign transfers, which I have had to produce for my last 2 extensions, but Bangkok Bank said that they have stopped issuing these letters. Similarly they won't issue the account verification letter which I would normally get the day before visiting immigration. Bangkok Bank said that immigration will be happy with just the 12 month statement. Can anyone clarify if this is true?

The issue is specific to BBL.

Immigration will require Bank Letter.

BBL should issue the letter and currently their policy is to freeze the 800k for 4 months from date letter is issued.

If your BBL branch in Pattaya will not provide the bank letter suggest you try branch elsewhere.

Show them example of bank letter and ask them why cannot provide.

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The issue is specific to BBL.

Immigration will require Bank Letter.

BBL should issue the letter and currently their policy is to freeze the 800k for 4 months from date letter is issued.

If your BBL branch in Pattaya will not provide the bank letter suggest you try branch elsewhere.

Thanks for the reply. I am using the 65K a month method. The letter is just the account verification ie: account number, name and balance. I did contact Bangkok Bank Customer Services but they couldn't answer the question. The branch said that they had stopped issuing the letters for about 2 months and that it was the same with all the banks. I will do as you suggest and visit another branch.

1 minute ago, Terry Scoble said:

Thanks for the reply. I am using the 65K a month method

I also use income method and obtain the bank letter (Kasikorn) day or two prior to date of application.

The main point of bank letter is to show you are the owner of the account.

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I also use income method and obtain the bank letter (Kasikorn) day or two prior to date of application.

The main point of bank letter is to show you are the owner of the account.

At Jomtien (October 2025) I needed ...

Bank book updated on the day of application

12 month bank statement showing monthly deposits of 65,000+

Normal bank letter (as you posted above)

A second bank letter - itemizing each foreign transfer

Proof of source of income - letter from my pension provider

... plus the usual ID and proof of address.

Got my statement and letters from BBL inside Central Pattaya Beach Mall.

I hope the OP will give an update when he gets his extension.

2 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

At Jomtien (October 2025) I needed ...

Bank book updated on the day of application

12 month bank statement showing monthly deposits of 65,000+

Normal bank letter (as you posted above)

A second bank letter - itemizing each foreign transfer

Proof of source of income - letter from my pension provider

... plus the usual ID and proof of address.

Got my statement and letters from BBL inside Central Pattaya Beach Mall.

I hope the OP will give an update when he gets his extension.

Bangkok Bank said they stopped issuing the 2 letters as of last December.

I wasn't asked for proof of source of income (February 2025). Is this a new change?

1 minute ago, Terry Scoble said:

Bangkok Bank said they stopped issuing the 2 letters as of last December.

I wasn't asked for proof of source of income (February 2025). Is this a new change?

It would be good to hear from someone who has gained their extension recently, without the 2 letters.

Regarding proof of source. It's been asked for on my last 3 extensions but, as you know, rules can vary even between different officers.

Edit for correction: It was asked for about 3/4 years ago and I have included it in my application ever since. Never given back, so I assumed it was still required.

15 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

At Jomtien (October 2025) I needed ...

Bank book updated on the day of application

Usually previous day is ok or did they specifically say they wanted it the same day? which is different to you providing it the same day

25 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Usually previous day is ok or did they specifically say they wanted it the same day? which is different to you providing it the same day

I was never asked for it before, so I turned up and was sent away to get it updated. So, yes, the day before may be ok.

37 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

It was asked for about 3/4 years ago and I have included it in my application ever since. Never given back, so I assumed it was still required.

This is common. By way of example I had never been asked for a TM30 doing annual extension. Just provided a lease.

One year I provided a TM30 and they accepted it. As a result I now include it every year.

50 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

A second bank letter - itemizing each foreign transfer

Proof of source of income - letter from my pension provider

I didn't provide "credit advice" from bank also No letter re pension.

Some offices ask for this fortunately CW does not.

Nor should it. The income does not have to come from pension.

The Account Verification/Certification "letter" has many uses. For example, Thais might have to get this to support a visa application, or a loan application. Bangkok Bank has had this template for years; it is in their system and they can issue it within minutes, and they charge 100 baht for it. For my most recent ext stay/ret-inc at CW (September , 2025) my BBL branch refused to issue this letter. I went to the closest branch where they issued the letter in minutes.

The Credit Advice Summary letter, detailing the twelve qualifying foreign transfers, was issued at my branch. That is issued at the Foreign Remittance desk. I'll ask tomorrow if they are still issuing it.

My experience with a 12-month statement was not good. It took nine days (I picked it up in person). It was printed on a dot matrix printer and did not have any signatures or stamps.

Hopefully BBL and Imm will sort out document requirements. Hopefully, they will detail the "proof of source of income" as to what documents are acceptable. Never been asked for this, but always have documents in hand (SSA Annual Benefit Letter, and sending bank source details - I have my SSA benefit direct deposited to an account in the U.S. and then SWIFT a portion of that to cover the 65,000 baht requirement.

48 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

That is issued at the Foreign Remittance desk. I'll ask tomorrow if they are still issuing it.

Please report outcome. My understanding is the print out showing 12 foreign transfers had push back from BBL.

52 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Hopefully BBL and Imm will sort out document requirements. Hopefully, they will detail the "proof of source of income" as to what documents are acceptable

Unfortunately some offices are asking for evidence of source of income. Unreasonable IMO.

Fortunately CW do not.

My last extension CW (income method) I only needed to supply 12 month bank statement.

By requesting it in Thai language the monthly transfers were noted in Thai as foreign transfer.

4 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

Thanks for the reply. I am using the 65K a month method. The letter is just the account verification ie: account number, name and balance. I did contact Bangkok Bank Customer Services but they couldn't answer the question. The branch said that they had stopped issuing the letters for about 2 months and that it was the same with all the banks. I will do as you suggest and visit another branch.

Many people have reported this problem. Specifically in Pattaya, but a few other places as well.

They solved the problem by going to a different branch who hasn't decided to throw 100% customer service out the door, only about 50% since Bangkok Bank is now garbage and hostile in general.

So just try different branches until you get what you'll be required to have.

I got my bank letter from the Bangkok Bank branch in Jomtien 2nd Road back in November. I will be curious to know if they have stopped issuing it.

Last September there were several reports that Bangkok Bank's Pattaya Branches has stopped providing the verification letter and letter listing foreign deposits for those wanting it for the 65k monthly extension letter. For those using the 800k in the bank, they would issue the letter, but if the funds on deposit had not been there for the preceding 4 months (Immigration requires only 2 months), they were freezing that amount in the account for the next 4 months (Immigration requires it stay on deposit for 3 months).

There were several threads as I recall on AseanNow at that time about it. Nothing since mid-October. In the latter part of October, one member told me he was denied the letters at a Pattaya Branch but was in Bangkok on some other business and went to the Main Bank (Headquarters) and obtained the verification letter without any problem.

Also, some members using the 65k method attending the Pattaya City Expats Club announced they had received both letters without a problem from the Pattaya Branch where they had opened their account - it appears that other Pattaya Branches will not provide the letters, only the one where you opened the account. Since then, I have not seen or heard any reports until this posting of any denials.

My question would be was the denial at the Branch where they opened the account? If not, I would suggest they try the Branch where they opened their account and see if they will provide the necessary letters.

18 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

Thanks for the reply. I am using the 65K a month method. The letter is just the account verification ie: account number, name and balance. I did contact Bangkok Bank Customer Services but they couldn't answer the question. The branch said that they had stopped issuing the letters for about 2 months and that it was the same with all the banks. I will do as you suggest and visit another branch.

I did my extension in December. Bangkok Bank issued the letter verifying the account like you mentioned. I was doing the monthly transfers and all I needed to do for Chiang Rai immigration was to highlight the monthly transfers on the 12 month bank statement as long as the statement designated that they were foreign transfers.

18 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

The branch said that they had stopped issuing the letters for about 2 months and that it was the same with all the banks. I will do as you suggest and visit another branch.

That certainly may be true about the Bangkok banks, but it is Defiantly not true about ALL banks, the Krungsri bank produce letter and statement in 15 mins. MAX. Why people still use BKB is beyond me..

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

BBL should issue the letter and currently their policy is to freeze the 800k for 4 months from date letter is issued.

Not necessarily correct. I renewed the end of Nov last year. I got my letter to confirm account and the 2 required statements without any freezing of my account. No mention of it at all.

3 minutes ago, worrab said:

I got my letter to confirm account and the 2 required statements without any freezing of my account. No mention of it at all.

Seems you had the funds in the account for months prior to application.

Several threads on that topic.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Seems you had the funds in the account for months prior to application.

Several threads on that topic.

Correct. If you hold the 800k in a separate account to the daily living account then there are no problems.

1 minute ago, worrab said:

Correct. If you hold the 800k in a separate account to the daily living account then there are no problems.

Yep.

The folk that are on extension marriage (some) just place the 400k in bank for just the two months seasoning for application.

They (in the main) were caught by surprise by this BBL nonsense.

1 hour ago, soisanuk said:

My question would be was the denial at the Branch where they opened the account?

In my case, yes. And they've issued this Account Verification Letter to me ~ eight-ish times in previous years.

I went to a different branch, where the Account Verification Letter was issued in minutes.

BBL seems to be struggling with customer service, and standardized policies and procedures.

2 hours ago, soisanuk said:

Last September there were several reports that Bangkok Bank's Pattaya Branches has stopped providing the verification letter and letter listing foreign deposits for those wanting it for the 65k monthly extension letter. For those using the 800k in the bank, they would issue the letter, but if the funds on deposit had not been there for the preceding 4 months (Immigration requires only 2 months), they were freezing that amount in the account for the next 4 months (Immigration requires it stay on deposit for 3 months).

There were several threads as I recall on AseanNow at that time about it. Nothing since mid-October. In the latter part of October, one member told me he was denied the letters at a Pattaya Branch but was in Bangkok on some other business and went to the Main Bank (Headquarters) and obtained the verification letter without any problem.

Also, some members using the 65k method attending the Pattaya City Expats Club announced they had received both letters without a problem from the Pattaya Branch where they had opened their account - it appears that other Pattaya Branches will not provide the letters, only the one where you opened the account. Since then, I have not seen or heard any reports until this posting of any denials.

My question would be was the denial at the Branch where they opened the account? If not, I would suggest they try the Branch where they opened their account and see if they will provide the necessary letters.

Thanks for your reply and to the other members who also replied. Here is an update:

I went to another branch (Pattaya Klang) this morning and they also said that they would not issue the Credit Advice Summary Letter or the Account Verification Letter. They did not ask me where the account was opened. I then told them that the account was opened in Udon Thani and they advised me go to that branch for the letters! This is contrary to their earlier advice that they were no longer issuing the letters.

I then went to the Immigration Office in Jomtien and spoke to the IO who deals with Retirement Visa Extensions. He seemed aware of the problem and said that the statement would suffice and I would not need the Credit Advice Summary Letter. However, he said that I would need the Account Verification Letter and asked whether I had another bank account. Luckily for me I also have an account with Krungsri. The IO advised me to do a transfer from Bangkok Bank to Krungsri Bank, update the passbooks and obtain the Account Verification Letter from Krungsri. I then visited Krungsri and they confirmed that they would issue the letter. I told them that this account was also opened in Udon Thani and they said that this was not a problem.

As an aside, the IO advised me to do all my future transfers to Krungsri Bank!

22 hours ago, Terry Scoble said:

Apologies in advance if this has been covered in other threads.

I have to extend my Retirement Visa in Pattaya next week. Today I went to Bangkok Bank to order a 12 month statement which was fine. I asked about the letter that details just the foreign transfers, which I have had to produce for my last 2 extensions, but Bangkok Bank said that they have stopped issuing these letters. Similarly they won't issue the account verification letter which I would normally get the day before visiting immigration. Bangkok Bank said that immigration will be happy with just the 12 month statement. Can anyone clarify if this is true?

if they cannot produce that letter, then you couldn't stay in Tland no more.

couldn't it be a 'mistake' in translation?

at BangkokBank i always ask for a "bai rab rong" and get what i need!

36 minutes ago, khunpeer said:

if they cannot produce that letter, then you couldn't stay in Tland no more.

couldn't it be a 'mistake' in translation?

at BangkokBank i always ask for a "bai rab rong" and get what i need!

No mistake. The bank simply doesn't care. There have been many reports of the same.

1 hour ago, BrandonJT said:

No mistake. The bank simply doesn't care. There have been many reports of the same.

First time I read that Bangkok Bank does not provide the 'Bank Account Verification Letter's.

36 minutes ago, Sato said:

First time I read that Bangkok Bank does not provide the 'Bank Account Verification Letter's.

It's not Bangkok Bank. It's specific branches of Bangkok Bank. And it's only for people who are using monthly transfers and need the verification for that.