After 12 or so years away, I will be returning to Thailand this October and I am trying to choose between the marriage and retirement route (was previously on a non-imm B for about 12 years but I no longer work so that's not an option).

I will obtain the 90-day visa here and my first extension will obviously have to be based on cash in the bank but after that I am hoping to switch to the monthly transfer method. If I understand correctly, I will have to show that these transfers come from overseas. My questions are:

1 Will transactions from overseas banks automatically show as international transactions in my bank statements? I have old bank accounts at SCB and Krung Thai that are still active but I don't have online banking or a debit card for them so I currently have no way of testing this before coming. Transfers would be from my HSBC account in the UK. Is either bank a better option than the other for showing transfers as international on the statements? Or would I be better opening a new account, when I arrive, with a different bank?

2 Do I have to provide the source of funds? I'm still a few years away from receiving my pension and my income would be predominantly from property rental and investments and so I'm not sure if that would be acceptable for a retirement extension. Do I need to prove that my income is actually from a pension, or aren't immigration too concerned about the source of funds for a retirement extension? If it needs to be pension income, then I would probably have to go the marriage route.

I know it's still some way off but I'm trying to plan ahead and get everything straight so that I get the right non-O visa to start. I don't know if it makes any difference but it is the Korat immigration office that I would be dealing with.

Any advice would be appreciated.

11 minutes ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

Will transactions from overseas banks automatically show as international transactions in my bank statements?

Not necessarily. I request the 12 month bank statement to be in Thai language and the transfers have Thai script that indicates "transfer from abroad"

For your initial deposit of 800k using money in bank method the funds do not need to be shown as international transfer.

Income method does.

For question 2 asking about source of funds that depends on immigration office.

Last Nov I changed from money in bank to income method.

I did not show source of funds just regular transfers 14th of each month.

I use WISE. I did unrelated transfer recently and was prompted by WISE if I require it to be shown as international transfer.

Note to change to income method you need to run both methods in parallel for 12 months. Showing compliance to money in bank method and 12 monthly transfers.

Suggest you opt for retirement since you are planning on using income method..

Money will not be tied up in Thai bank and you most likely need 65k per month to live. Nice option.

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Not necessarily. I request the 12 month bank statement to be in Thai language and the transfers have Thai script that indicates "transfer from abroad"

For your initial deposit of 800k using money in bank method the funds do not need to be shown as international transfer.

Income method does.

For question 2 asking about source of funds that depends on immigration office.

Last Nov I changed from money in bank to income method.

I did not show source of funds just regular transfers 14th of each month.

I use WISE. I did unrelated transfer recently and was prompted by WISE if I require it to be shown as international transfer.

Note to change to income method you need to run both methods in parallel for 12 months. Showing compliance to money in bank method and 12 monthly transfers.

Suggest you opt for retirement since you are planning on using income method..

Money will not be tied up in Thai bank and you most likely need 65k per month to live. Nice option.

Thanks.

I would happily go the retirement route if it isn't dependant on having to show the transfers each month are pension related.

I'm just a bit worried if my transfers from HSBC to SCB or Krung Thai will show as international transfers.

1 minute ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

I'm just a bit worried if my transfers from HSBC to SCB or Krung Thai will show as international transfers.

Do you use WISE for transfers.

As stated... I request bank statement in Thai language and it showed as international transfers.

Also WISE asked me "reason for transfer"... I select " Long term living experiences"

It then asked if I need to be shown as international transfer.

Failing all that you can also get "credit advice" From bank.

6 minutes ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

I would happily go the retirement route if it isn't dependant on having to show the transfers each month are pension related.

At CW io wasn't interested in "pension"

Some offices look for proof of pension. They shouldn't as it's pension OR income.

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Do you use WISE for transfers.

As stated... I request bank statement in Thai language and it showed as international transfers.

Also WISE asked me "reason for transfer"... I select " Long term living experiences"

It then asked if I need to be shown as international transfer.

Failing all that you can also get "credit advice" From bank.

No. I transfer directly from HSBC. I'll look into Wise.

Could I ask which bank you use? I've read that some transfers are routed via other Thai banks and therefore come in as local transfers. I'm not sure if this would be the case for SCB or Krung Thai nor not.

1 minute ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

Could I ask which bank you use?

I use Kasikorn. They are partner bank with WISE along with BBL and think SCB.

Aside: avoid BBL.

Yes it's possible funds can land with a bank eg BBL and then be routed to your bank.

That then shows as internal transfer.

That can be fixed with credit advice.

Has not been an issue for me.

Keep in mind you will initially using money in bank method.

If Non O obtained outside of Thailand the funds can be in any bank.

For 12 month extension using money in bank the funds do not have to shown from abroad

48 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I use Kasikorn. They are partner bank with WISE along with BBL and think SCB.

Aside: avoid BBL.

Yes it's possible funds can land with a bank eg BBL and then be routed to your bank.

That then shows as internal transfer.

That can be fixed with credit advice.

Has not been an issue for me.

Keep in mind you will initially using money in bank method.

If Non O obtained outside of Thailand the funds can be in any bank.

For 12 month extension using money in bank the funds do not have to shown from abroad

Thanks again. From a quick online search it would appear that transfers to SCB do not show up as international. Where does one get the credit advice from? SCB or the bank the funds were routed through?

Maybe it will be easier just to open a Kasikorn account and transfer through Wise as you do. A bit of a shame when I already have 2 accounts.

4 minutes ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

Maybe it will be easier just to open a Kasikorn account and transfer through Wise as you do.

Since you have existing accounts, I wouldn't bother.

As stated for your first extension you will be using money in bank method.

That does not require proof of international transfer.

For income method yes your concerns are valid.

Address that once in Thailand.

As posted earlier WISE seem to now offer service to have transfer tagged as international.

Also bank here in Thailand can advise you on "credit advice" from bank.

8 minutes ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

Thanks again. From a quick online search it would appear that transfers to SCB do not show up as international. Where does one get the credit advice from? SCB or the bank the funds were routed through?

Maybe it will be easier just to open a Kasikorn account and transfer through Wise as you do. A bit of a shame when I already have 2 accounts.

Does Wise not send to either of your current Thai Banks?

I have noticed that recently Wise offers inbound transfers to be marked as foreign inbound or not?

4 minutes ago, 0ffshore360 said:

Does Wise not send to either of your current Thai Banks?

I have noticed that recently Wise offers inbound transfers to be marked as foreign inbound or not?

I'm sure it will.

I've just read online that payments to SCB or Krung Thai aren't marked as incoming international payments, whereas payments to BB and Kasikorn are. I guess when I arrive in Thailand, I'll have to try and if not, then open a Kasikorn account.

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Since you have existing accounts, I wouldn't bother.

As stated for your first extension you will be using money in bank method.

That does not require proof of international transfer.

For income method yes your concerns are valid.

Address that once in Thailand.

As posted earlier WISE seem to now offer service to have transfer tagged as international.

Also bank here in Thailand can advise you on "credit advice" from bank.

Thanks again.

Do you happen to know if the credit advice would need to be requested from my bank or the bank that the payment was routed through?

7 minutes ago, Colonel_Mustard said:

Do you happen to know if the credit advice would need to be requested from my bank or the bank that the payment was routed through?

Pretty sure it's from bank that received the transfer.

However think there will be other options.

Concentrate on funds in bank method for first extension then investigate monthly transfer options once in Thailand