Pattaya And Atm/credit Cards - Explained?

[Guderian]

The latest edition of Pattaya Today has a regular section "Your Visa Questions Answered". This doesn't seem to appear in their on-line edition, presumably as it's written by a local visa company (Key Visas), so I have scanned the relevant bit ("Why a credit or debit card?") and attached it as a JPEG.

This is consistent with the latest information provided on the previous thread on Retirement extensions and the new requirement at Pattaya/Jomtien to provide a copy of a credit or ATM card in your own name (see http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...5007&st=75).

Lawling (2007-11-27 19:18:11) was getting an extension based on the 65K Baht/month pension route, and reported that he had to provide a copy of his ATM card.

Dalmatian (2007-11-29 13:26:55) was getting an extension based on 800K Baht in the bank, and reported that he was not asked for any other proof of income or his credit cards.

So as far as I can see from the information available, if you want to get a Retirement extension at Jomtien based on pension income, take a copy of your plastic with you. If you are following the 800K Baht approach, it shouldn't be necessary.

Well I hope that's it, anyway!

Thanks to lawling and dalmatian for their posts, and also to Key Visa for a succinct explanation. I've attached their "advert" at the end of the column in Pattaya Today so that readers can see who is giving this advice.

Cheers.

[naka]

While the post may help explain the reasoning of immigration, and we do thank the Guderian for that information.

The logic is still flawed in that an ATM or debit card does not prove the ability to pay,

nor does a credit card until it has been read and approved by the issuer.

Naka.

[Pakboong]

This requirement may be meant to make living outside the law or being a fugitive from an individual's home country, trying to hide in Thailand in a cash only arrangement, more difficult. Fugitives have a difficult time arranging a credit card.

[Guderian]

The logic is still flawed in that an ATM or debit card does not prove the ability to pay,nor does a credit card until it has been read and approved by the issuer.

Naka.

Agreed. In fact, the credit card might be completely maxed out, so the holder could be struggling desperately with overseas debt. That would presumably be a strong contra-indication for allowing a person to live in Thailand, but Immigration wouldn't know about it. Perhaps that is why we have also heard reports that credit card statements have been requested in some cases? That would seem to me to provide a better indication of the ability to get hold of funds quickly than just having a piece of plastic in your pocket, as the statement usually has the credit limit on it and would also show if the card was maxed out. On the other hand, it would be simple to forge such a statement .

The explanation from Key Visas does I think make it clear where Immigration are coming from. I have read a number of posts on various boards from people who can make the 65K Baht/month pension income criterion, but who admit that they do not have enough funds to put 800K Baht into the bank if they wanted to go the other route. So if they have very limited savings, and are presumably spending most of their pension income every month on living expenses, what would they do in the event that extensive hospital treatment was required ? It still doesn't explain why it is only Pattaya/Jomtien asking for this though.

This requirement may be meant to make living outside the law or being a fugitive from an individual's home country, trying to hide in Thailand in a cash only arrangement, more difficult. Fugitives have a difficult time arranging a credit card.

On the previous thread, somebody mentioned that you can get a Thai credit card if you deposit funds equivalent to the credit limit with the bank as security, so even for a criminal with only cash in his pocket, it would seem to be simple enough to get a credit card.

Plus it appears from the above that a copy of a card only has to be provided by those living here on income, not those with cash in the bank, so Mr. Big(gs ) and the gang will still be OK in Pattaya.

[jstumbo]

This requirement may be meant to make living outside the law or being a fugitive from an individual's home country, trying to hide in Thailand in a cash only arrangement, more difficult. Fugitives have a difficult time arranging a credit card.

I would think that someone that is living outside the law would probably not be applying for a retirement visa in Thailand. Seems like it would be pretty easy for another country to see who has visas in Thailand.

If they are in Thailand, they are not getting visas and extensions.