Possible To Have A "pounds" Bank Account In Thailand?

[Me&MrsJones]

Happy New Year to you all. I think this is my first ever NEW TOPIC posted on TVisa. So please celebrate the loss of my virginity!.

Now, straight to the point.

The UK pound is very weak at the moment, need i tell you!!

I have been exchanging my Thai Baht for UK pounds every month for the last year or so. So now i have a fair amount of UK pounds here in Thailand where i normally live. The cash is in a safety deposit box in the bank......not under mattress - just before you plan on tracking me down you scoundrels

My wife will be applying for a spouse visa in about 2 weeks time. I am the sponsor. So i need to show that i have as much cash/assests/savings as possible in order to satisfy the immigration people. Naturally, with having pounds in cash, there is no record of this money coz it is not in a bank account. Thus, getting documentary evidence to show that this money exists is going to be tough.

Someone told me that i may be able to open a Pounds bank account in Thailand, meaning that you put pounds in and you take pounds out and therefore the currency stays the same (pounds only).......so there is no risk of realising any foreign exchange losses.

Is this true.....does anyone know anything about this?

Basically i just want to be able to show that i have pounds in cash when i fill out the wife's Spouse Visa application form.

Your knowledge and guidance would be greatly appreciated....

Love, Peace and Grease!

From

Me&MrsJones ("we've got a thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnng goin oooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnn)

xx

[true blue]

seeing as your going to uk,why not transfer to your uk bank and then print the amount of your account,off the internet to show to immigration.

[chiang mai]

All the larger Thai banks plus HSBC will open a Pounds Sterling account for you without a problem, so get the account open quickly and at least start earning some interest on your money, even if it is only a couple of percent. Alternatively you could simply buy Sterling bank drafts with your cash and send them back to the UK for deposit to your UK account.

[caf]

seeing as your going to uk,why not transfer to your uk bank and then print the amount of your account,off the internet to show to immigration.

[chiang mai]

Just one small point, UK immigration, just like Thai Immigration, usually like to know that the funds you have are really yours and not simply money that has been borrowed and put up for show, hence the Thai rule for ageing funds for three months on retirement visa's - you somehow have to overcome that problem and I don't know how you might do that unless you are prepared to wait whilst the account ages.

[Jaydillon]

Yes your right you can open a £ account I know That KK Bank have these types of a/c

Good luck

[ukrules]

Can anyone confirm if you get a debit card with the Sterling accounts ?

[Me&MrsJones]

seeing as your going to uk,why not transfer to your uk bank and then print the amount of your account,off the internet to show to immigration.

Sounds like a pretty good plan (transfering the money)...but would this mean that i would have to exchange the pound notes for Thai baht during the repatriation of the funds....ort would the pounds remain as pounds all the time?

I went to KK bank and they want 1% to deposit and 2% to withdraw.....which kind of wipes out any gains i've made on the favourable exchange rate (i bought the pounds for about b52...b51). Seems to me like one way or the other one's going to have to bend over, grab the ankles and take a "pounding" (not pun intended).

[Me&MrsJones]

Just one small point, UK immigration, just like Thai Immigration, usually like to know that the funds you have are really yours and not simply money that has been borrowed and put up for show, hence the Thai rule for ageing funds for three months on retirement visa's - you somehow have to overcome that problem and I don't know how you might do that unless you are prepared to wait whilst the account ages.

Ohh..i see. This rule rings a bell. I know i would fail on this rule coz my Thai Baht savings have only been deposited (in cash) in the bank about a month already. So my question is "how hard nosed are they on this 3 months rule"?

[Me&MrsJones]

Thanks for your advice.

You say "Alternatively you could simply buy Sterling bank drafts with your cash and send them back to the UK for deposit to your UK account".

How do i send the bank drafts back to UK? Physically.....by post?

[chiang mai]

Thanks for your advice.

You say "Alternatively you could simply buy Sterling bank drafts with your cash and send them back to the UK for deposit to your UK account".

How do i send the bank drafts back to UK? Physically.....by post?

Use DHL courier service, about Baht1,100 for a three day service - buy your bank drafts from Bangkok Bank, buy Sterling cashiers cheques from any large branch of Bangkok Bank, drawn on Bangkok Bank London.