Bank statement for the new multiple tourist visa

[khunerik]

I have een reading from the Copenhagen embassy website that the I have to show 37k danish kroner in a bank statement for the new visa. That's about 200k bath. When a family apply for it? 2 grown ups and 2 children, what do they have to show?

[ubonjoe]

I assume double the money for a family like it is for regular tourist visas (20k baht or 40k for a family).

[Seizetheday]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

[bigt3116]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why ? Genuine tourists who can afford to travel for 6-9 months of a year can surely afford, (and would need), that money.

[oncearugge]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why ? Genuine tourists who can afford to travel for 6-9 months of a year can surely afford, (and would need), that money.

It works out to a little over 2000 Bht/day from which the couple would have to fund accommodation, food, transportation ect.

Maybe the financial hurdle is set too low ?

[elviajero]

Are you and your family staying in Thailand longer than 3 months? If not you don't need a new METV. Just get single entry tourist visas.

[Seizetheday]

I think you are both missing the point, from previous postings, one of the criteria is that you have an average balance of 200,000, probably 400,000 Baht for a couple, in your bank account for 6 months before you apply for a visa.

I'm reasonably wealthy ( you can see my house on the house thread!!! ) I would never have a running balance of much more that $5,000 in my bank account.

The people this visa is designed for, won't be able to afford it.

[oncearugge]

I think you are both missing the point, from previous postings, one of the criteria is that you have an average balance of 200,000, probably 400,000 Baht for a couple, in your bank account for 6 months before you apply for a visa.

I'm reasonably wealthy ( you can see my house on the house thread!!! ) I would never have a running balance of much more that $5,000 in my bank account.

The people this visa is designed for, won't be able to afford it.

Does being "reasonably wealthy" mean you spend less than 2000/baht a day on accommodation, food, transportation etc. when taking a holiday away from home ?

[jacksam]

The money in the bank for that period is overkill. Don't want to go sideways but my backpacker son just did couple of months in south America . His next plan is to travel Asia and mostly in Thailand . The METV would suit him perfect. As also a lot of young people I meet in Asia . Having the bank account seasoned for that time is excessive. Maybe he is selling his car........witch he is, for next trip.

I think the concept of the METV is a good one. Would have loved to been a fly on the wall when these requirements where being drafted. Kindergarten 101

[BritTim]

Some people who are comfortably off (receiving, say, 300,000 baht per month in income from investments) do not routinely keep large sums as cash in bank. This is especially true when they have just shelled out 250,000 baht for return air tickets for a family of 4. Of course, investments could be lquidated to meet the criteria, but that is a hassle.

[Fab5BKK]

1. It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

2. When travelling, using a credit card and paying the balance at the end of the month is quite common (goes without saying one can settle the amount by internet banking transfer).

Therefore, one doesn't need to have big sums on her/his bank account to travel.

"just my 2 cents"

I think you are both missing the point, from previous postings, one of the criteria is that you have an average balance of 200,000, probably 400,000 Baht for a couple, in your bank account for 6 months before you apply for a visa.

I'm reasonably wealthy ( you can see my house on the house thread!!! ) I would never have a running balance of much more that $5,000 in my bank account.

The people this visa is designed for, won't be able to afford it.

Does being "reasonably wealthy" mean you spend less than 2000/baht a day on accommodation, food, transportation etc. when taking a holiday away from home ?

[elviajero]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

[Seizetheday]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

Well you will need to now, especially if you were thinking of going for six months on a double entry visa in December, just what they need for the high season!!!

I can just see the headlines, "TAT predicts record demand for new visas", in 6 months time.

[thaibreaker]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

I also think this requirement is overkill, one doesn`t need to have this kind of balance in any bankaccount prior to a 6-9 month trip to fund yourself.

We are all different, and some want to pay by credit card, with monthly back payment. Some can have an income from for instance renting out their own condos or so, that covers all costs on a monthly basis.

The point is there may be all kinds of ways of funding your trip, without having the amount of 200.000 bath in your account at the time you apply.

Some embassies have also an additional requirement; letter of employment. Thousands of genuine tourists don`t have work at the time of travel, but take a break from it or have any other reason for travelling. But you can have enough money to fund yourself anyway, not neccesarily all up front. Many also have their income from online work, have extra payouts during holidays etc.

I think these new requirements will affect tourism here in the long run, as they don`t fit as many as before. Not only those who have their holdays in Thailand are spending big here, but also many of these "long term" tourists are leaving quite a bit of money behind.

[elviajero]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

I also think this requirement is overkill, one doesn`t need to have this kind of balance in any bankaccount prior to a 6-9 month trip to fund yourself.

We are all different, and some want to pay by credit card, with monthly back payment. Some can have an income from for instance renting out their own condos or so, that covers all costs on a monthly basis.

The point is there may be all kinds of ways of funding your trip, without having the amount of 200.000 bath in your account at the time you apply.

Some embassies have also an additional requirement; letter of employment. Thousands of genuine tourists don`t have work at the time of travel, but take a break from it or have any other reason for travelling. But you can have enough money to fund yourself anyway, not neccesarily all up front. Many also have their income from online work, have extra payouts during holidays etc.

I think these new requirements will affect tourism here in the long run, as they don`t fit as many as before. Not only those who have their holdays in Thailand are spending big here, but also many of these "long term" tourists are leaving quite a bit of money behind.

Maybe they have realised that the majority of tourists enter with single entry tourist visas, visa exempt entries and visa on arrival and the majority of those using double/triples are the tourists they don't want.

Based on the criteria that is emerging I doubt they expect to sell many METV's and only want to sell them to people with money in their bank and a job to go back home to.

I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference to tourism as the vast majority of tourists stay less than 60 days.

[Pattaya46]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why are you talking in Baht? The criteria here is to have 37k Danish kroner in a Danish bank, and for this METV who is a Tourist Visa available only in your residence country, it would be logical every consulate/embassy ask money available in your residence country too.

It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

You know interest rates in Danish banks?

[Seizetheday]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why are you talking in Baht? The criteria here is to have 37k Danish kroner in a Danish bank, and for this METV who is a Tourist Visa available only in your residence country, it would be logical every consulate/embassy ask money available in your residence country too.

It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

You know interest rates in Danish banks?

Sorry, I was rounding up, 37,000 Danish Kroner is about 195,000 Thai Baht, so thats about 390,000 for a couple, or 74,000 Danish Kroner?

I'm not an expert like yourself, but I would imagine interest rates in Denmark would be like most of the world, pretty low, a bit like your ....whoops, I'll take that out.

[Fab5BKK]

Interest rates for Current Accounts are usually lower than for Saving Accounts, etc.

Solid investment approach generates better returns than current accounts.

Got it?

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why are you talking in Baht? The criteria here is to have 37k Danish kroner in a Danish bank, and for this METV who is a Tourist Visa available only in your residence country, it would be logical every consulate/embassy ask money available in your residence country too.

It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

You know interest rates in Danish banks?

[thaibreaker]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why are you talking in Baht? The criteria here is to have 37k Danish kroner in a Danish bank, and for this METV who is a Tourist Visa available only in your residence country, it would be logical every consulate/embassy ask money available in your residence country too.

It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

You know interest rates in Danish banks?

The criteria seems to be world wide, except for a few countries so far (Norway has no money criteria yet).

Rounded up to about 200.000 bath seems like a norm, but the highest amount I have seen so far, is 8000 dollars. A bit extreme I think.

[thaibreaker]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

I also think this requirement is overkill, one doesn`t need to have this kind of balance in any bankaccount prior to a 6-9 month trip to fund yourself.

We are all different, and some want to pay by credit card, with monthly back payment. Some can have an income from for instance renting out their own condos or so, that covers all costs on a monthly basis.

The point is there may be all kinds of ways of funding your trip, without having the amount of 200.000 bath in your account at the time you apply.

Some embassies have also an additional requirement; letter of employment. Thousands of genuine tourists don`t have work at the time of travel, but take a break from it or have any other reason for travelling. But you can have enough money to fund yourself anyway, not neccesarily all up front. Many also have their income from online work, have extra payouts during holidays etc.

I think these new requirements will affect tourism here in the long run, as they don`t fit as many as before. Not only those who have their holdays in Thailand are spending big here, but also many of these "long term" tourists are leaving quite a bit of money behind.

Maybe they have realised that the majority of tourists enter with single entry tourist visas, visa exempt entries and visa on arrival and the majority of those using double/triples are the tourists they don't want.

Based on the criteria that is emerging I doubt they expect to sell many METV's and only want to sell them to people with money in their bank and a job to go back home to.

I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference to tourism as the vast majority of tourists stay less than 60 days.

I just can`t see why they shouldn`t want the todays tourists with double and triple entries. If they are going after people working in Thailand, there are better ways to do that.

As for now, every tourist should count for Thailand. There is a huge number of them on these visas today, and they leave behind much money in the long run.

The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already, and with these new requirements for the METV, in addition to the new, harsh penalties for overstaying coming up, it won`t exactly get better.

I can`t see it any other way.

[oncearugge]

"The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already" Really !

The evidence would seem to say otherwise.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/tourist-arrivals

Were do you get your information from ?

[Happy Grumpy]

I think you are both missing the point, from previous postings, one of the criteria is that you have an average balance of 200,000, probably 400,000 Baht for a couple, in your bank account for 6 months before you apply for a visa.

I'm reasonably wealthy ( you can see my house on the house thread!!! ) I would never have a running balance of much more that $5,000 in my bank account.

The people this visa is designed for, won't be able to afford it.

Does being "reasonably wealthy" mean you spend less than 2000/baht a day on accommodation, food, transportation etc. when taking a holiday away from home ?

Some/many longer-term tourists have income not earned via work, you know.

[elviajero]

I'm sure they'd accept savings accounts too. But if not, realistically, how many people plan a long term trip anywhere with less than six months before traveling!

I also think this requirement is overkill, one doesn`t need to have this kind of balance in any bankaccount prior to a 6-9 month trip to fund yourself.

We are all different, and some want to pay by credit card, with monthly back payment. Some can have an income from for instance renting out their own condos or so, that covers all costs on a monthly basis.

The point is there may be all kinds of ways of funding your trip, without having the amount of 200.000 bath in your account at the time you apply.

Some embassies have also an additional requirement; letter of employment. Thousands of genuine tourists don`t have work at the time of travel, but take a break from it or have any other reason for travelling. But you can have enough money to fund yourself anyway, not neccesarily all up front. Many also have their income from online work, have extra payouts during holidays etc.

I think these new requirements will affect tourism here in the long run, as they don`t fit as many as before. Not only those who have their holdays in Thailand are spending big here, but also many of these "long term" tourists are leaving quite a bit of money behind.

Maybe they have realised that the majority of tourists enter with single entry tourist visas, visa exempt entries and visa on arrival and the majority of those using double/triples are the tourists they don't want.

Based on the criteria that is emerging I doubt they expect to sell many METV's and only want to sell them to people with money in their bank and a job to go back home to.

I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference to tourism as the vast majority of tourists stay less than 60 days.

I just can`t see why they shouldn`t want the todays tourists with double and triple entries. If they are going after people working in Thailand, there are better ways to do that.

As for now, every tourist should count for Thailand. There is a huge number of them on these visas today, and they leave behind much money in the long run.

The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already, and with these new requirements for the METV, in addition to the new, harsh penalties for overstaying coming up, it won`t exactly get better.

I can`t see it any other way.

IMO although someone could be a tourist forever Thailand categorises a tourist as a short term visitor. I think the changes to tourist visas will have no effect on that category of tourist.

There are undoubtedly people living here under 50 that can support themselves from income/investments abroad but they are surely in the minority of people using double/triple entry visas. Most under 50's support their stay from working while they are here. I think their view of their effect on the economy is overstated.

The last report I read said that visitor numbers were on target for a record 28 million so I don't see a big hit happening. We've had mobs in Bangkok, bombings, coups, and people still come.

The overstay penalties won't effect the majority of tourists or most overstayers come to that. No penalty (ban) for 90 days unless you get caught. Less than 1% of visitors overstay. I doubt most tourists would be put off coming as they would never expect to overstay anyway.

[thaibreaker]

"The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already" Really !

The evidence would seem to say otherwise.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/tourist-arrivals

Were do you get your information from ?

Just from my own experience where I am at, and from all other shop owners in the area.

I have never experienced this low a season all year around, and neither have all people I know working in shops, and the people I talk with in the area of Jomtien and Pattaya. Here it has always been packed with farang people.

At least the russians are causing a hit here, due to their economy. And this area was feeding on russians for a long time.

At markets I hardly see farangs anymore. It is no doubt in my mind that the number of farangs from all countries here has been going pretty much down the last couple of years. All the shops shutting down every week and month are a good pointer.

[aneliane]

"The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already" Really !

The evidence would seem to say otherwise.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/tourist-arrivals

Were do you get your information from ?

Just from my own experience where I am at, and from all other shop owners in the area.

I have never experienced this low a season all year around, and neither have all people I know working in shops, and the people I talk with in the area of Jomtien and Pattaya. Here it has always been packed with farang people.

At least the russians are causing a hit here, due to their economy. And this area was feeding on russians for a long time.

At markets I hardly see farangs anymore. It is no doubt in my mind that the number here has been going pretty much down the last couple of years. All the shops shutting down every week are a good pointer.

it is exactly the point.

Getting rid of tourists living within the thai community and upping numbers at Malls and resorts.

Groups especially Chinese are more numerous in Central World, they even have tours in Mega Bangna.

[puukao]

Let's think about this. VACATION is not escaping your country to live cheaply and being miserable (eventually) and only surviving day to day with little or no long-term hope.

To me, this lifestyle will still cost money. About 500-1000 baht a day (includes visa, travel, etc...).. so 500-1000 usd a month. let's say 750 a month to survive and probably hate life eventually...that is 4500 for 6-months.

I would imagine Thailand makes little or loses money on these "poor" souls. So they put in a number high enough where maybe these people could afford hospital, traveling more, spending, etc....

tons of short-sighted dreamers come here with no money, end up hating life, get mad at the system, don't blame themselves, then go home......

makes sense to have a little money first.....

[thaibreaker]

"The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already" Really !

The evidence would seem to say otherwise.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/tourist-arrivals

Were do you get your information from ?

Just from my own experience where I am at, and from all other shop owners in the area.

I have never experienced this low a season all year around, and neither have all people I know working in shops, and the people I talk with in the area of Jomtien and Pattaya. Here it has always been packed with farang people.

At least the russians are causing a hit here, due to their economy. And this area was feeding on russians for a long time.

At markets I hardly see farangs anymore. It is no doubt in my mind that the number here has been going pretty much down the last couple of years. All the shops shutting down every week are a good pointer.

it is exactly the point.

Getting rid of tourists living within the thai community and upping numbers at Malls and resorts.

Groups especially Chinese are more numerous in Central World, they even have tours in Mega Bangna.

The vast majority of shops shutting down and shops in trouble here, are owned or leased by thais.

Maybe I misunderstood you, but the ones I mentioned here are all thais, (our shop is owned by my wife, I take no part in it) and they just need more farang coming, short or long stay.

[oncearugge]

"The tourism is in fact taking a big hit already" Really !

The evidence would seem to say otherwise.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailand/tourist-arrivals

Were do you get your information from ?

Just from my own experience where I am at, and from all other shop owners in the area.

I have never experienced this low a season all year around, and neither have all people I know working in shops, and the people I talk with in the area of Jomtien and Pattaya. Here it has always been packed with farang people.

At least the russians are causing a hit here, due to their economy. And this area was feeding on russians for a long time.

At markets I hardly see farangs anymore. It is no doubt in my mind that the number here has been going pretty much down the last couple of years. All the shops shutting down every week are a good pointer.

it is exactly the point.

Getting rid of tourists living within the thai community and upping numbers at Malls and resorts.

Groups especially Chinese are more numerous in Central World, they even have tours in Mega Bangna.

The vast majority of shops shutting down and shops in trouble here, are owned or leased by thais.

Maybe I misunderstood you, but the ones I mentioned here are all thais, (our shop is owned by my wife, I take no part in it) and they just need more farang coming, short or long stay.

Maybe the discerning visitor is avoiding Jomtien and Pattaya?

There are many other much more pleasant places in Thailand for "farang" to visit.

My son and his wife will be here in Jan, 2016 but will NOT be visiting Pattaya !

[Saastrajaa]

400,000 Baht in the bank for a couple to get a 6 month visa for Thailand, someone has lost the plot.

Why are you talking in Baht? The criteria here is to have 37k Danish kroner in a Danish bank, and for this METV who is a Tourist Visa available only in your residence country, it would be logical every consulate/embassy ask money available in your residence country too.

It's, usually, a good practice not to leave too much money on a current (or similar) bank account. Current accounts don't have good interest rates.

You know interest rates in Danish banks?

The criteria seems to be world wide, except for a few countries so far (Norway has no money criteria yet).

Rounded up to about 200.000 bath seems like a norm, but the highest amount I have seen so far, is 8000 dollars. A bit extreme I think.

Sounds like, as usual, Thais (in this case the folks deciding the via policy) have way over-estimated just how rich the average farang really is, haha...

[MobileContent]

Re Tourist numbers in Pattaya - As I mentioned last week in another post, TAT for the first time did no promotion of Pattaya this year in international media. The numbers of Russian tourists is down in Pattaya any way, so that could be the reason that shops are closing down.

We send more tourists to Isaan daily as to Pattaya.