Can I travel to Thailand multiple times on a 60-day visa exemption after obtaining a 3-month retirement visa in the UK without extending it?

Mma *******

@Peter *****

to get a bank account- that’s the reason.

Reply to

Mma *******

Andy **********

If you manage to open a bank account on the non O, and then continue to do visa exempts, with everything that is going on with bank accounts at the moment, it could get closed, if you want to play it safe, and have multiple trips to Thailand, and keep your bank account open, maybe consider doing the multiple entry retirement visa extensions.

Nongnuch ********

how to you reach your conclusions? What does the bank account, once it has been opened on the correct visa, to do with his future stays? The bank does not check his visa status

Graham ******

How will the bank know what your future visa status is after they have opened the account based on having a Non-O? The accounts being "closed" were opened on a tourist entry stamp (including DTV in some cases).

Andy **********

@Graham *****

Nongnuch Kamdee thousands of people at the moment, are getting their accounts instantly frozen without warning, they are receiving requests from their bank, to verify all details if a discrepancy is seen, which includes visa status (only long-term visas are allowed to maintain an account) a non O is a 90 day visa, if after the 90 days has lapsed, and they are out the country, or in the country on a visa exempt, the account will be frozen and later closed, if it's opened on a non O, and updated when you receive the 12 month extension, if everything is okay such as verified phone number etc, you won't have any problems.

Jim *********

Nongnuch ********

this is complete nonsense you are making up. Yes, accounts that had been opened on tourists visa are being closed. But if he opens a new account on a Non-Imm-O visa, the account won't get frozen. It will actually be correctly activated and set up legally. The banks do not check his visa status afterwards. He could be on a visa-exempt entry and still use his Thai bank account

Andy **********

it's not nonsense at all, the scenario i described, is what this person who posted intends to do, accounts that have been opened on tourist visas, or visa exempts, or even opened by agents, are not being closed, they are being frozen, until the person can verify details (if they can) as in having a long-term "current" visa, and other details such as verified phone number etc, accounts are being closed if the said person, is still on a short-term visa, they are checking visa status, I've just been reading a post from a DTV visa holder, and his account has been closed, he received one of the many thousand notifications, to visit the bank where the account was opened, to verify "all" account details, including "current" visa status, the result was account closed, due to incorrect visa status, as you know this might not be the case in all the banks, some are saying it's okay for DTV, if your account is being used properly, and doesn't involve suspicious activity.

Nongnuch ********

the OP will open the account on a Non-Imm-O visa, so everything is legal and good. Which visa status he will be in the future, will not affect his bank account, unless (which is highly speculative from you!) the bank asks him back for a second verification process. Since he opens the account o a Non-Imm-O Visa, the bank has absolutely zero reason to ask him for another visit. How will the bank know what his future visa status is after he has opened the account fully legally based on having a Non-Imm-O visa? The accounts being closed or frozen, were those that had been previously opened on a tourist entry stamp, and this includes many DTV in some cases

Andy **********

have you not seen everything that is going on at the moment, with accounts being frozen, and banks requesting customers to visit the bank where the account was opened to verify all the details??

Nongnuch ********

I am fully aware of what is going on, I am reading in two dozen groups, and I got my own visa advice group. I don't see any problem for the OP. He is basically following a legal path. Even the top-advisor of this group - Graham Seal - says the same. YOU are making things up where there are none. You are speculating - which is something I, as a visa advisor, always avoid !

Graham ******

No, only long term visa holders can open a bank account, what happens once it is opened doesn't matter, it was opened correctly under the current guidelines

Robert ********

@Graham *****

So you haven’t read all the posts of ppl whose accounts have been locked and they have been asked to come to the branch to unlock it?

Graham ******

@Robert *******

Have you read the last sentence of my post? To add to that many of the recent "frozen" accounts have been because the name of the account and the name on the Thai sim do not correspond so needed to be verified.

Robert ********

@Graham *****

I have read many and I know personally 5 on retirement extension whose accounts have been locked until they went to the bank and got it unlocked without any extras. Most residents learned about the phone problem long ago. 😉

My guess: too many scammers opening accounts for Indian/Chinese call centers, so they must make sure you are legit.

Reply to

Robert ********

Ossie *********

Get a 5 year DVT visa while in the UK ( look it up ) that maybe a better option for you

Nongnuch ********

why oh why would he need DTV? He is aiming to get a Thai bank account opened. He can do so on a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa. But he cannot get a bank account opened on a DTV, because the DTV is a tourist-visa type

Ossie *********

apparantly Kasikorn and SCB are allowing accounts to be opened with a DVT as people have confirmed this in posts I have three separate thai bank accounts all opened on a tourist visa prior to getting an O visa several years later

Max *************

Totally wrong. Don't come up with stuff you don't know anything about.

Ossie *********

@Max ************

bollocks I know the guy who plays pool with me got his 6 months ago so stick that up your arse

Graham ******

some people on DTVs are reporting getting their bank accounts suspended, but you don't mention that

Nongnuch ********

not possible any more since February 2025. You cannot get a bank account on a DTV, the news are all over the DTV-related Facebook groups. Your information is obsolete

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Max *************

Nonsense, he can return any way he want without any problems as long as he's not doing extensions or border runs on a regular basis.

Reply to

Max *************

Jesper *******

You are coming in on visa exempt....if doing many times you will still be pulled aside iregardless of whether u did have a non0 90days before that......simple question why didn't u extend it?

Mma *******

@Jesper ******

He wants to get a bank account, that’s the reason for the Non O. Otherwise he would continue doing what he’s doing. It’s a good plan he has.

Jesper *******

@Mma ******

not sure if it's a good idea that will last....bkk bank already started closing accts that are not holding long term visas we do not know if other banks will follow......

Reply to

Jesper *******

Max *************

@Jesper ******

He never said "many times". He said twice a year,which is not abusing the visa exempt.

Abey *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jesper ******

at the moment l visit Thailand four times a year two weeks at a time, l want to stay around six weeks at a time few times a year but it’s hard without a bank account and hardly anyone accepts cards.

Lynnette *******

once you've got your retirement visa to enter, it's easier to get bank account set up. You aren't forced to extend your stay. Not sure if the bank will check your status after that.

Nongnuch ********

@Lynnette ******

won't happen. Once he has opened the bank account on the correct visa, it will remain active afterwards

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Pete *******

Of course.

Michael *******

visa exempt is a tourist visa , hope that answers your question , you can’t get half pregnant.

Max *************

@Michael ******

Maybe you should read up on visa exempts vs tourist visas. You're not entirely correct.

Michael *******

@Max ************

I’ll read up on splitting hairs instead, more informative 🤔

Reply to

Michael *******

Nongnuch ********

@Michael ******

a visa-exempt entry is NOT a tourist visa. It is just a "touristic entry"

Abey *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Michael ******

Retirement 90 days visa is totally different from tourist visa, my concern is after obtaining 90 days none O retirement visa will they force me to apply for a year extension

Nongnuch ********

I hope you are aware that misusing visa exempt entries or tourist visa, for a longstay in Thailand, will eventually get you denied entry at the border. As long as you don't try to enter visa-exempt multiple times during a 365-days period, you should be fine. But you cannot use visa-exempt entries in a consecutive manner

Abey *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Why, l visit four times a year on visa exempt two weeks at a time never being asked a question, now l want to stay around six weeks at a time, my concern is l don’t want to carry five six thousand pounds in cash, l want to be able transfer money into bank account and withdraw as l need it.

Tony **********

why not just use atm?

Fred *********

I visit Thailand for up to 6 weeks at a time 4 times a year. Ive never had an issue. And don't expect to ever have an issue. Some people I know visit for more. As long as your flying in as a tourist its almost next to zero your going to have a problem. And ive got a thai bank account on a tourist visit.

Nongnuch ********

@Fred ********

you better keep fingers crossed your bank account will not get frozen, as that happened to many people who had their accounts opened in the recent years on tourist visa

Nongnuch ********

you definitely can use the visa-exemption more often, if you never maximise the visa-exempt stays. But you always should be prepared to get pulled aside and asked. Have the famous three proofs ready to show: accomodation, 20,000 THB equivalent in cash, and onward travel proof

Abey *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

I always do but never being asked.

Nongnuch ********

stay prepared to get asked is what I recommend

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

Peter *******

nobody will force you to do anything. If you leave at the end of 90 days without applying for an extension the Non O is finished, history.

Nongnuch ********

@Peter ******

and a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa becomes "finished" or invalid upon entering Thailand, not after 90 days

Nongnuch ********

@Peter ******

WATCH your wording: if he leaves AFTER 90 days, he will be on overstay. He must leave BEFORE the 90-days stay permit expires

Reply to

Nongnuch ********

no, you are not being forced to apply for an extension of the stay permit. You can leave Thailand any time before the 90-days stay permit is expired. And the guy who told you that your Thai bank account would be closed if you enter visa-exempt at a later date, is absolute hogwashed. Once you have opened the account while you were on a Non-Imm-O Longterm Visa, the account will remain active and open in the future, regardless on which visa you enter the country

Simon *******

Bank of Bangkok is closing accounts of people that do not have a long term visa even if you have a DTV they are closing your account ,FACT. If he returns on a visa exemption and the bank checks his visa as they are doing now after freezing thousands of account ,his account will be closed FACT.

Nongnuch ********

the bank won't check his visa status. What makes you think so? I got a bank account since 19 years, my bank never asked me to show my visa status

Simon *******

Sorry I have to disagree, yes if you have an old account they are not checking YET,if you have had an account in the last couple of years they are freezing it until you go and show them your passport and other paperwork FACT,You have to go the the same branch where you opened the account, I was in Bangkok last Thursday my passport was with my agent my account has been frozen until I go in on Tuesday to close it i have had enough of the Bangkok fucked up bank it is a pain look on FB thousands are complaining about it ,my mate has 200,000 bht in his account he can't touch unto he goes to the bank tomorrow. I am going on Tuesday to waste another 3-4 hours of my life because Bangkok bank can't organise a piss up in a brewery with free glasses FACT

Nongnuch ********

well,

will enter Thailand on a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa. He will visit an agent and get a bank account opened. Legally and rightfully. Before the 90 days are up, he will exit Thailand. And whatever and whenever he returns to Thailand, it definitely won't affect his Thai bank account. That's gonna be the fact, and none of your speculations. . . you and the thousands of others have, in the recent 24 months, opened your Thai bank accounts on the wrong visa, and that's why you all are facing the consequences. If you had the correct visa when you opened your account, everything would be fine

Simon *******

I opened my account on a retirement visa and I have just renewed it speculation my arse its fact ,I know I have spent hours in the bank and have to spend even more time . The op will be returning on a 60 day exemption as that stated in the op.

Nongnuch ********

How will the bank know what your future visa status is after they have opened the account based on having a Non-Imm-O visa? The accounts being "closed" were opened on a touristic entries (including DTV in some cases), or the SIM-card number registrations didn't match the person holding the account. Everything else is irrelevant after the OP has opened a bank account on the correct visa

Nongnuch ********

FIRST: you didn't renew your visa, as you have no visa any more. You only got a new one-year extended stay permit. SECOND: the OP will open the bank account on the correct visa. What he will be doing in the future, is irrelevant to the bank account

Simon *******

tell the bank that, I have just renewed my visa first 1 year they froze my account while my visa was being renewed I have a 1 year retirement visa until October this year and have just renewed it

Nongnuch ********

you cannot "renew a visa". You can only get another 1-year extended stay permit. That Non-O visa you entered on, became invalid when you entered. You have been in Thailand on a stay permit since.

Simon *******

I did not enter on a Non O visa

Nongnuch ********

even if you didn't enter on a Non-Imm-O Visa, when you did the "change of visa type" inside Thailand, the visa itself expired the very moment it was issued. You were then on a 90-days stay permit, which Immigration changed into a 1-year stay permit