How can my friend retire in Kanchanaburi with a retirement visa and open a bank account?

@Tulip *******

try

@Mots *********

or

@Cambodia ************

as both can do

I have never understood why pay an agent stupid money for doing what it says on the embassy webpage when you can DIY?

Bankgkok Bank - I opened two accounts whilst on a tourist visa - show thenm their own guidance on the webpage from head office - that often gets them thinking maybe they will not say no without any justification or understanding of their own rules.

Yes

Your friend should go to the local imigration office and request a residents certificate, and also ask if they will supply a letter stating his intention to get a retirement visa and that he needs to open a bank account. Some offices do this, and some banks will accept the letter.

He should open a bank account to where he is staying otherwise he will get charged bank fees every time he uses the ATM.

He needs to go and ask at all the banks and branches until one of them will open a account for him

@Tulip *******

tell your friend to take up an accomodation is Pattaya for a few days and visit agent MOT's. They will open a Bangkok Bank account for him in no time for 5000.- Baht. Then go back to Kanchanaburi, visit the local branch and make a small deposit (making himself known). After that he deposits the 800.000 Baht into his bank account, waits for 2 months, and then ask the bank branch in Kanchanaburi to issue the "bank letter of guarantee" (rab roong thanakan) for Immigration. He visits Immigration and applies for the 1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on retirement. He doesn't need an agent for this (the price he was quoted is a complete ripoff!!) the application fee is 1900.- THB , and he should buy a single re-entry permit on top of this "extension" for 1000.- THB

1. Branch location of bank/account is irrelevant for visas/extensions. They only care that you have the money in any thai bank account.

2 . That fee for opening a bank account is a f#%king joke. Extortion.

If your friend applies for a 3 month Non O in his home country, he can open a bank account without an agent, then deposit the 800k and apply for a 12 month extension in 2 months of his entry.