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

Just see

@VISA ****************************

..so helpful

Thanks to all for assistance. he registers this week with specialist heart hospital in Nakhom Pathom. So that will ease his mind. I expect we will see some of you when out for a drink in Kanchanaburi. Thanks gain to all.

Your "friend", can do that himself. What is the question about?

I seriously doubt the agents in Pattaya or Bangkok or Hua Hin will open an account for him in Kanchanaburi, more likely they will open an account for him in the locality of the agent and tell him he can use that account in Kanchanaburi which of course he can do, but will have small transaction fees I think it’s around 20 thb at atm machines for each transaction, however if he’s financially fit to live with that until he can then at a later time open an account in Kan then it might be worth it to him,,, otherwise more difficult to find but I’m sure there would be visa agents/ travel agents in Kan that may be able to assist him in some way.

If I were in his situation I would work hard to find an agent locally. There must be somebody who helps people at the immigration office. You/He could go there during business hours and wait to spot the agent. Asking the immigration supervisor seems like a pretty good idea.

Agents provide know-how and contacts but otherwise they're just people. If no agent can be found consider hiring a college student or similar. I think if the friend and the student show-up at immigration the immigration officers will take pity.

I have been quoted in the neighborhood of 25-35 to get the visa and 10 to renew. That's without the cash. If your friend has the cash I would recommend paying no more than 25 (probably less).

It may be possible to set-up a visa in one location then transfer/move to another location. I did that with my bogus volunteer visa so I know it was possible at one time.

One final note, although I don't know, it's been my experience the immigration offices that do not have too many people to deal with, are more pleasant than the main tourist places. Si Racha's immigration was super awesome compared to Pattaya/Jomtien, It may be immigration in Kanchanburi will be easy.

If you insist on using an agent, and I do so because I value my time, just go to immigration and ask the supervisor to give you contact information for three good agents.

The agent will help you open a bank account as well as get a Non O visa.

Don’t pay more than ฿13,000 for the agent, visa AND multi reentry permit per visa.

You will want to have the agent AND the bank account in the same area you live.

On the address. Agents have relationships where they have relationships. You change the address subsequently in TM30 registration, then follow that through on your TM47s (90-Day Reporting). Finding an agent to get a bank account for you locally may be more difficult but important as you don't want to find yourself paying out province bank charges often and change of account province isn't regularised in the way the Immigration procedures just described are.

I have never had a Thai bank refuse to open an account for me, in a couple of cases have had Thai customer of branch with me.......... But if you're making a largish deposit, 😊

@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.