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

Nov 4, 2024
17 days ago
Tulip ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi All. Trying to get some visa advice for a friend over here now. He wants to retire here in Kanchanaburi. He cant find an agent here so has thought about BKK and Pattaya or Hua Hin.

Specifically, he is 68 and wants bank account. He has 800k to deposit.

He wants to have bank acc in Kanchanaburi, and has been told an agent can do that from BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin bank acc after opening.

He wants to register living in Kanchanaburi, on his retirement visa, and has been told agent in other places mentioned can set that up, even if done in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin. Is that true?

Finally the quotes have been between 37k and 65k he has the money. Are the quotes vaue for money? He has a dodgy heart so wants to make it as easy as possible, hence an agent.

Thanks
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses a 68-year-old expat seeking advice on obtaining a retirement visa and opening a bank account in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. He has 800,000 THB to deposit but is facing challenges in finding local assistance. Community members suggest that he can open a bank account either locally or via agents in Bangkok or Pattaya, expressing that using an agent may not be necessary and could be costly. They share insights into navigating the immigration process and suggest alternatives to hiring agents, emphasizing the importance of having the necessary funds in one bank account for visa extensions.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
John ******
be aware that you have two kinds of agents. One kind is an agent that helps you with the application and you just have to provide the required informastion. There is nothing wrong with, you could do it yourself, but don not want to do it yourself!. The other knd of agents are the one you use if you do not comply with the requirements fi you do not have the required money in your bank. They circumvent the requirements and they charge you much ! Be aware that if you use the second type of agents you are bound to use that agent everytime you submit a new application
Tim **********
Rae ******
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.
Angelo ***********
Your "friend", can do that himself. What is the question about?
Rae ******
@Angelo **********
You missed the bit about the heart condition. Of course it might go smoothly, but given the amount of medication he is on, its up to him if he wants to avoid any stress. Ny heart and lungs are perfect. His arent, my knees are tired his arent but all I would get doing a lot of waiting and walking around would be sore knees. He gets tired, pain in the chest and difficulty breathing. You can push knees, you cant push a heart.
Angelo ***********
@Rae *****
There is nothing about heart conditions in your post.
Rae ******
re read it 'Dodgy Heart'
Jonnie *******
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.
Ingvar *******
@Jonnie ******
normally you can change bransch when you change to a new home adress, or am I wrong?
Jonnie *******
@Ingvar ******
I’ve had same bank since more than 14 years, moved to another province and twice tried to register at the new branch, somehow my account still shows the initial province address and still get the atm charge, I gave up, hardly use cash anyway mostly the QR code so not so much an issue for me.

Edited to add ,,, I did open a joint account at the new branch,,, I but guess for the personal account I was trying to do as I would do in my home country rather than try to close account and open new was trying to change the home address, to new province possibly that’s where the issue comes from,, likely open new card account easy enough.
Ingvar *******
@Jonnie ******
must be because you are "farang". Thai citizens can do it easily.
Terary **********
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.
Brook ********
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.
Mark *********
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.
Stagger *****
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, 😊
Phil ******
Richard **********
I have never understood why pay an agent stupid money for doing what it says on the embassy webpage when you can DIY?
Neale *********
@Richard *********
because he's 68, has money and probably doesn't want the hassle
Us *****
@Richard *********
you ever wonder why you pay a restaurant stupid money when you can buy the ingredients and follow the recipe on line?
Todd **********
@Us ****
Good one
Richard **********
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.
Ingvar *******
Richard **********
William **********
Yes
Tony ********
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.
Andy ********
@Tony *******
great advice.
Craig ********
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
Laurie ******
@Craig *******
I opened a bank account with Bangkok Bank in Bic C , Buriam, & if I use Bangkok Bank in Robinsons ,in Buriam which is down the road ,I get charged a fee.😡
Andy ********
@Craig *******
this is a good point. Once he has the Non Immigrant visa he can open a second account in Kanchanaburi for day to day spending leaving the first account solely for his visa. It makes the paperwork at the yearly extension so much easier.
Craig ********
Just need your passport and your Thai marriage certificate they may want proof of residency but give it a go first
Craig ********
@John ********
I would open a account where your Mrs banks
Craig ********
@John ********
Ok then online transfers are free I have the same and as well as my Mrs
John *********
@Craig *******
yes, transfers are free too. We have done it maybe 100-150 times so far. Just like Thai people do.

Government Savings Bank. I don’t think this bank is unique in these features.
John *********
@Craig *******
my Thai wife has a bank account and we can transfer money to the account from the US using MoneyGram. Haven’t needed that for a few years. More importantly, my wife has the bank account app on her phone and uses the scan-to-pay feature. We do that all over Thailand and it is free, no fees. Brilliant. We never use or need ATM or bank debit card.
Nongnuch ********
@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
Steven ***************
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.
Ken ***********
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.
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