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Unanswered5 months ago

Is it a requirement to keep 500,000 baht in the bank for five years for a Thailand visa?

Anonymous *************
asked Jun 1, 2026
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Hello everyone!

Question about the 500K. I see several comments claiming that you should always keep 500K in your account throughout 5 years. And I also see a lot of comments saying that it is not a requirement. I have a question to those claiming it is a requirement.

Can you please direct me to any official page that clearly says it is an ongoing requirement throughout the 5 years? And do not quote visa application requirements, as these are not the same things.

And secondly, if you believe it is a requirement but cannot point to a source then what in your mind is the point of that 500 000. If we cannot use even a single baht of it then what is the point of having it sleep in the account? Some claim it is for emergencies... But how can it be for an emergency, if we cannot use it?
Summary so far
The post discusses the ongoing debate surrounding the requirement to maintain 500,000 baht in a bank account for five years as part of obtaining a Thai long-stay visa. The author requests clarification and reliable sources that verify whether this requirement is enforced continuously throughout the duration of the visa. The comments include various experiences and insights about bank letter requirements and the procedures at different immigration offices, indicating inconsistency in practices and advice. Overall, there is confusion and a lack of definitive information regarding the necessity of keeping the funds untouched.
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Matthew *********
Matthew *********
On paper it is, but the IO never gets that memo
Cool_Ba********
Cool_Ba********
Yes.

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