Is it acceptable to enter Thailand on a 30-day exemption, extend it, and then obtain a tourist visa while showing proof of funds via bank statements?

Seems crazy to exchange two times, and loose money on exchange rates and fees two times.. Just take your ZAR with you and exchange in the arrival airport to baht..

There's a lot of forex trading going on here!

@Rob***

Or stay in a 'resort' for 300bt a day.

Average hotel between 800 and 1000 Thb a day, pay the first week and one third is gone already.

It's 20 Thai notes or 7 USD notes, not exceptional at all. And you'll spend and more if you stay 30 days, much less getting extensions and new visas. Turn it into thb when you get here, either from Rand or USD

If you are converting in South Africa I would suggest you convert it to USD or EUR. You'll probably get a better rate there for that conversion and you will get a good rate in Thailand (better than ZAR) for those currencies. Best is USD. I don't personally get why 45 banknotes is an impossible amount to carry, but if you do, converting it like that would get it down to a lower number. Depending on the rates in SA it might even work out cheaper than converting ZAR to THB directly. The rate for USD somewhere like SuperRich in Bangkok is as good as zero, that it costs nothing to convert, it will cost you effectively $1 in every $1,000.

You can open an account with Bangkok Bank with proof of address yes, but such proof usually needs to come from Thai immigration or your embassy. Some branches may take a lease or proof of property ownership. If you have a Thai "known to the bank" who can vouch for you (like an existing customer) that may also side-step the residency cert requirement.

It's very much down to the individual branch, they do not have a consistent policy. One branch may say no, another will say yes. I can tell you 100% how to get a bank account open here in Chiang Mai but I can't say exactly where you would need to go in Bangkok, other than you should be able to if you keep trying. I have read reports of people who couldn't find a branch to open in Bangkok having success in Pattaya, if that helps. You need to go to branches that are familiar with dealing with lots of foreigners.

It's 9,000 rand. Is that a lot? Just wondering if maybe you are miscalculating how much it is. You'd surely spend it in a month.

You can if you really feel the need. You typically need a residence certificate which Bangkok immigration will not give on a short-term visa. A commonly accepted alternative is a letter from your embassy certifying your address. They will probably charge for this. Certain other provinces (such as Chiang Mai) immigration will issue the residence cert on a visa exempt entry.

20,000 THB is not such a huge amount of money I'd be overly concerned about just keeping it in cash until you spend it, you would surely spend it within the first month? Thailand is quite safe, I have never been robbed here.

I wouldn't feel an overwhelming need to open a bank account just for this 20,000 but if you might stay longer and it might be useful, yes you can on a tourist arrival- but you may have to ask around a bit to find a branch that will take you, it's branch by branch. Bangkok Bank are one of the more farang-friendly.

@Ebrahim ***************

Yes you can open a bank account, you'll need proof of your address

@Ebr****

it's just over $600usd, if you're planning on being here for that long just spend the cash.