What are the requirements and steps to apply for a Thai marriage visa without depositing 400,000 THB?

It's complicated to explain regarding my situation not being an expat who lives in Thailand whole year round but only for half a year. I am still a resident of Germany and thus need german health insurance. For the time spent in Thailand I can but a very good coverage travel insurance valid for 6 months from German insurers for about 290.- Euros (as being 62 years of age). What I referred to is the fact that during 9 years before I bought this travel insurance for the first time, I never had an insurance for my stay in Thailand. As I was holding 800.000 THB in a Thai Bank I didn't feel the need to get one as I viewed the 800K being a good backup should a medical situation arise. I needed a few minor treatments in Thailand which I paid for in cash at private hospitals. So please do not compare my situation to that of an expat who lives in Thailand permanently - I do not recommend having no insurance at all. There are BUPA and AXA and other companies who offer such. Just seeing that some people choose to not buy any insuranceat all, to those I would recommend going the 400K/ 800K route so at least they have some backup money in a thai bank sitting ready in case medical emergency should arise

@Gregor *********

Could I please ask you where you purchased the insurance, looking at different companies and prices.

Alternately- the money only needs to be there for 3 months before the renewal. He could also transfer it right back out once he gets the renewal. So in that case it would only be 3 months lost. Transferring it back and forth like this isn't free but it's not necessarily that expensive either, perhaps best to just view it as part of the cost of the visa. Note the money does not need to be converted into THB for immigration, he can leave it in USD, EUR etc if he plans to send it back out again.

He can still get 1.5-2% on the 400k on a Thai bank. It's not a huge amount but then neither is 400k and it's not like (risk free) savings interest rates are any higher in the West either.

@Neil ***********

done & dusted

myself i am based on retirement. I slepp well knowing that if anything serious happens, my medical costs are backed up by 8a minimum of 800,000 THB (actually it's more on my account)

I reckon the moderators are going to stop the thead soon because we are not discussing visa related topics any more. If you have any questons PM me directly in my FB account

i guess the trips cost him much more than any "lost" interest of money in a Thai Bank. Furthermore . . .this money is a good backup in case he needs medical emergency treatment . . most of all when he is living in Thailand without a proper healtcare insurance plan

see what I am trying to say? He needs to spend money on flights and what else, every 90 days. An Extension of Stay based on being Married to a Thai comes cheaper in the long run

unless he is not planning an extended holiday in Laos, there's no reason to stay in Laos longer than 10 Minutes

of course not. He could go to any border, park the car on the Thai side (they all have security parking in these places). Go with the flow, cross the border, check out of Thailand check into Laos, stay buy some banana in Laos, eat the banana, turn around in your heels and walk right back to Thailand. Well it will cost him the Laos Visa, but hey he is going to spend valuable capital

. .and once in Laos being an Aussie don't wonder why people are flashing their lights at you. You are driving on the wrong side 😂🤣

my pickup is in my own name and I crossed the border to Laos in my own Thai registered car many times already. You need the magenta book, a "TH" sticker on the back of the car and buy the insurance right t the border

@Neil ***********

for Myanmar I do not know. For Laos the car needs a Magenta Passbook issued from the Department of Transportation from where the car is registered. This book enables you to cross the border to Laos. In Laos he has to buy an Insurance. Everything is fluid, a lot of people do that

ASEAN is a multilateral regulation. Does not include Farang married to Thai. He still has his home countries passport and is treated as such

no, Thai cars are not allowed in Vietnam due to right hand steering & no valid drivers license. Can enter Laos and Cambodia but not yet Vietnam. Maybe sometime in the future

i reckon after the third run he will be fed up with this scheme. However I can understand that not everybody has slack 400,000 Baht sitting somewhere

90-day runs cost money as well 😁. "Valuable" money

you can also apply for the Extension of stay based on being married to a Thai inside Thailand. This will give you a full year and save you from doing the 90 day border runs. However for this you need to meet the financial requirements

You can get nearly 15 months out of a years multiple entry visa

You can then go apply for another as long as you’re still married