Why were comments closed so quickly on the TransferWise post related to visa extensions?

I believe there is a very good reason for that:

1. If you have a question, you can create a new post. It'll be easier to read and answer you question.

2. By leaving comments open, bad information may be included by well-meaning members. It's better to close comments when the information is correct, then to keep it open and let bad information in.

3. If you believe you have something extra to add to the thread, message one of the mods of the group. They are extremely friendly, and can reopen the thread.

@Sammy ******

The point is that this site is known for its concise accurate information about immigration requirements. Endless anecdotes are discouraged.

Sammy Jones The other site has 12 pages of individual anecdotes about this topic with no resolution in sight. Not to mention the many similar threads over the past 6 months. Immigration offices interpret the requirements differently and each Immigration office is supplied by a dozen different banks. If the mods did weigh in they would say you have to visit your Immigration office and your bank.

@An**

people are now reporting that their SWIFT transfers are not necessarily appearing as international either. This stuff is stuff you only figure out and hear about from other people's reports. If we didn't have the reports and people warning about it, people might happily go on doing whatever for 12 months only to end up having their extension denied.

These "anecdotal" reports are valuable information IMO. If you don't think so, just don't read them.

@Ivan ***********

either way I'm not a mod so my continuing this is immaterial. I like things on this page just fine as they are. Accurate info with anecdotal info at the barest minimum.

@Ivan ***********

The visa financial requirements are clear whether from the embassy letter or lump sum. the confusing thin g is the huge variance in not only what a particular bank will do but also a particular branch of that bank. No one can give consistently accurate advice on what a particular branch will agree to. There are far too many. Just look at opening an account. I went to four different banks and they all had different requirements. Not only that but different branch's of the same bank had different requirements as well. pening an account is not new and they can't get it consistent. The income letter requirement is new. How many different areas do you think this page can effectively give good sound advice on. You would need a person in almost every city constantly going to each bank and asking them. If we rely on anecdotal evidence from kbank Chiang mai to deal with scb thus him it's not gonna work is it. TW have been shown to be a problem since February this year when expatscstarted checking if it showed international transfers and they didn't. The situation is obviously unresolved. Simply change method of transfer making sure your receiving bank shows international transfer. In other words ask the bank you have an account with. Not hard.

The whole group could be shut down and replaced with links to / /

And why are the "logistics" of what is considered acceptable or not to immigration not relevant?

The whole US/British embassy stopping income letters is "logistics" too, the requirement is the same as it ever was, that you have a letter from your consulate.

It's just particular "logistics" if the US and Brits and Australia stopped issuing them. Nothing to do with the requirement, that didn't change. So why was it relevant to discuss that?

This stuff obviously impacts on people getting their extensions.

@Marty ********

I use it without issue although not monthly.

@John *********

And Transferwise is the most confusing of topics

That's not how it actually works with Thailand, as TW do not support outgoing transfers. All TW money going into Thailand has to actually be sent into Thailand from abroad.

With other countries, this could be possible, if TW handle transfers in both directions, they can match it up internally. But not for Thailand, they money all has to come in. The issue is that TW partner with certain banks and transfer it in to one bank, and then route it on domestically to the destination. If the money doesn't happen to come in to the bank YOU bank with, it may not be marked as international.

Additionally, TW have a new option now where you can actually send USD into Thailand through SWIFT, so that it actually originates outside Thailand.

@David ********

Mine only paid MYR10 per transfer so in this case I don’t mind at all.

@Kun *******

this May be true but the cost of $50 per transaction, regardless of the amount is not a viable option for many of us.

I too will soon face this same dilemma and want as much information as possible.

@Bob *********

I don’t mind as long it stated clearly then I’m saving the hassle.

@Kun *******

charges you hit the nail on the head most Swift code transfers cost about $40 Transferwise was much cheaper for a lot of people so if there not showing up as IT at Bangkok bank then maybe we ALL can come up with another way to get a VISA extension

@Kun *******

right you are! So many ways to transfrr and each has to pick the best way for them. Over the past 18 years I have changed my meathods as things changed. I prefer we stay strictly on Visa Questions and go elsewhere for Banking Information.

@Dianne ****

Mine had no issue and were using KBank all along.

@Kun *******

my SWIFT transfer from my Australian bank showed up as a domestic transfer as it had gone via Citibank in Bangkok first. I trued to do everything right, as suggested by others and moderators in this group; I opened a Bangkok Bank account, I spurned transferwise as an option and I used an international transfer with a SWIFT code from my oversesa bank to my Bangkok Bank account, but still it ended up appearing in my Bangkok Bank account as a domestic transfer

Sorry guys .. just to clarify about the funds.

You all uses online transfer or walk-in the bank? Mine is I get my family to walk-in a bank and uses swift transfer.

Not online transfer.

Ivan McAvinchey That is what Kasikorn told me and what I said above. As I said, it doesn’t matter to me. When the new Immigration rules were announced last fall I asked Kasikorn about this to do some advanced research just in case. I was surprised by this though when I looked at my bank statement. Thought others should know that a wire transfer doesn’t automatically show up as a foreign transfer.

@Ma***

this is possible if the transfers come in through a correspondent bank- if BoA doesn't have a direct relationship with Kasikorn this can be how it works, they go through a third party bank for the transfer.

5/what-role-does-correspondent-bank-play-international-transaction.asp

I only use Swift transfer too but Kasikorn sometimes list these incorrectly too. This whole 12 months of correctly annotated deposits is turning into a nightmare. I'll probably get an O-A in Australia as I don't want to tie up 800k here. Those countries still issuing income letters have far less stringent requirements. Eg. Gross income vs net income, income in home country covering some home country expenses vs income brought to Thailand. It's a mess.

@Ivan ***********

To be frank, I never had issue using Swift Transfer as all Swift Transfer are noted as International Fund Transfer. If one day it happens then will definately find a new solution. At meantime I prefer sticking to my TT transfer.

Marty Pollard I got no idea why your KBank shows like that but mine KBank never shows. All my transfer is stated clearly.

@Kun *******

My wire transfers from Bank of America to Kasikorn always show up as domestic transfers. They are being routed to Kasikorn through another bank. I’m using the 800,000 banked money method though so it doesn’t matter to me. I asked Kasikorn about it and they said they could produce a report showing the foreign origin for a fee and it would take a week or two.

And

@Kun *******

say there was some change with your particular bank so your SWIFT transfers now went through a correspondent bank rather than directly and started appearing as non-international in your book. Would that not be relevant to discuss?

@Sammy ******

Well I just use swift transfer. I do not wish to wish other or another 3rd party transfer. The only difference is charges and to me its safer this way.

@Ivan ***********

They do post advice about TM30's. When there are no more changes to the Immigration policy they collate what information they have, post it and then direct all further questions to that post and cut off further comments.

Interesting point on extensions. Maybe they need to change the name of the group.

Unlike TM30's, how to transfer money, using Transferwise or similar services, seems to have no firm answer from bank to bank or from the various Immigration offices around the country. In fact, a standard answer is that when they know there are inconsistencies between offices then those questions can only be answered by talking to your Immigration office. In the matter of bank transfers you have to talk to your bank branch.

People post their personal anecdotes all the time and sometimes get thanked for new information but discussion is often cut off quickly.

@Dianne ****

sounds like your Australian bank used the wrong swift code then. Each bank has its own.

Using a SWIFT transfer isn't a sure thing either. My Australian bank chose to send my monthly equivalent of 65K baht to Citibank in Bangkok before it landed in my Bangkok Bank account, and thus it ended up recorded as a domestic transfer. The Bangkok Bank manager advised me to use transferwise in future as he was adamant that the SWIFT transfer from my overseas bank would not meet the requirements for my next visa extension

@Stephen ******

The problem with leaving posts open is that it starts becoming a conversation (or trolling), and not a question/answer group. I don't have time to read a conversation to see an answer.

It is visa related if it is about the requirements to obtain an extension of stay. I say leave the comments open a few days. Not everyone with something worthwhile to stay is glued to Facebook .

@Ma***

and a TM30 group, and for that matter an extension group as extensions are not visas.

@Ivan ***********

It’s pretty clear what Immigration will accept. Money from a foreign source verified by your bank. Everything else is a banking discussion. There needs to be a Thai banking Facebook group.

@Sammy ******

I'm not a mod, I'm not going to ever be a mod, and this isn't my group.

Personally, I think it's very relevant, as to what immigration will or will not accept as proof for an extension. I don't understand why discussion of it, which may be helpful to people, has to be cut off so quickly.

@Ivan ***********

TM30 discussions will get cut off quickly too.

TM30s aren't related to getting a visa either, why is that allowed?

@Benjamin *****

is there any other reason than visa why you need 800k baht in your account? Apart from to fund family of course lol

@Kay *******

It's the "cost of doing business". And it appears there may be methods to do it cheaper as well, depending on your banking situation. But again, I don't see how this is visa related though

@Benjamin *****

the other ways are more expensive