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Will my Thai driving license and bank account be cancelled if my retirement visa expires?

Retirement VisaThai Driving LicenseBank Account MaintenanceVisa RulesExpat Life in ThailandPattayaThailand ImmigrationBanking in Thailand
Dec 5, 2023
a year ago
Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
After a year living in Pattaya thinking of going back to work in Oz, but still visit once or twice a year. Will my Thai license and bank account be cancelled if my retirement visa expires?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
No, your Thai driving license and bank account will not be cancelled automatically if your retirement visa expires. However, your driving license will be subject to its own expiration dates and cannot be renewed without holding a long-term visa. As for the bank account, it will remain active as long as there are occasional transactions. If no activity occurs, the account may become inactive, in which case you would need to visit a branch to reactivate it.
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.
Bill ********
Yes and all your money will taken
a year ago
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Gio *****
Nope, keep some money for the fees
a year ago
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Arisara *********
Thai language (driver?) licence if a new one will last for two years. You have to renew before it expires. For the bank you keep a few 1000THB and keep your phone SIM card( number you provided to the bank)- convert it to a prepaid sim and put a few hundred THB in to keep your number going. If you change your phone number/Sim, next time you come back it is a little paper work for changing a phone number.

I got bored after a year in Thailand too. I am now back in Australia. A long holiday is very boring for me Lol.
a year ago
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Tony *********
One transaction a year is all that is necessary to keep your bank account active. So just use your banking app to do a small deposit or transfer. But beware, if you neglect to do so and the account becomes inactive you can only activate it again by physically visiting a branch office with your passport.
a year ago
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Stevie ********
You're licence will expire when it expires, but your account why not open a wise account and every month(or now and then) send your spending money to it so when you do arrive you'll have your spends all sorted and they'll never close an account while there's activity.
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stevie *******
 thanks , sums it up nicely, I already use Wise and it saves me having to bring cash over for visits
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
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Seanos **********
No. They won't be cancelled but you won't be able to renew your license without holding a long term a visa.
a year ago
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Kool *******
@Seanos *********
 that is not true. Without a long term visa extension they will simply issue you another 2 year temporary license. You can only get the 5 year license at renewal if you have a long term visa extension.
a year ago
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Seanos **********
@Kool ******
 okay good info, I wad given different info in Samui. thanks for clarifying
a year ago
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Seanos **********
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Seanos *********
 good point…
a year ago
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Seanos **********
@Selwyn ******
 i had previously held a 1 year visa for business and was able to open my bank account and get the driving licenses.

I still visit a few times each year and the bank just wants me to show up with my passport so they can take s copy however the dp can't be renewed without a long term visa.
a year ago
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Seanos **********
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Steve **********
@Seanos *********
 if you don't gave Visa, why would you be driving here ?
a year ago
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Seanos **********
@Steve *********
 I'm still trying to understand your meaning.
a year ago
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Seanos **********
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Steve **********
No !
a year ago
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Si ***********
If you’ve got a few 1000 baht left in the account no. Mine got closed years ago as wasn’t using it. Your license will expire automatically after 2 or 5 years from when you received it.
a year ago
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Brown ********
No but far out man 1 year in retirement wasn't long. Did you end up spending your super on girls in 1 year? Must of had a ball if so
a year ago
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Brown ********
@Selwyn ******
 I'm from Canberra or as I call it Cantberit too and very few places are as boring as that. But I do know what you mean. Unless you have a Viagra, an iron liver and a 200k budget a month the city can get boring. I only lasted 8 months but found contentment just down the road at bang saray. Now Pattaya is like a weekend getaway
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brown *******
 I was looking at that option also, or around ban Chang. I’m a golfer so down there could be on the cards. That said, when taking in ALL the costs, golf ain’t cheap in Thailand. The ladies are another story……
a year ago
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Brown ********
@Selwyn ******
 ban Chang is a nice little town. Can get some pretty girls every now and then
a year ago
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Brown ********
@Selwyn ******
 ladies are getting expensive though. Hardly any girls on the 6 are asking less than 1500 these days and some 2000
a year ago
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Brown ********
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brown *******
 I’m getting bored to be honest….
a year ago
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Dusty *****
Pava Scotty , a serious analysis , well done 🍺
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Pava Scotty had been coming for holidays since 2011 and when my job ended a year ago had the chance to come for an extended stay. I love that it never gets cold here, but nearly everyone I’ve met here seems to be in more of a hurry than back home! Maybe moving out of Pattaya is the way to slow down a bit!
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Pava Scotty was always going to be a year trial. I’ve discovered unless you like sitting at home a lot, you can go through serious $. As a golfer you really need 80-
*****
0 a month to live well here.
a year ago
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Brown ********
@Selwyn ******
 it's a nightlife city. Conjures up all walks of life. I spend 100k a month not even playing golf.
a year ago
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Brown ********
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Brown ********
Pava Scotty Pattaya isn't really slower pace imo. The reason I left was it was way too fast for me to keep up. I lasted 8 months. I was basically dragging my knuckles on the ground by the end. Moved down to bang saray and now have perfect balance
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brown *******
 I’ve also noticed that, seems to be full of people in a hurry. Kind of thought it defeats the purpose of moving here
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
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Mikkel *******
Look at your license. It will say when it expires exactly. For the bank account as long as there are occasional transactions to or from it, to keep it active, you can keep that as long as you want to.
a year ago
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Simon **********
No, but your license has an expiration date in any case.
a year ago
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Kathalyn *******
No
a year ago
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Peter *********
No
a year ago
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Brandon ************
Neither the bank nor the DLT have any knowledge of your visa status.
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 keeping the bank account would be handy if I were to come back for holidays
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 thanks for the heads up.
a year ago
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Selwyn *******
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Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
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