Sure... In the same way that twenty million GBP would be even more credibility. It is just one of many variables used to make a determination about the trustworthiness of the person applying. And the IO will see if you just randomly seeded someone's account with a large deposit... It can be just as hurtful as it is helpful. Many have been approved with less, many have been denied with more... 500K THB is not part of a checklist or some specific delta that has to be met to qualify... Can it help? Maybe.

In any event, OP and their partner just need to put together a compelling case that they will return to Thailand. Tell the truth and present the case that the person seeking a tourist visa will go home when the visa is done. That's how it works.

@Don ********

this is not correct. They will evaluate her ties to Thailand and the likelihood of her staying in the UK or trying to work illegally. If she builds a sufficient case for her return, she will probably be ok. Money in the bank may help that, but there is not a specific amount of money needed in an account. Her connection to her partner and the partner’s strong ties to Thailand can also play a significant role in the decision making. A letter from the partner as the person paying for the trip and their reasons for travel and return and any supporting documentation (itinerary, banking records, long term visa history, etc…) would be helpful in making a strong case. In any event, there is no secret recipe or combination of factors that guarantee a visa, just be sure to put the strongest evidence on the top of the pile, and keep any letters of support brief and to the point.

You can not volunteer on an ed visa, but you can go to school on a volunteer visa (if you can even get one these days). Volunteering is considered work and requires a visa and work permit accordingly. Education visas do not allow you to work… so you have to do it the other way around in order to legally volunteer.

@Tulip *******

Great advice... also great advice: A prenup that covers you in any jurisdiction in which you have assets or interests that may be in jeopardy in the event of a divorce. Also great advice, a will. I mean, even if you don't have doubts about living a long life, it is a good idea to plan out your end of life affairs for the security of loved ones that you leave behind.

UOB is up to 50K.

UOB allows up to 50K (as did Citi before UOB took them over), and banking with Citi out of the US, I get market rate with no percentage and all ATM fees refunded. I don't know about UK banks or fees, though...

They are in Texas, but I'm sure they will happily charge extra for state certification if it is in some other state... May be best to find a local agency, but these guys are good and I have used them for everything from visas to expedited passports... Austin Passport Express. They are on FB and are responsive via phone, email, and chat if you catch them during business hours.

The agency I used in the US handled everything. We had a few certified copies of the certificate made when we got married, so minus that one step, they did everything on the US side including sending it to us via FedEx to Thailand when it was all complete. Aside from the validation of the passport, the translation agency handled everything on the Thai side. We met them at the ministry of foreign affairs for the certification because it trims some time off to be there in person. So overall, less a pain and more expensive, but worth it to use agencies.

Due to appointment availability at the embassy in Bangkok, we decided to go to Chiang Mai for the passport certification. The total process for us is right around 5 months from dropping off the marriage certificate at the agency in the US, to having a change of status completed at the local amphur. Would have been longer trying to DIY or waiting for an appointment in Bangkok. So... the lesson here is to get married in Thailand... :P

Be sure to get your US marriage certificate certified before she leaves the US. The process takes 2-3 months and is kind of a pain. General process is:

Get a certified copy at the county office where you were married.

Have it certified by the state.

Send it to the state department (in Washington DC) for certification.

Send it to the Thai Embassy (in Washington DC) for certification.

Then, in Thailand, you need to have the document and your passport translated and then certified by the ministry of foreign affairs. This will require a trip to the US embassy to have your passport authenticated before it can be translated and certified... The US embassy will also provide certification of your passport via post. You need to check the embassy website for those details.

Then, you can go to the local amphur to have your wife register for a change of status. Then, you can begin the visa process.

There is a process to do this in Thailand, but it sounded more convoluted, and kind of like the exact same process, but just from here. Anyways, current processing times for the US part of this can vary depending on how quickly you can turnaround the document between certifications. Thai time frame depends on how quickly you can get in to the US Embassy for a certification of your passport. I used an agency that specializes in visas and passports in the US and a translation service in Thailand... Spent about 600 USD total including all shipping and charges from the respective agencies/embassies.

As stated above, it is not legal to work in any capacity while living in Thailand if you do not have a work permit. Even volunteering (when there was such an option) required a work permit. It doesn't matter where you are paid or where your customers are located. If you are located in Thailand and working, you need a work permit.

Having said that, no one will know what you do in the privacy of your own home or where your money comes from. Unless you get on someone's bad side or there is a dramatic shift in how the Thai government deals with the digital nomad situation, you will probably live consequence free... but just know, you are not in compliance with the conditions of your visa or Thai law if you engage in work activities without a work permit.

Short version, you will probably be fine... but you won't be legal.