Non O Retirement Visa apply online before you travel. Find a Condo, this time of year is the best time to do so. Armed with your lease you open your bank account. Then your mobile contract. You have 90 days. The 12 month Visa is an extension of what you already have.It’s NOT a new Visa. So from entry to your first proper extension is 15 months. I would advise an agent for your first Visa. 12-15K in your Hand 2-3 days. Then you deposit your 800K + and forget about it. From that moment on you extend it yourself.

A savings account is what’s on offer as a foreigner. The rate of interest is just minimal. Depending on the bank the money cannot drop below 800K for three months after the Visa is issued. Or up to Three months before you look to extend it. Even so it cannot drop below 400K for the remainder. In essence you put it in and forget about it. Far simpler that way, plenty believe otherwise. Such options apply only after the first Visa is extended. As for Banks. Avoid Bangkok Bank.

That’s worthwhile information for everyone and thanks for that. In essence the banks expect to see some kind of long term commitment. A hotel sourced TM30 is unlikely to suffice. That’s a tourist, not a committed resident. A long term rental lease contract is what they are looking for. There are of course a number of Catch -22 scenarios that are being played out here. phone contracts and residency certificates are prime examples. Thai Banks are now playing this all with a very straight bat indeed, there’s just no getting around it.

First question. Do I REALLY need it.?

Setting up the Company.

100% Job for a professional. Who was meticulous and provided me exactly what I needed to take with me to the bank. Take a Thai National with you too, who happens to be bi lingual.

Look the part. Be prepared to be heavily scrutinised. In hindsight, just have the lawyer do all of it for you. Not worth the grief. I use KBiz by KBank.

Great support, lovely app.

General rule of thumb is to sort your Visa before you enter Thailand. To do otherwise is to limit your options. Most landlords will only offer a 12 month contract. But with the rental market slowing appreciably, 6 month’s should be easy to come by. That said, tipping into low season a month or two commercially should be easy to come by out in the holiday sector and affordable enough. Good luck

Firstly you need to Deposit the minimum of 800K. You cannot go for the monthly minimum deposit of 65K until after your first renewal. It’s not worth the angst to be honest with you. Plenty of Immigration Offices don’t like it either. So be prepared for them to be pedantic. Bottom line is you need to commit, and there’s just no getting away from that.

Non - O Retirement Visa.

Do it at your home Royal Thai Embassy using their online Portal. Take your time to understand the protocols. If you meet them, great. If not, you’ll spend years looking over your shoulder in Thailand, and that’s just not living..

Remember it’s you, not some keyboard guru at Mum’s house is Surbiton who cops the consequences of getting this wrong. You do. My opinion, and it’s hard earned is that 800K in the bank is by far the simplest and most user friendly long term option.

Every man and his dog think they can “Game” the system. Most will sadly learn the hard way. There are financial protocols for a reason, which happen to be the bare minimum you need to live on. That’s before you factor in health care. Come here to live not exist.

This is Thailand impossible is nothing… For a price. My advice is simple. 800K in the Bank and forget it. Practically Zero interest, but also zero grief. No Visa, no nothing. Live a good life + Smile 🙂

I meant ducks 🦆- Predictive text 😬😂