Sorry you are in this situation. Won't help now, but going forward it's a good idea to have a discussion with your landlord-to-be about how he or she is going to fulfill their obligations to you to support your immigration needs. Things like: can they file the TM-30 for you using the online system, can they give you the documentation necessary for you to file the TM-30, etc. Being a landlord has legal obligations and if when you talk with your potential landlord they don't know what a TM-30 is you need to find a better landlord.

You never have more clout than when you aren't someone's customer yet. ;-)

@Garrett **********

actually, both columns are accepted vaccinations. The first is vaccines explicitly accepted by the CDC. The second are vaccines accepted by WHO, and because of that those are also accepted by the US implicitly.

Cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#covid-vaccines.

@Caroline *******

you are correct. The US, in fact, accepts the WHO accepted vaccines as well as the CDC accepted vaccines.

In the entire history of the phuket Sandbox since 1 July 2021 until the foreseeable future you have never been able to land in Bangkok and participate in the phuket Sandbox.

To participate in phuket Sandbox you must land in phuket, not anywhere else in Thailand, including not in Bangkok. What you do outside Thailand is not important. It's important what you do in Thailand and that's land in phuket and only in phuket.

Notice that it's possible to explain this without once using the word direct.

A re-entry permit allows you to leave and re-enter Thailand in order to resume your current permission to stay. If you were to stay outside of Thailand and not return while you still have a current permission to stay there would be nothing to resume and you would not be able to enter Thailand on that basis.

You need to have a current permission to stay, often obtained via getting an extension of stay from Immigration in order to benefit from a re-entry permit. You should have in your passport a stamp that indicates your current permission to stay. You may purchase a re-entry permit from immigration for a single re-entry or a multiple re-entry (1,000 baht or 3,800 baht, respectively).

A re-entry permit does two things for you. Assuming it is still valid (and it is valid to the end of your current permission to stay) it allows you to enter Thailand. It also gets you stamped in with a new current permission to stay identical to your previous permission to stay.

Recommend Bangkok Bank and Krungsri Bank. Look for big branches in tourist areas or areas where expats are likely to live, and most importantly where you can be sure that there are English speaking staff. It's helpful to have an embassy letter (just verifies your address in Thailand and indirectly your passport). You may be able to get a Certificate of Residence from your local immigration office (although not all will do for visa-exempt entry some will). Have a Thai friend go with you especially if they bank at the same branch. Dress well. Behave well.

If above fails, you may find a Bangkok Bank that would open an account for you if you are also purchasing a Personal Accident Policy (PA 1st Smart) which is actually decent accident insurance and covers you for motorcycle accidents (one of the few that does). Believe the bank representative gets some sort of commission when doing this so greases the wheels a little.

Finally, if even that fails, look into an agent who will want to charge something in range of 3,000-4,000 baht to open an account for you.

@Russell ********

From the 12-month bank statement they require. They want it 12 months from when you received your last extension of stay. Easy to check that the balance was not under 800k for the first three months after the extension was granted. Fail to meet that requirement and you will likely not be given another extension of stay based on banked savings.

@Bonnie ******

A bank statement stamped/signed by the bank is required to get a retirement extension in Phuket. The bank statement will allow the immigration officer to determine if you fell below any of the mandated minimum balances required from the time of your previous extension of stay. It's unlikely it will be missed as that's what the IO is specifically checking for.

My advice is to try it as early as you can (depending on the immigration office it can be 30-45 days before your permission to stay expires). If unsuccessful, and it's likely it will be unsuccessful, use an agent. Make sure the agent will get your extension from your local immigration office and that they understand it will be just for this year because of the shortfall and that you intend to resume doing it yourself next year. If not acceptable to the agent get another one.

@Russell ********

The minimum balance for retirement extension is 800k two months before application and three months after application, for the rest of the year 400k.