@Graham *****

Thanks, I forgot the amount we paid the first time - I just knew the last two times we paid 1900 each.

Open bank account and deposit at least 800k baht. Do not let it drop below 800k. Get letter and statement from your bank showing the seasoned funds on the day you plan to apply. Get a lease or contract for a place of residence. Dress appropriately and respectfully to visit immigration - get checklist as each province can have slightly different rules to abide by. Be patient at immigration - no matter how irritating it may be, show respect. Its really not hard. Pay 1900 baht and that's it.

Thai woman are no different to women everywhere. Especially if you get out of the touristy areas like Bangkok, Pattya and Phucket. There are good and bad woman. Good and bad men. That's life. Not all will see you as an atm, some will. Be cautious, visit her, see what happens. If it's worth pursuing you'll know, but it takes time, like any relationship.

@Rob *********

We have only actually gone under once which was during my surgery so I wasn't sure, thank you for the clarification! Our method of transferring when AUD is up has worked a treat for us and the seed money we put into the Thai bank already has returned in super thanks to wise investiments. It is nice to know should an emergency pop up that the funds are right here and accessible.

If you use it wisely you can minimise any loss. Keep in mind that the requirement (and I am sure someone will correct this if my understanding is incorrect) is that it be in your account 3 months before you apply and 4 months after and allows you to use funds up to half (for non o retirement 800k - can use 400k) the rest of the year. How we use this is to transfer funds when the exchange rate is up, thus making up for the difference in interest the funds could have earned and not having to transfer when the rates are low. It works well for us at any rate. By doing it this way, we negate the need to have an agent for immigration which can be quite costly and our annual visa costs us only 1900 baht annually (89.00 AUD)

Most countries do - it's called citizenship. Otherwise, all but 3 countries require check ins and updates to visa's. It's to ensure their continued legal status and to verify their compliance with visa conditions, including maintaining adequate financial resources and not engaging in prohibited activities.

@Rob *********

I kinda thought that too - thats what AI lists so not know which he was going for (the poster doesn't say what his starting point is - age, financial situation etc) I just posted the lot it listed for the guy As a starting point he should look on the Thai Embassy website since there it lists the determining factors and what he needs for them.

@Stephen ******

We did ours on our own - it's really not that hard as long as you have the requirements met - $800 K Baht in a thai bank, rental lease, bank statements and letter from bank and it cost us only 1900 baht.

Eligibility:

Age: Be at least 50 years old on the day of application.

Financial Requirements:

Option 1: Hold a deposit of at least 800,000 Thai Baht (THB) in a Thai bank account for at least 2 months before applying.

Option 2: Have a monthly income (including pension) of at least 65,000 THB.

Option 3: A combination of bank deposit and yearly income totaling at least 800,000 THB.

Health Insurance: For applicants of the Non-Immigrant O-A (Long Stay) Visa, health insurance that meets the Thai government's criteria is required.

No Criminal Record: You must not have a criminal record in Thailand or your country of origin.

Not Prohibited from Entering Thailand: You must not be prohibited from entering Thailand under the Immigration Act.

No Prohibited Diseases: You must not have any of the diseases listed in the Ministerial Regulation No. 14 (B.E. 2535).

Not Engage in Gainful Employment: You are prohibited from engaging in any gainful employment in Thailand.

You can't post in these groups without someone being upset - whether it is how you post, what you ask, the terminology you use or whether or not you use anonymous posting lol There are a lot of snowflakes on the internet who simply take joy from being offended - don't stress, they have empty lives and have nothing better to do than troll people on the internet who are seeking information 🤣They forget that they once didn't know the answer and asked things.

You should be fine - even if they do impliment this prior to your arrival - you would still have the option of midway through your trip going to immigration and paying (I think it is 1900 baht / around $81 canadian) for an extension which would take you to your 60 days.