@Jim ******

after spending at entire day at immigration to get my kids a 1 year extension… I’d gladly pay an agent next time

@Jim ******

why would you need to have two phones? You can run two active esims. I run a us and a Thai esim. I got a Thai phone number post pay with my passport when I got there. No need to show a local bank account or anything else to get the number.

@Steve ********

every single time you enter the country you need one. They are free. It’s not that big a deal to fill them out. I went to Singapore for 4 hours and had to fill one out to reenter

@Jim ******

not talking about visa agencies here. Talking about rental agents to find apts/condos

@Kevin **********

because that’s how it works here if you use an agent. If you want to work directly with a landlord.. go for it. They may give you a better deal cause they don’t have to cut the agent in but.. they may also scam you. Who knows. Agent help the landlord by pre screening clients for their interests/needs/pets/budget etc and spare the landlords time talking to people who don’t fit with the offered property. If you get a good agent, they know a lot of the landlords and the landlords know them. Win win for everyone.

Never pay an agent. You pay the landlord they pay the agent

@Bill ********

after spending from 6:30 am til 5 pm at immigration for my kids education visa extensions… I’m 100% paying an agent if I have to to it again (planning on switching to an ltr once I have enough passive income)

@Anthony *******

it depends. In addition, it’s more if they need to open the bank account for you.

@Bill ********

agent is fine if you were using them to make opening the bank account easier or speeding the time you have to spend a immigration. If that’s worth the cost to you then absolutely go for it. But if you’re using an agent to fake having money in a bank account and get around the rules, it’s probably not the best of ideas and may come back and bite you. 

If you are over 50 and qualify for the non o retirement visa you must apply from your home country, or at least not from Thailand. You need to show cash in your bank account. Then enter Thailand on that visa which gives you 90 days and immediately open a bank account and transfer 800,000 baht. After 2 months you can apply for a one year extension. You cannot get this visa in country anymore unless you already have a Thai bank account. You can come on a visa exempt entry and find a condo etc then leave to a nearby country to apply for the non o then come back if you prefer to secure housing first etc but makes more sense to do it the other way