@Peter ******

800K baht for five months and 400K baht for twelve and after only 65K baht a month should be easy match for most people relocating in another country without hassling illegally with an agent.

@Peter ******

This is the formal requirements for a legitimate stay in Thailand now matter what people wants to do. Do you feel better to pay an agent thousands of baht each year for a couple of decades for ting you easily can fix yourself for “pocket money”.

@Brenda ********

Still someone who manage, but it’s quite difficult on short stay as tourists visa and visa exemption. If you apply for a 90 days Non O long stay visa at your embassy/consulate before you come it’s more easy. I know several people who has opened with assistance from an agent too. Takes 40 min at a fee from 3500 baht.

@Mohit *********************

My point was if you start using an agent to bypass formal requirements you’ll need to use agents to bypass the other agent bypass for previous year or years and you’ll never be able to get a formal legitimate stay unless you cancel your stay by leaving and start all over again from scratch.

You can stay for several years with an agent borrowing you the 800K baht for your extensions, but you’ll never be able to have a complete juridical legitimate stay.

And if you’re doing it the correct way the fee or cost each year is only 1900 baht instead of using thousands for agent when you have the possibility to do it easy and legal yourself.

You’ll need to have the 800K baht in your bank at date when you apply for the initial 90 days Non O in Thailand. For the Extension of stay you’ll only have to tie up the 800K baht for five months and 400K baht for twelve months.

If you can provide proof of income minimum equal to 65K baht a month, you can switch to the income method from your second year extension of stay by showing proof of twelve months consecutive transfers of 65K baht and the 800K baht (or 400K baht) is again free to use.

And it’s in my opinion recommended to play by the country your residence in’s rules while you choose to stay or live in another country. If you jump on the agent train by illegally bypassing formal requirements for legitimate stay, you’ll never be able to jump of again unless you leave the country and start all over again.

@Andrew *****

No u don’t, any pension or income is ok as long as you fulfil the requirements and are passed 50 years AND with 800K baht you qualify anyway.

This is two alternatives: Income/pension OR funds. One option plus 50 years is sufficient.

@Bart *************

I have to agree with

@Graham *****

here. A visa is sadly not an entrance ticket -it increases your chance a bit if you risk to get denied- but a valid visa doesn’t guarantee that you’ll come in. All it means is if they let you in you’ll get in for the days allotted on that visa type.

The immigration is cracking down on people using tourist solutions for long term stays in Thailand, and if they decide to deny you they’ll do it now matter if you’re trying to enter on a tourist visa or a visa exemption for tourism. The Royal Thai Police Immigration will never accept to be controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs foreign service. And your embassy/consulate only have a copy of the id-page in your passport. They don’t necessarily have any insight in your previous (excessive) travel history to Thailand.

@Roger *******

I will do the same, this was just a wish now as the visa exemptions are 60 days and several people don’t need to apply for a tourist visa anymore.

@Martin **********

This is rarely checked in the immigration unless they’ll questioning you for some other reason regarding your travel pattern and the immigration will normally accept that you can apply for an extension (no guarantee) and the airlines are normally more strict regarding 60 days.

@Bart *************

You have a point that’s important in two perspectives: 1) First people use money for something they don’t need 2) In a bigger environmental context you risk that planes leaves with empty seats only because people need to buy throwaway tickets to fulfil formal requirements.

The ideal would have been if the immigration clearly stated that you could travel on a visa exemption with an exit ticket within 90 days, but you had to take responsibility for getting an extension yourself. I assume much will become clearer regarding this if the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is introduced and visa-free travels must be notified and registered before departure.