@David *****

it doesn't matter what you can show - to be able to open a Thai bank account, you either need to have arrived in Thailand on a 90-days Non-O visa, or you need to buy the agent's service for the application to the "change of visa type" - and that's costly, even when you have own funds . . I however doubt you find any agents in Ubon Ratchathani. You will need to accomodate in a more touristic region like Pattaya or Hua Hin, where agents are abundant

The opening of a bank account on a Tourist Visa or visa-exempt entry is possible again, after a delay that firstly left agencies clueless

The opening of a Thai bank account on a Tourist Visa or on a visa-exempt entry, has been made possible, again, under some conditions

Some agents, after the tightening of bank rules in February 2025, have by now figured out a safe way to open a bank account even on a tourist visa or visa-exempt.

They however need the full cooperation of both Immigration and the Thai bank, in delaying the timely process of a "change of visa type".

This procedure involves that Immigration allows the application to the “change” without the existence of a Thai bank account, and they issue the 90-days Non-Imm-O Visa for “14 days under consideration” despite the non-existence of a Thai bank account.

The applicant will receive a receipt from Immigration over the 2000.- THB application fee, which says he is applying for the “change” to the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, and the “under consideration” stamp proves that the application is already under way.

The bank will accept this receipt as proof that the process of aquiring a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa is under way, and will open a bank account for the applicant.

Right after, the applicant must transfer a minimum of 800,000 THB onto the account as soon as possible, and re-visit Immigration with the bank statement that the 800K deposit now is sitting in the account.

Immigration will stamp the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa as "under consideration" for 14 days. After this waiting period, the visa itself gets stamped, with the 90 days beginning to count of the day he initially applied for the “change”.

As soon as the 800,000 THB have seasoned in the account for 2 months, an application to the 1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on Retirement can be made

CONCLUSION: find the right agency who has an agreement with Immigration and the bank, and go from there. It costs, but well, y’all know, nobody rides for free

@Simon *****

not possible any more., except if you buy the service needed for a "change of visa type"

@Ar ******

The opening of a Thai bank account on a Tourist Visa or on a visa-exempt entry, has been made possible, again, under some conditions

Some agents, after the tightening of bank rules in February 2025, have by now figured out a safe way to open a bank account even on a tourist visa or visa-exempt.

They however need the full cooperation of both Immigration and the Thai bank, in delaying the timely process of a "change of visa type".

Immigration allows the application to the “change” without the existence of a Thai bank account.

The applicant will receive a receipt from Immigration over the 2000.- THB application fee, which says he is applying for the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa.

The bank will accept this receipt as proof that the process of aquiring a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa is under way, and will open a bank account for the applicant.

Right after, the applicant must transfer a minimum of 800,000 THB onto the account as soon as possible, and re-visit Immigration with the bank statement that the 800K deposit now is sitting in the account.

Immigration will stamp the 90-days Non-Imm-O visa as "under consideration" for 14 days. After this waiting period, the visa itself gets stamped, with the 90 days beginning to count of the day he initially applied for the “change”.

As soon as the 800,000 THB have seasoned in the account for 2 months, an application to the 1-year Extension of Stay Permit based on Retirement can be made

CONCLUSION: find the right agency who has an agreement with Immigration and the bank, and go from there. It costs, but well nobody rides for free

@Pedro ******

actually, some airlines accept if your return is within 90 days. Two of them are Thai Airways and the Emirates. Many other airlines won't accept it. You can alway send an email inquiry to them with this question

@Pedro ******

if that happens you need to quickly buy an "onwardticket", acheap ticket reservation from the many websites you will find when you google for this word

you need to buy a single re-entrypermit in order to keep the remaining 10 months extended stay permit alive when exiting Thailand

@Pedro ******

it will rather be the airline who might want to see an onward travel within the 60 dasy of a visa-exempt entry. Immigration rarely ask for it

@Pedro ******

you should be fine. Make sure you can show 20,000 THB or equivalent in a major currency in cash, and have an onward travel proof

As of July15th, 2024, the limit of two visa-exempt entries across a land border per calendar year, was removed.

As of now, there is no limit cited in any Immigration policy. There is no more rule in the writing that says how many times within a calendar year you can enter Thailand on a visa-exempt entry.

But that doesn't mean it's unlimited.

Every entry is at the discretion of the Immigration officer you are standing in front of, and if they feel you're not a tourist, or if they think you are abusing visa-free entries by trying to stay in Thailand long term, you'll be pulled aside, questioned and possibly denied entry, or being told to use a visa next time. Then you will be allowed in but your name is “flagged” in the central computer, so every other border official will see that you have been warned.

Right now, we see many reports of this happening to people after only one (!) single 60-days visa-exempt entry topped with a 30-days extension.

There aren’t any 2-times limits nor are there any 4-times limits, regardless if you enter by land, sea or air

You can take one 30-days extension on a 60-days visa exempt entry for 1900 Baht at the immigration office serving the area where you stay. But that shows that you are apparently maximizing every stay.

Keep in mind, after your first visa-exempt entry, across any land border you're going to run into problems trying to bounce by yourself out/back to get a new free 60-days entry stamp

and even by bouncing via an airport you could run into problems.

If you try to bounce by yourself, you should know that some crossings with Laos and Cambodia require you spend at least one night and sometimes 2 nights out of Thailand before you can come back.

You could post your question on a group related to where you stay in Thailand and ask for recommendations for an agent/service that bounces people out/back from there.

These “visa-run agencies” have it set up with the Thai side of border control, so you can benefit. They grease the palms so you can get out and back on the same day.

Flying isn't all that much better, because a short bounce out/back (a few days) isn't going to fool the Immigration officials at the passport control when you go to stamp back in. They'll know you're doing it just to get a new free 60-days entry stamp and you could be questioned about your entry.

These Immigration officers all have their own say in the matter. To be allowed consecutive visa-exempt entries is upon their sole discretion. If Mr. Officer Somchai has a bad day, he might not like your trousers and deny entry.

To answer your question about how many times you can do a visa-exempt entry into Thailand within a 365-days calendar year, the point is, any visa exempt entry, by air or across a land border or by sea, gets you 60 days now (since July 15th, 2024)

So, it doesn't matter where you enter - you will get 60 days stamped – if the border official comes to the conclusion you are a “real” tourist, he/she will let you back in

I am not trying to scaremonger at all, just letting you know this isn't the same Thailand it was back when they were giving 30-days admitted stays when you were doing yearlong consecutive visa-exempt entries.

But - since July 15th, 2024, when they went to 60 days for 93 countries, they got really, really hard on people trying to live in Thailand long term on visa-free stamps.

They look at it as you got 60 days, you could have extended that for 30 more giving you three months, and you have maximized your stay. This makes you a real tourist and not someone who tries to milk the visa-free system.

In case the officer at the passport control feels you should have either applied for a long-term visa, he might think that if you were a real tourist, you should be going back to where you came from after these three months

That's why I say look for a service to bounce by land, as they have the wheels greased so you get out/back without hassle, that's why they cost some money for what they do.

But you should expect problems if you try that too many times consecutively. A longer stay abroad between two visa-exempt entries makes you look better. It might work or might not work. We don’t know for sure.

Good luck with it, safe travels