@Daz *********

thanks for confirming that it is indeed possible!

@Max ************

The news you hear are from people on Non-Imm-O Retirement visa who try to open a bank account by themselves. They should have employed agents. Almost every agent in Pattaya can get a bank account opened for anyone having entered Thailand on a 90-days Non-Imm-O Retirement Visa. Not with the Bangkok Bank, but with most of the other Thai banks. The price in Pattaya is around 5000 THB. The only pre-requisite is to have arrived on a Non-Imm-O Retirement visa, having a Thai phone number and holding a "certificate of residence" from Immigration. Almost every agent can do it

@Tony ****

your area is non-touristic, that's why all these bank staff didn't have any clue. In Pattaya, if you have entered on any Non-Imm visaclass, it's possible to get a bank account opened. If you want to do it seamlessly, just use an agent, it costs 5000 THB

@Robert ******

go to Pattaya and visit the German speaking agent

@Stefan *******

. His agency will get a Thai drivers license for you

On any Non-Imm visa class you can get a Thai bank account opened

Many bank staff but have no idea what to do if the applicant is a foreigner, and will dream up random requirements so they avoid to tell you they don’t know. It’s all about “face saving”-

That’s why I suggest before you try that by yourself, let an agent help you.

It should cost around 5000 THB to get a bank account opened by an agent, at least that's the price in Pattaya

yes, on this visa you can get a Thai bank account opened, however I suggest before you try that by yourself, let an agent help you. It should cost around 5000 THB to get a bank account opened by an agent, at least that's the price in Pattaya

@Ally ***********

this is a lot of wrong info what Sai Wansai posted. The most critical part is that he can't open a Thai bank account on a touristic entry

@Gary *********

the re-entry permit is contingent to the stay permit it is bought for. If you buy a 3800 THB multi re-entry permit for the 90 days out of a Non-Imm-O visa, it is only good for travels within these 90 days. You would waste 1800 THB, because for the two trips to Vietnam and Japan you only need to buy two single re-entry permits, for 1000 THB each. Then once you have been issued a "1-year Extension of the Stay Permit based on Retirement", you need to spend another 3800 THB for a multi re-entry permit that will enable you to keep the one-year stay permit alive in case you travel abroad during this period

@Kool ******

there still is the question if "his" Immigration will be willing to sell him a re-entry permit for the 90 days out of a Non-Imm-O Visa at all. Some Immigration offices are known of being reluctant in this case.

@Ally ***********

an application for a 1-year extension of the stay permit based on retirement is not handed out "under consideration". The OP made clear he is not applying for a marriage extension.

@Gary *********

what I am trying to explain to you is, any multi re-entry permit you buy for 3800 THB after you entered on a 90-days Non-Imm-O visa, is only good to keep your 90-days stay permit alive. So after you have been issued the 1-year extended stay permit based on retirement, you would need to buy another multi re-entry permit for this one-year stay permit if you wish to travel abroad during the one year retirement extension period. Plus the fact, you could save money by buying a single re-entry permit for 1000 THB for each trip to Vietnam and Japan, which would save you 1800 THB. And then there is the question if "your" Immigration office is willing to sell you a re-entry permit for the 90 days out of the Non-Imm-O visa - some Immigrations are reluctant to do this.