@Jeff ******

And who precisely has granted you the legal or moral authority to judge the actions of your fellow expats, Mr. Anonymous Captain Thailand? Hmmm. . .

Methinks you go to a lot of trouble to hide whatever it is you're hiding. Perhaps a long-term over-stay? Running from the law?

Better to speak for yourself - something everyone is entitled to. But your priggish pronouncements are offensive and boring, particularly coming from an anonymous whiner.

@Andreas ********

Fortunately, nobody elected you judge and jury over your fellow expats, Captain Thailand. In your sneering rush to direct judgement of people you know less than nothing about, you have forgotten the simple cardinal rule: mind your own d*mn business.

You are free to opine on what you consider appropriate behavior and fiscal responsibility FOR YOURSELF, but donning the mantle of judge and jury and blathering on moralistically utterly destroys your credibility, while revealing your callous inhumanity.

@Jeff ******

Ah, the highest of all high horses from an utterly anonymous voice.

Where did I discuss or endorse using agent's money? I am responding to this specific statement from the OP:

"Honestly if you don't have at least 500,000 baht in savings you shouldn't be considering living in a foreign country to begin with."

There are plenty of countries where savings accounts aren't required for Visas. Cambodia, for example offers a 1-year retirement visa with multiple re-entries for $300/yr.

I'll definitely be looking at one when they turn on Thailand. I've had really bad luck with juristic offices being buttheads about internet providers in their units.

Most nationalities require a visa to enter Cambodia; some are allowed to buy an e-visa online, some must apply at an embassy before travel, some are allowed to apply for a visa on arrival. You have to look it up to see what's required/allowed for the passport you carry.

The following nationalities do NOT require a visa to enter Cambodia:

Brunei

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Maldives

Myanmar

Philippines

Seychelles

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

@Xjwhudkwhry *******

The horror!

@Hartmut *******

Take your arguments to the Thai police and government. I'm sure they will be amazed and grateful for your crack detective work.

Surely you will receive at least some sort of medal for your amazing expose of this previously unknown practice!

@Frank *********

Not the Thai way. For example, each immigration officer has the right to decide your fate on the spot, with no appeal. Two different officers, deciding virtually identical cases, may make different decisions, and that's acceptable here.

Western ideas of fairness don't always apply here.

@Hartmut *******

An agent who assists in opening a bank account does not inherently break any laws or banking rules.

They simply help the bank internally justify the considerable cost of opening an account for a customer whose stay in Thailand might be so short as to be unprofitable. This is not illegal in Thailand.

When you sell a house, and employ an estate agent to assist, is that a "bribe?"

Do you call it a bribe when you pay a lawyer to help set up a business and navigate the regulatory system? Or when you pay an accountant to file your taxes? Or you pay a concierge to get you unattainable theatre tickets or a table at a popular restaurant?

Or you employ a lobbyist to help you make your case before the government?

Banks are breaking no laws when they allow tourists to open a bank account, nor if they deny it.

@Graham **********

Chances are the two-year lease and DL made the decision easy for them. You were worth their effort.