@Douglas ********

And no banking bs either. ABA Bank is owned by the National Bank of Canada. We like that.

No 90 day reporting, no 800k baht held hostage, and no constant exchange rate fluctuations. No police doing random sweeps of bars detaining innocent people for mandatory drug testing - with no reasonable suspicion or probable cause.

Condos are bigger and cheaper. The new western supermarkets are awesome. You can legally ride a scooter under 125cc without a license. The food is delicious and the Cambo's know how to run a good restaurant, and they mix a mean cocktail. And the Khmer ladies. . .

@Robert ********

Wow. That's just crazy.

@Rok *******

Nobody is suggesting there are issues for expats who do not require agent assistance to meet the financial requirements, and who have the type of long-term visa required by banks to keep their accounts open.

@Ant **********

Time will tell, I guess!

@Ant **********

The million baht question for 10s of thousands of expats who use "funds" arranged with the assistance of a visa agent: is this a bump in the road with Bangkok Bank getting their hands slapped, while other banks just pick up where they left off? Or is this a seismic shift, with the decades-old visa agent system about to vanish or be severely curtailed?

Regardless of whether we approve or disapprove of the agent system, its demise would have thousands of expats heading for the exits or canceling plans to return to Thailand. Taking their money with them. All at a time when many other factors are lining up to potentially create a perfect storm of economic hardship for Thailand.

So what do you guys think? Mere bump in the road, soon to return to business as usual? Or signal of the beginning of the end of the agent-facilitated retirement visa funding that has existed for decades in Thailand?

Thailand sure loves to play fine-tuning games with banking policy and practices.

But then, that's actually a trademark part of their approach to overall governing as well - lots of minor fiddling with the rules; announcement of new policies, but changes withdrawn at the last minute.

It's one thing I really dislike about Thailand. Too much fiddling and tinkering.

Disagree? Remind me. . .how many coups in the last 30 years or so?

@Sam *****

Easy Tiger. Don't let the snark get to you. Yes, some people's unbelievable rudeness sucks, but letting them wind you up just encourages them further.

My advice is to just accept that some of your interactions will be with people whose mom dropped on their heads when they were babies. They are to be pitied, not censured. Cheers!

@Michael *******

Oh absolutely I did need documents. But nothing remotely complicated or difficult - I did it myself, without assistance of an agent.

Basically the same list as the OP, except I have a lease, not a blue book.

Kasikorn in Central Festival Pattaya opened an account for me on the spot about a month ago. Took less than an hour. Left the bank with the book, debit card, and ap on my phone installed and tested.

@Doug *******

Yeah - you could be right. I agree with your take on it.

There are a lot of moving parts right now in Thailand - some seemingly unrelated events and forces working together, producing perhaps unintended consequences.

I predict continued turbulence ahead for the next year or so. Good time to keep your head down and your nose clean! 555

And ALWAYS. . .have a plan B.