@Mike *****

Ok. I'll try to get the other side of the story without resorting to infantile insults. I'm a father. My children and friends visit me often. They ask me how is life here. I tell them it's great. It's so easy to live here. Once a year I go to immigration to extend my stay. Costs me 1900 baht. They laugh at how cheap and easy it is for a foreigner to live here. They see how cheap accommodation is here, they see how cheap it is to go out to eat, drink and have fun. One daughter has already indicated her and her boyfriend will get married on Samui as it's so cheap for Aussies to get there, and so cheap to put on a great wedding when compared to Australian prices. They go away with a positive view of things. This may influence their future decisions.

Now, shall we discuss TOURISTS who don't need bank accounts and get a 60-day free entry stamp?

@Mike *****

I'm talking about tourists. Why don't you read the post properly? You think every single tourist has a father living here? Jesus wept!

@Mike *****

I've not been treated badly by my bank, so any visitors I have will get positive feedback. I'm sure most tourists go to see the beaches and the islands, and the mountains around Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. They are totally unaffected by what's going on with retirees. I went to Germany for a month earlier this year to visit Erzgebirge, Harz Mountains and a cruise down the Rhine. To be brutally honest, I couldn't have given a flying fบck about any bank account issues that retirees were experiencing

@Mike *****

The clampdown on bank accounts does not affect tourists at all. And the only changes in recent years to tourist entries, is the increase from 30 to 60 days without at visa, so your information is totally wrong

You won't get an "overstay" stamp. What you'll get is a "fine waived" stamp, as it's only one day. Good to avoid, but no big deal

@Mike *****

If I was taking a holiday to Germany, it wouldn't influence me at all if a German bank was giving some of its customers a hard time. How does that affect me? What probably isn't being well publicised, because these groups are specifically for foreigners, is there are two sides to every story. If foreigners (for whatever reason) are not playing by the rules, they should expect some pushback, and that's what's happened. Sadly many westerners in Asia have a superiority complex and believe they are entitled to whatever they want in Thailand.

@Mike *****

So that's like Chinese Whispers isn't it? People spreading stories and adding their own little snippets along the way. This is about expats having bank accounts verified - so nothing to do with tourists and immigration. Personally I think more tourists are going to Vietnam because the resorts are better and beer is infinitely better. Tourists don't care about bank accounts

@Mike *****

This is nothing at all to do with tourists, so I don't know your point

@Colin *********

About 10 years ago. Bang Na

@Steve ********

Why has your account been frozen?