@Ruth ******

I don't believe there is any rationale. I haven't been under the impression that either are related ie they were never presented to me as related. When I opened my accounts, none of the banks were pushing insurance or making it a condition of being able to open a bank account. Even when it did become something that was available, if you wanted it-around , from memory. It wasn't being as aggressively marketed as it is now. I imagine that managers/executives saw it as an extra way of bringing money in ie there was a market. Expats from the US, UK and Australia needed a Thai bank account to fulfil visa conditions for retirement and marriage visas. Lots of expats want insurance in Thailand, and the low cost (and relatively low coverage) of the plans the bank sell, are attractive to some foreigners. I don't recall anyone trying to link the insurance as being "needed" to make a deposit. It's just an extra product that the bank offer. I do think though it has morphed a bit into "You want something from me (to open a bank account), then you need to do something for me" (take out an insurance policy so that my manager gets off my back)

@Ruth ******

I spoke to a former bank employee who left because of the pressure he was being put under by his line manager, especially to sell insurance. I understand that everyone in the chain gets some commission and some recognition within the organisation commensurate with the number of policies they sell. I have refused insurance from the bank each time it is offered, insisting that I already have accident insurance, the demeanour of the bank employee attending to me has then changed markedly from charming and friendly to business-like. When I spoke to a visa agent about retirement visas he offered me the type where they put the money into an account for 24 hours and you get a stamp in your passport from an immigration office where you aren't living. He insisted that buying insurance with the bank account that would be set up for this deposit of 800K, was part of the package and non negotiable. As I had the funds I didn't explore this option further

@Robert ******

I had visited a physio in my own country for back pain related to lifting and caring for my elderly mother at home in the period before she died. This was 3 years before I took out insurance in Thailand, I had no lasting back injury, no lingering pain, was not taking any medication for back pain, had not required any surgery or ongoing physio in the preceding 3 years. Yet the insurance company excluded my entire spine from coverage

@Γιώργος ***********

check carefully what the limits are on the accident insurance from the bank. Some are as low as 50,000 baht which is fine if you just need an x-ray and patching up after coming of your bike. But if you were head injured, required ICU care or multiple operations, accident insurance from the bank would not go anywhere near covering your costs. Often in the case of a serious accident you don't have a choice which hospital you are taken to (if you are unconcious and seriously injured) and a lot of costs have occurred by the time you are in a position to make such decisions. Have a look at what a number of Thai and international insurance companies offer/cover and compare with what the insurance from the bank covers

@David *****************

Laos is a long way from the islands

@Ruth ******

The multiple entry tourist visa is still available, sometimes it is not clear on an embassy website as most people choose the single entry option, but when you look at the visa application form it should come up as an option. Perhaps it is only available at some embassies in your home country and not at all. Even though you get 60 days on every entry you don't have to stay the full 60 days each time, you can stay 10 days, 20 days, 30 days or whatever amount of time that you like in between trips outside of Thailand in that 6 months. Upon re-entering each time you will get another 60 day stamp. The main advantage is that you can get 9 months stay out of it popping in and out of Thailand without needing to transfer large amounts of money to Thailand or having to buy insurance. And you are right, entering Thailand visa exempt shouldn't be a problem given your lack of recent back to back visas. When my son visited last year he said his plane from Australia was met by immigration officials who divided the passengers into two groups, those with visas and those coming in visa exempt. Those coming in visa exempt were quizzed as to why they didn't have a visa. It was no problem for him as like you he hadn't been living in Thailand on back to back tourist visas and extensions. You could do a visa run a couple of times visiting a couple of neighbouring countries/embassies thus giving yourself 180 days in Thailand 60 + 30 then another 60 + 30.. That still seems acceptable to immigration when you re-enter Thailand. You could do one single entry tourist visa plus an extension, then a border bounce to give you 30 more days then an extension on that entry stamp ie 60 +30 then 30 + 30 or even a SETV with an extension, then a border bounce and extension then another border bounce and extension ie 60 +30 then 30 +30 and another 30 + 30. You have a number of options

If you are only leaving Thailand for a couple of weeks while your visa exemption is still valid you can purchase a re-entry permit for 1000 baht at immigration to keep your stamp "alive" so that you come back in with permission to stay until your extension stamp was due to end. That might not be enough time in Thailand for you, but it would likely allow you enough time to do a land border run which will get you another 30 days in Thailand and which can be extended by a further 30 days. This is less likely to cause you problems or questions such as you might encounter flying into either of the Bangkok airports on a visa exempt entry. You are permitted 2 land border crossings per calendar year. You can't be refused re-entry doing a border run this way as immigration staff at the border wont let you leave if you can't get back in. Or if you are wanting more time in Thailand you could travel to the Thai consulate of a neighbouring country (Laos is easiest) and apply for a single entry tourist visa. Most Thai embassies in neighbouring countries (except Savanaket in Laos) require an appointment and will require proof of equivalent to 20,000 baht in a bank account over the previous 3 months. Check the websites of the embassy you plan to visit, for the requirements and any upcoming public holidays and office holidays. Applying for a single entry tourist visa at a neighbouring Embassy is usually a 3 day process (except for Savanaket which is still 2 days) ie lodge your application on the morning of day 1, pick it up on the afternoon of day 3. You mentioned that you planned to visit Singapore, you could consider flying directly into Singapore before Thailand and applying for your single entry tourist visa there giving you 60 days in Thailand when you enter, which can be extended at immigration for an additional 30 days. During that 90 day period you can exit and re-enter Thailand to visit other countries if you also apply for a re-entry permit at immigration in Thailand; 1000 baht for one re-entry or 3800 baht for multiple re-entries within that 90 days of your visa plus extension validity. Unless you are going to exit and re-enter more than 3 times in that 90 day period it is probably best to just buy single re-entry permits as you need them. You can also buy them at the airport just before you leave Thailand but they cost a little more and often the desk is unmanned and you have to find someone to do it for you. Personally I prefer to pop into immigration ahead of travel and purchase a re-entry permit there.

A Multiple Entry tourist visa applied for within your own country still might be the best option for you if you're not feeling ready to bring 800K baht to Thailand. A multiple entry tourist visa can give you 9 months in Thailand if you exit and re-enter just before the expiry date. You could exit and re-enter as many times as you want in that first 6 months of that visa ensured that you will get a stamp for 60 days in Thailand each time you re-enter. The financial requirement proof required for that visa is about of the retirement visa, but does not require that you move a single dollar to Thailand. Neither is there any requirement to purchase Thai health insurance

Can do Thai cooking class almost anywhere in Thailand. Enjoy being out in nature and make the most of the physical activities on offer

Maybe ask in the Chiang Mai - Expats & Locals Living in Chiang Mai facebook group for more specific answers

@Sam ********

you've been given good advice by Brandon, it is the Royal Thai Consulate in Sydney that requires pre-approval online. They are very easy to deal with, and if you live in Sydney you can attend for a face to face service. Check out their website