@Linda ****

The money doesn't have to be in Thai currency so you don't need to change your money until you are here. Just make sure you are carrying the equivalent of 20,000 Thai baht.

Don't leave it until Nov 11th to leave - it will cost you 1,000 baht for a 2 day overstay. Nov 9th is your last legal day to stay. An "overstay" stamp in your passport is not the e d of the world, but just adds an element of doubt if you are doing a border bounce.

I don't think so Ron. It certainly isn't (or wasn't, it could have changed) for CBA and I know ANZ go direct to Kasikorn. Neither of those two involve BKK bank at all.

Hello Simon, this reply is a bit late, because you now have your visa, but this may still be of interest to you since you say you may use bank to bank in future when you need to prove foreign origin of your funds.

Unfortunately the exact same issue arises when you do a bank to bank transfer and your sending bank doesn't have direct agency arrangements with your Thai bank. In my case I transfered money many times from Commonwealth Bank of Australia to Kasikorn. I had no idea that my money was being routed via Citibank in Bangkok before landing in my Kasikorn account. When eventually I needed a proof of origin doc (although it was to buy a condo) Kasikorn looked up my deposit codes and said that they were all domestic transfers. Non of the counter staff could tell me where exactly the transfers had come from. On my second visit, armed with copies of my Aus bank statements and Kasikorn bank statements clearly showing withdrawals and deposits in each, and attending a proper branch of Kasikorn rather than then shopping centre type places, and refusing to leave my chair without a resolution, I eventually found out about the Citibank involvement. Kasikorn could not provide the actual form Immigration ask for because they hadn't done the foreign currency conversion but they did provide a letter explaining the situation and the dates and amounts of the various deposits. That letter was eventually accepted. But had it not been, my only option would have been to travel to Bangkok and get the form completed by Citibank.

So unless your Norwegian bank sends direct to Kasikorn, your no better off. I'd do a small transfer first and check the code when it arrives in your Kasikorn account. The local branch staff in sending or receiving countries will not really know what international agency arrangements their bank has in each country. (in Australia, ANZ bank does have direct agency with Kasikorn, but CBA doesn't - or didn't a few years ago.

He may need to show cash on hand to demonstrate he is a tourist who can support himself. Can't tell them he's working here if he is coming in on a tourist visa.

Switch to studying Muay Thai Scott - I can just picture you in the ring - you'd be a champ for sure.

Mark Barrons post above about having the money in a special account with no other transactions is bs. Regular transaction savings account is fine - just need to keep the balance up above the minimum in the final 2 months(for 1st application and final 3 mths for renewals).