@Scott *******

so you are now in Thailand on a 60 day Visa Exempt stamp (in your passport). As others have said, you can get a 30 day extension on that at a cost of 1900 Baht at the nearest Immigration Office to where you are staying. If you were already married to your Thai partner, getting a Non-O visa based on marriage before leaving Australia would have made it fairly easy to open a bank account when I'm Thailand. As you're already there and not married yet, there's apparently very few bank branches that will let you open an account. Your best option is to find an Agent in Thailand that can help you do that, but it will cost you and from the many posts I've read, it might cost in the region of 5000 Baht. Opening a bank account should be high priority. Are you now staying in the Province where you intend to live full time with your future partner? From the information I've gleaned over almost two years, it's best to open a bank account in the Province where you'll live, otherwise you might end up paying unnecessary fees to the bank (ATM fees at least). If you're currently in Bangkok and intend to live in another Province, then the best option apparently, is to open an account (using an Agent) with the Bangkok Bank Head Office. They supposedly make it a lot easier than other Banks/branches, to transfer your account to one of their branches in other provinces.

@Pete ******

said the funds need to be seasoned for 2 months. I think that's the case with all, or most provinces, but check with the Immigration Office where you intend to reside and they can provide you also with the list of requirement for the Non-O visa based on marriage also, if you don't already have it. Not enough time to season your 400k? Then follow Pete's advice.

@Gary *********

unless you have a criminal record or a 'history' of abusing the Visa Exempt entry system you have nothing to worry about at all. The bonus is, that when it's up and running, it will speed up the process of getting out of the airport upon arrival in Thailand.

@Gary *********

the latest report that I saw in the Thai Media about the ETA was in the past 2-3 days. According to the media report, the government reckons that it will be introduced in April 2025.

@Wullie *******

what you're asking is nothing to do with this post. Ask the question in your own post, where it's much more likely to be answered

@Andy *******

@Cissi ********

these things are either rumours or proposals at the moment. Up until now, Government Officials have said that the ETA will be free, so whether it will be free, it remains to be seen, If it is introduced later this year or early next year as rumoured. This ETA was apparently supposed to be introduced last year, when the Government wanted the cost to be included with airline tickets. It didn't go ahead at the time, apparently because the airlines refused to collect the 'tax' for the Government.

@Jacques ****

that's a lot to pay for something that so many would say is very easy to do yourself. If you haven't asked the question here, why don't you ask what the process is before paying out a thousand dollars to a law firm that charges top dollar. Even if you aren't confident in doing it from scratch yourself, there's plenty of Visa Agents in Thailand that can help you for a few thousand Baht, not a thousand dollars.

@Maxim **********

fair enough, though I don't think it's a good idea to tell someone in an open forum to go ahead and do something that's illegal, whatever the risk may or may not be

@Maxim **********

so you're openly saying that the owner of the group assists people in breaking Thailand laws and you've used them to do just that?

@Maxim **********

I assume that you're going to accept full responsibility and the consequences for bad advice if/when the OP gets caught working illegally 🤔 or, do you work for Thai Immigration and know for a fact that thousands are doing voluntary work in Thailand?

@Neil *****

spot on!