@Stephen *******

that is what i have just explained to him. See my rather long winded reply. The risk is there, however unlikely and I did not like the insecurity. Monthly payments is the way to go.

@Todd ********

no I had enough of border bounces a long time ago. I am now here on long term extension based on being over 50 obtained myself at my local immigration office. The risk of obtaining a Visa and/or extension through an agent who deposits the 0 fir you for a few hours is that, at some point, immigration might become aware that you did not continue to meet the requirements of your extension. That could mean that your extension was invalid from the time the money was withdrawn and you could be deemed to have been on overstay since then. That would be a big problem. The most likely time for that to happen is if you try to get the Visa extension yourself at some point. Knowing what I know now I would not do what i did but, instead, start again by leaving and getting a new non O and after depositing funds myself to get an extension. The other risks involved are that your local immigration will make life difficult for you because they do not like you having an agent obtained visa/extension like they did to me. Having been through the whole thing of agents, getting myself, 0 baht deposit and monthly payments I would strongly recommend going the DIY route with deposit and then monthly payments the second year. What some dont realise is that you can send the monthly payments back to home country and transfer back for the next month if your income does not allow £1500 every month. I would normally spend just over half that in Thailand every month or I might go wild and spend two monthly payments in one month. The whole thing is much more flexible and does not tie up 0 baht earning nothing with only half available to spend for half the year. The issue is getting payments marked as international or ftt. I use Wise and long term stay in Thailand as reason for transfer and also asked Wise to tag my Bangkok Bank account. Transfers to Krungthai and Krungsri did not show as international consistently causing hassle. Transfers to BB always have for 17 months.

It took me a long time to work out the above so I hope it will be useful to you and any others reading it.

@John *********

I will not be in Thailand for more than 180 days this year so that, hopefully, proceeds from a property sale will not be taxable when remitted to Thailand. Am I right in thinking that the Thai tax year goes from January to December?

@Todd ********

I am not certain what you mean. Could you explain so that I can give you an answer?

@Stephen *******

you are correct it is not worth the risk. I have been lucky but now I am on solid ground and feel much better for it. In 6 years I have never had a home visit. I think they are more likely for those with marriage extensions as once over 50 you stay over 50!

My advice for what it is worth based on personal experience. I used an agent to obtain extension based on being over 50 twice mainly due to covid trapping me in Thailand unexpectedly and I had not got access to the required funds at the time. My local immigration office did not like it. They made my life difficult over a number of things like residence certificates and transferring stamp into new passport. They realy gave me the run around. I was also pulled aside at bkk on entry and told in no uncertain terms that I should get my next extension myself. I opened a second bank account into which I put 0 baht 3 months prior to applying myself at local immigration for my new extension. I was given this with no questions asked about funds for my previous extension for which I had not had the required funds in my account for the required time. The IO did not ask to see any proof in my first bank account. At that time I started monthly payments into Bangkok Bank of baht and this February obtained my new extension based on those. I now go forward with monthly payments which can be spent or sent back to UK to send again next month. There is a cost involved in that but minimal and it releases the deposit of 0 baht which I will invest at a much better rate. I have had no problems with Wise transfers showing as international but the IO required my UK statements to verify origin of transfers.

The icing on the cake is that now the IO at my local office could not be more helpful and has offered helpful advice about several issues I have had.

So, in all, things have been much better for me since getting my extension myself and I save a lot of money as well.

Make of that what you will and good luck.

@John *********

I beleive you can have your uk state pension paid into your Thai bank free from uk tax. You then only pay tax on it in Thailand. I might be wrong but I am almost sure I read that on the gov website when I claimed my pension. Un addition tgete us now talk of making money earned this year free of Thai tax when remitted to Thailand this year or next. I'm waiting for them to make up their minds. DTA with Thailand should only mean you pay tax once.

I am in the UK now for 6 months and I am continuing to make my monthly payments in order to get an extension stamp in February.

@Wannikea ********

I'm in the uk so I missed that one!

@Mark ********

Not wrong. Read it again! I do the same as you but from uk.