Do it properly. Start with a visa from your home country. Then get proof of residence. Then get ID. Then get a bank account. Make the bank account solid and either put 0 into it or the correct monthly amount of . Leave it in there for three months and then go to immigration with all the documents. Take someone with you to translate as all Thai docs are in Thai and you will have to sign a lot of paperwork. At the end of this process there will probably be something that you will have missed but you will get there eventually. Do not try to cut corners.

Do you have to get married in Thailand.

Stop saying seasoning. I don’t know who started saying that but it really annoys me. Seasoning sounds like a chicken being cooked.

My advice is to give it at least two years before you make mistakes. You will find that in that time you will meet people who can help you. Plus you start to get a better understanding how things work and where things are.

The main difficulty in opening a bank acct is to show that you have a permanent residence.

ATM of own bank

I see you are sticking to the six months rule

It’s a lot more complicated than people say it is. First you have to get a visa. Non o is ok. Then make appointment with bank. Or just walk in. You need a long term address. Proper ID and then there are about twenty forms to sign. All in the Thai language. It is better to have a Thai agent to help you.

@Nick ***********

I didn’t realise that I could just transfer money back and forth. Really good advice

@Rick ********

there is a lot more than just a visa now. Safest bet is use an agent