@Martin *******

The OP didn't mention cost restrictions?

Elite Privilege Visa is absolutely the best

Nope. You have to leave and the best of luck trying to get back in again

@John *********

Yeah. A lot of "lucky" people using a "lucky" immigration office....or maybe, just maybe the biggest immigration office in the country knows how to do it correctly? Maybe it's the pisspot provincial offices where staff want to feel superior and implement their own rules.

@John *********

I have to put my hand up and accept responsibility for the meltdowns going on in this thread. About 2-3 years ago I put this method to the test. Two years on OA, returned to Australia for a few months, then came back on visa exempt, which I immediately converted to 90-day non-O, followed by 12-month extension, and did not require the 800k lump sum, as CW immigration accepted my 65k transfers (continuous) in lieu of the income affidavit. I posted this on "the other" visa group and had my post removed by one of the then mods, and was subsequently booted from that group for "spreading misinformation". However, subsequently another of the mods, Tod Daniels, investigated further and actually went to CW to confirm if what I was saying was correct. He was advised that it was correct, and Tod did post to that effect. Unfortunately because I had been removed from the group I cannot access this post. In the meantime I received a number of PMs from other group members eager to learn how I'd done this, and subsequently many have replicated what I did. Sadly, people (such as yourself) and others who believe they are "experts" have tried to downplay and negate what I (and others) have done, and are now embarrassed by their obvious lack of knowledge, and will say "well you were lucky". Yeah, all those that have done it are "lucky", or maybe, just maybe, we found the loophole, and you're all mightily pissed off. Live with it guys, there's some out there smarter than you

@Ben ******

I've never used an agent but I have total ease and peace of mind, especially with the fact that I am 100% legal and if I'm ever asked to show my bankbook I can smile snugly knowing everything I do is above board. I don't want to be caught out and have to leave Thailand with a potential five year ban. However, as you say it's to each their own

If you're returning directly to UK from Thailand you don't need six months as you're not entering another country. Don't waste your money getting a new passport which you don't need.

@Cris *****

Hasn't affected me! No-one is going to openly admit in a Facebook group that they pay bribes to government officials are they? They're going to pretend they do everything right and it's the big bad bank that is the problem!

@Cris *****

I extended my non-O retirement visa on Monday just gone. I've used Bangkok Bank for the last 15 years. It is the most farang-friendly bank in Thailand. There's no way in the world I would shift. The posts you've been reading are from those expats who use visa agents to bypass the rules, now Bangkok Bank has wised up to them, and they're melting down!

Here's mine

@Cris *****

Actually what he said is totally true. Agents have abused Bangkok Bank over the years with this short term (ie. One day) "loan", so now the bank has had enough and to ensure they meet regulator's guidelines, they won't issue a certification letter unless the funds have been in the account for minimum four months - if the funds haven't been in for the required time, the letter will be issued and the funds frozen until the qualifying time has been reached.