@Rees ********

he didn't specifically ask about Thailand, so well played, sir 😂

@Pete *****

so everyone says "you need a visa to open a bank account and you need a bank account to open a visa". This is NOT true. You get a visa (Non-O) for retirement, marriage, etc BEFORE coming to Thailand. Then once you arrive in Thailand, you get a 90 day stamp. So your first order of business is opening a bank account. Go to immigration and get a residence certificate, get a Thai phone number (passport must match name on phone account) and then go to the bank. If you are organized, patient, and polite, you should have no issues.

The bank will want your actual passport, not a certified copy. That being said, without a long-term visa or the help of an agent, you're pretty much out of luck.

@Randy ******

The only 'issue' we had opening our Thai bank account was that they wanted a "letter or statement" saying that we are retired. Since no such thing exists in the States, we just showed last year's tax return showing zero income (from wages). After that it was just a matter of them stamping papers and us signing them.

@Doug ******

I can't say for sure as each embassy has its own requirements. We applied from Ho Chi Minh City and they only required the most recent statement showing a minimum of 800k Thai baht.

@Sean ********

completely wrong. It has to be in a Thai bank to get the 1 year extension, but for the initial Non-O retirement visa, a bank in your home country will suffice.

@Christian ******

Facebook marketplace is a good place to check out rentals and get an idea of what's available and price ranges. You can also start with a short term stay at an Airbnb or hotel and search for a place to live after you arrive. Phuket is a pretty large island, so unless you're completely familiar with the island, I would check it out first before committing to anything long term.

@Mike ********

great advice 👍

@Corey *************

Make sure you have a credit card with "no foreign transaction fees". You will get charged in Thai baht and your card issuer will convert it to USD. That being said, credit cards are not as widely accepted as the States and smaller merchants may add 3% to the bill.

"Cash is king" in Thailand still applies in most places.

What's being overlooked is "he's here with his father". Seems like their family problem, unless your 'friend' is in fact you. Always interesting to note that these dire situation posts are always someone asking for a 'friend' 🤦