In my experience to get an "OA" Retirement visa in your home country, you do have to have the Bt800,000 in your home country's bank account, but there are no requirements to keep it there once you have entered Thailand. It is still in your private bank account in your home country, you can spend it as you wish and no conditions. On getting the 12-month extension of my 2 x OA visas, no one at Thai Immigration enquired where the Bt800,000 was. I was free to spend it as I wished. Although I did have more than the required amount no one at Thai Immigration enquired. Not interested when I volunteered that information.

@Graeme *****

Yes, I understand all that as I have previously obtained 2 x "OA" Thai Retirement Visas from the Thai Embassy in Canberra Australia and many Thai Tourist Visa. No matter how hard you try to explain it is still a scam. All are engineered to cause complications and dysfunction to retirees from around the world. Like the old "Too many cooks spoil the broth" Every politician and government worker in Thailand wants to have an input, all different. It seems time for a good dictator.

In my experience and understanding throughout the world Bt5000 to open a bank account is called a scam. You either qualify or you don't.

What? you have to pay to put money in a bank. I always thought it was supposed to be the other way around. But then this is Thailand, of course. Silly me.

Sandy... I've only placed a bet on 2 horses in my life. After being badgered by my work college back in 1962. I give him one pound to put on a horse called "Jackman". Monday morning he made me swallow my pride when he gave me four pounds and ten shillings in winnings, he then told 200 people who worked in the factory how good a punter he was in jest, and he told the story over and over again. My next experience was about 1976 at the final of the Interdominion Trots in Perth W.A. I put $5 on a horse called "Down and Out" in a supporting race reminiscing my plight at the time. Lowe and behold after a bad crash of several spiders in the race "Down and Out came out 1st place and I got $75 back including my money back. I have never bet on a horse in a race since. I may be regarded as a very successful punter. I got 10 times my money invested back, and I've never had a bet since. 2 horses and 2 winners. Good luck.

Perhaps you should learn how to bribe the police before starting a gambling syndicate in Thailand. Not so common now or else spend your time in Thailand as a guest of the "bangkok hilton" commonly known as a prison. No reflection on the loverly hotel known as the real Bangkok Hilton spelt with capital letters.

It now may be time for Airline companies to use their influence to have this requirement changed, It is not often enforced.

@Luit ****************

Well yes, but the requirements are based on Thai Immigration Law. I think my answer is correct.

They have never asked me either. No body has.

I have now been to Thailand 15 times in just over 13 years. Two of those times were O retirement visas from the Thai Embassy Canberra in Australia, all in order. The other 13 times on a Tourist visa or recently on visa exempt twice. Although I have had a return ticket to Australia each time I have never been asked if it is so on all my trips to Thailand. Even when I have indicated this to the Immigration person they have indicated they did not want to know.