@Peter *********

none of my friends or I, long term expats, have ever seen or heard of this happening if the money is pension money, not income earned while living in Thailand.

TM-30

If you have MONEY go for the 10 year LTR visa Thailand

@Ivan ***********

So where do you see your bank's exchange rate? I divide the amount of money that appears in my account by the amount transferred plus $25 and then compare that to what the internet says the interbank exchange rate is.

I do not understand the baht. Is that for a year, 5 years, or what? At $25 a month, I only spend $300 per year which, at 32 baht to the $, would be 9600 baht. At 36 baht/$ it would be 10,800 baht.

I simply go on line to my U.S. bank and wire how ever much I want. All wires cost $25 regardless of the amount. Usually in my Thai bank account within 3 days at the inter-bank exchange rate

People say Wise is cheap, but I like having no middle "man" and/or 3 rd party having access into my acountl

I have to say, Bradley, the card specifically spells out that you are NOT a Thai citizen.

IT IS interesting the different experiences people have with the pink ID.

A friend age in Taco Bell in Bangkok and that night came down with a violent case of diarrhea and had to go to the hospital at 3 am. Testing showed it was norovirus and was defecating uncontrollably just about hourly for 3 days. Had to wear pampers and was on an IV. It was only on day 4 did he start to improve. Cost him 200,000+ baht. Luckily he had access to the cash to pay as he had no Thai insurance.

I think, repeat think, if you get a non-OA from a Thai embassy, insurance is mandatory. If you get a non-O after arriving in country, it is not. Others will help on that.

Unless you have a fairly large pension income, no insurance can be ruinous.

You can not use medicare in Thailand, as I am sure many people have told you. You can not submit a claim from Thailand to Medicare for reimbursement of medical costs in Thailand.

If you do not buy insurance, you will pay all expenses out of pocket.

You need to double check whether or not the 800K needs to be from a foreign source. It is not like the monthly income where the requirement is money from a foreign source coming each and every month.