I believe that at this time if you leave and re-enter you will not need to prove insurance if your visa was issued before October 31. However, it is not 100% that you will get through easily through immigration. You may be questioned and you may have to point out the date of your visa and say that you don’t need insurance.

There is a downloadable form on the TGIA website (also search this group). If you can get Aetna US to sign the form then that would be the insurance certificate you could show to Immigration if you want a certificate.

However, for future 1 year extensions you will need Thai insurance. This would be a good time to consider switching to a non-immigrant O when this visa expires. That would relieve you of any insurance requirement in the future.

In Bangkok they do not ask about the origin of the 800,00 baht when applying for a 1 year extension based on retirement (and original O-A visas)

This just adds to the confusion. He shouldn't have been asked for insurance. If you hadn't shown whatever insurance you have would they have stamped you in for a year?

The bank letter from Kasikornbank just states that you have a bank account and it will state the balance at the time of the letter. You should get the letter 1-3 days before you go to Immigration. At the same time you can get 3-6 months of bank statements printed. Bring your bank passbook to Immigration. They may take that and examine it. The same day you go to Immigration, make a small deposit or withdrawal from your account and update your passbook. I go to CW Bangkok but all that I just told you should cover what you need at CM.

I would have him follow what you say. There is no chance that you will run afoul of the rules if you adhere to both financial requirements at the same time.I just saw a discussion in another discussion group where someone was repeatedly told by immigration that he didn't need 12 months of monthly deposits because of the earlier leniency advice. When he went in to apply for his next extension he was denied because he didn't have 12 months of deposits.

You should search this site for the process to obtain a non-immigrant O visa while you are in Thailand. There is no insurance requirement but you will have to deposit money in a Thai bank to meet the financial requirements.

If you purchase a non-immigrant OA visa in your home country there is an insurance requirement but you can meet the financial requirement with money in your home country bank account. You can meet the insurance requirement by purchasing insurance from the TGIA website however the plans available are expensive and have poor health coverage. There is a form for foreign insurance to qualify but it is difficult to get them to sign the form. I don’t know if you can get a good Thai policy unless you have lived here a while.

The recent reports that I've seen are that since Nov 7 the IO at Suvarnahbumi are not denying entry to people with OA visas obtained before Oct 31. But it is still early days and those reports may or may not be accurate. You should have a plan for what you might do if denied entry. Research your insurance options. If you are really planning to stay here long term and apply for a 1 year extension then you will have to confront this eventually.

Go to your local branch and ask them yourself. If necessary ask them to connect you with someone who speaks good English. You should know what it is you are asking for. Find an example of the letter you want. Print it out and show them.

As a last resort your could visit your bank branch on the lower floor of CW. They will definitely know what you are asking for.

Also, you can apply for an extension 45 days early. Go as early as possible so you have time to fix any problems. Take notes. The second time will go much smoother with less anxiety.

@Adam ********

I am a US expat. My US insurance covered me as a traveler but didn’t cover me to live here long term. I bought a Thai insurance policy in January of this year. It really depends what insurance you think you need. You have two choices (now). Stay here based on an OA with Thai insurance or switch over to a non-O if you want something other than a Thai insurance or no insurance.

Basically you have a choice. If you very much want to keep your money in a Canadian bank then you need to purchase an OA in Canada and purchase insurance. If you don’t want to purchase Thai insurance then return to get a non-immigrant O and then get a year extension of stay but you will have to put money in a Thai bank.