We came over on a TR, got an agent and applied for a non immigrant o then a retirement visa. 800k in the bank each and have had no problems.

People will say you must do this in your home country. Not true. It's far easier doing it the way your suggesting.

Use a visa agent and they will also assist with opening a bank account here.

Feel free to PM me as my husband and I did all of the visa applications after arriving in Thailand.

You'll be paying import tax on every item.

@Garrett **********

....asked nobody, ever. 😆

Good luck with that. I think your future is in the Philippines

A resident certificate and an agent.

Apply for non immigrant O not OA.

Use a visa agent

@Bruce **********

I thought so. I just wondered if anyone had found a grey area.

Do you have to be in Australia for 2 years for the pension? Is there a way around that?

@Tod ********

Great, thank you. That makes perfect sense. At least we don't have to cough up 1.6 million THB in an account. I thought I'd read that somewhere.