@Yo***

80,000 THB. Wow never heard or seen that much being asked, normally around 50,000 thb, €1341, for first time and 14,000 to 20,000 thb, renewal

So, having 800,000 in a Thai bank, at today's exchange rates equivalent to , or should I say when I wrote this post for those more pendantic of us here!

£18,860, $24,721.46 A$38,256 and not to forget the Euros €21,453.60. sitting in a Thai bank accruing 0.25%, they may even stretch to 1% interest paid minus tax of course.

Now, the above amounts sitting in a bank back in your home country, would attract... Say 4%?

Probably more if you invest it in higher/fixed term

So you would be getting a return of roughly €858.

So what do you pay an agent to handle all the paper work for you and hold your hand through the process. First time, yes expensive, but when renewing paying some where in the region of €375-€536!

So, with money back home you would be gaining!

But, go which every way you wish. So it is not always a case, as expounded on here by many a disgruntled expat, that people using agents do not have the money, it is maybe a case of they are putting it to better use than leaving it languishing in a Thai bank