Thai Government Savings Bank

[PeteC]

I post this simply as a heads up for anyone who may be thinking of using an account there for a retirement extension. If you Google the bank, it seems it is a true bank, actually established by the then King many decades ago. Perhaps it is the specific type of deposit the man has, I don't know. Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... ng-rubbish

Unwelcome in Thailand

I visited the Thai Immigration department in Rayong recently to renew my retirement visa. I expected it to be a formality because according to the information that was available to me, I complied with all the requirements. Silly me. Having invested over 800,000 baht in the Thai Government Savings Bank for well over the minimum period of three months, I was informed that this is not an acceptable place for my money as ''it is a lottery''! There is indeed a monthly prize drawing but the invested capital is not at risk and certificates can be cashed in immediately if necessary.

There is no common sense or logic to so many of the requirements for residence in Thailand. It really makes me wonder whether I, and my fellow farangs, are welcome here: no land rights, property ownership is very restricted and the requirement to report to Immigration every 90 days, regardless of how many years one has lived here.

Those thinking of settling here in their retirement should consider very carefully the alternatives; other countries in Southeast Asia are only too pleased to welcome you.

TONY BINGLEY
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... s-up-short

Shape up or ship out

Re: Tony Bingley's letter ''Unwelcome in Thailand'', (Postbag, Nov 23).

If you had asked the Immigration Office prior to you putting your money into the Government Savings Bank bonds, they would have informed you that they would not accept your 800,000-baht deposit for your visa renewal based on retirement. There is no such thing as a retirement visa; it is an O/A visa based on retirement in the country.

If the UK applied the same criteria that Thailand does we would have a lot less scroungers in the UK. All the requirements that have to be met are not a problem to me. If I felt the same way that you do I would just leave.

C GROSS

[Nereus]

I had posted that letter a couple of days ago, tacked onto another thread.

The reply letter to the OP is typical of those with the "grateful guest of Thailand" syndrome!

Where in the Immigration regulations does it say anything other than "Thai Bank"?
This is just another example of some obnoxious petty official overstepping his / or more likely, "her" authority.
There was another example posted sometime ago, maybe not on here, that quoted an Immigration official stating that we MUST have an ATM card attached to the account that we are using.
As I posted on the other thread, the OP does not write how he got around it, but it does not take much thought to figure it out.

[jingjoe]

I thought the money had to be in an everyday account for the 2 or 3 month period?
not in a term deposit or any other product offered by a bank,the one above doesn't qualify as an every day account thats why he had grief at immigration.
The money is "supposed" to be used for the 12 months in the eyes of immigration not stored away.
When i had a marriage visa i had to make sure i had the 400 000 in a kasikorn everyday account for the qualifying period