new visa rules for foreigners

[schuimpje]

Regarding the issue of opening a bank-account.
I fully agree with Ian, it is a matter of finding the right bank.

The only bank I know in Bangkok city to open an account for Farlang is Bangkok Bank, Sukhumvit Branch (between Asoke and Nana BTS.
I opened my account (savings) with nothing but a 30-days Tourist Visa, my passport and some money (10,000 baht or so) to put in there.
Go up to the second floor, ignore the counters and queu-numbers downstairs.
Turn right as you get on the second floor.
In front of you is the Money Transfer Service. To your right there's 3 or 4 desks.
I had my account in 30 minutes, no problem at all.

I live in Rangsit area now.
Best banks here to go to are SCB Rangsit Market Branch and the Punsab Market SCB Branch (Near St.Carlos Hospital).
Both are professional, don't go to the normal teller-counters, but ask friendly for the bank-manager.
They will help you for sure.

On every first occasion, no matter what it is, bring your Thai spouse or a friend who can help bridge the gap in terms of language!

[ChalongBoy]

Joint Bank statements..... Income well over the 65K per person....
What do people with joint accts bring to Immi as to proof of income?

[dadman]

first for about one or two months. Now when I am getting older I would like to spend the winter (October April) in Thailand but every year it have been more and more difficult to get the visa I would like to have. This year I got the one year visa (with more than 800 000 THB in a Thai bank) and I had to pay 1800 THB to get it. I like to get back to Sweden in the summertime and I like to be able to travel in the South East Asian region so I applied for a multiple entry addition to my one year visa and they charge me 3800 THB for that. I will go back to Sweden tomorrow 23-04-2009 and hopefully return to

[Michael Bukit]

After reading all these comments, it seems like this is a country with no proper laws and rules. Some said you need to have work permit to open bank account, some said to show a marry certificate, some said you need to be out of the country every 3 months even if you have 1 year, some said you don’t have to. So what are the actual rules & regulations? Is this country really so messy? And if it is really that messy, why are so many farangs applying for long stay visa?

[villager]

After reading all these comments, it seems like this is a country with no proper laws and rules. Some said you need to have work permit to open bank account, some said to show a marry certificate, some said you need to be out of the country every 3 months even if you have 1 year, some said you don’t have to. So what are the actual rules & regulations? Is this country really so messy? And if it is really that messy, why are so many farangs applying for long stay visa?

Hi Mike, maybe it,s cos the fishing,s great , it certainly is at my neck of the wood,s,LOLOL.

[Michael Bukit]

Can anyone confirm this is true? The Land Department director Anuwat Meteewiboonwut's comments - that a Thai's home can be confiscated if the funds used to buy that home came from a foreign spouse.

Please read below comments from Khun Supachok Chattanuchai which I’ve copied from Postbag.

Land policy ridiculous
If I correctly understood our Land Department director Anuwat Meteewiboonwut's comments - that a Thai's home can be confiscated if the funds used to buy that home came from a foreign spouse - then I'm absolutely gobsmacked.
To add insult to injury, the land tsar suggested that they could legally (for now) go cohabitate in a condo. Nice alternative. I have a wife and four children, so how or why in the world would I live in a condo with four rambunctious children? Luckily I don't have to.
If true, whether in practice or in principle, the policy is cruel and racist, and anyone pushing it should be branded with a swas-turkey on their forehead (no apologies for the strong language).
What is going on with our society? We ceaselessly assail foreigners from every angle for no reason and now we stoop even lower and attack their families.
I'm getting very frustrated at my fellow Thais, this is madness. Just stop it.
End the policy at once and fire the Supreme Neanderthal of the Land Department, permanently. Maybe his family house should be confiscated as well.
SUPACHOK CHATTANUCHAI

[grass-seed]

I have read with great interest all the comments on difficulties of obtaining visas and opening bank accounts. I have lived in Thailand for many years (I'm a Kiwi) and the only difficulties I have encountered with banks is CLOSING an account!

For visas I never had any problems but I hated the 90 day reporting period. A waste of time. So I became a permanent resident. Now, every 5 years I report to my local police station with my permanent resident booklet (no other documents needed). The police write in another 5 years and I pay 800 baht. But I must not be one single day late (I can come days earlier) because if I am late the whole permanent residency becomes null and void.

I still need reentry permits in and out. I actually need two sets-one set for my passport and one set for my permaent resident book. Both must be shown at Thai Immigration when leaving and entering the country. I have to pay double for these two sets. Still, a small price to pay for the peace of mind I now have. I don't even need a work permit because I am working for myself as a consultant.

[thompson]

by grass-seed on Mon May 10, 2010 1:34 pm

I have read with great interest all the comments on difficulties of obtaining visas and opening bank accounts. I have lived in Thailand for many years (I'm a Kiwi) and the only difficulties I have encountered with banks is CLOSING an account!

For visas I never had any problems but I hated the 90 day reporting period. A waste of time. So I became a permanent resident. Now, every 5 years I report to my local police station with my permanent resident booklet (no other documents needed). The police write in another 5 years and I pay 800 baht. But I must not be one single day late (I can come days earlier) because if I am late the whole permanent residency becomes null and void.

I still need reentry permits in and out. I actually need two sets-one set for my passport and one set for my permaent resident book. Both must be shown at Thai Immigration when leaving and entering the country. I have to pay double for these two sets. Still, a small price to pay for the peace of mind I now have. I don't even need a work permit because I am working for myself as a consultant.

Congratulations on becoming a permanent resident. Was it this year or last year?

[grass-seed]

I got my residency in 2004. They give you 1 year first and thereafter renewal at 5 year intervals (like a drivers licence). I first applied in December 2001 and it came through in August 2004. Well worth the wait.

The police will post me a letter one month before the expiry date in August to remind me to come in. They will also phone to really make sure I don't forget.

[Ian Wensor]

An excellent way of improving Thailand's image would be if Permanent Residency status were conferred on farangs who've lived here 5 years and are married to a Thai ... Notwithstanding the financial contribution they have and are making to the Kingdom and no matter how hard they' try, THEY'RE STILL BEING TREATED AS NECESSARY EVILS