bmanly

You are right there. I watch a YouTube channel called "PoliceActivity". They show body cam footage of shootings and 95% of the perps end up dead.

This is the correct answer.

Hi, what did you end up doing about this? My wife and I are in the same situation about this. I was told that for a name change all that is required is the Thai ID Card and house book. Only difference between us and you is that we have no children so we don't need permission from anyone. We mostly want to do this so my wife can get a Thai passport with the same as her Australian passport name (mine). Thanks.

I am similar to you. I spend 4 or 5 Months in Thailand each year and I am a genuine tourist. I come and go regularly with side trips. The METV is perfect for me but I usually do the SETV as I can extend that one for 30 days and then I go for a break and return on a visa exempt. Perfect way to do 4 Months. To all the people saying that if you are over 50 you should get a retirement visa, you are wrong. I do not get yearly rental contracts, I move around and holiday about in Asia. I am not entitled to get one as I don't live there permanently. I am a retiree who travels a lot but prefers to base myself in Thailand. The Tourist Visa is the correct visa for me and I will continue to use them. In 34 years I have never been questioned by an immigration officer, 95% of all my entries have been on Tourist Visas.

I put in an online application on Wednesday morning. In your educated opinion, how long do you think I will have to wait until they green light me to come in to drop my passport off? How long roughly before I get that email? Thanks.

I sympathise with the OP. I would have thought a 30 day waiver wouldn't have raised questions as he was legitimately using the METV as it was suppose to be used. Yes maybe he could have done another run before the visa expired. The reason I made a reply here is that I am currently in the queue for a METV my home country now. My plan is to make 3 different entries into Thailand over that 6 Month period with the last entry to be extended at a local immigration office. During that METV I will return to my home country and also visit Vietnam on another trip. Am I likely to encounter any problems?

I just wanted to revisit this thread, re: letting my Kasikorn ATM card lapse. I let my ATM card lapse and there were no further yearly 300 baht fees deducted and I did not notify them of anything. I do get charged 20 baht a Month for SMS alerts but it is not necessary as you get push notifications on the app. About ATM QR code cash withdrawals. This is the best and most simplest way to make withdrawals of cash. So I walk up to my ATM, I have the app open and the cash amount ready to go, I press cardless cash withdrawals on the ATM then KPLUS and a QR code pops up, I scan it on the app, touch correct on the ATM and out comes the cash. It never failed and only took 15 seconds to do. Did is several times during my stay, very fast and the way to go. Thanks for all the advice people.????

20 odd years ago they had several visa agents in the Georgetown area of Penang that you could use to obtain a tourist visa. Are these visa agents still operational or are they not allowed to provide this service anymore?

Well, I followed up on one tip which was Cina Travel Visa Agent in Phnom Pehn. The reply was that is takes 4 days to get your tourist visa. So I asked that if I lodged on Monday Morning, would I get it back on Thursday or Friday and the reply was "come to my office first". Not very encouraging. Anyhow, I have not been in Thailand during 2020 and 2021 due to covid. In 2022 I did 2 separate visits from AU both with tourist visas. So at this time I have not been in Thailand for 6 Months, I am leaving shortly. I was thinking of booking flights for my 1 week away and getting that second TV at a friendly Consulate. The last TV I got from a neighbouring country was in Vientiane in 2019 and that Consulate at the time was lodge one morning and pick up the next morning with the first morning being by appointment only. So as far as I know I'm certainly not pushing my luck or abusing the system. I added this info just to clear things up, cheers.

Thank you to all respondents, you have all provided me with some good info, much appreciated.

Hi everyone, long term member and visitor on this site and things are changing all the time so need a little input from members. Travelling on an Australian PP. I will have a single entry TV on entry from au. After the first 2 months I plan to spend a week in a neighbouring country looking around while getting a new TV and come back to Thailand. I've done them all in the past, Penang, Vientiane, Phnom Phen. But things change, where would it be the easiest/least hassle to get a new TV for my return. I know about extensions but prefer the TV route. Thank you.

Can you tell me exactly where you buy your lottery for 80 baht, thanks.

In the second photo I scan that QR Code on the KPlus app, there is no pin numbers to enter on the ATM? Sorry, I have only ever withdrawn cash via an ATM card so that's why I ask.

Can you or anyone else explain how this is done. I am not in Thailand right now so I can't try it. So I go into KBank app I tap the withdraw button and you can pick the amount. It is showing via ATM. From this point what happens next? I don't want to try it while I am not there......so I am standing at the ATM what happens from there on?

I have Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn ATM cards for many years. Both charge 300 baht a year every year regardless if the card gets renewed or not. Are you sure about the no charge every year on your card?

My Thai sim is not active when I am in Australia Months on end but I check my account on the app at least once a week, but your point is noted.

Yes I think I'll get rid of that 20 baht a Month SMS notification as well.

This is why I want to let it go. About 10 years ago I had 2 fraudulent charges against my card. I picked it up early enough and got most of it refunded but I don't want to risk it anymore.

I have a Kasikorn account with an ATM Debit card. It is going to expire soon. Due to the amount of fraud and scams going on in just about every country on earth I am thinking of letting my card go, in other words not renewing it. So currently I get charged 300 baht a year for this card plus 20 baht per Month. My question is, if I let it lapse and not renew it will they still charge me the 300 baht a year? Do I need to see them or just let it lapse? I don't really need the ATM card as I have a Bangkok Bank account as well and I can use that ATM card. Plus I do everything else via internet banking. So will they still charge me?

Yes thousands do. There are a lot of people who would much rather stay 45 days than 30 days on a visa exempt. In some cases it is a deal breaker for some people. There are heaps of retirees out there looking for a nice place to go for 6 weeks.

I have an account with both Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn. I find Kasikorn better with the app and less paperwork when you need to change details. But one thing I have never really understood is why you have to pay for a ATM card every year? It's like 300 baht a year and you are charged that even if you don't get a new card. In my home country of Australia, all my ATM cards are free, all the time, even on renewal.

Thanks Pib, I am glad we didn't try setting this up in Australia then. They don't tell you these things. The point of concern is that we live in Australia and we just want to check her online account [oh hang on, no longer online account] to make sure everything is correct. So I guess I must encourage her to get this set up at a branch. That means she has to buy a Thai sim insert in phone and go to the branch [It can't be done on wi-fi]. Why do they make things so hard? Cheers.

You did the right thing. I have a Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Account and both have web access, mobile app and ATM cards.

It doesn't happen in my country Australia. I have several banks accounts, all are accessed either by web on my PC or mobile app. It is unheard of to shut off internet banking for people, just saying.

Wasn't this a surprise. My Thai wife is going to Thailand next week. Tried checking her Krungthai account online, can not. Not game to try set it up overseas due to fear of getting blocked out. It's a bit stressful, she is old and doesn't use apps. I told her the only option is to go into the branch and get it sorted when she gets there. Honestly did they think about old Thai pensioners when doing this?