Liquorice

Don't be fooled that you have to pay fuel costs. If they use their own private vehicles, they are paid a travel allowance.

Surely, you mean the 5 months when the funds cannot be below 800K. It's then 7 months for the 400K. As I stated previously, it's an individual choice based on circumstances and situations. I've known a couple of expats 'incapacitated' through emergency medical grounds and missed a monthly transfer. The <deleted> then hits the fan, and you have to start the procedure all over again, Non O > extensions. Those costs out way any loss of interest in keeping funds in a Thai bank, against your home Country. Proof of monthly overseas transfers and requiring additional evidence can be another PITA. I extend based on Thai spouse and use the 400K funds method, but keep closer to 750K in that FTD account. I also have a regular Savings account. The wife is a co signature to both accounts. In the event of anything happening to my spouse, easy to deposit another 50K and switch to retirement. In the event of my demise, my Thai assets go to my Thai wife. Jeez, I've even known a couple using the income method, that suddenly passed away and not that anyone else had access, but there wasn't enough in their Thai bank account to pay for their cremation. There is a lot to consider when deciding to use the funds or income method.

According to Bangkok Bank, the maximum daily withdrawal limit for a foreigner from an ATM is 50,000 BHT. Unlimited in branch.

Each to their own and dependent on personal circumstances and situations. One of the Cons of using the 800K method is you could probably get much better interest rates in your home Country than you're likely to get in Thailand. A couple of Pros are in the case of an emergency you have funds easily available and no proof of overseas transfers required.

The only other occasion we've required a witness was during the home visit for the very first extension application. I did suggest if requiring a witness was to become the norm then we could bring one along the following year, but they stated we shouldn't bother as the procedure could change again in-between. They also insisted the witness had to be a personal friend, not a family member.

Well, just from those locals I do know, two who obtain extensions based on Thai spouse live separately. Marriages of convenience - pay the wife 10K to attend Immigration at that time of year. Only home visit is for the very first extension application, non thereafter. No agents up this next of the woods.

I believe each Immigration office has its own set of particular issues with tourists and Non Immigrants based on their location, and adjust at their discretion requirements in order to combat the particular problems in that area. I posted the new forms and our experience as a heads-up, but suspect many will have a totally different experience. The new forms we were advised are 'recent', although again some may have already been presented with them. It's the wives that are being asked to sign an affidavit, with a witnesses ID and signature, that the marriage is de jure and defacto. In the event of the marriage not being so, it's the wife and witness that can be now be prosecuted for the crime of perjury.

It is the forum software that 'clouds' the text. Clear as a bell on my PC saved as jpeg. Roi Et Immigration.

Roi Et. Only 2 months seasoning of 400K using the fund's method, but I always request a 3 month statement - same cost, 100 BHT.

The problem with section 2.24 is that it has always left the statement "Permission shall be granted for one time and no more than 60 days", open to interpretation. It was always instigated as 'one time per entry' as UJ always stated My IO are only a 90 minute drive from the Lao border so have seen a significant increase in 60 day extension applications particularly since Embassies ceased the Non Imm O ME visa, and many have resorted to using the 60 day VE entry + 60 day extensions as an alternative to staying long term in Thailand. Other inland IO's may still offer unlimited 60 day extensions per entry.

As an aside, also on our visit, I witnessed another foreigner sat at the front desk next to me having a heated argument with an IO. He was applying for a 60-day extension to visit a Thai spouse, which Immigration were refusing to approve. Previously, you could apply for a 60 day extension for each entry. The IO argued that since 60 day VE border entries were unlimited, they had now been instructed to only issue a single 60-day extension per annum, rather than per entry, as the system was being widely abused and foreigners were attempting to remain in Thailand throughout the year without obtaining the correct visa/ extension.

Today, we revisited the office to return the witnessed 'affidavit' and 2 signed copies of their ID card. I requested copies of the new forms (posted above) which the girls duly obliged. We've known the 2 girls in the back office for a few years, the wife being quite friendly with one who frequents the wife's business shop. They advised not to prefill any of the above forms in for the next visit as many changes were currently underway and forms could change again. Without going into great detail, they did state they were encountering many problems with so called 'de jure' and 'defacto' marriages. (I read into that 'arranged' or 'sham' marriages, for the purpose of a foreigner remaining in Thailand).

So yesterday I submitted my usual annual extension application based on Thai spouse. I'm well-organised, have my ducks in a row and like to complete as much as I can, including the STM2 (Acknowledgement of terms and conditions, and the STM9 (Acknowledgement of Overstay Rules) before visiting my local Immigration office. The wife obtained a new Kor Ror 2 from the Amphur, whilst I went to the bank to update my passbook, obtain the standard letter for Immigration and obtain a 3-month statement. (700K + funds in bank all year) Usually, we're in and out within 30 minutes, then the application is pending approval. It's not a particularly busy office, with 3 officers servicing the front desk and if as many as 6 foreigners are in attendance, it's unusual. It was busy by their standards, but today 4 officers manned the front desks, one of whom I wasn't familiar with. So we submit two sets of identical documents, and I'm expecting it to go without any problems. Changes. They inform me the STM2 and STM9 have recently been changed/updated and worded differently, so I'll have to complete the new forms. Just a minor delay to the normal process. New STM 2 form. New STM 9 form. New. I was presented with and asked to sign a form I've never before been given. Form STM 11 (Consent for Fact Checking). For the last couple of years, the wife has been handed an 'affidavit' to complete, which again she duly completed. Form STM 10 (Affidavit). All forms stamped, signed and completed, we waited 5 minutes as usual before being called into the back office where they take a photograph and then pay the fee. It's at this point and absolutely new to the previous procedures we've had to follow, they hand me another document to sign which is a double-sided form completely written in Thai, other than the fact I can observe my name in English, DOB, nationality and passport number which I'm asked to sign. I hesitate to sign, as I have no idea what this form states. The wife looks and tells me it's giving my consent for the Police to do a full Thai criminal record check on myself. The consent form I'd previously signed (STM 11) is a prelude to them then printing a request to the Thai Police for background checks. The real 'ball-breaker' though was the fact they handed the completed STM 10 (Affidavit) form back to the wife and told her it must now be signed by a witness along with 2 signed copies of the witnesses ID card. Fortunately, we live a 10-minute drive from the Immigration office, but for anyone living on the boundary of the Province, it could be a 90-minute drive to the office.

Way back in 2014 when I first filed a TM30 as the 'possessor' of a private residence, Immigration informed me the attachment (page 2) was for hotels, guest houses to complete and not for a foreign individual living in a private residence. Since that time I've filed 2 further TM30 forms (not the attachment) as the 'possessor', without my passport number, and all were approved. My last TM30 (and hopefully last) was filed 8 years ago. The only consistency with Immigration, is the inconsistency.

The online version must be different from the paper version then.