Good follow up. Yes, any IO in any office can ask for extra provenance.Lone Star wrote: ↑July 13, 2018, 1:13 pmCouple of things ...
First, the Consulate in ChM informed me that there is no new policy regarding the income letter, but referred me to the Thai Immigration office if I had further questions.
Second, I am aware through a friend in ChM, who I spoke with this morning, that he had a friend go through the extension process yesterday at the ChM IO, and the process was the usual that he has experienced for a decade. The IO only required his notarized affidavit. No "proof" was requested. Yeah, friend of a friend. I know. But it's better than not knowing anything at all.
Apparently, the expat in ChM who had to provide "proof" of income was singled out for some reason by the Immigration Officer, which is well within the officer's authority to do so.
WRT tutone's difficulties with providing any paper trail, I recommend setting up a separate account where every month (or quarter), you deposit the equivalent of the minimum monthly (or quarterly) +5% of whatever the monthly/quarterly amount that's required, be it 400k baht or 800k baht (equivalent). Then you have a single bank statement or account that has ONLY your bare minimum (+5%) of what the Thai IO needs to see. Makes it easier than showing bits of paper from investment accounts, bank accounts, etc.. Unlike the IRS, they don't want to know the sum total of your income, just that you can meet the minimum requirements.
FWIW, as a Brit, I get the UK Consular proof of income letter which they provide after I have shown them the 4 x quarterly statements for my 'Thai retirement' account as defined above. This account is in a non-Thai bank. However, when I go to the IO to renew my extension, I always bring the same bank statements that the UK Consul 'approved', just in case some IO is having a bad hair day.
