It's like a cat and mouse game

The Thai Immigration bosses had asked all embassies to verify individual income of all foreigners wishing a retirement visa.  The certifications they had been issuing for years were obviously misused and in many cases as outright lie.

Embassies balked at this and decided to cease issuing certifications for income statements. 

The word is out, get your embassy letter before the termination date, in most cases Dec 31, 2018. They can be used to apply for a visa through June 30.

Or you can stick the required amount into a Thai bank account.  Keep in mind You can't touch it for three months and must have additional funds to live on during these three months.

In my discussion on the matter it appeared as if there is a cat and mouse game in progress. I asked how monthly money transfers will be handled in the future, I was told "that is up to the foreign embassies."

If I am not mistaken this means they plan to hold out in hopes that embassies will change their tunes and provide the information.

If the standoff is not resolved within a year, most likely there will be an exodus, once that ball gets rolling it's going to be hard to slow down or reverse.

Some foreign embassies probably would not have great difficulty to accommodate such income inquiries with  the systems in place.  IRS computers come to mind.

Personally I'm not transferring my savings to a Thai bank because my U.S. last will and testament would become worthless.

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon