If you have as much money as you say then for self insuring you don't need to transfer all the money to Thailand, takes seconds for money from Wise to settle in a thai bank account
waterfalls yippee, you can do all those things except waterfalls around Pattaya. I've done enough waterfalls for a lifetime, they get boring like temples
There's good and bad cops
enforcing the law seems optional
ok to give them extra money to do their job, my lawyer friend told me that
You don't see them out before 10am or if raining
Standard procedure at banks to ask for passport, certainly should ask for it. Old bald farang all look the same so could easily go into the bank with passbook and withdraw. I like extra security measures