BritTim

Do you have a Thai sim card, or are you trying to receive text messages using an overseas sim? The latter is sometimes problematic. It goes without saying that you should very carefully check that your phone number was entered correctly.

Even if you do not have the money in the bank for a one-year extension of stay based on marriage, you should be able to get a 60-day extension to visit your wife without showing any financial proof. This seems like a much better idea than paying to be ordered out of the country within seven days.

You will rarely be asked for an onward flight ticket when entering by land. The Non B visa application at the embassy in Vientiane is significantly less bureaucratic and time consuming than the application at Thai Immigration. If wanting to start work immediately, I would recommend the Vientiane embassy route.

If you plan to return after the expiry of the 90-day permission to stay, there is nothing you can do except start again.

99.99%. In the remaining 0.01% of cases, Immigration will phone you and indicate what you need to do to fix the problem.

That aside, it is possible for more immediate problems (though not really likely). Chiang Mai immigration will be well aware that the retirement extension was acquired using an irregular procedure. They will probably ignore this, but the wrong official might (for instance) demand to see a recent bank statement showing that the 800k baht has been maintained in the account, as required by the conditions of the extension.

The official rules, that are supposed to apply nationwide, changed in 2020. No TM30 notification is usually needed when returning to your permanent address after domestic or international travel. A few rogue offices seem to have missed the 2020 announcement, or choose to ignore it.

It is unlikely that staying in Thailand for a while after the divorce would lead to any serious consequences, but not certain. Once you are divorced, you are technically on overstay. If discovered, you will suffer all the usual consequences of an overstay in Thailand.

Your wife must be present for an extension of permission to stay based on marriage.

Previous experience suggests not. As ever, history is not a complete prediction of the future, but the worst that could happen is not very bad.

I do not think Thai banks have any obligation to notify foreign governments about the opening of new bank accounts. The Thai authorities will, presumably, receive some kind of report which it probably never looks at again 99.9% of the time.

Never in history has a press report been anything other than 100% accurate, right? Also, Thai Immigration officials are renowned for their consistency, and never changing their minds? With the official rules still being those announced in 2020, there is no certainty that Jomtien will always apply their own local regulations.

Although the attendance of the wife may not be explicitly listed, you are very unlikely to get the extension if your wife is not present.

As long as you do not already have two visa exemptions entering by land in 2023, an in/out at Ranong should be fine.

Make sure you understand that the re-entry permit simply prevents your existing permission to stay from being cancelled. It does not add time. If your current permission to stay ends December 19, on your return, the permission to stay will still end December 19.

As others have suggested, a border bounce is the usual solution. Where are you located? If planning to leave and come back immediately, it is dodgy to do this by air. At some land crossings, they will want you to remain out of Thailand for a night or two. Sometimes, a present to the officials can override this requirement. Although it does not give you 30 days, if you just want a few more days and then really do intend to leave, you can request a new extension (denied) and will be given seven days to leave the country.

If you have difficulty with the English language, I suggest you translate your English posts into your native language (to see if they are comprehensible) before you send them. We do not expect perfection, but the whole post in question (not just Sacramento) is extremely confusing.

An off topic post, and a reply to it, have been removed.

Make the switch this year, but explain your plan to the immigration officials. If they want to claim any local rules, they should do so then, not in a year's time.

The danger is that Immigration in Mukdahan or Nong Khai will block your departure with an active extension of stay based on working and no re-entry permit. They probably will.

I am glad you have never suffered the worst possible consequences from an angry exchange with a Thai. I have seen people hospitalised as a result of a wolf gang attack by (for instance) a motorcycle gang "avenging" their wronged friend. It does not often get that bad, but it can. I once saw a 45 kg bargirl leave a big young male customer concussed by hitting him as hard as she could with the butt end of a pool cue as soon as his back was turned.

There is no requirement for a criminal records check when applying for a Non O visa (whatever the category).

Getting angry in Thailand is a high risk strategy with unpredictable consequences. If they start smiling or laughing, it is a bad sign, and may presage an unpleasant aftermath, worse than simple obstructionism. On the other hand, most Thais are conflict averse, and may be inclined to defuse the situation by giving you what you want. I do not recommend it, but making a scene can work sometimes.

I believe the intent of the second question is to prove that those without citizenship are eligible to apply for a visa at that embassy/consulate (the same as when previously making applications in person). If currently having residence in the country was a requirement for making an application, the question about citizenship would be superfluous. There is a requirement that you be physically in the country at the time of your application, but that is a separate matter.

In general, I agree with your analysis. However, it may have some localised impacts that have a knock-on effect to the economy in general. As an example, if 25% of the retirees in some areas (where they are a substantial proportion of property owners) decided over a short period to sell up and leave, this could seriously affect the local economy, especially the property market. Those leaving would likely be those with higher than average net worth who, in addition, might be removing children from international schools.