BritTim

Where on earth did you hear that? It seems so totally improbable that I would just ignore it unless you were told this by an extremely credible source. I could believe the opposite: that they previously accepted black and white photos, but now insist on colour.

Yes, it is well known that Thai officials love to lose face by being shown they are not applying the rules correctly.

Mondays are usually truly awful. If at all possible, delay your trip by a day.

There is no need ever to leave. Apart from the one-year check in that you already mentioned, you just need to do the five-year requalification at the half-way point.

Officially no TM30 notification is needed after returning to Thailand with a re-entry permit. However, be warned that some Immigration offices make up their own rules about when a fresh TM30 notification is required.

1) No. 2) In principle, you do not need to spend any time outside Thailand before returning. There can be issues at some land crossings are are not specific to those using multiple entry visas. Avoid using the crossing at Poipet/Aranyaprathet. 3) To maximise use of the visa, do a border bounce just before the visa expires to get a final 90-day entry. You then have the option of applying for a further visa outside Thailand, or applying for an extension of your permission to stay at Immigration in Thailand.

I can confirm that single and multiple Non O visas (age over 50) are available through the e-visa system for some countries' nationals. For example, UK citizens who qualify can get them. It is quite likely that this still varies by country, even when the e-visa system is used.

No payment, and once you show you were out during the university summer break, there will be no issues.

The 60-day extension to visit your Thai spouse is allowed.

I find this extremely surprising. I have never before heard of the Labour office issuing a work permit to someone on a retirement extension, and changing from an extension based on retirement to one based on working would not be possible without a work permit. I am not aware of this ever happening. It would be very interesting to see all the passport stamps. The big selling point of the new LTR-WP (Long Term Resident Wealthy Pensioner) visa is that it optionally comes with a fairly unrestricted work permit. Are you sure this is not what your friend has acquired?

Some essential annotations will be made in your new passport, and you will then receive an entry stamp in the new passport reflecting the end date specified on your re-entry permit. If you have been out of Thailand for more than a few days, also expect to be interrogated as to how you can still be studying after failing to attend class for x weeks. Ideally, you have a letter from your university that explains that they knew in advance of your departure, and that it does not affect your qualification to continue with the course.

By law, if you do not have a multiple entry business visa for Cambodia, you are supposed to spend one night in Cambodia when doing a border bounce. You can invariably pay a small bribe to have the Cambodian officials turn a blind eye to this requirement. It is true that officials on the Thai side are insisting on (at least) an overnight stay when you do a border bounce at most crossings with Malaysia. I think this is mainly enforced when people want to use visa exemptions. As far as I know, this is not a requirement under Malaysian law, just something Thai Immigration on that border has decided to introduce on their own initiative. Rather larger bribes (to Thai immigration) are required to circumvent the policy. There is no such problem with the Lao and Myanmar border crossings.

Most people whose spelling is flawed are able to spell their own names!

That is, I fear, a possibility. It is unlikely, The airline supervisor will no doubt have seen cases like this before, and be aware of what might lead to serious problems. This ought not to.

Contrast your experience with that of the people who applied the next day. According to another post, the consulate was mobbed on Thursday morning with visa run company groups.

Unless arranged in advance, you can (as is nearly always the case) expect outrageous prices for private taxis from the airport.

The biggest advantage of the Non O-A visa (as you point out) is that you avoid the need to bring money into Thailand. As against that, it requires insurance, police checks, health certificates (that are often a pain to get in the US) and a slightly longer application process as endorsement of the application by MFA headquarters is required. Having to leave Thailand every 90 days would be a drag for those who dislike travelling. However, Saigon, Luang Prabang, Angkor, Penang, Singapore etc. are great places to visit for many who have not previously spent much time in South-east Asia.

It is worth mentioning that the multiple entry visa gives you the option of border runs after 90 days. You still have the option of applying for an extension if you wish.

Depending on your nationality, you may be able to apply for a one-year multiple entry Non O visa based on being over the age of 50. I would definitely suggest the Non O (even if only single entry) over the Non O-A. As you correctly pointed out in your post, the main challenge in getting a one-year extension of your permission to stay from a Non O visa is the required possession of a bank account. One way or another, that can be resolved. If necessary, employ the services of an agent to sort it out. With a Non O visa, there should be no issues at the airport.

Make sure you understand an even more important point. On each entry you are given a 90-day permission to stay. Do not assume that you can just stay because your visa has not yet expired. Although making full use of the visa, and its multiple entry feature is normal, there is nothing stopping you from applying for an extension of your permission to stay at immigration after any entry using the visa.

No guarantees, but it is my impression that the original outrage over some agents gaming the volunteer visa system has now dissipated. The stories of retribution against those who received the visas seem to have ended.

I am not up to date on current prices. What I can tell you is that the price depends greatly on the condition of the car that takes you, your negotiating skills, and whether you can dodge the experienced operators who bombard you at the exit from Immigration and find a driver away from the main scrum who is happy to quote you a locals price. I would guess you might get a price of about 350 baht, but not sure.

You are allowed a 60-day extension for each entry. What you cannot do is qualify for a 60-day extension by leaving and returning using a re-entry permit from a one-year extension.

You must actually enter Laos (with a e-visa or visa-on arrival) before returning to Thailand. The whole round trip can be accomplished within about an hour or so.

If you apply for a Non O visa at Immigration to "convert" from an entry on a tourist visa or visa exemption, then the application is taken under consideration with endorsement by Division headquarters being part of the process. A one-year extension of your permission to stay based on retirement is processed directly by your local office with no need for an "under consideration" period.