Tuvoc

Sure, but as stated several times, spending 10-11 days in an Amber country on the way back to the UK gets around this. No compulsory expensive quarantine and no self-isolation if you were fully vaccinated in the UK or a country acceptable to the UK.

You need to stay 10 days there. Assuming as you say, that country does not have its own restrictions for arrivals from Thailand.

Yes, and on a future review it will no doubt go back to Amber, question is when. Towards the end of the year I suspect.

I returned to the UK in June, and I was concerned leading up to that that Thailand could go on the red list. Fortunatelt it didn't. When I go back to Thailand later in the year, I'll be returning in Feb 2022. By that time it should be back to Amber ???? One woild hope.

It is as I said. If you were fully vaccinated in the UK, you can travel to Thailand, spend 10 days in an Amber country an the way back, with no need to self-isolate on your return.

Regarding the comments that the Phuket sandbox is now doomed - last I saw, the British were 5th on the list in terms of arrivals, so this will have very little impact. Only if other countries follow suit with similar restrictions on returning citizens will that model be potentially impacted. Correct me if I'm wrong - If you are fully vaccinated, you can travel to Thailand and spend 10 days in an AMBER country on the way back - does not have to be Green - and you don't ned to self-isolate. The rules changed recently. That gives you a lot more flexibility.

Yes, to my mind the marriage extension will always have more weight than a retirement extension, and that is one example. Also there was a period I think (and I'm a bit hazy on this) that visas from abroad and /or re-entry permits based on marriage required just Covid insurance, but the retirement ones required that plus the 400/40 k (for the COE) ? Anyway I am married but went for the retirement extension due to the reduced documentation and the fact that there is no under consideration period, and to do away with the hassle of home visits, witnesses etc Also for the original poster - I don't believe that changing to a retirement extension is a one-way trip. I think you can change back to a marriage extension at a subsequent renewal anniversary if that is advantageous to you. The IO may not like it as it is extra work, but I think it is permitted. So if that is the case, there seems to be nothing to lose.

And you have to have a good competency in spoken and written Thai, is that right ?

Yes, have this quite often as well.

KFC, but not once in a blue moon, much more frequently ????

One million baht is not a lot of money, there was really no need to do this in my opinion. But at least it covers the 800k you need in the bank for retirement extensions.

Yeah, I've got a Qatar ticket from LHR to BKK late December. I've done two-week ASQ before and I don't have any issue with it. BKK is my assumption for now. But I'm keeping any eye on things, under Qatar's flexible ticket policy I can change the destination to Phuket which may or may not involve extra cost (so direct from Doha to Phuket for the second leg). I'm hoping they might shorten the 14 day quarantine for double vaccinated travellers to 7 days perhaps, in which case I'd stick with BKK, but if not then I'll investigate all of the costs involved in changing it to Phuket. For October for the OP ? I'd say it would still be 14day quarantine in BKK, so therefore I'd seriously investigate Phuket if you don't want to be confined to your room - and it ought to be a bit cheaper as well.

Confirmed, I have AIS and didn't have to do anything at all, I'm receiving text messages in the UK and can top-up via the app if needed.

I brought a monitor into Thailand last year in my suitcase, it wasn't any problem. Maybe I was lucky. They are not that expensive depending on size and spec, you could think about just buying one in Thailand.