Liquorice

Most Immigration officials are totally ignorant on the issue of what constitutes a visa, as they've never travelled overseas. It's clearly written in both Thai and English language on the documents you complete and sign at Immigration that you are submitting, and acknowledging an application for a 'permit' (of stay). Not being native English speakers, it's far easier for an Immigration official to refer to everything as a 'visa' (like the re-entry visa) rather than the mouthful of 'extension of stay'. They may be under the illusion you are extending your visa, which you can't, and they need to read their own written documentation. I seriously doubt they know the difference, however that doesn't excuse those who speak and read English from understanding and using the correct terminology.

Know what exactly? (Note, you've edited your post since my reply). Because I've questioned them and get that 'blank' stare. There is no such visa type as 'retirement', or 'marriage', only Non Imm O single or multiple entries issued for the purpose of 'retirement' or 'Thai spouse'. The Non Imm O-A visa is issued only to those for the purpose of retirement. The words 'retirement' or 'Thai spouse' will never be displayed on a visa issued by a Thai Embassy. Visas display the 'type', the 'category' and the permitted number of 'entries'. 1 year extensions of stay issued by local Immigration offices are 'permits', not 'visas'. A stamp 'retirement' or 'Marriage' is hand stamped above the extension, denoting the purpose and reason of the 1-year extension. Here's a typical question posted on the forum for you to answer! I have a Non O visa but have to leave the Country for a family emergency. Will I have an issue on re-entering?

Good grief, another ignoramus. One difference being the visa issued by a Thai Embassy allows at least one entry to the Country, as duly noted on the visa. The so called 'visa' issued by a local Immigration office does not permit any entries and is merely a stamp noting your change of Immigration status from entry as a Tourist, to that of a Non Immigrant, the status of which is required to apply for annual extensions of stay. It's clearly written in Immigration orders that you must have Non Immigrant status to apply for a 1-year extension of stay. When you enter as a Tourist, Thai Immigration merely offer an in-house service and procedure to change that Immigration status, rather than having to exit the Country and apply for a Non Imm O from a Thai Embassy.

Those that use the term 'retirement visa' for extensions of stay are simply ignorant of the conditions by which they are permitted to stay in Thailand. It's also common for those with a Non Imm O single entry, Non Imm O multi entry and Non Imm O-A visas to refer to them as a 'retirement visa'. It's not semantics, as @DrJack54 correctly points out. If you're asking for advice on a forum, to be given the correct advice, it's important to know if the member holds a current Non O valid visa and which type, or whether he has extended his permission of stay, which is a 'permit' (of stay) and not a visa. Single entry visas are 'used' on entry, multiple entry visas expire on the 'enter before' date. On entry and dependent on the visa type, the entry clearance office grants you permission of stay for a certain period of time. Subject to meeting certain criterial, you can then extend this period of stay at a local Immigration office. It's written all over the forms you complete for local Immigration, making it clear you're applying to extend your permission of stay and that it's a 'permit'.

Section 2.11 of Immigration Order 327/2557. 2.11 In the case of being a family member of an alien who has been permitted a temporary stay in the Kingdom for study in an educational institution according to Clauses 2.8 or 2.9 hereof (applicable only to parents, spouse, children, adopted children, or spouse’s children): Each permission shall be granted for no more than one year. (1) The alien must have been granted a non-immigrant visa (NON-IM). (2) The alien must have proof of relationship. (3) In the case of spouse, the relationship must be de jure and de facto: or (4) In the case of children, adopted children, or spouse's children, said children, adopted children, and spouse's children must not be married, must live with the alien as part of the family, and must not be over 20 years of age: or (5) In the case of parents, funds must be deposited in a bank in Thailand, under the father's or the mother's name, of no less than Baht 500,000 for the past three months. For the first year only, the applicant must have proof of a deposit account in which said amount of funds has been maintained for no less than 30 days prior to the filing date. 327-2557 (2014) - Criteria for extension ENG.pdf

The stamp issued by Immigration doesn't allow any entries. It merely denotes a change of status from Tourist to Non Immigrant.

Eh! When entering VE, the airlines usually insist on proof of an outbound ticket within 30 days of the arrival date. If you're arriving at SUV and denied entry, how could you use an outbound plane, train, or bus ticket from a different location. You'd be stuck airside at SUV.

No, it means unable to use that 'ticket' out, Emirates would have been responsible for returning him to his point of departure at their expense, hence they refused boarding.

An acquaintance of mine enters Thailand VE twice a year and has done so for many years. He applies for a 30-day extension each time, staying 59 days. To comply with the airlines' policy of having a ticket out within 30 days, he's always obtained a throwaway outbound ticket. Last year he was prevented from boarding (Emirates) because his outbound ticket was from DMK to REP (Siam Reap). He was asked just how he would travel to DMK should he be refused entry at SUV. He subsequently obtained another ticket SUV to REP and was then allowed to board. Emirates explained they'd recently been fined and had to return customers to their previous departure point at their cost, because they couldn't use the outbound ticket (bus/train/airline) if refused entry. Airlines catch on quickly when they have to cover return costs.

Which was immediately stamped as 'used' and the subsequent stamps make clear you have been issued a 'permit' of stay. It's simply an in-house Thai Immigration procedure to change one's original status from entering as a tourist. It negates the need to exit and apply for a Non Imm visa from a Thai Embassy/Consulate and re-enter with Non Immigrant status. Extensions are permits, not visas, but of course you just sign forms without reading them.

It changes your Immigration status. A person entering VE or TV is classed as a tourist and is limited to either a 30/60 day extensions. You must have Non Immigrant status to apply for 1 year extensions of stay. You apply for the Non Imm to effectively change your status from that of entry as a tourist, in order to apply for a 1-year extension. It is not a visa per se, although Immigration and agents often refer to any stamp as a 'visa'. It doesn't permit any entries and is used the moment it's issued. Its only effect is to change your original tourist status, to that of Non Imm, in order to meet the requirements for 1 year extensions. The subsequent stamps make clear you've been issued a 'permit of stay', not a visa.

If refused entry at Suvarnabhumi, how would you get to DMK to use that ticket?

You're only required to submit a 90-day report when being granted permission of stay for longer than 90 consecutive days. (1 year extension). Your first extension was for 60 days, and you informed your address on the TM7 as part of the process. Similarly, when you applied for Non O, you notified your address on the TM87. When the Non O is granted, you'll be given a further 90 day permission of stay, but before the end of that 90 days you'll apply for the 1-year extension of stay using a TM7, again notifying your address. When that 1 year extension is approved, you'll be granted permission of stay for 365 days, which will be the first time you've been granted permission of stay for more than 90 consecutive days. At that stage, when receiving the 1-year permission of stay stamp, the IO will also issue a receipt stapled in the back of your passport notifying when your first 90-day report will be due.

It's been listed and issued for at least the previous 10 years. https://savannakhet.thaiembassy.org/th/page/visa-fee?menu=5d84a44c15e39c26b4004542

The header is misleading. TAT only proposed extending the 45-day visa exempt entries to the end of 2023. The government dissolved pending new elections and never passed the proposal. Visa exempt entries reverted to the standard 30 days at the end of March.

The validity of the visa is different from the period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. If you do a border run, re-entering Thailand on or before 14th Nov, you will be permitted to stay for a further 90 days until mid-Feb, then extend for a further 60 days, takes you to April. Alternatively, you can apply for a 60-day extension to your current permission of stay (Jan 2024) and stay until March.

From the added facts posted by @Red Phoenix, it would appear Phuket forwarded an incomplete application (without a house visit to confirm the relationship was de jure and defacto). There is nothing the regional office could do in this case, their decision being based on the (incomplete) documentation submitted. The initial complaint has to be raised at Phuket and why they forwarded the application without proof of a de jure and defacto relationship. Sheer incompetence, couldn't give a toss attitude.

They therefore couldn't prove the relationship was de jure and defacto, but they should have made an appointment. If that is the reason for refusal, then the husband should raise a complaint. Has the Thai husband approached Immigration for more information. The local office will usually make a house visit before sending the application to the regional office for approval. In this case it would appear Phuket forwarded an incomplete application, hence it was refused. Extremely doubtful. Had that had any impact on the application, Phuket wouldn't have rejected the application.

There is no financial requirement for either the Thai husband or his foreign spouse. It would appear the only reason the application could be refused is on the basis of either not being able to prove a relationship, or prove the marriage isn't de jure and defacto.

If he's followed the law, he should have filed a TM30 concerning his place of residence in Bangkok. It then follows, he can therefore obtain a re-entry permit from CW.

You can't renew a visa at local Immigration offices. You can though apply to extend your period of stay based on retirement, which is a permit, not a visa.

All the requirements for a Tourist visa application are here; https://hochiminh.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa?page=5d80ab3315e39c2fe800a7a7&menu=5d80ab3315e39c2fe800a7a8 You can download the form and book an appointment from the same page.

The criteria on which you based your extension application for reason of marriage no longer exists from the day you officially divorce. In the case where your wife should decease, then the extension period is still honoured.

I quoted the information from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://www.mfa.go.th/en/page/general-information?menu=5e1ff6d057b01e00a6391dc5 If you have an issue with 'their' wording, you should immediately contact the MFA to correct it, with evidence of your expert qualifications. Just as Immigration have used their discretion to allow Russians a 90-day period of stay, entering VE, or the Chinese a 30 day VE entry, the above statement by the MFA means they could change the validity of a visa type to enter Thailand at their discretion. That is not to state they would, but they could. Changing the validity of visa to enter Thailand would not change the period of stay granted by Immigration, unless by their discretion as exampled above.

The Non Imm O ME visa is valid to enter Thailand for 1 year. On each entry, you were permitted a 'period of stay' of 90 days. You could extend that 90-day period of stay by a further 60 days, subject to visiting Thai spouse/family. To extend your stay beyond that, you must meet the criteria as defined in Immigration Orders.