Youbloodybeauty

99% of the past 30 years I've travelled to Thailand on non-confirmed for visa exemption. Booked a date prior to the 30/45 days. We have moved the ticket coming home many times before the 30/45 days when seats were tight. Although, once in that time we overstayed a couple of days and paid the fine.

Talk about crazy pricing. Wife went to Top Charoen in Lotus Thalang in Northern Phuket. Wife's sister gave her some nice frames and she wanted prescription lens sunglasses and that Top Charoen shop quoted 8600 baht for the lens fitted. Another shop in the mall quoted 6900 baht. Came home (Sydney) and same thing at a local shop wants A$140 or 3400 Baht. What's the deal in Phuket with the super high prices or did they "see my wife coming" speaking Thai with an Aussie accent?

Great info thanks. I'm thinking in the case of doing this in Thailand it might be better starting on a tourist visa so I can get a bank account setup and money for the required time. Stupid question possibly but would it make a difference if my wife opened a Thai bank account and I "piggyback" off her visa? Cheers.

Joe, I bet has been asked a squillion times and still got a bunch of questions - thanks! I see the TR-METV is A$300 each plus 2 trips outside Thailand. Non O is A$120 each (plus extension - I think 1900 baht). I understand for the non O, I apply in Sydney, need to pay 12 months Thai insurance x 2, A$120 visa x 2, show A$2000 each in bank account then when both wife go to extend our visa's in Thailand before the 90 day expiry, we need 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account in my name for X months prior and my wife can use this for her extension too. During our 6 months stay we can travel to Vietnam if we like and return. ie: this non O allows multi entry? After 6 months, travel back to Australia keeping the 800,000 baht in Thai bank account. Before the non O visa expires we travel back to Thailand and enter with the 30 day visa exemption. Then, extend the non O (1900 baht?) for another 12 months (what about insurance?). Stay another 6 months and repeat.

Thanks DrJack, yes, definitely! So confused about the non O-A and O. Been looking up a comparisons of them. About my "wife can piggyback" on my non O, so no need for the 800,000 x 2? Wife is Australian citizen too. Could the non O last two years too if we exit after 6 months and return before the 12 months is up? Also, weird here: https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-immigrant-visa-type-o-retirement 5. Proof of adequate finance - A bank statement in the past six months showing a deposit account with the minimum fund of AUD 2,000 I'm probably missing something but that's well short of 800,000 baht and doesn't mention it's to be in a Thai bank.

Ohh I thought the TR was a mult-entry visa. Actually, thought there was a multi-entry tourist visa but can’t see it on the Australian Thai Embassy site. Anyway, thanks for this, understand the TR to get the 6 months now but I read in the link above: “3.5 Confirmed accommodation in Thailand under the applicant’s name. This accommodation would need to be in both mine and wife’s name to get the TR but we stay at our relatives home. Would this be an issue please?

Will do thanks, although, we'll be self funded retirees for a while and the two years continuous residency is something to worry about in maybe 20 years. Dunno, things might be totally different by then.

Appreciate replies plus different options! Thanks. https://canberra.thaiembassy.org/toursit-visa-category-tr/ This is the TR visa mentioned above from the embassy in Australia. I understand we could pay A$60 each for 3 x 60 day stays making up the 6 months. We would need to travel twice outside Thailand during the time. ...or from a post above stay 60 days, extend 30 days and do this twice. Not sure how much the extension is? Is it easy to extend? I really like the idea of heading off to Saigon (or elsewhere) for a few days in the middle of the 6 months! This sounds perfect without the bigger cost of a retirement visa ($300 visa plus the Thai insurance) or having to show money in the back (either Australia or Thailand).

Thanks, yes good point but we aren't pensioners (yet) ???? I know about the 186 day rule. Edit: just want to stay Phuket for 6 months over the tourist season each year.

Thanks Jack, I have no idea why that would make a difference but yes plan is 6 monthly stays ongoing.

Yes that's it thanks. Maybe a problem to get my insurance to fill out their form. Possibly having to pay for 12 month Thai company insurance. ...and A$300 each for the visa. Maybe not the cheapest option!

Hi, Back from a 6 week holiday in Phuket and now thinking of our next trip next year for around 6 months. Wife and I are both over 50, Aussie passports and wondering the cheapest and/or easiest way to do this? Not sure there if there is an alternative visa option but I've been looking at the retirement visa. Yes we would waste 6 months of it but seems the easiest. Looking at the requirement I'm not 100% sure if applying for this visa in Australia I can show our bank account in Australia for the 800,000Baht X 2 with no need to open a bank account in Thailand? Yes I understand there is also the health insurance requirement too but have a Commbank Visa card that has 6 months free insurance, maybe I can use this? Thanks,