Salerno

Indeed, from little over a month ago:

Assuming you're a Brit, you arrive visa exempt (VOA is a different beast) and get stamped in for 30 days, you can then extend for a further 30 days for 1900 Bht. By then who knows, unlikely IMO but a possibility to still be able to extend for 60 days using a Covid extension for .... 1900 Bht. If Covid extensions scrapped by April chances are there would be a possibility of a border hop for another visa exempt if you need more time.

No clarification has been published yet as far as I'm aware.

Found a thread (think it was the one I was thinking of) that includes an on the ground example that illustrates the potential confusion. No idea what happened the year after. Just seems a bit too vague and easy to get caught out to chance going below 450K deposit to me and pretty sure there's been a few rogue IOs saying you can't even do it now. Dump and forget, or work towards transfer to 65K a month for peace of mind I think.

Because nobodies knows what the rules actually are which makes the local interpretation even more confusing for both sides of the table. For example, technically there is no limit for the cash in the bank, could be 200K, 400K 500K whatever as long as that figure and the total monthly deposits equal minimum 800K, the problem was when the changes came in, and as far as I'm aware has never been explained (but I may have missed it) how does that sit with the minimum 400K in the bank for the 7 months as is required using the 800k deposit? It's also more complicated for the IOs to check compared to a clean printout of an account with 800K sitting in it for 12 months (or minimum 400K for 7 months and the other 5 800K). @Jingthing from memory you where involved in a thread back when the changes came in was the 400K issue ever resolved to your knowledge?

Not the best visa IMO as it can't be changed in Thailand (given we are looking like we're almost getting on top of Covid there should be options for visa runs by the time you'd need one) but STV with bookings on Agoda that can be cancelled (you only need to book 90 days not the whole 9 months).

Not published yet and, IMO, I doubt the UK will be dropped.

Depends on your card. I've got a couple with no forex fees I use occasionally and a card I use for ATM as it also reimburses the rip-off Thai fees. The only thing to watch out for (if you can get a decent card from your home country) are smaller merchants that want to charge an extra 3% for CCs (larger merchants tend to already have the costs built in).

It would have been better if they kept the 45 days but swings and round abouts, hopefully from 1 November it's max 1 day quarantine. It can be tight if you run into problems opening a bank account. To go from exempt to Non O you need to apply with 15 days left on your existing entry and have the 800K in the bank on the day you apply; so, just short of two weeks to get that sorted. You have 2 plans of attack if banks are being a pain: 1 If you are running out of time you can always get a 30 day extension on your visa exempt (costs 1900 Bht), or 2 Throw some money at an agent to get it done. Current price is around 3500 Bht. Personally, I'd probably hit the streets for 3 or 4 days and if no luck go for option 2. Given the cost, possibly even go that route from day 1 to save the messing around in your first week back in LOS. Then it's just a case of transferring the money in and applying for a Non O (with at least 15 days left on your permission to stay and costs 2000 Bht) which gives you 90 days. Then 60 days later you apply for the extension based on retirement (1900 Bht) and then you're all set to live happily ever after doing annual extensions. Or until you get bitter and twisted like a certain cohort on here of course ???? In between the annual extensions of course you've got the 90 day reporting either in person, online (can't do first one online) or by mail (and depending on IO, possibly going back to show you kept 800K for three months). Depending how often you intend travelling, when able, you need to get either a single (1000 Bht) or a multiple (3800 Bht) reentry permit to keep your extension alive. Get it from IO when your extension is granted or can get it at Swampy on the way out. --- You could of course get a Non O from the US and miss out most of the above, again a personal choice, me I prefer just jumping on the plane without messing around with visas and Embassies but you have the eVisa option now that cuts out the hassle of mailing passports back and forth so could be worth it if you don't like winging it so much. Re your question about Non O-A, are you sure expunged show up on records from the States? If so that kind of sucks and makes it pointless; pretty sure it wouldn't show on any other countries record. Can't remember reading any reports on it I'm afraid so no idea if it would affect your application for an O-A. If you're fairly set on setting up base in LOS and can afford to just dump 800K in a Thai bank I'd forget about O-A. The plus side of the O-A is you can basically get 2 years out of it and no need to transfer money to Thailand, the downside is the extra paperwork (police check etc.) and you get stuck with the extra insurance requirement from then on if you use it after the 2 years for an extension. You could of course just let it lapse at the end of the 2nd year and get a new one but then you run the risk of requirements changing - been a while since it went to 800K and given the past couple of years, and noises being made even prior to Covid you never know. Previous rulings obviously not any type of guarantee of future but those already on extensions where grandfathered when it was changed.

It was extended for another year: https://www.tatnews.org/2021/09/thailand-extends-special-tourist-visa-scheme-for-one-more-year/

https://ceoworld.biz/2021/04/27/revealed-countries-with-the-best-health-care-systems-2021/

That is the initial Non O visa you can use to enter Thailand (90 days initially). When actually in Thailand, you then apply for an extension to stay (12 months) based on that visa for reason of retirement. The extension to stay is what imposes the financial requirements (800K in a Thai bank 2 months prior to applying for extension and 3 months after it is granted, then maintain a minimum of 400K for the other 7 months). If you enter visa exempt you can still get to the 12 month extension to stay but you go: visa exempt > Non O > extension of stay. Given you are looking at the Washington Embassy site I assume you are American therefore, the 65K a month option isn't available for the first year as far as I understand it (due to the American Embassy in Thailand no longer issuing income letters). But, you could transition in the second year by transferring 65K per month (or work out the best combination method option for you) and supplying the 12 month transfers as proof at the renewal.

Avoiding the 800K is incorrect (although you have options such as 65K transferred in monthly or combination). Insurance correct in that you avoid the 40/400K insurance that is required for Non O-A and subsequent extension (currently no insurance requirement for Non O based on retirement).

Guess what the current COE is ... a web based portal.

You don't at the moment, it's not live yet (and it's another website not an app, allegedly will eventually be at https://thailandpass.go.th).

Only if you have lived overseas and came back to claim it.

Excellent news, have a great trip ????

What makes you so sure the newspaper that can't be named is any more reliable? The list you quoted is from the PMs announcement 2 days ago, the same announcement that said others will be added after the CCSA meeting.

For fully vaxed, yes (10 unvaxed).

Probably nothing. As soon as the changes where announced the pushback made the Government issue a statement they will "review" them (not sure of the outcome but as of right now, you can apply and it's the old rules not the new that where supposed to come into affect a couple of weeks ago). From an article dated 6 October: "In his winding-up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan yesterday, home minister Hamzah Zainudin said existing MM2H programme holders would only be tied to two of the new conditions – a fee increase from RM90 to RM500 a year, and a requirement to stay in the country for a minimum of 90 days each year."

No worries. Given the confusion it would be nice if this site didn't add to it by creating threads like this ... oh ... wait!

It's a made up list by https://www.dailynews.co.th/news/367290/; in no way official.

@HeijoshinCool Another report (posted 2 days ago) in that FB group I posted a link to seems to suggest she did it on arrival:

Yes,