DrJack54

To obtain a tourist visa in Laos, eg Vientiane or Savannakhet you would not use an agent in Bangkok.

You have basically complained throughout your entire thread. In your OP you asked for best visa option. Your choices are simple . Non O retirement and subsequent annual extensions. Being the most common. I won't even mention PE (elite) visa And LTV. So back to non O and extensions based on retirement. The financial requirements are simple. Your UK embassy does not provide income letter so you would need to show 12 months of 65k/month transfers. OR You use money in the bank method. Simple. Do want to use either of those methods then use an agent. Don't want that then obtain a ME Non O retirement (12 months visa). That can be obtained eVisa in UK or at Savannakhet

The first link you posted is correct. Note: as with all two sided immigration forms, if you decide to download it print it as double sided. Also form requires photo if you do it yourself

Good plan. Added note BKK reentry permit desk provided a service to fill in the TM8 for 200baht. I prefer to do my own but it's an option.

Zone 2. Just PRIOR to passport control. Left side. You are correct that at BKK it's prior to pp control and at DMK immediately past pp control It is possible to go through fast track and go back from airside to reentry permit office. Personally I avoid doing that..

OP, excellent report. Ta

OP, this won't help but may be useful to others. I have found that with AirAsia and Jetstar that if there is an option for credit into your account that generally works whereas getting an actual monetary refund is difficult/impossible

Waste of money and time. Has already been stated in thread... obtain a tourist visa and enter at Bangkok airports. Flying to. Saigon and into CNX not necessary with tourist visa. If you cannot obtain tourist visa don't come. BTW for general info for the forum..... spoke with Oz friend yesterday and he tried to enter BKK airport from Melb visa exempt and was scammed by immigration to the tune of 15k baht. The good old "too much time in Thailand" .... Weird thing is it had been months since his previous entry. He did have the notorious "volunteer visa" stamp. Not sure if that played a part.

That will be fine. Which immigration office

To apply for non O retirement you require 15 days + on your permit. (21 days at some offices eg CM) In your case that would be 30 day visa exempt stamp. You would require 800k in Thai bank account in your name only on day of application. Need to show funds came from abroad unless have been in Thai bank for some time. The non O retirement stamp provides a 90 day stamp. In last 30 days of that permit apply for 12 month extension.

That is correct. It's your permission of stay that ends when exit Thailand without a reentry permit. You could then apply for non O-A in UK. If it suits you to return to UK every 2 years you could live in Thailand with ongoing non O-A visas

Correct.

What is the significance of the "6 months straight....." You can stay out for any period provided you return with a reentry permit prior to it's expiry. You refer to "without losing your visa...." Your visa is USED what you have is a permission of stay protected by your reentry permit

You don't understand. You are on extension based on retirement. Your non O (single entry visa) is used upon entry and granted you a 90 day permission of stay. Prior to expiry of that permit you can obtain an extension to that permission of stay. Visas are not extended.

OP, funds in bank for 2 months prior to application for extension. Also maintained during under consideration period. Account in your name only. Does not matter where funds come from using money in bank method. When final stamp is in pp you can use the funds as you wish. Personally I would continue with the monthly transfers up till day of application for extension in parallel with the 400k in the bank for 2 months prior to application.

Turns out you were correct. Has extension from a non O retirement along with a multi reentry permit. Some folk (not you) suggest that using term visa instead of extension doesn't matter. It does.

If he had a reentry permit from a non O or a multi entry visa such as a a ME Non O ....his application for a new non O-A would be rejected.

Read some of the posts in thread. Hard to tell but the OP very well not require a reentry permit. Visas such as non O-A etc do not require a reentry permit. The OP has been zero helpful.

On the application they state processing time minimum 6 weeks. BTW it's also backed up for applications made in Oz at post office etc. My pp has 3 years validity remaining. I never understand why folk try and milk them out. They are valid for 10 years. In your shoes I would apply now. Funny how my gf applied for new Thai pp Dec 19 and arrived EMS post Dec 21.

Just one person's suggestion. I would choose Laos. You most likely have enough time to book appointment at Vientiane. Alternatively Savannakhet (no appointment required). For Vientiane a flight Bangkok - Udon Thani and short road trip to Nong Khai is good. The reason for this suggestion this over eg Saigon is that if tourist visa for some reason rejected you can easily reenter visa exempt at eg Friendship bridge. My choice would be Saigon if you want a holiday from Thailand.

Your account will remain alive. The only reason the bank cancel them is when funds in the account cannot cover bank charges eg card fee.

OP, what visa do you have? I assume a non O-A?

Think you mean triple entry tourist visa. In any event that was 2013. Things have changed dramatically. Even the banks such as Bangkok Bank on their guidelines refer to having existing customer with you etc etc is all out the window. Most banks in various provinces are requiring certificate of residence or letter from embassy. This is all down to newish money laundering laws. My post that you quoted was referring to Bangkok where you cannot obtain a certificate of residence without having done a TM47. This does not apply in other provinces where some immigration offices will provide certificate with TM30 and perhaps lease.

The OP either has a valid non O-A or a ME non O retirement. They are both visas valid for one year. Very different from an extension from a non O retirement. OP you do not need to do a 90 day report. Your clock will reset on date of your reentry. You can enter any time prior to expiry of visa.. OP, clarify what visa you have.

OP, your plan is crazy. You make it sound as though you can return on ONE non O-A. That is not the case. Also non O-A has stiff insurance requirements. Both of you buy a reentry permit at airport on departure. When you return obtain 12 month extension 30/45 days prior to expiry of your current permission of stay..