Rob Browder

In your situation, I would definitely use some sort of "Immigration's-agent assisted" border bounce.

You missed the point entirely. The "VISA" expire-date = your "permitted-stay," for most countries. Blocking entry for criminal activity / etc is something else.

Can you get a "Certificate of Residence" from Immigration? If you have filed a TM-30, they should provide it (though every office varies).

I would do this also in that situation (marriage-based extension) - except, that I would keep whatever accounts you have open. Who knows what the future will bring. Leave just enough in it that you don't get hit with a monthly-fee for low-balance.

See: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

It is up to the consulate-policy. They might say if you spent more than X time in Thailand in the last Y time, you cannot. In the past, you could keep applying for Tourist Visas until they put a little warning-stamp on your last one - then you had to get a new passport to apply again. The best solution for the 3rd trip would be another border-bounce - all of those done using Immigration's Agent-Partners - either a van or airport "safe entry."

Some reported using a PDF editing software to combine multiple documents into one, so could upload them as "one file."

Spending money here all that time isn't "abusing" anyone or anything - in fact, has kept multiple Thais employed with his spending, during all that time. And, no doubt Immigration got a fat brown-envelope for each of those ED extensions, so are 100% supportive of this method of stay. The people they target for hassles (on stay-extensions) and denied-entry are honest folks, who are not using their "agents."

The embassies only see the stamps in your passport. A new passport solves the issue of applying for a visa with them. Immigration upon-entry see your full history, regardless, which is why using an agent for the entry is wise, given your stay-history. I would not try any airport to enter, unless pre-cleared via their "safe entry" service. At least if denied at a land-border, you just walk back to the other country - not locked-up and extorted for a last-minute airfare. Regardless, your conclusion matches my thinking - I would border-bounce with an agent-van company, since you get 60-days either way upon re-entry to Thailand.

You were on a Tourist Visa entry. Then you applied for a Non-O 90-day visa, based on retirement, at your local immigration office. As they did the home-visit, it would seem they did, in fact, accept your application. When they accepted the paperwork, they should have put an "under consideration" stamp in your passport, with a date you should return to the office for the final-stamp. That "under consideration" became your "permitted stay" now - not your original Tourist Visa permitted-stay. If they failed to put the "under consideration" stamp in your passport, after accepting your Non-O 90-day visa paperwork (TM-86), I would return to that office and get that done. First, check previous pages of your passport, as they sometimes find an unused-area on an earlier page to place a stamp (out of order).

Could also overnight VIP bus and sleep both ways, which is 100x better than cramped in a van - then, meet the agents near the border. I would also suggest your own transport for the Cambodia runs, when those re-start - no need to start the ride at 4-5 AM.

There are entire YT channels which do nothing but discourage people from coming and staying in SE Asia. I use the "block tube" add-on, to remove them from my feed. Who needs all that negativity? Yes, there is corruption. Yes, you need a "Plan B" / C / D to move, in case things (immigration rules, or other) change in ways you cannot control. And, you should never invest more $$ in a foreign-country, which you cannot afford to lose. But, being prepared for a "worst case" scenario does not mean living in fear and loathing 24/7. Sure, they could go back "home" and live in poverty on the same income which is multiples of what is needed here. That is certainly a reason some of those types don't leave. That's good news for the Thais whose salaries are funded by their spending. Unless the cost-of-living / quality-of-life balance here approaches the declining state of their (our) passport-countries, they will likely stay.

The written-rules never said anything beyond "2 months before application." Per-reports, CW isn't enforcing the illegal "under consideration" funds lock-up any more. This BKB bank policy could affect those who need to spend that money on their kids, etc. The loan-sharks will be happy covering those extra 2 months household-spending, while they can't spend their own money. Sanity would say those with long-standing accounts showing regular-activity would be exempt from this.

Many banks do this for agents - others still doing it, per reports. BKB is doing this for some other reason than immigration - a "money laundering" issue which seems to have hit them, specifically If the issue was "agents" - a few days freezing the money would mess them up, as they would have to float 800K times dozens+ of clients per-day, for days each.

Yes you can - but, that requires apply for the Non-O 90-days first (2 trips to immigration), then the 1-year extension (1 or 2 trips more to immigration). If you can get the Non-O 90-days via the eVisa system before you arrive, that will mean fewer trips/hassle with immigration, after you arrive.