Rob Browder

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.

Except Jomtien - and ask for a 15K payoff to skip it. Beware, if that is one's destination.

They changed "policy" to require sending Thai-Family extensions to the district office. Agent and non-Agent signatures were the same "authority," when I compared with an agent-user's extension-stamp. It's not "ok" if they aren't putting the "correct" % of the agent-envelope money into the pyramid-scheme pipeline.

They started at 350K, when I was looking a year+ ago. You won't find the listings in English, though - had my Wife search in Thai. One agent she found had many options. I checked out a couple, were surprisingly clean buildings, though I ended up paying more to live in the Pattaya area. They are essentially "apartment buildings" which are incorporated as condos. In the old days, ~40 Sq-Mt was standard for these. The kitchen/balcony and bath are on the "outside" wall, so walk though the kitchen to the bathroom. If intending to live there, one would need need a car, moto or use Grab/Bolt, as they are not located next to BTS/Skytrain junctions.

"Smaller" - like Bangkok, Jomtien/Pattaya, Phuket, etc. Yes, there are a few smaller ones who also participate. The take is massive, so would break a lot of big-wig-eggs to end the practice. I compared stamps with an agent-user, and the same IO signed off on both his and my "legit" stamp.

Half that figure for 40 Sq-Mt w/ separate kitchen in Bangkok - an older building, of course - rental-rates ~3500 to 4500 if air-con and not trashy. Even less, if trashy / full of foreign-workers, but no point even installing A/C in those. "Foreigner Quota" never a problem. Or, one can pay millions for a ~24 sq-mt "fancy" condo, and the stove is ~1M from the bed - but it's all new/shiny, and such ... for now. Which will depreciate/appreciate more vs the purchase-price in 10+ years?

Clean up - as in bring back Western visitors as the primary target-demographic? Folks who spent money at small shops and such? It is odd to give "visa-free" entry to those from a lower-wage country - and not surprising when many of them work illegally - taking Thai's jobs. I have an idea to improve the situation - maybe stop forcing "tourists who come too much/often" from higher-income nations to buy "safe entry" from agents, in order to come back to Thailand without risk of being booted at the airport? Given immigration has a long-standing "agent system" to allow buying permitted-stays, how did the DTV - which is NOT offered by Immigration - "let criminals in"?? The "problem" is not people who have 500K Baht plus, and any criminal with that cash could buy many 1-year permitted-stays with it, from immigration's agents. The Chinese did look silly following the guy with the flag - but, I'll take clean and orderly over what has taken over huge portions of Pattaya, now. That said, the Chinese generally only spent money at 7/11 + Chinese-owned businesses and hotels, where their "tour buses" let them off. But at least they stayed in hotels, instead of camping on the beach. I see the Indians tend to spend much of their money with "their own" businesses, as did the Chinese. But, notice how those Indian businesses hire their own to work in them. The Chinese businesses at least had Thai workers - though far fewer per-customer than where Westerners spend money.