OJAS

Accessing banks for account confirmation letters and statements needed for extension of stay applications can IMHO prove more problematical for those with limited mobility like myself than accessing immigration offices. For instance, my office (Rayong) is accessible via a ramp with railings to hold on to on either side. No such luck in the case of the Krungsri branch from which I obtain my account confirmation letters and bank statements, though - just a steep flight of steps which I find extremely scary to negotiate.

Or an abacus?

I get the impression that the OP seriously considers it to be his god-given right to be spoonfed with detailed info about each and every relevant law passed in Thailand (and presumably in his home country as well), which could impact on how he leads his life!

The whole thing is very poorly written IMHO - but, assuming that what has been said does, indeed, represent the official HMRC view on this matter, then it doesn't, I think, necessarily follow that it also represents the TRD's view. This point would presumably be up for discussion between them in the context of possible amendments to the DTA.

The absence of any specific provisions covering company and State pensions is IMHO a fundamental flaw in the existing UK/Thailand DTA (dating back to 1981), which I raised with HMRC a few months ago in the form of a complaint. This is what HMRC said in their reply: "Following my review I agree with your statement that there isn't, in the UK/Thailand Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) anything that does not include specific Articles covering the State Pension and company occupational pensions. Meaning that it is not within the agreement and therefore cannot be taxed by the Thailand authorities and are in breach of the agreement doing so and will need to take this up with the Thailand authorities." Not holding my breath for this anomalous situation to be resolved any time soon, though!

Those with permanent residency status won't, in fact, be excluded as things stand at present.

In the Nationality/Citizenship field it is. But not in the Country of Residence field.

And you will, of course, have encountered its British equivalent when renewing your passport recently!

Which, assuming a 1 May implementation, probably won't be forthcoming until 23:59 on 30 April.

And my understanding of the Guide is that even those with permanent residency status will be subject to this bureaucratic nonsense!

And Malaysians?

You could find yourself waiting 72 hours to get your passport stamped in any event if you were to find yourself stuck at the back of an exceedingly long queue of foreigners at Arrivals, with each person in front of you clutching a mobile for what could well turn out to be a lengthy process of accessing an app from it in order to squirt info into a QR reader, followed by an inevitably further long wait while said QR reader decides whether or not what you have squirted into it is deemed sufficiently acceptable to enable you to proceed forward!

The whole thing is basically a ***** of the highest order, as things stand, I think!

So presumably the powers-that-be in Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia & (?) Myannmar issue these passes to their nationals who live within striking distance of the Thai border, in the same way as their Thai counterparts issue such passes to similarly eligible Thai nationals if this link is to be believed? https://www.dopa.go.th/public_service/service_guide404/view405

From which the non-Scotland part of the UK appears to have been excluded!

And/or a new non-immigrant visa?

Those of a different cultural background excepted, of course.

Source, please. No mention in the OP.

What's that in English, please??

I don't have the Wise app installed on my smartphone yet can still log in on my laptop OK.

If you don't, you might, instead, wish to lodge a complaint with them online by following this link: https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/help/what-do-you-want-to-do

Were you (and they) given receipts?

So do you really think that it would be much better for you Americans to be forced to make physical trips to your embassy in Bangkok or consulate in Chiang Mai from wherever you live in Thailand in order to submit renewal applications in person, followed by further physical trips a few weeks later in order to collect your replacement passports? Because this is the sort of cumbersome bureaucratic nonsense we Brits renewing our passports from Thailand are faced with, believe it or not!

Indeed! And in colour to boot!! In addition, what is the rationale for requiring us to provide specific proof of our address, bearing in mind that HMPO won't send our replacement passports directly to us? IMHO the whole UK passport renewal process from Thailand is stuck in some medieval time warp, bearing in mind that even the snail mail service dating back a couple of hundred years is apparently considered by HMPO to be far too technologically advanced to permit its use for submitting renewal applications! Let alone the internet, the use of which HMPO seem to be encouraging for passport renewals from practically everywhere on this great planet of ours, with the notable exception of LOS for some absurd and mysterious reason!! Anyway, here endeth this rant about the UK passport renewal process from Thailand.

Based on my experience 10 years ago, you should be. I became eligible for the State Pension in August 2014 but delayed claiming it until April 2015, as a result of which I was able to obtain at least 1 annual triple-lock increase!