How safe is the retirement visa as a strategy to live in Thailand permanently?

[amexpat]

On 1/31/2025 at 2:13 PM, cheerz said:

So many here bitch over what other do, mind your own business, it's their life your not paying there way. If they use a agent to complete their 12 month visas it's their business, spend your money not theirs.

Cool, as long as they are not trying to scare others into wasting money on agents. 

 

[nauseus]

On 1/31/2025 at 6:45 AM, Hummin said:

If you are on fb check their expat page and market pages for Korat. 

 

It is quite a few years ago, 2018, I did rent a fortuner for 9k a month, so I doubt the prices have doubled since then. 

 

I used to see car offers quite often until I quit fb last year, and long term rentals where advertised  from 8k and up. 

 

Some of these rental businesses don't last long - now I see why.

[KannikaP]

On 1/30/2025 at 12:55 PM, Cameroni said:

 

I went to Pattaya because I had iron-clad trust  in this agency, because they got me out of a jam before. But I  could do either, go to Pattaya again or use CM.

 

I thought Pattaya was cheaper, they charged 35000, but then I had to do a second Pattaya trip that cost 10000 on top, because the Bank changed rules. So not much saving to CM, but I really trust this agent.

Give us all his name please, for future reference if ever needed.

[DrJack54]

Off topic post removed. 

[Peabody]

On 1/30/2025 at 12:25 PM, DrJack54 said:

I assume that the agent took you to Jomitien immigration.

In any event dont concern yourself with viability of agent.

If you wish to change to doing extensions yourself that's possible however will require starting over. 

Can you explain, please? I'm asking because last year I dipped below 800K for 2 weeks

during the 2-month "pre-seasoning" that Jomtien insists on. I had full funds in the bank well before I applied. I used a well-known and recommended agent off Beach Rd in Pattaya to do my extension for me. First time in 11 years I used an agent.

Are you saying I would have trouble if I extended by myself next year and saved the 7K agent fee?

[BrandonJT]

2 hours ago, Peabody said:

Can you explain, please? I'm asking because last year I dipped below 800K for 2 weeks

during the 2-month "pre-seasoning" that Jomtien insists on. I had full funds in the bank well before I applied. I used a well-known and recommended agent off Beach Rd in Pattaya to do my extension for me. First time in 11 years I used an agent.

Are you saying I would have trouble if I extended by myself next year and saved the 7K agent fee?

Possibly.  But since you've already been getting annual extensions it might be possible to do yourself.

Is your extension from Jomtien office and not some far flung province? This is one of the reasons people cannot do the next extension on their own.

 

The other is that when you switch to non-O visa inside Thailand with a Pattaya agent, they get both the 90 day non-O and the 1-year extension all in the same day generally.  And if both of those in your passport have the same date, every immigration office in Thailand knows you used an agent and will tell you to do so again.

 

But in your cause if neither of the above applies, and you have the required funds in your bank account for the entire year previous, you can likely do it on your own next time.