As I in the past have had some bad experiences in a certain immigration office in Thailand, I now wonder, if it would be better to obtain a one year multiple entry non imm "O" visa from the thai consulate in my home country, and get a new one every year, rather than live here on one year extensions based on marriage or retirement. ( I qualify for both types)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two ways of staying, if there is any difference?

One advantage, I can think of would be, that I do not need to visit immigrations offices in Thailand anymore.

I realize, that there may be differences in costs, since I need to travel to my home country once a year, but apart from that ?

North

There would be cost of travel, cost of visa, cost of 90 day border runs (big inconvenience sometimes) and the need for a border run regardless of how we feel and hope all goes well and you get the right stamp on return and officer does not decide you have to have outbound travel tickets or show 20k (or 40K) cash on the day you don't have it.

You would not have to worry about re-entry permits or 90 day address reports.

Believe if you use the retirement extension of stay there should be very little problem from immigration as that is much less invasive than marriage.

After seeing the success a fellow board member had I am going to try the 1 year multiple OA issued from the Perth WA Consulate, I have to do at least one trip to Perth every year anyway. Lasts for up to two years if used correctly and does not require 90 day visa runs. I believe I will have to have the equilivant to 800K Baht in my Aus account, do a medical and get a police clearence. Better to have the money in Aus than Thai. At least it can work for me.

Been doing the extensions for 3 years now and with the goal posts moving so rapidly I have no idea where I'll stand in the future.

I used to go around the world every year to get a new visa (not an O-A, though), and 90 day visa runs (which become 84 day visa runs if you always go on the weekend). Aside from the expenses mentioned by lopburi3, it just wasn't worth it. Maybe Perth is extra friendly, but I used my home town of Houston, and nothing lasts forever, even friendly honorary consulates. Who says the MFA's visa issuance guidelines are much more permanent or easy than the Police Immigration's ever-changing requirements? The official policy and laws of Thailand, in both agencies, restrict foreigners. It's official xenophobia.

Thank you for all replies.

There would be cost of travel, cost of visa, cost of 90 day border runs (big inconvenience sometimes) and the need for a border run regardless of how we feel and hope all goes well and you get the right stamp on return and officer does not decide you have to have outbound travel tickets or show 20k (or 40K) cash on the day you don't have it.

You would not have to worry about re-entry permits or 90 day address reports.

Believe if you use the retirement extension of stay there should be very little problem from immigration as that is much less invasive than marriage.

I thought there was no need to show an outbound ticket, as long as I have a proper visa ?

But of course you can have a point about feeling unsecure when re-entering Thailand, but is that normally ( hmmm, is anything normal in this visabusiness?) a problem, when you have such a multiple entry visa ?

By the way, I called the Thai-Consulate here in Denmark, and the consule told me, he do not know this 1 year non immigrant O-A multiple entry visa, he only issues 3 & 12 months non immigrant O visas, the latter having multiple entries, and I just need to show him proof of pension to get the 12 month visa.

Will this visa be as good as the non imm. O-A ?

North

No it is not the same visa. The 12 month non immigrant O visa only allows 90 day stays - the 12 month O-A visa allows a one year stay on entry/and if a multi entry type allows that for the full period of one year from date of issue (so you exit /enter day before it expires and have two years stay).

This is normally issued by Embassy Consular section but perhaps not in Denmark.

You are right an outbound ticket should not be required for those with non immigrant visas (I was thinking of tourist visas which is not usually enforced but is a requirement); but I would not put any money on it not happening - I have had it happen many times with airlines and have to work up the chain of command.

Since I still work in Switzerland, but stay about 7 month/year in Thailand with my family, I have a Non-Immigrant-O Multiple Entries Visa.

I use this kind of visas for more than 10 years now. I get them in Switzerland without any fuss, based on my Thai marriage certificate. They also make a photocopy of my return ticket, need a photo and collect a fee of 180 CHF (~150 $ US).

When I stay in Thailand for more than 90 days, I make a border run. I did this several times in Nong Khai and there was never any issue about it.

I plan to retire in about two years and will change then to one-year-extensions based on retirement. Seems to me to be the right way.

Regards

Thedi