Im close to 50 and would like to know the options for living in Thailand.

Whats the differance between the retirement and residency visa?

Which visa gives me the longest period of stay.

What are my options with least hassle.

I read that you have to deposit 800,000 baht in a thai bank.My question is that this amount i have to keep deposited in thai bank for how long?

Im totally confused with all that i have read.

My email is [email protected] would appreciate your advise

Many thanks

Eddie

Unless you have been living here and working here and paying taxes here for YEARS, I would forget the residency status, you do not qualify and never will if you just retire here.

The 800K method you need to be in the bank for 2 months before first retirement extension application. Then you can spend it down and replenish as needed. For the next annual extension, the balance can't drop below 800K for 3 months before extension application. You get one year permission at a time and you can be here for 50 years that way and your status never increases one iota. Just the facts, man.

For your first extension you can enter on an O visa from abroad, or even a tourist or 30 day stamp. If the latter two, you must convert that to an O visa in Thailand when you have at least 21 days left on your current permission to stay. Another option is the O-A from abroad, which requires more documentation to get. But this just ultimately gets you into the same system, annual extensions.

Edited January 18, 200917 yr by Jingthing

Note that next to 800,000 in the bank you ca also retire if you have an income of 65,000 baht a month or a combination of income and money in the bank totaling 800,000.