from Document received 20 AUG 2009 at Nong Khai Immigration:

Application for Visa Retirement Extension, issued subsequent to Police Immigration Order 777/2551 (Stamped [blue ink]: Nong Khai Immigration)

Be advised to bring original and two copies of each document mentioned below, though if it's a letter to the Immigration Be Officer the original document plus one copy.

4. In case of having monthly income. Applicant must provide evidence of a monthly income with a minimum of 65,000 Thai Baht. This evidence must include a letter of certification issued by the Embassy / Consulate of which applicant hold citizenship. (Embassy / Consulate stamp need to verified by Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Consular Department at Chaeng Wattana Road, BKK) Income could be pension, interest, investment payoff etc. (Evidence and letters etc. only accepted in English and / or Thai, all other languages must be translated and verified)

Any inferences from said document are your own.

There have been no reports of the MFA verification actually being asked for.

Translation and certification of non English documents has always been a requirement.

I believe that document is dated 2008 when it was briefly a requirement. That requirement was very quickly removed and is no longer needed.

As I have stated to powers that be, and again state now, my only interest was, and is, and what I was asking for in writing of the Immigration Officer, was what financial documents, in addition to the Embassy Letter, might be requested at Nong Khai for Extension of Visa based on Retirement using the 65,000 per month monthly income option... the mention of 'Investment Payoff' is exactly what I was after and was confirmed by the document.

I do not understand this fixation with 'Authentication', and as I have also stated, since I have to travel from KK to the US Embassy in BKK anyway, what is the big deal?