I am 55 and can qualify for a pension (before US State and Fed taxes) of about 43,000 per year. If I moved to Thailand can I teach or work ? I understand that with a "retirement visa" one cannot work? I'd like to teach to supplement my pension income if possible. Thanks for any ideas/information.

The general rule is that you are not allowed to work in Thailand if staying on an O-A retirement visa or an annual extension of stay based on retirement. Over the years, there have sometimes been exceptions reported here. I haven't read any recent such exception reports. If I were you, I would assume the general rule will apply to you.

You can apply for a non-O visa and look for a job in Thailand during your first 90 days. If you find a job, you can than get an extension of stay as a teacher. If you go for an extension of stay based on retirement you will indeed not get a work permit.

Not that for an extension of stay based on retirement you need an income of 65,000 a month OR 800,000 in the bank (in Thailand) OR have a combination of yearly income and money in the bank totaling 800,000 baht.

I was on a 90 day Non O Visa, and I applied for a one year extension. I qualify for both a marriage visa and retirement visa, when I went for the extension I took everything needed for a marriage visa and asked for an extension on those bases, because I wanted to get a work permit for teaching. They gave me a one year extension and stamped retirement on it. I said no I wanted a marriage visa and explained why, they said no problem I could still work. Anyway I was able to get a work permit on it. The next time I extended the visa they just extended it for one year and never stamped retirement on it, and I had no problem extending my work permit. Issangeorge.

Where did you go for your Visa? An embassy, consulate in the US or was it in Thailand?

From your pension you can make about 114,666.67 baht every month. That's not too shabby. Are you sure you want to work?

I'm with Richard. Is it the case that you simply enjoy working? Because with your retirement, you can live quite comfortably without the hassle and expense of working. Well done, already.