I work outside Thailand on a 28/28 day rotation and live in Thailand during my time off. I'm over 50 years old and have over 800K in a Thai bank. Is it possible to get a 1 year multi entry retirement visa even though I'm still working? Could I come and go every month without the hassle of a reentry permit?

Yes, as you are not working in Thailand and thus do not required a work permit you can apply for a Non-immigrant O-A visa, but it must be applied for in your home country.

An alternative is to apply, at the immigration here in Thailand, for a temporary permission of stay based on retirement, i.e. according to the O-A rules, (costs 1,900 baht) and purchase a multi re-entry permit for 3,800 baht. With that you will have one year's permission to stay and can leave and return as many times you like during the year.

Yes, as you are not working in Thailand and thus do not required a work permit you can apply for a Non-immigrant O-A visa, but it must be applied for in your home country.

An alternative is to apply, at the immigration here in Thailand, for a temporary permission of stay based on retirement, i.e. according to the O-A rules, (costs 1,900 baht) and purchase a multi re-entry permit for 3,800 baht. With that you will have one year's permission to stay and can leave and return as many times you like during the year.

And, the Re-Entry Permit isn't a hassle, might add 5-30 minutes to your visit to Immigration for an extension of a Non-O visa based on Retirement. Simple, I do one every year at the same time I do my extension.

Mac

It is simpler to apply for a multiple non-O visa, also depending on where you will apply.

Thanks for the responses. So if I go to KL and apply for the retirment visa, will they give me the 1 year visa with multiple entry permit or do I have to get the multiple entry permit here in Thailand?

Thanks for the responses. So if I go to KL and apply for the retirment visa, will they give me the 1 year visa with multiple entry permit or do I have to get the multiple entry permit here in Thailand?

You'll need to get a Non-O visa from the embassy in KL, tell them it for "retirement" purposes.

Depending on the timing of your trips to Thailand, you may want just a 90-day Non-O. Optional to get a longer period if you need such. Note, with this Non-O visa you must depart Thailand within every 90 days, and re-enter if you have a "multiple entry" Non-O visa.

What might fit your situation better is a "retirement extension of the Non-O" visa. You may apply for this in the last 30 days of your entry to Thailand on the Non-O visa.

Once you get the extension, which would be for 12 months, you should get at the same time, altho different desk and form, a RE-ENTRY PERMIT, which will allow coming and goings for the term of your extension.

Note, a "retirement extension of a Non-O visa" requires that you have baht 800,000 in a Thai bank for some three months, or a minimum income of baht 65,000 per month, or a combination of the two. If the baht sitting in the bank is a problem, you can usually get a statement from your embassy as to the income.

Oh, yes, you have to be age 50 or above, hopefully that's not a problem.

Mac

You can not get there from here. You work schedule would not allow obtaining an extension of stay with a non immigrant visa entry (as you must apply after being in the country 60 days). So only a change from 30 day entry done at the same time would work and that is not the normal procedure - you could try during the first week of your entry (change to non immigrant visa and extend in one go at 2,000 plus 1,900 baht). If you have all the paperwork it has been done for some but as said it is not normal and likely would not be available most places. You can try this but odds are probably not good.

Your best current option would be a multi entry non immigrant O visa from Perth which would cover you for more than a year of travel/stay and if job ends you could then use it to extend for retirement. Copy of ID card of a Thai would be required for visa.