Planning on applying for a single entry tourist visa from the Chicago consulate as I am a US citizen.

On the tourist visa application they are asking for a copy of my plane ticket.

My ticket has an exit date 4 months after arriving in Thailand.

Will the consulate want an exit ticket out of Thailand within the first 60 days?

( Last year I applied for a single entry tourist visa in Singapore and was turned down because

my exit ticket was after the 60 days. )

When I get to Thailand I will apply for the retirement visa before the tourist visa expires.

Or can I just get a visa exempt 30 days at the airport on arrival and go to immigration and

apply for the retirement visa?

Thank you in advance.

Some will want a ticket out within 60 days while others will accept 90 days, I suggest you contact them to see what they truly want. You could look for a low cost flight to a nearby country to satisfy their requirements.

If you come in visa exempt you would only have 15 day to the conversion to a non immigrant visa entry based upon qualifying for a extension of stay based upon retirement, You also may denied boarding you flight if you do not flight out within 30 days,

You could contact one of the honorary consulates about a single entry non-o visa for being 50 or over. Contact info here: http://www.thaiembdc.org/dcdp/?q=consulate_honorary A single entry non-o would give you a 90 entry and you could apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement during the last 30 days of your entry.