Are agents outside the Thai embassy in Penang trustworthy for obtaining a visa?

Non Immigrant O (Retirement) Visa can be obtained both at the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate prior to traveling to Thailand or at the Thai Immigration department even if you have entered Thailand on a Tourist visa or Exempt Visa stamp.

I did it on my own. Arrived at 8:45am. Filled in the paperwork given at the window. Waited 15 mins on the sidewalk until 9am and then we all went in to claim seats inside. We were under 25 people (April 2023)

Bring all the needed printouts required on their website. It's easy. If you're too hot, bring an umbrella. There's even a street seller with cold drinks if you need one.

Why would you trust a tout/agent to do something so important? I wouldn't trust those chaps hanging around outside...but they do try to sell you a pen or such.

I dont think you can walk in either. 🤷‍♂️

The question is, do you have 0 baht to put into an account? If you were in an OA then you were able to show evidence of equivalent in your home country. If you transfer to an O you'll have to season 0 in a Thai bank until the extension is granted and not let it drop below 0 at all and make sure it's back to 0 a few months before the next extension. Your issue is having used an agent. You are stuck in that loop of renewal with them after using them. Going alone, or moving province (as you have) basically means starting from scratch. The plus side is, now you are doing this all yourself through the official channels you shouldn't have this issue again, as long as you keep to the rules of money in your account. You may wish to do some research on the difference between the O and O-A visas and the different requirements though.

It seems that what CW has advised you to do is go to Penang, get a tourist visa (as you don't have residency in Malaysia, they cannot issue you with an O-A visa), then, on your return to Thailand apply for an O visa. This would seem to me to be the simplest solution to your problem.

You get the “visa” you deserve.

So as you are not disappointed, Penang don't issue Non O visas for retirement

0-visa-requirements-ii

You absolutely don't have residency in Thailand. If you did, you wouldn't require any visa.

Non-OA's can only be obtain in your home country or country of legal residency.

Unless you have Malaysian residency, you cannot apply there for an O-A visa.

Wherever you apply for it, you need residency.

And no, agents cannot enter there either.

On the plus side,Penang Turf club is the best casino in Penang

You appear to be from the US so you're not going to get an Non-OA visa anywhere but there. Do you mean Non-O? Are you aware you can get a Non-O visa inside Thailand?

OA?