Should I apply for a retirement visa from Thailand or the US?

OP seems to have enough options for him to make his own decision. If you need to ask regarding original topics, please contact one of the moderators to reopen the thread.

If your intention is to be here indefinitely, the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank method will provide greater peace of mind. (In my oponion). If you're able, just leave this money in account untouched. Thai bank deposits are insured up to 1,000,000 baht. I've had friends run into problems using other methods. Just sharing my opinion and experience.

@Cesar *********

, Non-OA is definitely a visa, it's sometimes called "retirement", sometimes "long-stay". Non-O retirement and Non-OA is roughly categorized as same, to be issued to people over 50 y/o.

You may be confusing extensions with visas.

Attached is a brief explanation of the terminology we are using.

If you prefer to keep your savings in your home country, apply for a Non OA online and meet Thai Embassy requirements.

It's totally a personal preference, BUT keep in mind even if you get the 90 day non-O visa based on being over 50 (retirement) from the thai consulate in your country before you come here you will still need to transfer in 800K baht and have it season for 2 months in a thai bank account in your name only to get the year extension..

I'd say do it all here inside the country, get a single entry tourist visa from the thai consulate in the US via the eVisa online portal before you come here, get stamped in for 60 days, get your bank account opened, get the 800K baht transferred in, go apply for the 90 day Non-O visa at the immigration office for 2000baht, wait for the under review period to run down between 14 and 20 days), go back & get the Non-O and 90 day stamp. wait until the funds are in the bank for 2 months and then go get the year extension for 1900.

It sounds like a lot but it is not that involved and most people can pull it off without too much anguish