What are the best options to convert a tourist visa in Thailand?

@Andre **********

20 years of wasting money. I prefer paying 1.900 baht/year as a retiree, meaning a total cost of 38.000 baht for 20 years. Why should I come and go and pay for a basically useless not priceworthy Elite visa? Please tell. And 90 days reports can be done online.

@Max ************

why do you assume anyone else on the elite visas is old enough to be a retiree within the 20 years?

@Pui ****

The Elite visa is going down as we speak because of the DTV. Paying a lot of money for a crappy visa when there aren't any real advantages, is imo just a waste of money.

@Max ************

I’m not 50 yet and the dtv didn’t exist when I moved here. 🤷‍♂️ But getting a yearly extension and online reporting makes it mostly hassle free. Jomtien immigration is no more fun though 😂

@Mark *********

You don't know much about immigration offices in Thailand,do you? Jomtien immigration is one of the smoothest. There are no strange requirements what so ever when it comes to extensions based on retirement. I'm in and out in less than 10 minutes every year. So,if you don't know what you need from your bank or what copies you need, don't blame immigration. Just saying.

@Max ************

Yay you had a good time at immigration, want a cookie? I had five trips there that went easy enough but catch someone in a bad mood and see it change. Or maybe they’re just easy on you if you’re old and on a retirement visa? 🤷‍♂️ I was just told by them that you MUST file in person tm30 within 3 days of entering Thailand. That’s not the real law, it’s 24 hours and online is 100% legal. They also gave me a run around because my tm30 didn’t have a check out date. My visa doesn’t require me to leave though and I don’t have one. I got to hear the sub inspector yell at the gentleman behind me for trying to ask what form to use, “your mind no open I no help you”. 😂 I could go on but I saved that for the formal complaint, and Thailand privilege services were very sad to hear about my experiences. Glad you have better but why feel the need to discount mine? Jomtien is known for being a particularly annoying place by having its own way of doing things.

Also I’m happy with my privilege visa, never having to worry about maintaining dtv requirements for renewals is good for me and I never have to leave the country or border bounce. For some of us, the $3000 usd a year privilege visa is honestly not very expensive and relatively hassle free compared to other options. And I can still passively own a Thai company or work remotely. Also DTV didn’t exist when I moved here. 🤷‍♂️😂 Maybe try to be aware enough that maybe your experience isn’t shared by all?

@Max ************

what visa do you have?

@Andre **********

you do have to 90 day report now

@Mark *********

90 days reporting is a must even one on elite visa.

@Mark *********

nope

@Andre **********

maybe if you have an old type? But I have the ten year privilege and I absolutely do have to 90 day report. They even send out a calendar because I can use their agent to do it…

Yyes thats the difference between 10 and 20 years . I'm on my 16 th year now . Working great