What are the steps to apply for a Non-O retirement visa for Thailand upon arrival?

Unfortunately you now need a long term visa in order to get a bank account in Thailand You also need a bank account to get long term visa from within Thailand. You need to apply for a visa outside of Thailand

You may need to get a yellow book to open an account in Roi Et

Birth and marriage certs translated by the correct translator (green and red stamp)

lots of passport photos (5 at least)

Will need a SIM card in your name

TM 30

Thai alien ID card (pink ID card - you get that same time as your yellow book)

1. Evisa for non O (90 days) before you come

2. Fly in and get SIM card

3. Get mrs to do a TM 30 and residence certificate for you at Roi Et immigration

4. Try a few banks with residence certificate , if no luck go for yellow book and ID (translated docs required)

5. With yellow book and ID, and SIM card open bank account

There are two ways of achieving this; easy/inexpensive and difficult/expensive.

Brandon and Lynette explained the easy route, Bill gave you the difficult option.

It used to be possible to arrive without a visa and either do it yourself or pay an agent, but that has changed now and it seems even agents are having to use workarounds like getting an education visa first, before getting the retirement visa, all of this adds cost. Up to you.

I arrived into Thailand and hired a visa agent to get everything arranged. Worked out great

Get your visa in home country before you arrive. Then easier to open bank account. Get 12 month Extension based on retirement.

Don't fly to Thailand then apply for a non-O visa. Apply for the non-O visa now from the Thai embassy, or you won't be able to open a bank account in Thailand.

In order to apply to convert to non-O visa in Thailand, you must already have a Thai bank account but you cannot open a bank account as a tourist. Therefore you need to get the visa before you travel.

Once you arrive you should be able to open a bank account with the non-O you get from the embassy. Then transfer the 800,000 baht to your bank account and you can apply for the 1-year extension after the money has been in your account for 2 full months.