What is the best and most cost-effective visa for staying permanently in Thailand if I am married to a Thai citizen?

Come in on a "tourist visa" and apply for extensions when u r in Thailand. I'm over 50 but here on Marriage Visa becoz it's cheaper to maintain the 400K in a Thai bank than 800K for a retirement Visa.

That said; if u using the 400K route. That money must be in a Thai bank account in your sole name (no joint a/cs) for 3 months and the balance cannot fall below 400K during the 3 months. So u gotta plan ahead and find a Thai bank willing to open an account for u.

Applying for a Marriage Visa in my province is easy, the list of documents required maybe long but nothing anyone with an average intelligence can easily do. No need for agents or tea money. Cost me ฿1900 only each year.

@Paul **********

this is why we often decline posts like this that ask open ended questions without providing details like

where are you now?

what your nationality is?

are you able to meet the financial requirements of 400K baht in a thai bank account in your name only?

Where will you be staying once you come here?

The answer to all those questions affect the advice you will get as far as your course of action.

As it is now people were just throwing out options not having a clue about the answers to the questions I just asked in this comment

This is the general list of the requirements for an in-country initial Non-O visa based on being married to a Thai national (the sheets above are for extensions, not a visa itself). This is just a general one and the exact requirements are immigration office specific. You need to go to your local immigration office to get their latest handout of requirements once you arrive at your destination in Thailand. Anyway, you better check this and get things ready before you fly if you want to apply for an initial visa in Thailand.

/6.FOR-PROVIDING-SUPPORT-TO-OR-BEING-A-DEPENDANT-OF-A-THAI-CITIZEN-SPOUSE-VISA-NON-O.pdf

Are you now in Thailand? What is your current visa?

I will assume that you are already here on a single entry Non-O (based on marriage), if so then applying for an extension of stay based on marriage only requires 400k in the bank as opposed to the 800k if based on being over 50.

NON O Married to Thai

You can apply in-country or out-country.

In-country, 1900 baht, much paper work at your local immigration office.

Out-country, 5000 baht, few paper work requirements at the Thai Consulate Savannakhet, Laos.

Both are for one year.