What should I expect when doing a border run to Tachileik with a history of back-to-back SETVs in Thailand?

David I think there is quite a mix of people, it is obviously quite cheap to live here relative to the West so it doesn't necessarily take extortionate wealth to do so. Some are on an extended trip on savings, some have income from home, some may have a property at home which they rent, some may have other investment income, some may have taken early retirement, some may have online businesses they keep ticking over, others of course are slaving away as illegal English teachers for 30k a month (often employed by the government ironically) but unable to get the correct visa perhaps as they lack a degree or whatever. But if you live modestly, even a relatively small income or investment from abroad could keep you going here basically indefinitely, you don't have to be Nelson Rockefeller. The minute I turn 50 if I am still in the vicinity I will be able to just go onto the retirement visa as I easily meet all the other requirements for that, I'm just too young. I know several people in basically my position but just the right (wrong) side of 50 and that is what they are on. How do all the retirees on that support themselves? And believe it or not I have met many a geriatric living here that CAN'T even meet the (rather modest) financial requirements of that visa, yet they manage somehow all the same... the average Thai has to live on 14k a month, so even if you are that English teacher on 30k or a retiree with no assets on a pension under the 65k minimum you are still on double or more the average local salary. Would you have a better life on $1,000 here or $2,000 in London, New York, Sydney, San Francisco? And even if you end up in a cardboard box here, at least the sun is shining.

Tod- just to clarify, this response is regarding coming back from Japan to DMK, not the border-bounce at Tachileik, right? Border-bounce at Tachileik I wouldn't need these three proof-ofs?

No, not the same, I went Penang - Vientiane - Vientiane - Hong Kong - Vientiane. But even there I don't fully understand WHY it makes a difference, each consulate can see in your passport how many previous visas you have and I don't understand exactly why it should make a difference whether they are from the same consulate or not. But I don't try to question the WHY of Thai immigration policy too much as that would be futile exercise, like a good Buddhist I just accept it for what it is and try not to concern myself overly over things I cannot change, I may as well wish the sun to rise in the West as to understand it and even if I did understand it what good would that do me it would still be what it is.

Jacco, sure, and that is their prerogative, and if in the future they decide I can't get back-to-back tourist visas (or stop the Ed Visa) then I will go somewhere else, or look at splitting my time between Thailand and somewhere else if they decide on a 180 day rule, or whatever. I don't have to be here, I'm not tied to the place, I just like it here. I'd just point out that it is at the end of the day Thai consulates who have given me these five back-to-back visas, they don't have to do that but they do, so that is their decision.

Jacco, I'm looking for practical advice here rather than what you think "should" be the case which is ultimately irrelevant. I am not "high and mighty" about this at all, I simply look at it from a purely practical standpoint, what are the rules and how are they implemented and if I do this will they let me back in or will they not. That's all. There is no "should" in any of this, I am just concerned with what actually happens, not what you think "should" happen. I will work within the rules and if Thai immigration decides in the future that this is not allowed, as is their right, I will go somewhere else, without whinging about it. So for now, my question is simply, can I do a border bounce within the rules, and it appears that I can, 2 per year like anyone else.