Hi all , my family of four including me , are planning a years stay in Thailand next year, can anyone advise what visa we will need and how much it will cost please

Requestimg visa advice:

Over 50. US citizen. Current income from multiple sources - investments, small w-2 income, and interest received from lending money.

I plan on spending ~6 months a year in Thailand, 4 months in Japan, 2 in usa and take short trips around the world. I don't mind getting health insurance in Thailand (currently looking at AXA).

I'm currently back in the US. Looking at Non-O retirement and Non-OA retirement or possibly METV. Ironically the Chicago and DC consulates show different wording for the requirements than each other.

What are the pros & cons to 90 day O vs 1 year OA?

Any experience with Chicago vs DC?

Both consulates require a bank account with a minimum balance but doesn't specify if the account can be outside of Thailand (don't really want to park a bunch of cash in Thai back account if possible plus since I'm not there can't set one up)

Thanks

I am hoping someone can assist me with some questions I cant seem to get clarification on.

FACTS...

*Arriving in Samui on 5th March 2019

*Hoping to stay as long as physically possible (three years min)

*Partner going on retirement visa

*I plan to do vol work and have received paperwork from vol org already

Questions... I want to take a few days to settle first (for myself and my partner and two cats (yes they are already sorted).

a. filling in the paperwork for visa, should my start date be the date I arrive or the date I plan to start vol work?

b. vol paperwork... should it state vol work date for a year or the ninety days that the visa says

c. do I still do the regular visa run

d. what happens when the visa expires? is it a standard visa run and recompleting paperwork or do I have to vacate entirely and start again

any advice would be greatly appreciated <3