@Stuart ********

so your saying that you wouldn't need the first non-O part of apply from UK, if that's the case great but I don't think many are aware of that

@Sherry ******************

so if you mean close as in can walk to it have a look at places around Pratumnack Soi 6 as on Soi 6 there is very large market with many world foods, and clothes and bits but not too much fresh veg, it's called the Russian market but there is food from many places there, it's open 6pm to midnight, or maybe somewhere close Thepasit road would be good, another big clothes and bits market with a big food stall section, but again not much fresh veg, but I believe there is another market close that has, I just have not been there, in general though getting around by bolt taxi is cheap so I wouldn't worry about how far a place is too much unless you will go the market everyday, it's not close to a market but I stayed in Peak Towers for a while and it was very good, very close to a big 711 and only 5 mins from the main street with bars and shops and only 5 mins to the beach, and on the main street there are 3 fruit shops and also a couple of veg shops and also 3 restaurants and other food places and each night at the opposite end of Soi 9 to Peak Towers there are usually a few food stands, sushi, grilled fish, chicken kebab, roti, and more up the street that do roast chicken and ribs, and so many more that are mobile and come around to you and some stay opposite the big 711 too, really is lots of choice and lots of it's mobile

@Stuart ********

ok, but then if you need insurance to apply for the first part of the process then technically that does mean if you are starting that process from the UK then you would require medical insurance to apply for the retirement extension visa from the UK, or am I missing something?

@Sherry ******************

what kind of fresh market? Seafood, meats, vegetable? In Pattaya there is a 711 or tops every 500m so you want be far from one unless very unlucky

I am not retirement age just yet, but I did live at a bar in Pattaya for over a year and so talked to many expats and tourists about visas, my understanding is most would come to Thailand on the visa exempt entry and apply pretty quickly for the first 3 months part a non-O I believe and then inside that 3 months window they and there agent would get together all the paperwork for the retirement visa extension, so first one is 15 months and I understand in Pattaya costs from 28-35k depending what you may need help with, I understand from many UK expats that they apply from inside Thailand because if they apply from UK then they require medical insurance, but I would say if you have several months left on your marriage visa I would let that expire first or maybe you can use a couple of months of it to sort out your retirement extension and not need to 3 months part and save some cash...

As I was not so long ago denied entry and sent back to Vietnam on the basis that I did not have 10k baht in CASH on me, they didn't care what I had in any account they wanted to see Cash, so I would recommend that you have 10k in baht per person, but also the 10k advised was when you only got 30 days on arrival so they could try and say you need 20k per person if they wanted to be funny with you.

So Graham you are correct in that they won't issue a visa beyond passport expire, but it appears if you get lucky they may put the remaining time in your new passport, maybe there is a time limit on this or maybe it's because you wouldn't get to pay a reduced amount for a shorter visa so technically the are supposed to do this but just don't advertise it, I don't know the answer to that, but the possible chance/option is good to know about I'm sure

@Graham *****

ok so just an update from my friend on how it happend, "so how it happened for me was that the year before i was only allowed to to get a visa for 10 months. _But_ I brought my passport forward so had the visa still on my old passport. Presenting old and new together were sufficient for the remainder of the 90-day to be accepted."

Go back a couple of years and I was never asked but I always had a return booked, but recently when coming back from Vietnam I was stopped and asked and I have heard that they do ask more people now, so I would advise that you have something booked that would take you out of Thailand yes, maybe just a cheap local flight to Vietnam for £50