@Bobby *******

Thank you for trying to help the OP. Do understand that the OP was asking about an OA retirement visa. No one from any country has been able to enter Thailand with a visa exempt, visa on arrival, or single/ multi entry tourist visa. 41 Chinese arrived in the last day or so on the Special Tourist Visa scheme.

@James ****

It sounds correct at some levels. The reason various visa agencies are quoting various high prices is I think they are bribing immigration officers to bend the rules but of course I have no proof of that

Others have given you good advice. The only thing I would add is to keep your eyes and ears open to ensure you do not run into a protest site by accident.

@Ron *****************

Thanks. I do understand the logic, but it can be a hurdle for us as customers. Be I do admit that the local consulate does post a list of dates they will not be open, it is just that there a heck of a lot of them! 😆

I cannot speak specially about England but I can say that my local Consulate in Canada is closed on every Thai and every Canadian holiday. It makes a person wonder if they are ever open.

@Kevin ****

I feel for you I think the Thais are idiots with their finger printing. Earlier this year they did it when I arrived at BKK. 60 days later I needed to do a bounce into Myanmar and then back to Thailand. They took my fingerprints on the way out and again 20 minutes later on the way back. The only reason it was ,20 minutes was the length of the lineup. I was in Myanmar for maybe 2 minutes.

In normal times a visa is a right to enter a company received from an Embassy or Consulate of that country. If you are in Thailand now you likely paid a small fortune for you to get a volunteer visa while not doing volunteer work. If you are volunteering why do you want to leave? The moment you depart Thailand your visa is done unless be you are not past the valid date and purchase a reentry permit In these Covid times I am not at all sure they are giving reentry but do not know for sure. Last depending on where you are from and where you wish to go in Europe you might need a visa for that location

@Bobby *******

I surely do not see farangs on overstay facing mass arrest. Thailand does not have an army of police to arrest everyone. They do not have an army of judges to process deportations They surely do not have room in IDC for even the people they have today. I can for sure see overstay fines being racked up. It is revenue for Thai police with little to no cost to them.

As Joe has said, the STV does not yet exist and may never see the light of day. If it ever does become law in its current concept form there would be 3 Charter flight per week with no more than 100 people each flying from somewhere in the world to BKK. I would assume that zero charters would be from Canada

I Canadian as well and surely never expect to get to Thailand via this method

@Bobby *******

How about Vatican City? That should fix the Thai visitor problem for sure!😆