I've commuted from Florida for years. I try to stop on the West coast to breakup the journey. Then JAL, Singapore airlines are great. But with a pet, you might have less options.

We got an Non Immigrant O Visa. We applied directly in Thailand for this. If you choose this route, get a 60 day visa online. Florida residents apply from Wash DC location. Then you can extend in Thailand an additional 30days. This should avoid having to leave Thailand...if you start the process immediately on arrival.

It just takes a bit of know how and persistence to do the O Visa here on your own. Jomtien immigration has improved in the past 6 months too. We put the requisite 800k into a bank account (but opening the bank account might require an agent's help on a tourist visa. It was easy before April.) I would NOT suggest using an agent for the 800k deposit as you will be forever stuck with them and immigration is clamping down on these kind of twisting the laws. Following the immigration requirements gives a certain piece of mind.

You might be looking at the OA Visa (which you apply for on your home country), this requires both "in and out" patient medical insurance.

We've got full inpatient hospital insurance. But getting coverage after 70 can be difficult and pre-existing conditions are excluded.

Jomtien is a nice place to live. Lots of great restaurants and condos. Most places are completely furnished too. Renting makes more sense. Dont lock up your money in an asset that probably wont appreciate. And you might even decide to move (bad neighbors, or finding a better area or condo) and then need to sell it. We've moved around Jomtien quite a bit trying out different parts. Rents are so cheap. And so are monthly hotel rentals.

Best of luck.

@Ruth ******

Well I came from Singapore where it was enforced. Heavy fines. But this is Thailand!

I did see some condo units on Agoda/Booking which surprised me. Guess everyone is on the Gravy Train now.

I figured here that neighbors would report abuse to management...esp the people who rent to make big parties. I guess it's up to the condo to enforce...or turn a blind eye. But I cant imagine signing a rental contract and then discovering your neighbors are changing every few days.

When I decide to sign a lease, I think I'll check closely which condos have a lot of listings on AirBnb and avoid them!

@Craig ******

Living AND traveling together throughout Thailand.

After renting a condo for 2 months at the beginning (directly from condo's juristic office), it wasn't worth the hassle. Kitchen was so minimal that we often just did take away there. Then add in: cleaning charges, sometimes higher electricity rates, setting up internet, getting deposits back, etc.

Plus it's more fun to eat out. (Homemade meals are now more just salad). I love cooking, but the amazing food here doesnt make me miss cooking...yet.

Plus renting longer term meant leaving the place empty while we travel... which is 85% of the time. Didnt make sense. So we got a storage room instead for the things we shipped over.

But most people who move to Thailand dont tend to explore the country and countryside.

Smaller run hotels often have monthly rates.high and low season prices. Also coin washing machines are often inside premises...or nearby.

Many condos in Thailand forbid Airbnb rentals unless they are over 1 month. I've often seen signs up stating that. Since many buildings have guards and cameras, you wouldn't want to fork out money and get booted out.

Fir the past 18 months in Thailand, we've used Agoda and Booking.com. And sometimes rent monthly at hotels (which include wifi, and cleaning and sometimes water and electricity). They include a fridge and sometimes a microwave too.

I've seen that Airbnb often charges fees for these on top of the posted rate. Just go to hotels and ask for monthly rates. Surprisingly much cheaper than Airbnb.

@Melissa ********

I'm in the same situation. Hearing loss is hard and isolating. Tones and accents nearly impossible to differentiate. Great that you keep trying. It's all about making the attempt with a smile which you are doing!!💗

@Jo *********

We lived 13 years in SG. Always got our passports directly at our Embassy. Passports filled up fast esp for my husband...every 3 years. You have an IC number that stays with you. When we moved to NL for 2 years, we returned and had the same IC number.

Was there yesterday and ask at counter 8 when we can do our extension. We were told 40 days in advance. Or 45 days with an air ticket/flight. We had also thought 30 days. You should go and verify though.

I did it on my own. Arrived at 8:45am. Filled in the paperwork given at the window. Waited 15 mins on the sidewalk until 9am and then we all went in to claim seats inside. We were under 25 people (April 2023)

Bring all the needed printouts required on their website. It's easy. If you're too hot, bring an umbrella. There's even a street seller with cold drinks if you need one.

Why would you trust a tout/agent to do something so important? I wouldn't trust those chaps hanging around outside...but they do try to sell you a pen or such.

I used Penang to get my O 90 day visa. Very easy. And flights are reasonable.

@Aeh *************

It took almost a year, but I got a dependent pass based on my husband getting his non immigrant O extension. And EVERY immigration office is different. So you need to go specifically to a city and inquire. It took my husband 4 months. I was mostly in Singapore and the USA throughout this period and just visited him briefly a few times.