Try an agent they seem to be able to smooth some of these issues out for a fee. Unfortunately I can’t recommend one l. Wish your friend good luck .

@John **********

a western living in a developing country is not the same costs as a local living in a developing country.

@Bo ******

I think 65k and up a good estimate with a nest egg for emergencies

20k a month is good living here, 25k if you enjoy nice wine and steak

Anything above 35 is good rate historically. Or if you prefer drainbow advice “man US dollar going to crash to almost zero soon due to new world order, it’s over for fiat currencies best invest in crypto buy a lambo”

@Graham *****

extremely unlikely you will be asked to show but you are doing the right thing covering all the requirements that could potentially be asked.

Loas will take a whole page of your passport annoyingly even if just entering for 15 minutes.

You could just enter on 30 days then extend for 30 days at Pattaya immigration. It’s easy but you could make it easier by using an agent.

If your still in Pattaya at that point you could do an organised border bounce and repeat 30 and extend 30. Or do visa trip to Laos giving you 60+30

But this would take a few days. Most people can do this process for at least 6 months without any issue.

@Logan ************

out of Thailand anywhere. Google throw away ticket a lot of people have used them. If you are arriving on 30 day visa the flight has to be within that time period. Airlines / immigrations don’t entertain people’s plans about getting long stay visas they just follow back and white. Extremely unlikely you will be asked for anything when you arrive in Thailand if you haven’t got history of visits.

It’s very likely you will be asked even when you check in at South Africa by the airline.