@Henrik ***

Most embassies did not stop, only US, UK, and Australia. And no embassy on earth guarantees anything. Those three embassies simply didn't want to be in the business and so they unilaterally got out of it. How else to explain that most other countries continue to provide embassy letters acceptable to Thai Immigration? How are other countries able to do that but the US, UK, and Australia are not?

@Brandon ***********

Yeah, I thought it was funny, too. I assumed at the time that the service was "free" in the sense that certificates of residence are (there's no specified formal price), but that it was also discretionary, they could do it for you or make you go outside Thailand to get the Non-O for retirement. It was a rather long process made longer by my inability to understand that I needed to get my school to say I was finished with classes when I wasn't. Couldn't wrap my head around that. Finally, it clicked that it was the easiest way to cancel my education extension so that I could get the reason changed to retirement. (Nobody cared that I would continue to attend classes as long as I was not doing so on an education extension.)

It would have cost me much more to leave Thailand and get a Non-O visa at a Thai nearby embassy/consulate. 1,900 baht seemed like a bargain in comparison. Money wasn't mentioned at all until after they had stamped my passport. I guess it was a tip. ;-)

@Brandon ***********

I did switch the reason for my extension of stay from education to retirement. But this was about 8 years ago in Phuket. Got a one sentence stamp in my passport. Needed my school to write a letter saying I finished my classes. I met the requirements for a Non-O visa, having 800k baht in a Thai bank. I was asked by the immigration officer how much I wanted to pay for this change and I offered 1,900 baht which was accepted. Been here on retirement extensions ever since.

@Pascal ********

I tend to agree that immigration doesn't care, but the issue is that your airline is likely to care when you board because they are responsible for flying you back if Thailand were to deny you entry (and you don't have an onward ticket). The airline may very well not allow you to board under those conditions, depending on the airline.

@Benjamin *****

Interesting. Thanks.

@Ivo **********

I think you can be rejected by Thai immigration for any number of reasons, only one of which is not having an onward ticket, but I understand that particular one is very rarely used.

I agree with the advice that has been given previously, but I was just thinking... how does having a booked onward flight help the airline if you are denied entry to Thailand. You can't enter Thailand under those circumstances. Your booked onward flight is in 30 days. Doesn't the airline that brought you to Thailand still have to return you to your origin at their expense because you were denied entry by Thailand. In other words, how exactly does having an onward flight 30 days in the future help the airline in this situation?

@Keven ***

I don't doubt what you say regarding switching to a Non-B visa/extension from a Non-ED visa/extension, but seven years ago I was able to switch to a retirement extension from a Non-ED visa/extension so I do think it is sometimes possible to change a Non-Immigrant category inside the country (depending on the categories involved). At least it was possible seven years ago for the categories I mentioned. This was in Phuket.

@Michael *******

Sometimes, as in my case, it's possible someone (the developer selling the property for instance) will have your name translated for a sales and purchase agreement in the case of purchasing property. This same translation was used when I applied for my yellow house registration book. It may be that Walter similarly has a translation from some earlier transaction.

Given your desired itinerary the STV visa doesn't sound like a good match. Maybe this would work for you instead: obtain a Tourist Visa (60 days on entry, can be extended for an additional 30 days), followed by a trip outside Thailand where you could obtain another Tourist Visa at a Thai Embassy or Consulate. You would receive another 60 days which is extendable by an additional 30 days when you entered Thailand again.

This would give you:

90 Days in Thailand

time outside Thailand

90 Days in Thailand

Note that you could also enter Thailand visa-exempt and get 30 days that could be extended for an additional 30 days.

The 30-day extensions of stay are applied for at any Immigration Office in Thailand for 1,900 baht and approval is practically guaranteed.