@Robert *******

that and an extra 100,000 baht would buy one a Thai Elite visa extendable for five years.

I'm going to assume you're not married to a Thai, 50 years of age or over, or have 500,000 baht burning a hole in your pocket. The covid extension is not a bad deal assuming it's continued past May (as it has been for months). However, if you want a little more security, then I think you are looking at an ED Visa. Discussion of that has already started here:

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Businesses can own property. Foreign-owned businesses can own Thai property. A potential problem arises if the sole reason the business exists is to own property. In other words, how much camouflage is necessary to make it appear that the business is more than just a legal way for a foreigner to own property. Definitely a gray area. Whether it will be actively investigated in the future I don't know but I would be wary.

An individual can legally own a condo unit freehold in their own name under the Condo Act. That's well established.

Interestingly foreigners can own buildings in their own name, just not the property under the building.

Yes, Non-OA would be ideal, then. During its validity (basically the first year) it is multiple-entry. Each entry gets them stamped in for a year.

A Non-O on the other hand needs a re-entry permit to keep alive their current permission to stay when they re-enter. 1,900 for a single re-entry permit, 3,800 for a multiple.

Given what you've written about their usual coming and going the Non-OA is the way to go. During the first year (during the validity of the Non-OA) they can come and go as they wish (not considering whatever covid restrictions might be in place). Then if they time it right they could re-enter Thailand just as their Non-OA is about to expire and get a permission to stay of one year. If during this "second" year they wish to leave and re-enter they could simply purchase a re-entry permit and then they could re-enter Thailand and resume their current permission to stay. Under this scheme, they would basically be able to come and go to Thailand as they wish without ever having to bring 800,000 baht into Thailand.

@Anu ****************

I suspect not (too good to be true ;-) ), but you could certainly ask at the email address given above. I think if you explain the situation as outlined in your original post and ask what the best way to accomplish it you may get an answer. I wouldn't know what immigration would need to see in order to judge that your parents are dependent on you. In the case of a spouse, it's certainly possible, but I don't really have any idea if the same is possible for a parent. Also, would it be a single parent allowed or both? I just don't know. Out of my depth on this question.

By the way, if you don't get an answer by email, you might consider dropping by at Phuket Immigration and if they are not too busy discussing with the volunteers who are there. Sometimes it can be pretty quiet mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

@Anu ****************

You're welcome. It may be possible that one of your parents could even come on a Tourist Visa (and apply for a Non-O in Thailand). The benefit to that would be that only one parent would have to show financial requirements in India as well as in Thailand. It gets a bit complicated in that it's not clear to me that one can apply for a Non-O Visa in Thailand for the purpose of being a dependent. It may be possible, but since I didn't know I suggest both parents get Non-O in India. You can contact the Phuket Immigration Volunteers, and ask that specific question, although at the moment I'm sure they'll explain that it's not possible due to the restrictions imposed on Indian nationals.

Both of your parents would need to obtain a Non-O Visa for purpose of retirement. Each will need to show the 800k baht equivalent in a bank account in his or her sole name only. It can be an Indian bank. I don't think Royal Thai Embassy has a preference for which one. Any one would do.

Upon arrival in Thailand your father needs to open a Thai bank account in his name only and transfer the 800k baht into that account. I say father for convenience, but it can be either of your parents, the point being that only one has to do this. 30 days before their 90-day permission to stay ends she needs to go to immigration and apply for a Non-O Visa Dependent (follow) based on her husband's visa. 30 days before his permission to stay ends and after having the 800k baht in the account for at least 2 months, he needs to go to immigration to get a retirement extension. Your mother should be able to apply for the same retirement extension on the basis of being a dependent on your father's extension.

The value of doing it this way is that both of your parents get a year's permission to stay but they only have to meet the financial requirements for one of them.

An example, of how this could be done in Phuket:

I think you should bring a supply with you. Just looking quickly for the two medications you mentioned it looks like most would have to be ordered from the US. Maybe there are local equivalents but unless you can determine that I would bring a supply with you. Also, it's likely to be less expensive than what you will get here.

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@Benjamin *****

The nearest equivalent I can think of are Tourist Police Volunteers, which we have in Phuket but maybe not other provinces.

Phuket Immigration Volunteers wear white uniforms with immigration volunteer insignia. They sit at desks in the various rooms at the Immigration Office. If you are a short-term visitor you see them first and they get you headed in the right direction with the right paperwork. (If you're a long-term visitor - like marriage and retirement extensions - you don't have as much interaction with them, especially for annual extensions.) For example, if I want a Certificate of Residence, I would take my paperwork to their desk at the Immigration Office, they would ask what I wanted, check my paperwork, tell me if I were missing anything, have forms if I were missing one, etc., and then when your paperwork is correct (in the form the immigration officers want to see) they give you a queue ticket for the proper desk that does what you want.

By the time a customer gets a queue ticket there are usually not any obvious problems with the applications as they've basically been pre-screened. All this without taking time away from the work that the immigration officers do. They are always there. If they weren't things would work much differently at the office. They are especially nice for people who have never visited the immigration office before.