Doesn't your employer do the work permit?

Mike Hamel. Agreed. I have ZERO problem with people on covid extensions. They are the ones being milked. All I'm saying (or trying to) is if I was in that situation, I would be looking for a more substantive way of staying long term. As a previous milker of the OA where I would visit my home country every two years, get a new visa using funds in my home country, and do an out/in at the end of year one in order to get the second free year (and it was totally free), I got stuck with the covid travel issue. I could have done the same and wailed "I can't get back to my home country" and started the 60-day treadmill. Instead I looked at options and decided to ship in 65k each month (I mean my lifestyle here costs me around 45-50 each month anyway, so bumping it up to 65k was no big deal), and get the retirement extension for 1900 baht every 12 months. To me it added more security to staying here and means I don't have to start sweating every two months, and only have to visit immigration once a year. To me that represented a much better option

Maxim Thibodeau. If someone is married and raising children in Thailand and doesn't have 400k yes absolutely they are a cheap charlie. Come on man, it doesn't even buy a crap used car! 😂

Alan Smith. Well said!! The whole point I'm trying to make!

Mike Hamel. I don't think the 60 days is free? It's 1900 baht, which equates to per annum, so I don't see the "free" element. But it certainly doesn't bother me. The OP was asking a question, one which I've asked in the past, when a large number of people are hanging out every two months waiting to see if the concession will be extended when they could just be getting a proper visa. I know Cheap Charlies here who are married with kids but are so stingy they cannot put the 400k in the bank to get a real visa but instead rely on the 60-day extensions. That to me underlines how much they really care about their families

Dave Swallow. Yes, the 25th is the last date to apply for 60-day extensions. Naturally the extension goes beyond this date

Always weigh up those who tell you to avoid AO retirement visa because it requires health insurance. If you're planning retirement in Thailand, unless you're a big fan of begging for money on GoFundMe, at some time you're going to need to attend doctors, specialists and hospitals. Sadly it's one of those drawbacks of getting old. Now if you're quite wealthy and are happy to fund your own health requirements, that's excellent, because Thai hospitals, although offering world-class facilities and services, are NOT cheap. If you start with an insurer before you turn 75, you can keep renewing until you're 99.

Gary Harrison. I realise that. I know one person who was caught out and was sent to IDC and deported with a five year ban. It was not pretty. I was pointing out that it's not legit, although the agent will tell you it is

Tim Riordan. My response was to the original post which stated "retirement". The Elite Visa is (in my opinion) an overpriced novelty. Why anyone 50+ would even consider one is beyond me

Ken Chao. I've got OA insurance. It's only per year. Admittedly I don't have any pre-existing conditions, so I'm right up to age 99. It's very probable that insurance will also be required in the future for the O visa, so it's best to get in now and just keep renewing.