The interest that the 800K earns is taxed (10% witholding tax, if I remember correctly) but you can get that tax refunded by eRevenue.

@John ********

many thanks, Simon

@Andrew ********

Many thanks mate.

The officer in charge at Mae Sai has known me for years. When I asked if I could just start again with a new Non O he looked at me in amazement and said that there was no way ever to get that in Thailand. I'd had the 800K in the account for five months by then. So I called in at Chiang Rai, on my way to Laos and the lady there who checks the docs said the same thing. I'd love to know why they didn't just give me a Non O visa? Anyway Laos was great.

@Stuart **********

No, I still had a week or so left before I had to extend for another year.

@Gene ********

maybe, I don’t know. I had been extending my Non O visa about 15 times. Anyway I got a new Non O visa in Laos. On more than one occasion I have had three different answers to the same question from Mae Sai and Chiang Rai immigration. There was no language barrier or misunderstanding.

@Stuart **********

They just looked at me as if I was mad and said Mai Mee! They had never heard of issuing any kind of visa in Thailand. They said go to Savanaket but I went to Vientienne and loved it there.

@Dirk *************

I have never had nor wanted a Non OA visa

@Graham *****

. I’ve been here on a Non O with retirement extensions for 15 years. Original Non O from Brisbane. I had let the balance drop below ฿400K ( not knowing the new rule) but it had been back at ฿800k foo5 months when I went for another year’ retirement extension. This was refused and both immigration offices said you can’t get a new Non O inside Thailand. They had never heard of such a thing. Anyway I had a lovely long weekend in Vientiane and I’ll go back to Laos again for sure.

I was told by two different immigration offices, Mae Sai and Chiang Rai that you can’t get a 90 day Non O visa (with the intention of extending it for retirement) in the country. You have to leave and apply for it outside the country. So I am always puzzled when I read some of the advice given here.