Retired in Thailand means over 50. You don't actually have to be 'Retired' as long as you're not working in Thailand. If you have the money requirements sorted its 100% for the retirement visa as a) easier to get b) no requirements to attend school c) no requirements to pay for school d) ED visa has to be extended whereas retirementis 1 year (check whether O or OA are most suitable for you). If you're on ED and want to go on holiday, even within Thailand, you'll need a letter from the school to avoid any potential problems. At the end of ED visa you need to have it 'cancelled" in order to apply for a new visa class (or even in theory come back as a tourist). So all in all if you've got the money, even if you want to study (no problems studying on retirement visa) the retirement visa is the better option.

@Peter ********

90 days and under....no ban

@Peter ********

No ban for 90 days and under unless arrested and deported

@Alex ******

No ban under 90 days unless arrested and deported

@Terry *******

you need one statement for the last 12 months (which usually takes a week if with BKK bank) and then another statement detailing all the FTTs from the previous statement(which they usually need 1 day to do)

@Tony ********

The OP was also seeming to infer that there's some special treatment from the UK Passport office if you use an agent which is simply wrong. Not the same situation using an agent for Thai immigration

Apples and oranges...OP seems to be be in Pattaya...not many flights between BKK and Patts....

@Steve ******

If you can't manage to copy your passport or driving licence as proof of address, it must be a real struggle renewing your visa. As i understand, the passport doesn't have to be collected in person which saves one. For people like yourself living in far flung corners of Thailand, it's understandable if you use an agent rather than travel to CM or BKK but the OP seems to be resident in Pattaya which isn't such an inaccessible location compared to yourself

Just to be clear, not one of these agents can make the process any quicker. If applying for a new passport , the application process requires nothing more than filling in your name address date of birth etc and providing a photo with a payment. That's it. If you need an agent for that, how on earth do you manage to go to the bathroom on your own?

@Colin ********

Not really... you're confusing a NonOA with an O....no requirement for health insurance on O but you can't get at an embassy (for retirement)