@Andrew *****

No u don’t, any pension or income is ok as long as you fulfil the requirements and are passed 50 years AND with 800K baht you qualify anyway.

This is two alternatives: Income/pension OR funds. One option plus 50 years is sufficient.

@Bart *************

I have to agree with

@Graham *****

here. A visa is sadly not an entrance ticket -it increases your chance a bit if you risk to get denied- but a valid visa doesn’t guarantee that you’ll come in. All it means is if they let you in you’ll get in for the days allotted on that visa type.

The immigration is cracking down on people using tourist solutions for long term stays in Thailand, and if they decide to deny you they’ll do it now matter if you’re trying to enter on a tourist visa or a visa exemption for tourism. The Royal Thai Police Immigration will never accept to be controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs foreign service. And your embassy/consulate only have a copy of the id-page in your passport. They don’t necessarily have any insight in your previous (excessive) travel history to Thailand.

@Roger *******

I will do the same, this was just a wish now as the visa exemptions are 60 days and several people don’t need to apply for a tourist visa anymore.

@Martin **********

This is rarely checked in the immigration unless they’ll questioning you for some other reason regarding your travel pattern and the immigration will normally accept that you can apply for an extension (no guarantee) and the airlines are normally more strict regarding 60 days.

@Bart *************

You have a point that’s important in two perspectives: 1) First people use money for something they don’t need 2) In a bigger environmental context you risk that planes leaves with empty seats only because people need to buy throwaway tickets to fulfil formal requirements.

The ideal would have been if the immigration clearly stated that you could travel on a visa exemption with an exit ticket within 90 days, but you had to take responsibility for getting an extension yourself. I assume much will become clearer regarding this if the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is introduced and visa-free travels must be notified and registered before departure.

Not regarding onward ticket and if you don’t have any recently excessive travel history in and out of Thailand, you should be fine and get your 60 days visa exemption and free stamp upon arrival.

These are the requirements for a Non O visa at the Thai embassy in London. You can also apply in Thailand.

If you’re passed 50 years I would have applied for a 90 days Non O visa first and done yearly extension of stay with multiple re-entry permits at the immigration. Then you control everything yourself.

At one point you’ll get stopped and told to get a proper visa if you’re going back to back on visa exemptions anyway.

@John *******

and it varies between branches within the same Bank.

@John *******

yes, he’s entry stamp is for 90 days and he for sure has a Non immigrant visa. But some people has mistakenly thought that a 90 days TR gave a 90 days stay as the visa was valid for 90 days but only give 60 days upon entry.