Think it was a case of an Airbnb condo owner who isn't supposed to rent out for less than 30 days not wanting to do a TM30 for a shorter stay

Bank statement dated day of application brings back memories. In Pattaya completing the process yourself instead of via an agent doesn't get you in immigration's good books. In my case the process was delayed by officers as they sent me back and forth, blatant delaying tactics aimed to annoy (eg map showing place of residence had to be hand drawn, not printed from an actual to scale online map, photos with daughter had to be provided in front of school, outside and inside residence etc etc)... then on day 3 of the process, my fourth time in front of the immigration officers, absolutely everything they had requested complied with, just as immigration was about to close for the day, they announced that my Bangkok Bank statements provided three days before were now out of date.

Looking forward to a visit in June/July

@Mar***

, will you be there then?

@Marc ********

no. I had sole custody of our Thai daughter after the divorce. So the family visa applies (400K instead of 800K). I’m out of Thailand now, but had that visa and extension of stay for many years. And could reapply for it tomorrow if we decided to return to Thailand.

There are alternatives without Thai family anyway. Retirement visas for over 50s, in my case.

@Jesse ******

@Jay *******

is correct. It cost me 100฿, all in. We had a prenup, stating what we brought to the marriage we kept after divorce. I purchased no fixed assets during the marriage. We went to the Amphur, signed the paperwork, and went our separate ways.

@Tod ********

just to clarify, if you have the child out of wedlock then marry, then you are covered. Additionally if you divorce amicably then the child arrangements need not go through the courts at all. The Ampur simply writes the details into the divorce agreement. The Ampur divorce accord is at least as strong as one thrashed out in the courts. I had a lawyer present who had drawn up a mutually agreed but long winded overcomplicated text for the arrangement. The clerks took one look and said forget it. On the spot they reduced it to half a page instead of ten, and the lawyers were totally subservient to the clerks which I was really not expecting.

End result 8 years so far of trouble free visas and travel and obtaining Thai docs like ID cards etc without needing any consent or intervention whatsoever from the mother, based on a single line the clerk drew up: "the parties agree the father is to have full custody and parental responsibility".

Just in passing - even after divorce I was able to maintain the extensions of stay based on the family type visa as I had full custody of our child. So even though single as long as our child is a minor this type of visa requires only 400K in the bank, and should you ever consider starting a business or working here, unlike the retirement visa you can apply for a WP