It’s not a Catch 22. You apply for your chosen visa in your home country. Apply online, not in person. When you arrive in Thailand, open and fund your Thai bank account.

With a Non-O, proof of residency and a suitcase full of cash I was denied at Bangkok Bank in April 2025. My Thai wife of 36 years and I spent over an hour there. They had 100 reasons why it was NO. I walked next door to Krungthai Bank and they treated me like royalty. Fast and efficient service. I also like the app.

My wife & I retired 3 years ago. We live 6 months per year in Thailand and the US, just like you want to do. Very easy. Well, kinda. We leave the US in mid October and return in mid April. You should think about-do I want to live in the North East (Isan) for seemingly pennies per day. Or, Bangkok for mega city life. Maybe Phuket, Hua-Hin or Pattaya for lots of foreigners nearby, mostly Europeans, Russians and Australians. Phuket is a suburb of Moscow. Hua- Hin and Pattaya are European.

My wife and I lowered our US expenses to near zero. Our daughter and her husband live in our paid off house and pay utilities & property tax.

Get Medicare when eligible. This last 6 months I had several hospital and doctor visits. I paid up front and my United Healthcare Medicare advantage plan reimbursed me. If you live 6 months per year in the US you are eligible for this.

You can message me on Messenger app for additional information if you would like to. I’m happy to help.

My Thai wife didn’t make an appointment to get her driver’s license. I won’t make an appointment when I get my driver’s license. We are in Ratchaburi province.

If you are not on-site every day for the building process, you are wasting money. I did that and regret it.

I married my Thai wife 36 years ago in the US on the K-1 visa. We didn’t change her last name. A few years later, I changed my last name to her last name.

@Jeremy *******

this is an example of why you should not post on facebook while intoxicated. Your info is the opposite of truth and reality.

You have the right idea mate.

@William ********

put more faith in your wife.

@Damo **********

there is no conspiracy on the part of Thai immigration.