agree… when the ‘rogue’ Immigration Officer is caught, there have been occassions where all the farang he has accepted bribes for the fake illegal visa’s are booted out 🤦🏼♂️🙆🏼♂️
the financials 'starting' out are minimal.. it is when you go to open your Thai bank account within the first 30 days of your 90 day 'O' Non Immigrant visa, the financials will become more apparent. ie. 800,000 thb in the Thai account for a full 2 months before applying for the 12 month extension.
A little bit of research will reveal everything required. Not as scary as you make it out to be.
I would advise the 'O' retirement Visa (if you over 50). You should adhere to the financial requirements (unless you go to an Agent) and make sure you come back to Thai just before the 'expiry' date of your current retirement visa so you can extend it again for another 12 months. Sounds like you should get the single entry retirement extension (1,900thb), and pay 1,000 for a 're-entry' permit when you go back to USA.