@Paul ********

I found that Wise never charged more than $20 AUS for the monthly transfer of around 65K baht. Usually it was $18-$19

Dominique Em Yeah, not 7 months or 6 months 5 months is the correct amount of time in a 12 month period; ie two months before applying for the extension, leave in for three months after the extension, then permitted to withdraw 400K, increase back to 800K 2 months before extension is due again

If you want the cheapest visa with the lowest financial requirement then non immigrant O based on marriage to a Thai citizen is probably best, additional paperwork is required, but just once a year. If you go the route of the non OA based on being over 50, it has the advantage of being able to leave your money working for you in the UK, but requires health insurance that covers the duration of 12 month visa. You can travel in and out on this visa as it has the built in multiple entry feature, however rather than being given an additional 12 months stay on each of your arrivals back into Thailand, (which used to be a big advantage of this visa) I understand now, that you only get stamped back in until the end of your 12 month insurance period. This visa requires the least contact with immigration, unless you plan to extend it in country as opposed to returning to the UK and applying for a new Non OA. As others have explained the non immigrant O visa based on being over 50 which you apply for in Thailand requires having 800K baht in your account for 7 months of the year with 400K baht required to be in your account for the rest of the year. If you are travelling a lot you would need to purchase a multiple re-entry permit/stamp to keep your visa alive. It requires two visits to immigration. one to apply for the non immigrant O visa, then depending on where you are applying for your extension in Thailand, a second visit to immigration is required 45-60 days later to apply for your twelve month extention. Thereafter only one vist to immigration per year required to extend

It hashappened to someone I know, twice. First time in 2017 and the second time this year. Both times she was denied entry and made to fly back to the country of her passport

That seems to have taken A very long time. I have done my extensions at CM immigration multiple times and it has usually only taken a couple of hours. Did you forget some paperwork and have to leave and come back? Or is it the sheer volume of people applying for visas that resulted in long waits to hand in you documents? Anyway good on you for persevering

@Colin ********

this is why hotels take a copy of your passport data page-it is so that they can send this to immigration to report the TM30 for you and other guests

@Chris **********

their property is in the UK, not Australia. Different costs and taxes

@Paul ******

Last August when I retuned to Chiang Mai (to the same address) after being in Australia, I went to immigration the next day and asked whether I needed to update my TM30. The immigration officer I spoke to said Yes, despite me having read many times on facebook that if you are returning to the same address you do not need to. In October I returned to Chiang Mai (to the same address) after being in Laos, I did not report to immigration (I forgot). When I did an extension in December, there was no issue with my TM30 having not been updated in October. Last week when I returned to Chiang Mai, I again went to immigration within 24 hours of my arrival and asked if I needed to update my TM30. I was again told yes. So two official confirmations from Chiang Mai immigration that if you return to Chiang Mai to the same address you still need to update yourTM30 and one situation where a valid TM30 is required yet it did not seem to matter that it had not been updated when I returned to my home address

@John *******

well said. It takes about 2 years for the rose coloured glasses to come off. Up until then most people are still in holiday/novelty mode. Many people who thought they were moving to Thailand forever, are gone by the 2 year mark or shortly afterwards. This is far more difficult if your biggest financial asset is in Thailand. By all means come and live in Thailand, you will have a great experience, but rent your house out in England and rent for a couple of years in Thailand where you think you want to buy, and see if you still feel the same way about living in Thailand two years down the track

The problem you will face is that some jobs (if you are working in Thailand legally) are preserved for Thai people only. Not sure if dance teacher is a job that a Thai person can not do? English teacher is definitely a job that a foreigner can do legally, but to work legally as a teacher you need to have a bachelor degree ie to get a work permit. And as others have intimated you can probably teach dance or work as a teacher without a work permit and get away with it, or get deported your own cost. Or you could study Thai on an education visa and be in Thailand legally