A 6 month multiple entry visa may suit if you are planning on around half your time in Thailand and half in your home country

@Sharon **********

Keep in mind Koh Samui is a very tourist orientated island and therefore you will be paying tourist prices for everything..

As a general rule it's always more expensive to live on an island than the mainland.

You should take a look at Hua Hin as a long term option.

It's very popular with retired Expats and foreigners staying long term.

No App available at present..

Apply by the website link

@Bartosz ******

Each time you enter it's a new visa exemption entry for 60 days..

When you exit Thailand your current exemption is terminated and canceled..

So each time you enter you are starting again on a new exemption entry

And each 60 day visa excemption entry can be extended only once by 30 days at any Thailand immigration office.

@Mike *****

He wasn't asking about a retirement visa which is open to anyone over 50 who can meet the financial criteria..

His question was about visa exemptions which are specifically intended for genuine tourists and not people trying to abuse the system in order to live in Thailand.

You can either extend your current visa exemption 1 time by 30 days at any Thailand immigration office with payment of 1900 Baht and the additional 30 days is added to the end date of your initial 60 day exemption entry..

Or you can leave the country and re-enter for an additional 60 days

Or you could do both..

Extend your current exemption and then before the extension expires you leave Thailand and return for another 60 days..

You should be aware that Thai immigration are cracking down on people who are regularly entering and exiting Thailand simply to gain another exemption.

You may get away with it once but I wouldn't push my luck too much.

If you appear to be abusing the visa exemption entries to effectively live in Thailand (Not a genuine tourist) then you may be refused entry at the border.

I don't understand what you're certificate has to do with getting into Vietnam..

It's completely dependent on the passport you have and most passport countries require a visa before entry..

UK passport and a couple of others can get visa on arrival

I am not sure what you mean.?

If you already have a retirement visa for Thailand and I assume you have already met all the requirements for a retirement visa then there really wouldn't be any advantage in switching to the DTV.

And yes you are correct that the DTV is intended for people who wish to live in Thailand long term and work remotely but receive thier income from a source outside Thailand.

The DTV allows you to stay in Thailand up to 5 years at up to 180 days at a time.

@Rene *******

I had a career change at 60 years old..

Just depends on the individual and when there are very limited options in Thailand you have to consider anything.

You may need to research age care / disability homes and facilities specifically aimed at foreigners as that maybe your wife's only hope with her English language skills..

I believe these exist in Thailand but there are not many and the company would need to sponsor a working visa for your wife.

It's a long shot but at best but worth some investigation.

Or your wife may need to consider a career change to English language teaching as that's one of the few job opportunities available in Thailand.

But she would need to gain some kind of teaching qualification before attempting to find a job and again a work permit would need to be sponsored by any school willing to hire her..