Chris Howard The definition of the service that an agent provides varies, but they simply 'facilitate the process' on your behalf. The end result is the same, you get legal retirement residence status and legal stamps in your passport. These services are offered for everything, it's a profitable industry that legally operates so until it becomes illegal, it's fine.

Caveat -

@Brandon ***********

has clarified before that once you use an agent you'll have to continue using agents or exit/re-enter to start over in order to switch to the non-agent process.

re: baht - money tied up in investments is irrelevant. You'd still need to lock up 800k (earning nothing). The same 800k can be left in USD and put in a 12mo CD and make a minimum of 4.5%. That's approx b - agent fees vary from 30-40k for 1st year, renewal year fees are 15-18k.

Certificate of Deposit (in the US).

aka GIC - Guaranteed Investment Certificate (in Canada).

(OP's profile shows US)

My experience is Canada and the US which only requires one agent for everyhing/anything available.

Definitely a different game here.

Thank you sir! (*Wow!)

Agent. Easiest option. Put your $$ in a CD and the interest will more than pay the agent's fee and they handle everything.

With interest rates paying 5% (Google EQ bank GIC Canada), 800k baht currently earns 40k baht in interest (stuck with THB references since Cdn$ amount changes constantly). That more than covers the cost of an agent and doesn't force you to exchange and lock up a considerable chunk of your money in Thailand. An agent can handle everything (including opening your Thai bank account for you) for about 30k baht. Interest rates will either be the same in a year or higher. Exchange rates could be better or worse so that's an unknown.

Commenters constantly say that it's easy to do yourself but besides an agent requiring zero effort, the math clarifies that it's actually cheaper to put your money in a GIC (in Canada) at current rates since it'll earn pretty much nothing in interest sitting in a Thai bank account.

J & E Concierge in Pattaya. 8am start from office, drive to License Office, walked thru everything, prioritized service at office, done by 11am

@Stuart ********

Necessary to use the same agent or can you switch agents (for extensions)?

Agent. 0 baht req'd for bank deposit. Fee for their service. They handle everything in 7-10 days.

Oops sorry. Thx for the correction!