@Greg **********
thank you for this detailed info. I Am considering this retirement visa option, but I'm also interested in the long stay visa. Can one also apply for this one from within Thailand? I am on a visa free entry. Can I apply for the non O from within Thailand for the long stay visa as well? Or only from my home country? Do I tell immigration in Thailand i want a non O in order to apply for the long stay visa? It sounds as if the non o is easy to get?and does the long stay visa require international insurance? I see the retirement visa doesn't. I time everything so that I always have travel insurance from my home country in terms of a return ticket. I do have private cover in my home country which is also valid for 3 months from departure. So I'm sometines doubly covered. But that isnt going to help if international health insurance is required. Am i understanding this correctly? I see the retirement visa has no international health insurance requirement. I travel a lot all over so I'm trying to go with the best option for me. Thailand would be my main place of abode. And regarding obtaining schengen visa etc, can I do this on both are retirement visa and long stay visa? I need to not have to return to my own country every time I need a visa. If you could shed some light I'd appreciate it. Thanks! Because Google doesn't give this detail.