@Michael *******

First you abuse me for being pedantic then you try to be pedantic. If someone is staying long term in Thailand it is important that they learn the correct terminology. I was only attempting to educate the original poster. I am sure that you are not the village idiot. But be aware that I overheard him discussing moving to a new village.

@Michael *******

Wrong. It is an extension of stay. Not an extension of visa.

You are certainly not on your 2nd year of a Retirement visa. If you obtained a Retirement visa from outside of Thailand, when it ran out, it expired and was finished because it cannot be "renewed". I supsect that you spent ime in Thailand and just before you visa expired, you went to an Immigration office and successfully applied for an extendion of stay based on being over 50 years of age. This is not any sort of visa.

It is best to arrive in Thailand with a Retirement cisa from your own country. To get a Retirement visa/extension of stay based on retirement in Thailand, you need to be able to show the money on your Thai bank account. Catch 22: You cannot open a bank account if you are on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp.

Because of serious obuse of he ED Visa, they are becoming more difficult.

If you get the 60 day visa exempt stamp and extend by a further 30 days at the Immigration office, Immigration class you as a tourist. If you then attempt to enter again on a visa exempt stamp, Immigration rightly consider that after on 90 day stay in the country that you are no longer a tourist but that you are attempting to live long term in the country. While there is no legal limit to the number of Visa exempt entries, once the Immigration officer believes that you are no longer visiting the country as a tourist he will deny you entry. If you have already stayed for 90 days on a visa exempt entry, then in future to guarantee entry into Thailand, you need to obtain a long term visa suitable to the reason for your stay.

Out of interest: Thailand has recently cracked down on foreign nationals abusing visa-free entry. Between January and May 2025, immigration officers denied entry to approximately 8,193 foreigners, many suspected of entering under the guise of tourism to stay long term in Thailand or work illegally.

That is a very simple task. Any visa agent will asssit you.

@Jonah ***********

Yes. It is very horrible that People abuse the system by obtaining a visa for study and then failing to attend. It then makes it difficult for honest students,

@Jesper ******

The Retirement Visa and following Extensions of stay are "Non Immigrant" and by definition, you cannot be a resident..

If you come on a visa exempt stamp you are considered to be a tourist and it is impossible to open a bank account as a tourist, Get a long term visa prior to coming to Thailand.