Cannot move permanently unless you hold a Thai passport. If you are over 50, you cam get 1 year retirement visa from the Thai Embassy in the US followed by 1 year extensions of stay from Immigration office in Thailand. Subject to meeting the requirements.

@Matt *****

I have used so many taxi from the side of the road and my Thai is minimal. Yrll the driver tp use the meter. most will. If they will not use the meter, I take a phot of the friver and his displyed ID and get out.

You should be able to open a bank account yourself, even if you are on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp. All banks have different requirements. All branches have different requirements. Even within a branch two staff members may give very different answers. Find a branch of the bank you want (I use Bangkok Bank in Doi Saket), in an area with lots of foreigners. Go to the bank with your passport and a friend who holds an account at that branch. Have 100,000 thb to deposit. Should work but many banks/branches will also require a certificate of residence from Immigration. But instead, you could offer a letter from your hotel/ hostel/ Airbnb/ friends house stating that you stay there. Doi Saket Bangkok will work with that.

@Kim ********

Waiting time depends on your Immigration office. I have had both marriage and retirement extions and from my exoerience retirement is much simpler and easy.

Easy to do yourself without paying an agent.

You should be able to open a bank account yourself, even if you are on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp. All banks have different requirements. All branches have different requirements. Even within a branch two staff members may give very different answers. Find a branch of the bank you want (I use Bangkok Bank in Doi Saket), in an area with lots of foreigners. Go to the bank with your passport and a friend who holds an account at that branch. Have 100,000 thb to deposit. Should work but many banks/branches will also require a certificate of residence from Immigration. But instead, you could offer a letter from your hotel/ hostel/ Airbnb/ friends house stating that you stay there. Doi Saket Bangkok will work with that.

If you have sufficient funds in the bank, then retirement visa is a much easir way than Marriage visa. Marriage visa requires many more hoops to jump through. Thai wife must accompany you when you apply at the immigration office and wait all day. You will need suitable photographs of you and wife at your home, immigration police will want to visit your home and meet neighbours to prove your marriage is real. If successful you will only get a one month pending extension until after the police visit.

@Michael **********

Wrong. I do not believe that you have ab international drivers licence. Please show a photo. Perhaps you misunderstand and it is a permit (and not a licence). In any event, while an international licence is valid for 12 months, it is only legal for use in Thailand while you are a tourist - usually considered to be 90 days or until you have a long term visa or extension of stay.

@Ricky *******

I would love to see aph oto of your international drivers licence. Such licences may be available illegally from the internet or maybe you printed one up on your computer but neithyer are valid for use in any country, including Thailand.

I believe that type of work is restricted to Thai people.