From reviewing the comments and replies... I suggest to the poster to buy an Elite Card... 500,000 Baht for Five Years... Then do it again year six

It was a Form letter signed by some officer of the Labor Ministry. Not exactly sure but it seemed to be "WP is in process - as a step beyond the WP. 3 which is WP Application accepted ( successful application)

Yes it is - this copy may be a little dated but very much the same as one I received. Also the WP. X would be checked according type of Application.

Visas are supposed to be only from Thai Consulates / Embassies outside Thailand. Extensions to those Visas are done at Thai Immigration offices. The only exception that I know of is the Non Imm O 90 day visa sold at the Main BKK Immigration office

I do not know for sure but I do not think so.

If you can get this Non Imm O 90 day visa for 'retirement' inside Canada at a Thai Consulate without income qualification - then I say Do It.

You can also get this 90 Non Imm O visa at the main Thai Immigration Office in Bangkok (one of the very few exceptions of getting any kind of visa inside Thailand) and income qualification is required

In the Thailand region (Consualtes in neighboring countries) to get the Non Imm O 90 Day Visa intended to be later used for a one year 'retirement' Extension (over age 50) one has to show income qualification

That is a Non Immigrant

O-A (not A)

I will answers questions the way I see fit. Take a hike. If you don't like my way of doing things then scroll. If you read the whole thing another person took benefit of the expanded discussion and other commenter helped out. The answers I sometimes pose are not just for the OP but others who do not fully grasp the info. For example some people erronously think that a reentry permit pauses the Extension and upon returning they pick up right where they left off with same time remaining as when they left.