Paul at a Thai Embassy or Consulate in America you can get an METV - multi entry tourist visa - life of 6 months - giving multiple 60 day stays (exit Thailand at 60th. day then reenter - get another 60 day stay) Check the requirements online at the Washington D. C. Thai Embassy.

No double or triple entry visas anymore since almost two years now.

B VISA for working at the School... OR ED visa for being a Student

Based on my own observations over at least 5 years monitoring sites like Thai Visa and others ... most over age 50 Expats in Thailand could not even think of considering this 'visa' - far too costly. In fact I will venture to say that as much as 50% of those Expats on Extensions of Stay - Ret. / Over Age 50 would not qualify for an Extension of Stay - Ret. if their Embassy pressed for bank docs to prove their monthly income.. The only thing that saves them is the Don't Ask - Don't Tell policy that many Embassies of various countries have for obtaining an Income Affidavit/Letter...

This year over age 50 Long Stay Visa is a Pie in the Sky - fantasy dream of a group of Thai bureaucrats who have no real concept of Farang Monetary capability. It would seem these bureaucrats have the same mindset as many potential Thai girlfriends I have met - JD says he is not rich - but I know he is not telling the truth... The Thai bureaucrats have no understanding of the economic history of Western Countries of the past 25-30 years... There have been numerous economic recessions - many 'back to back' ...stripping many guys of the core of their investments, pensions, 401K plans, etc. One sided divorce laws in many Western Countries are another leveling factor... Result -- the main attraction for many if not most Western men is the ability to live better in Thailand on what they have left of their life's work... It is the small minority of Western men who come here with an impressive financial statement.

I predict this new year plan will fail totally in three years time and be mothballed due to a near total lack of participation.

I agree with Robert - if a person can tie up that much money - willing to forgo adequate interest, be constrained by the listed Insurance options... then likely such a person has 500,000 and will just simply forget this X option exists... The Elite Card at 500k is mostly buy and forget - except for 90 day reports... This whole thing strikes me as Day Dreaming done by some high raking Thai bureaucrats who actually have no clue about the mindset of Retired Farangs who have expendable cash.

Yes - it varies from office to office.

If you go get a 30 Day Extension you may have to show a Rental Agreement Or a receipt from a Guest House or Hostel...

Yes -- as we all did

There are people here who know more -- but this particular aspect of visas is fairly commonly known --- it just takes a little while to pick up how it works .

All that I wrote can happen IF your passport is not already filled with Exemption Entries into Thailand or a mix and match of Exemption Entries, Extensions of Stay and Tourist Visas