1. Arrive in Thailand and ensure the Immigration officer stamps you in with your non-O.

2. Get a long term lease.

3. Go to immigration and get a residence certificate and list of requirements to extend your stay.

4. Open a bank account (this is the difficult part but should be possible with your non-O and long term lease) and transfer 800,000 baht into it within the first 2 or 3 week after arrival.

5. After your money has been in your bank account for 2 months (and before your existing visa expires), take all the documents to immigration and apply to extend your stay.

My tip would be to buy a document folder and take several copies of everything (you will need them constantly in Thailand, so it saves time in the future). Keep a copy of your extension application as well as it will probably be more or less the same next year.

There's also the non -OA visa available and that is the one that requires medical insurance and criminal checks etc. Unfortunately you will definitely need to leave Thailand to apply for it the same as the non-O. It used to be possible to get the non-O inside Thailand but this year the banks made it virtually impossible to open an account here.

@Jesper ******

it is heavily dependent on the amphur you need to use. I had to go to the main amphur outside Hua Hin and they insisted on this, but other people seem to wander in to their local amphur with a few photocopies of their passport and walk out a few minutes later with a yellow book and ID card. It took me weeks of running around and back and forth to the Amphur. Ask at your amphur to see what they need.

There are many places that can do this for you Neil. I used a place on Phetkassem Road before Bluport (towards Takiab) on the same side of road as Bluport. Sorry I can't remember the name. You then need to take it to Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their stamp, but you can use the one inside Bluport.

@Ronnie ******

yes i realise it can take longer especially in places like Bangkok and Pattaya. Hopefully they have more staff to get through the applicants. I usually go at a day/time that is less busy, but there's no guarantees. Having said that I always find the immigration officers to be very efficient and helpful. Good luck with whatever you decide.

You seem to be trying to resolve your problem by making it much more difficult for yourself. If you have had 800,000 baht in your Thai bank account for a year, just go to your immigration office, get their list of requirements to extend, supply the documents and pay 1,900 baht. I extended mine last week and it took me about 30 minutes at the immigration office.

@Mark ********

1,900 Baht a year is a rip off?!! If you think so that's okay.

@Mark ********

very strange negative post, as if the whole of Thailand is Pattaya. If you are happy in Vietnam stay there. I am certain the person asking the questions is capable of evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each country themselves. They are asking about the retirement visa and it's very easy to get in Thailand.

@Tracey ***********

if you are over 50 apply for a retirement visa online via the Thai Embassy. If you get the non-OA you need a criminal check and mandatory insurance from a restricted list of companies, so most people choose the non-O visa. For the non-O you need to show evidence of 800,000 baht each (about £19,000) in your account and be willing to transfer it to Thailand soon after arrival in Thailand. Whatever you do, don't come to Thailand without a visa as it's impossible to open a bank account in Thailand without paying an agent about 60,000 baht these days (it used to be possible). Good luck.

@Dexx ****

that's good as long as you've got a way forward. I wasn't thinking 1 baht, more like 2,000 baht. I hope you get it sorted soon as it's a horrible situation.