What is stopping you from applying for the type O visa based on retirement in the US? Lots of people do it, why can't you?

@William ******

that is all speculation as this loophole that was closed was aimed at those Thais working in foreign countries, and there are hundreds of thousands of them working in most countries around the world. How this will relate to, and affect foreigners is still to be decided.

Basically Thailand wants to make sure the money you bring into Thailand, if you are not a tourist, has had the appropriate taxes paid on it. The people this will affect first, when they decide how to regulate it, are those living here on a retirement visa extension, but are younger than their legal retirement age to get a pension in their home passport country. Thailand allows those 50 years, or older, to get a retirement visa extension, which does not legally allow any work, not even volunteering. Most countries don't allow a person to receive a pension until they are over 60 years old. So Thailand will, in a very short time, want to make sure the taxes have been paid on the money those people bring into Thailand to live on, as they can not legally work on a retirement visa extension. If you are over the legal retirement age in your home country then Thailand doesn't care about the money you bring in. They are still working out the details on how to enforce this, but rest assured they will very soon. These changes are just part of the ever tightening international anti-money laundering laws, as Thailand is a party to.

@Trevor *****

only if you were a Thai citizen.

@Trevor *****

lots of people get in serious trouble doing those under the table, technically illegal things. What you can get away with now, can change in a matter of weeks.

@Shayne ********

I do know that as fast as Thailand is advancing technology, and computer wise, things you do illegally will at some point be discovered, and the consequences can result in deportation, and jail in some cases. Quite a few people get deported and banned from returning daily because they were not legal in what they thought they could get away with. Keep that in the front of your mind.

Understand that you can not do any kind of teaching if you do not have an undergraduate degree. To do any kind of work you must have a work permit, even volunteering, and you can only get a work permit to teach if you have a certified as being real university degree. Get married to your Thai GF. Then you can get a type O visa extension based on Thai wife, and with this visa extension, if you find a job, or decide to start a business you can get a work permit with this visa extension. At this point, and to help your situation, I would enroll in a university, go to school for four years, and get a degree, then you will also at the same time learn to speak, read and write, formal, and colloquial Thai, and gain your degree, even going as far as getting an actual PhD, that people think you have. After you've worked for at least three years, and made at least bt40,000 a month continuously, and paying your Thai income tax yearly, plus other requirements (but nothing else matters if you don't work), you can apply directly for citizenship because you are married to a Thai. If not legally married then you'd need to work three years making at least bt80,000 a month, and paying taxes, plus the other requirements, to get permanent residency, then after working continuously another five years you could apply for citizenship. Think long term, as most responding don't do past one year. You can not legally work on any type of retirement visa extension. For your long term plans the fastest way is to get married first. Also familiarize yourself with the restricted jobs list, that are jobs allowed for Thais only. Quite a few of the jobs you've done in the past are on that list. Above all else, if you want to stay here long term, never do anything questionable, or illegal, as over time it could cost you by getting you deported, or worse, jailed. All your plans should never put your staying here into question. Quite a few people break this way of doing things, and a number of them can never return to Thailand. Thailand is a great place after you learn how things operate. By adapting, planning, and getting married, you can stay here the rest of your life very nicely.

Siam-Legal.com is very good, and fluent in English.

As it stands now nothing is official yet. The details, and requirements, are being refined. Currently the visa will have a bt10,000 fee, and a bank deposit for the length of the entry of bt500,000, then bt10,000 for each extension. Most are not aware of this bank deposit proposed requirement. Most every long term visa has a financial requirement, and this will be no different.

@Paul *******

Thailand pushes medical travel heavily in most western countries.