@Henry *******

your best option is the DTV, destination Thailand Visa, under the soft power category, for medical treatment. It is a five year visa giving you a 180 entry stamp each time you enter. You can leave and return in a matter of hours at any border and get another 180 entry, and do this for five years. Once you get this visa your wife can get a spouse visa under the same thing. The main requirement is having the equivalent of bt500,000 in a bank account in your name only, and medical treatment plan letter from your Thai doctor. If you came in on a medical treatment visa it is only good for the time you are treated, and then when you are released to fly the visa ends. It is not open ended.

Use an agent then no hassles, and it is done in just one day.

@Peter ***************

all day

What marriage documents are you waiting to arrive? This is not a normal thing in the process. As an American you personally get a notarized right to marry document from the embassy, get this translated into Thai, and approved by the ministry of foreign affairs as being accurate, then with copies of your passport, and her ID card you go get married at the local amphur. There is no waiting for anything. The whole process takes a day, or two, it is that simple. Again, what documents are you waiting for?

This is mostly being done when the phone number registered with your account doesn't match your current phone.

@Andreu **************

did you actually read the beginning of what I wrote?

As long as you have bt500,000, or the equivalent, in a bank account anywhere in the world in your name there are lots of different ways to get the DTV. If you don't have that amount of cash then forget it.

@Michael *****

you are making this too difficult on yourself, and thrown off by what you hear, and what people are saying. You are missing the important detail about why. To make this all very easy apply for your type O visa based on either retirement, or having a Thai wife, at a Thai embassy before you enter Thailand. This gives you the correct visa to get your Thai bank account in your name, transfer your bt800,000 into it, and after it has been in there for two months apply for your one year extension. It is very easy to do. Coming in on a tourist entry of any kind makes it difficult, and expensive.

I get all my insurance, even my health insurance, and accident insurance, through my bank, Bangkok Bank. I trust them, and have never had a problem with it paying

It's not that hard to do. Get your bank statement in the UK showing you have the equivalent of, or more, than bt800,000 in the account in your name only. Copies of your passport, living details in Thailand if not initially using a hotel. There might be a few other UK embassy specific, but your current bank account in the UK is the main thing. This will get you a type O 90 day visa once you enter Thailand, giving you the correct visa to get a Thai bank account in your name, transfer bt800,000+ into it from your UK bank, then after it's been in your account for at least two months you can apply for your one year extension. It is the easiest long term visa extension to get. Just make sure you do the first part in the UK, as without that 90 day type O visa it is almost impossible to get the Thai bank account you need by yourself on any tourist entry, even the DTV.