ED visa is 1 year, so you might have a point of the length of visas. But it doesn't cost me anything, I can ask my agent who helped me with opening a bank account in Bangkok bank.
It's actually not fair against you. I know a person who has an ED visa, and that person is 28 years of age. That person got bank account. Just because of ED visa. Is that fair?
Agency never asked me about my age when I was in the office asking for opening account. I think you need to be over 50 to get a retirement visa, not a bank account.
Alternative, you can use any agency office to open a bank account for you. They will charge you 5k baht. That's the fastest and easiest way to get a bank account.
My nationality is Norwegian, and I also have done 4 visaruns since february. Now it's time for me to make Retirement visa. Paying 4000 baht everytime to do visaruns I don't like that much. So finding a cheap visa agent would sort my problems.