I am most grateful for all the help and guidance provided so far in the comments. Thank You all. I will go away and write up a 'to do' list, in order, in a couple of days time. Thank You for any more comments that will no doubt be posted.

@Nongnuch *******

perfect. That will be my choice. Thanks again.

@Dca ****

that said, Once I am settled in and make the penang journey minus luggage, a train journey is definately on the cards just for the fun of it.

@Giovanni *********

cheers.

@Nongnuch *******

thank you very much. I am hoping for a mulitple re entry permit and I know that is an option. I want to be able to come and go quite a bit of the time. Most grateful for your info, thanks

@Dca ****

Not with four large suitcases, I was staying for a month and this time longer so prob five susitcase! The hire car was 600 MYR each way, door to door and the driver gave me amazing assistance at the border crossing. He is a regular cross border driver so he knows his stuff....I only had to get out of the mini van twice to show my passport. Much easier than border crossing by train.

@Lee ************

with the help of the comments I have here, it's not going to be a problem. I have all the boxes ticked. :)

@Klaudia *********

I've been in penang on and off since sept 24 living with family friends, I did a border hop to patong for xmas, stayed there for 2 weeks, entered by plane when my first 90 days were up in Penang, a land crossing for a month in to hat yai back in april on the next 90 days. I submitted 3 months bank statements showing I have the 800k baht (albiet in english pounds on a HSBC statement) Thai sim card no prob. The bank statement does not show the money in the account came from a pension as it is my saving account, they only want to see I can put 800k in a thai bank. I am not going on the monthly amount for the visa, I'm not sure that is possible anyway, on an online visa application.

@Leong **********

I am aware of the advisories regarding the area, I am just out of danger! 😁

@Giovanni *********

thank you, no one yet mentioned the phone number element of the process so thank you for pointing that out. cheers