@Bent ************

expensive? I have been paying under $40 or $50 US each way, but you are right, a train to Laos is another option. But many visitors need to buy a visa for Laos.

@Graeme *****

yes, but easy to book a legitimate flight in advance, to say SGN for peanuts, personally, I would take the short vacation in Vietnam over wasting my time at Thai immigration and paying 1900 for the 30-day extension. But, each to his own.

@Elías *******

perhaps this is clearer for you? The 180-day rule for Thai tax residency is calculated per calendar year (January 1st to December 31st), not a rolling 12 months.

@Elías *******

where did you get that idea? In Thailand, the tax year for personal income tax, capital gains and corporate income tax runs from January 1 to December 31.

@Dylan *****

this is what I am trying to find out

What are your plans with regards to becoming a Thai tax resident upon your upcoming visit pushing you over the 180-days? If your country has a dual taxation treaty with Thailand there should be no tax to pay, but will you get a tax number and file a tax return? I am in a similar situation and wonder what others are planning to do? With the new digital passport tracking length of stay in Thailand, whether this information is automatically shared with the Thai tax office?

@John ******

I don't doubt what you are saying, I can only go by my personal experience. With such a long a duration in Thailand, you must be well aware, that requirements change not by whether you are using Bangkok. Krungsri, Siam, or Krungthai bank, but from branch to branch. I am a much newer arrival than you, both of my banks are based in Pattaya and both required a permanent Thai cell phone number to open an account. You are correct in the fact that both of my chosen banks also required a copy of my condo lease agreement.

The bank will want you to have an annual phone contract with the SIM registered against your passport details. This will also allow you to use the banks online app. I used Dtac for this purpose. Coverage is excellent everywhere I have been in Thailand and for a small extra amount, I was able to use it in Vietnam too. Cost wise, it's very affordable.

Simple, fly to Bangkok on visa exempt entry. Take bus to Jomtien, just 143 baht, then 10 baht bus to Pattaya. Walk down Soi 6 towards Beach Road, but just before you get there, look left for One Stop Visa. Mark will sort everything for you.

Fly BKK to SGN to reset if you haven't already got a history of exempt Thai entry stamps. That's what I used to do before I got a Non O