travel made easy - no standing around in arrival queues, makes it easy to collect tourist tax as well without impacting residents…..been in place in many countries for a while now takes the aggravation away….love flying to Malaysia, Singapore and Aussie these days.

WISE rates in my experience are always better than anything you can get through most major banks so that probably answers your question, I get my pension paid to my UK bank and then move it when needed give me better control as well. Keeping an account when non resident might be your only challenge.

Go to your local tax office personally, preferably with a Thai speaker if you are unable to do that you would need to get a local tax accountant to assist you.

I beg to differ, I embarked on this journey over 6 years ago, from South Africa and after initial on line research, I headed to the Thai Embassy in Pretoria, and after one false start secured O-A retirement visa‘s for my wife and I - despite being advised to engage a lawyer on arrival in Phuket by friends already here. Only when I draw a blank on line do I reach out to the wider community for advice. Our parents relied on word of mouth and encyclopedias 🤔.

Yip, I went thinking it would be straightforward, but it’s a circus and nobody warned me, luckily I had a flight already planned, and a local account so I could draw cash - Booking.com had a raft of rooms for B500 in Ranong, so they know about the ruse ……as it turned out after all the hassle and running around I needed a shower and Nap before the drive back to Phuket…..so the room turned out to be handy…..the boat trip itself including guide is B1000 and a tip for the guide on the Burma side is B100 so your package will cover all that stuff

You need B10k, confirmed flight out of thailand and proof of accommodation, or you can pay the local spivs 3k to circumvent these requirements they will be lined up waiting for you on arrival……or you can use a travel agent who will organize transport and all of the above for a fee…………I went through this BS 2 months ago, thankfully I could make a plan and didnt get scalped……

Google is your friend

Since ’78 and living here for past 6 years - your point is 🤔

They are illegal and therefore not insurable

Or until they require a tax clearance to renew visa then rhe agents will collect the taxes :- )