We seem to be discussing 2 different things and just confusing other patrons. Clearly, the older 90-day or 6 months which was good for an 8-month Tourist Visa is now not required but is still available and the visa exemption is offered to persons just arriving as I experienced granted a 60-day visa exemption. Under the Thai 90 tourist visa, you could use that to apply for a retirement visa and mostly get a Thai bank account which you had to have to get a retirement visa. They are 2 different things.

At the time when you applied and obtained a 90-day tourist visa, you could use it to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand and were able to open a Thai Bank Account. The visa exemption does not allow this.

@Nick ***********

Thank you it seems you agree with me. I've had 12 x 90-day tourist visas issued from the Thai Consul in Perth in the past and in Sydney, all done by mail from my home and paying about AUS $70. Most of them were extended in Thailand to 90 days by presenting an application form, a new passport photo not more than 6 months old, waiting many hours for a police interview and finally paying Bt1900. The first time I applied I gave the policeman Bt1900 he handed it back and said you do not live in Hua Hin province, you have to go to Petchburry province as I then lived in Cha-am. Just more palava and red tape. Only made that mistake once. It took the best part of 2 and a half days to get the extension. The visa-exempt method appears to be a better idea now.

Just about everyone gets palaver when they visit Thailand and they are constantly looking hard to include more ways to include more palaver as politicians try to put their brand on anything. Thailand revamped the word, its a bit like too much "red tape." in contracts.

@Steve ******

No it's called a 90 tourist visa which is only good for 60 days. After applying in your home country you also have 90 days to use it. That has nothing to do with the mechanics of that visa when you enter Thailand at your convenience during those 90 days. it is called a 90 day tourist visa because you can enter fo 60 days and pay Bt1900 to extend till 90 days. A real dodgee way of doing business.

David Walden

Yes, that is correct but they call it a 90-day tourist visa but it is only good for 60 days. I've had 12 of them, going back 15 years. There is no misunderstanding from me. Nobody gets it much nowadays because the Visa exemption is free and you don't need a visa to get into Thailand, It's now a visa exemption but the 30-day extension costs Bt1900 without much of the palaver. The end result is the same and simpler. You just arrive and get 2 months and can extend 30 days for a total of 90 days... your choice. A Tourist visa is for 90 days but is only good for 60 days you get it in your home country only. It costs about Aus $70 and you have 3 months to use it and you can extend it to 30 days. similar to the visa exemption. A 90day tourist visa and a months visa exemption are 2 different things

Yes, that is correct but they call it a 90-day tourist visa but it is only good for 60 days. I've had 12 of them, going back 15 years. There is no misunderstanding from me. Nobody gets it much nowadays because the Visa exemption is free and you don't need a visa to get into Thailand, It's now a visa exemption but the 30-day extension costs Bt1900 without much of the palaver. The end result is the same and simpler. You just arrive and get 2 months and can extend 30 days for a total of 90 days... your choice. A Tourist visa is for 90 days but is only good for 60 days you get it in your home country. It costs about Aus $70 and you have 3 months to use it and you can extend it 30 days. similar to the visa exemption. A 90day tourist visa and a months visa exemption are 2 different things

You did not have to buy a 90-day tourist visa. In plain language that is called a scam. Thailand regards most scams as fair play..

If you apply for a 90-day tourist visa in your home country it is only good for 60 days, that in English is an oxymoron. But allows you to go to immigration and renew that visa for a further 30 days inside the country for Bt1900. They call it a 90-day tourist visa as in all Thailand just to confuse patrons. I believe it is just confusing for novices and is really obsolete, the 60 visa exemption is now available and for 60 days, you just go to Immigration pay another Bt1900 and extend that visa-free visa to 90 days. (another oxymoron). Simple hay but only in Thailand. TIT. Would you believe it works?

If you make regular trips back to Australia from Thailand and are receiving treatment from your doctor which is mostly paid by Medicare, you can stack up with subsidised medicines for up to a year even if you are overseas. It is doable. I have recently taken up to 6 months supply in my regular trips to Thailand. but now only 3 months at a time. If you are over 50 y/o things are better for you in Thailand. You can get a retirement visa as I have by mail from Busselton now my home town from the Thai Embassy in Canberra which requires proof that you have equal to Bt800.000 in an Australian bank, that way you do not have to have a bank account in Thailand, you just access all you need via an ATM in Thailand, once granted a retirement visa in Australia you can do what you like with the Bt800,000 in the Aus bank when you get to Thailand that visa can be extended free of charge when you return, each time for a further 12 months making the visa good for 2 years. Your retirement visa is extended by 12 months when you return each time but you cannot get an extension on top of the extension. If you leave Thailand in the second year in Thailand that is it So if you make several trips to Australia and finally get back to Thailand a few days before the 1st year visa expires you will get an extension for 12 months free. I now only have trips to Thailand for up to 3 months, so the new regulation of Visa exemption for 2 months and a 30-day extension is very convenient for me. There is much comfort in being able to access Medicare in Aus as you get older. I'm 83 y/o medical insurance is impossible for me to get.