@Bob *********

I’ll be entering on a 90 day Non O visa but just in case, I’ll book a cheap onward flight to show the airlines. Better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for commenting. 😊

You guys are the best! Thank you.

@Brandon ***********

Hi Brandon, nice to hear from you. Yes, I will get the Non O here in France (I have already applied for it). I was thinking, just to be sure I don't have any hassles, that perhaps I could book an Onward Flight for any day in September the day before I depart (so it would still be valid when I get to Bangkok as Onward Flight cancels the booking 48-72 hours after you pay for it.) Am I being overly cautious/paranoid?

@Dirk *************

Thanks. As soon as I get to Thailand with the Non O, I plan on opening a bank account and then, I believe I need to wait 2 months before I head to Immigration to request the extension. I already have a place to stay and the owner will give me a contract to show the officers so, it should go well. I’ll go to the bank where the owner of the place I’ll be staying in has her account so it should be easier.

@Jan *****************

Thank you. That’s what I thought.

I just wanted to know if there would be any issues if I received the Non O via email after arriving in Thailand (and then had it validated it by going to a nearby country and then returning to Thailand to get the one year extension).

@Jan *****************

Hi, thanks for this information. How does the French Embassy find out how much money I have in the bank? I am retired and am still waiting for my pension so I don’t have an income anymore.

@Brandon ***********

Hi Brandon. Thanks for your advice. Actually, they don’t ask for your plane ticket when applying for Non O. I specifically asked the agency about this. The immigration office in Nakhon Pathom advised me to get the Non O in France so that’s what I need to do but the Thai Embassy is really slow.

@Chris *********

I sincerely thank you for going out of your way to ask a monk. I just left immigration and once they understood that I am not a missionary nor a volunteer, they said that I can use the monastery’s address as my residence….so I’m good to go! Have a nice day.

@Ken ******

They are not allowed to be ordained as bhikkhunis (female monks) in Thailand, however they can get samaneri/sikkhamana (novice) ordination and training in Thailand. Then, they go to Sri Lanka or India for full ordination in the Theravada lineage 😊

Hello everyone, thank you for your advice. I am not sure if the religious visa works in my case because, unfortunately, the bhikkhuni sangha (female monks) is not 100% recognized in Thailand yet. I have read on another forum that some retired foreign men have ordained as monks in Thailand while on their retirement visa however, the forum was from many years ago. Perhaps the best thing to do is to go the the Imm. Department and ask. I was just hoping that someone here might know someone who went this route (retirement visa for monk ordination).