Is it true that one may be eligible for a 60 day family extension with an original visa exempt entry + 30 day tourism extension? I was under the assumption that one needs a Non-O 90 day visa to qualify for the 60 day family extension and that visa exempt entry or tourist visas do not qualify. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Someone better qualified than me will likely respond. You will apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement, not a 12 month visa. As for your pension, you will need to establish a 12 month history of pension deposits into your Thailand bank account before you are able to apply these towards your financial requirements needed for your extension. So you will need the 800k TBht in your account for the first year. But again, someone better qualified than myself will most likely respond.
Maybe a dozen years ago, I entered Thailand visa exemption from US. 30 day stamp. While in Chiang Rai, we crossed into Myanmar for a flea market. Burmese IO’s held my passport at the desk. Stepped back into Thailand and got stamped 14 days, which superseded the 17 days that remained on my original entry.