What a ridiculous, vicious and totally unwarranted attack on you, Tod. Your contributions are invaluable and it's awesome how much dedication, enthusiasm and time you put into this project. There's no way you should even think of leaving - on the contrary.....

I've just been through this procedure and got my 1 year stamp, Non-O, last week.

1) Leave the country without a re-entry permit and return getting stamped in for 30 days, visa exempt

2) Go to your local immigration bureau and apply for a non-O visa. You'll need 800k in the bank and a whole bunch of documents/copies (get the list from immigration beforehand)

3) you'll get a new stamp extending stay to 90 days

4) About a month before the 90 days expire go to immigration and apply for an extension of stay for 1 year. You'll need the 800k to be still in the bank and a new, complete set of the same docs and copies as for 90 days

5) You get get an extension of stay for one year on top of the 90 days already granted.

6) Towards the end of the 1 year period, repeat step 4

I used to use the app but on the last 2 occasions it accepted my applications but they were never processed, they're "pending" to this day.

Both times I took the precaution during the week after due date of going to the Immi Bureau in CR and doing it in person and was told that the online service was "not good".

As I live very close to Immi and it only takes a minute or two, I'll continue to do it in person.

Are you sure that the Non-O ("retirement") visa for people aged 50+ is the right one for you if you do a lot of international traveling?

Bear in mind that the 800k THB need to "mature" in the bank for several months before you can apply for the visa or an extension of stay, and you'd probably need to live in Thailand for 3-4 months at the same address (to avoid complications) to go through the process of first getting a 90 day extension and then the 1 year extension.

And if you hold this visa you're not permitted to work in Thailand so your living expenses (including, if appropriate, topping up the 800k before applying for an extension of stay) need to come from other sources.