@Chuck *********

฿70k is without a doubt pants down time 😲😂🙈

It's around ฿30k in Pattaya (cheaper than that if you have your own finances) for the initial 90 day non o visa, plus the 12 months extension of stay based on retirement, it's around another ฿1000 to ฿4000 if you want a single or multiple re-entry permit, they usually ask you to start the process a month before your current stamp expires (it's easier to just stay in Pattaya for one month until the process is complete) that's when doing it the first time, if you can meet the financial requirements, try and do it yourself, just get a list of requirements, for the initial non O and 12 month extension based on retirement from immigration, visit 30 to 45 days before your current stamp expires, don't pay ฿70k that is way to expensive.

@Sue *********

true move mobile is something very similar, I'm not sure if it's exactly the same, but it's only very cheap, but you dial 006, you may need to enable international calls with your provider.

@Cassius *********

which bank?? 🤔

Do as Nick suggested, and try to renew your 12 month retirement extension yourself, get a list of requirements for the 12 months extension based on retirement, from your local immigration office, at least 30 to 45 days before your current extension expires, they may check and refuse an extension, if you didn't have the 800k in your account for the previous 12 months, while on your current extension of stay, if they refuse, the easiest way is to get an agent to do the extension one more time, by showing your 800k in the bank, and then the year after that you can do it yourself, there are agents in Pattaya that will renew a 12 month retirement visa for around ฿15k, and then the year after the agent doing the extension with your finances, you can do the 12 month extension yourself, or you could change to the monthly method, if you have 65k baht going into your Thai bank account every month for the previous 12 months, you can't do multiple border bounces, you will at some point be pulled out of line, and warned or refused entry into Thailand.

I have heard of people using an agent for the retirement visa, and then later doing it themselves, without starting all over again, but I think the financial requirement, would need to be in your bank account for the previous 12 month extension, up to when the time comes to do the extension yourself, so if it hasn't, you would either need to start all over again, or pay the agent one last time to do the extension with your own finances, and then the following year you could just do it yourself, that seems the easiest way of doing it to me, it doesn't make sense starting all over again, and the year after that, having done the 65k every month for the previous 12 months, he could change over to the monthly income method, and not have to tie up the 800k in the Thai bank.

It depends on your history of staying in Thailand, and what your location is in Thailand now, when you are planning on doing the border bounce?? The easiest and safest way, is to just go in a minivan with a company that does border bounces.

@Eric **************

that is just a standard retirement visa, do you have another stamp in your passport stating single or multiple re-entry permit??

There was a post of someone talking about a savings account giving 2.2% I can't remember which Thai bank it was, do some research to see what is currently available, as far I know most Thai savings accounts pay less than 1% so don't expect good rates.

@Andy ***********

that sounds like one of the more dodgy agent visas, likely done in another province, I've only heard stories from people in Pattaya, and they all say they need to go to the bank with the agent, and also attend immigration for photos, for the retirement visa, they say around ฿30k for the first time, with it being 15 months, then ฿15k for the following 12 month extension of stay for every year after that.