@Jair *****

If you really think you will qualify for an LTR the consider using an O to bridge that year or two.

@James ************

For a 1 year retirement extension the 800k must be in a Thai bank account for 2 months before you apply for the extension and 3 months after you get the extension. It cannot drop below 400k after that. You will need to bump it up to 800k again 2 months before the next extension. Different immigration offices may interpret the rules slightly differently so check with you immigration office.

Your experience puts all the complaints about Thai visas into perspective.

I never had any issues with extending my OA but it is MUCH better now that I have an LTR ( almost 3 years)

I signed a new lease yesterday. The contract was in Thai and English. Read the contract. You can negotiate. The owner also supplied a full photo inventory. You should do the same before you move in. I asked if she had ever rented to a foreigner and will do a TM30. Does the owner live in Thailand and can they be contacted about various issues. My girlfriend will move in with me. Is that OK and can we get two sets of keys. Check out the neighborhood, the parking,the transportation options. Check out the pool, gym, mailroom, package delivery, food delivery. Check out the building security.

I’ve lived in Thailand 8 years and have been lucky to have a great landlord. I hope the new one is the same.

@Ning *****

I got my full deposit back both times.

Look at the website for the hospital. You should be able to make an appointment with a specialist.

I just returned to Bangkok from the US. I notified my condo owner a couple of hours ago.

You can download the TM.7 form from the internet and fill it out beforehand. This is the application form for a 1 year extension.

Make sure your US bank does international wire transfers. Once you get a Thai bank account you get their SWIFT code and you can connect your US bank to your Thai bank account. Do a small test transfer then you are all set.