Definitely won’t need medical or background checks if you use a consulate. However, embassies like the one in KL often require more stringent requirements so I’d go with a consulate. If you’re interested in Penang, you can look up Jim Tachinamurthy in FB and send him a message. He should respond and give you more information.

The short answer is yes; you can apply for a single entry 90 day non O visa in another country’s Thai embassy or a consulate. As for the details, it’s sketchy. I can tell you with certainty the easiest way to ensure you’ll get this is to do it in Penang via a guy named Jim who an Indian guy that works out of a small office in Georgetown and is the resident expert on all things relating to Thai visas in Penang

My wife and I moved from Penang (both American citizens) to Chiang Mai and got the visa this way. We then extended based on retirement once in Thailand and got a one year period for the same visa. My understanding is that technically speaking, a consulate is not part of the Thai immigration department so they’re not legally allowed to ask you to show any cash in a Thai bank. To be safe, however, we went to Thailand first on a 30 day visa exempt status and opened an account with 100,000 THB and then came back to Penang. Jim recommended we do this as a “show of good faith” that we do intend to extend the 90 day non 0 based on retirement once in Thailand. But there are no technical requirements.

I can’t speak for Vietnam or other countries but everyone on this list will provide plenty of great information. I can tell you that once in Thailand with a 90 day single entry non 0, you can apply to extend based on retirement anytime after there’s 45 days remaining on the non O BUT you must have 800K THB in a Thai bank account for a 60 day consecutive period on the day you apply to extend if you use this method. From a timing point of view, this means you’d have to get that 800K in the Thai bank account no later than the first 30 days after you enter on the non 0 or you won’t meet the financial requirement and would have to either extend the 90 day another way or leave and re enter.

You can PM me if you want. My wife isn’t 50 and she “follows” so getting the initial non O for both of us was a bit more complicated

Thai jail cell. Don’t bend over. 5555☹️

There is no point in it especially since it’s free. That’s called TIT. It’s the stupidest immigration rule ever. So; we stamp you in and enter you in our system as legally entering. But then we need you to come back again so we can put a stamp on a piece of paper that’s irrelevant to the customs folks that allow or deny you entry. Pure stupidity.

@Erik *********

what is your point here ? The OP (me) asked about reporting at Prom after overseas travel not domestic

@Adam **********

yea I think it might be a moot point

Robert Lagas ok. I get it. Thanks. Arrive. Wait on long line to get stamped in with legal permission to stay. Then go to immigration to get legal permission to stay in an actual house. Genius.

Thanks for all the responses. Still can’t tell if they do or don’t want this idiot procedure so we will do it in the interest of not wanting to chance paying fines for moronic procedures that are not explained

@Ivan ***********

thanks for the update. So like everything in Thailand, it’s unclear. Last thing we wanna do after 34 hours of flights and connections is go to immigration first day back. So unsure what to do now

Hmm. That’s the first time I heard that. Big waste of gas if that’s what they tell us so we will try one time and see what they say.

Do you think they mean that they update the “stay valid until” on the original application on the day the extend again ? Very ambiguous.