An immigration Officer once told me that doing visa runs it's best to stay a couple of weeks in the other country. I have been spoken to a few times while trying to get into Thailand. Each time they talked to me for a bit and said 'Next time...' like they knew I would doing another visa run in the near future. You should be ok to do visa run.

Last (only) time I did Penang the border crossing required you have 20,000 baht on you. I think they may have been particular about it being in Baht - so you'll want to ask the group about crossing at that border. I did it a few years ago, before covid.

Thank you for posting this. It may not effect me but it is something I need to pay attention to. - Thank you

motorcycle

I did my marriage in 1.5 days (do some paperwork in one office, file some paperwork in a different office). I hired someone to navigate the system for me. If the visa was a slightly different matter. The US embassy requires an appointment and at the time the soonest appointments were two weeks out.

I went from Pattaya to some Cambodian border, using an agent, ride was about 3-4 hours. I do no recall the name of the crossing. The agent provided the ride, there and back. Also once I exited Thailand before entering Cambodia somebody (I assume associated with the agent) took my passport, disappeared for about an hour, came back and my passport managed to get stamped into and out of Cambodia. Once I was given my passport the agent told me which agent/window to avoid. I think agent provide a little more than nothing and certainly worth the fee.

I used agent on Soi 6, Beach road, Pattaya. They're located in the back of a restaurant, I think the name of the restaurant is The Victorian or something similiar.

I have been 'working from home' for yeas while living in Thailand. I have a legit employer in the USA but nobody has every asked me about it. Because you're not quite 50 you won't be eligible for the retirement visa. There are few other visa options and do mean 'few' Get married, enroll in classes, adopt a kid, drop a large chunk of change on Elite visa (They've announced a rebranding and price increase).

You may be able to get a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV). They still require visa runs, of sorts but it's a little less hassle. An immigration officer once told me if I was going to do visa runs I should spend a couple of weeks in the other country, so I usually do that 2+ weeks.

The cost and hassle of visa runs far outweighs the hassle and cost of living in the USA. Probably the same is true for England.

yeah arguing with the immigration officer is always a good idea.

If you are coming and you are 49, you maybe able to get a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (good for 9 months), then you should be good to get a retirement visa (available to those who are over 50).

I suggest you look into Multiple Entry Visa. You can get 90 days out of them. That is plenty of time to figure out your next move. METV still require border bounces but that is once every 90 days.

@Francois *******

I am happy to report I am only 49.25 years old.