Went to immigration at Ubon and got a one year retirement visa, arrived at 14:00, finished at 14:45.

Is my wife really supposed to fill out a TM30 every time we go to BKK for the weekend or stay in a hotel overnight in another city?

We do it whenever I leave the country and come back to Ubon but never if I stay in a hotel in Thailand.

I was asked and told I them didn't have to and showed them the Thai visa regulations for US citizens.

Depending on your nationally for some visa extensions it's possible to use an affidavit of income in lieu of seasoned money in a Thai bank account. U.S. and Australian are the two I'm aware of.

Plus 3800 if you want multiple entry.

I'm hoping Soi Dog collects strays and has them vaccinated, tested for rabies and has them spayed or neutered and not just feeds them so they can make more stray dogs.

I thought Thai immigration said in 2016 that they wouldn't allow back to back visas and border runs made to get around immigration policies?

Has something changed since the announcement?

I haven't done one at Chang Wattena for years but at Ubon it's just the income affidavit notarized by the U.S. embassy or consulate in Chiang Rai, 2x each of copies of all pages of my passport, yellow and blue tambien baan books, departure card, my wife's ID (because our house is in her name) and 5000฿ for a one year multiple entry retirement visa.

I'm in and out in 20 minutes, once a year.

A retirement visa is a lot less complicated than a visa based on marriage to a Thai. If you have a US passport it's even easier, just get a income affidavit notarized and you don't need to season 400k for months in a Thai account at 0,01% interest.

Chang Wattana was like trying to get tickets for a Stones concert.