Retirement Visa Renew or not ?

[englishman]

Last year I decided on the retirement visa route even though I don't stay here year round. I was getting the 60 day visa then extending at immigration for another 30 days, limiting my time here to 90 days per trip. The retirement visa has given me more freedom over my length of stay, saved me the hassle of extending at immigration and the hassle of applying for the 60 day visa in advance of my trip ( I just found it a royal pain, what ever info or document I provided it was never enough, I know many that have received one in a few days, mine always took weeks and weeks and much back and forth, for some reason the Ottawa Thai consulate just seemed to make things difficult) 

My visa is due for renewal in April, but now with the new 60 day on arrival I am trying to decide whether to renew or just take the 60 days on arrival and do the ( much hated) trip to immigration for another 30 days.  This past year I stayed almost 8 months but now wonder if going back to 2 trips a year and keeping it under the 180 days due to possible tax implications ( still unclear ). Cost for renewal through an agent is THB 12,500 + 4,000 if I get a multi entry permit. Seems a bit of a waste of the already spent money if I don't renew it but is it really worth the money now ?

One question also jumps to mind. If I renew now and I don't return until next year 2026, then I will only be entering once on this new visa  before it expires do I only need a single re-entry permit ?

[ricktoronto]

If you have a retirement visa now why pay an agent $400 to renew it? Go to immigration and renew it.

I don't think I'd live there based on repeat 60+30 exemptions and extensions because you can run into a jobsworth and his jobsworth boss who will just refuse one or the other without warning.

[englishman]

On 11/01/2025 at 06:36, ricktoronto said:

If you have a retirement visa now why pay an agent $400 to renew it? Go to immigration and renew it.

I don't think I'd live there based on repeat 60+30 exemptions and extensions because you can run into a jobsworth and his jobsworth boss who will just refuse one or the other without warning.

I do it through and agent because I don't have 800,000 Baht in the bank

[Man7]

DTV Visa might be an option too?   5 year validity - 180 days+180 extention per entry.  10k-15k one time fee.