Yes, I lost my passport in Bali. To get home it costs the same for a long-term passport which it is only good for one month and when you get home you have to pay the same to get a new passport. All told about $ dollars nowadays. But that is what it is...no second prize. sorry

Keep trying to get a bank a/c, put Bt800,000 in it or see a visa agent who will get you a corrupt retirement visa for about Bt30,000l you will not need a real bank a/c, nor the Bt800,000 needed, so shop around.

... Experience, but no longer get a retirement visa. I now just go for 2 or three months at a time.

Experience!!!

@Ralph ******

...Well perhaps you should enquire at your local Embassy in your country about the requirements, they are not all that hard. In short. If you are over 50y/o, come to Thailand on a tourist visa and open a bank account (you might have to shop around), put Bt800,000 in the account for at least 2 months. Go to Thai Immigration with Bt1,900 and apply for an OA retirement 12-month visa. It is the simplest way if you are over 50 y/o and have a regular pension, as per requirements. That is how the one million or so other retirees do it in Thailand. If you don't have the Bt800,000, you should see a Thai visa agent. They will likely make it all happen for about Bt30,000.

@Alice *******

...perhaps you did not tell the visa agent you wanted to work in Thailand. Tell him that and the answer will be almost impossible...you can't work in Thailand. If you do you are likely to get deported...think again.

@Lincoln ******

...Many do.... thousands? But it may be the least of your troubles. Visa agents often bend the law daily in Thailand that's what they do.

@Marky ******

...You would likely have to already have a retirement visa and then put in Bt65,000 P/M 12 months to qualify. You would then be able to withdraw your original Bt800,000 or Bt 400,000 as you wish. That's the answer I got when I tried at Immigration year ago.

@Pete *******

This is a corrupt service by corrupt visa agents bribing Immigration officers in Thailand to issue retirement visas, but you can pay and likely get away with it or maybe get deported. Your choice?

In Australia, we make no contribution to the Aged Pensions or the DSP. All Australians are entitled to it regardless even if they have never worked a day in their lives if they are within the assets and income test and they have prescribed residency as shown on the Centrelink website.