Applying for Retirement Visa from Australia

There are many forum discussions regarding this topic but each has their own flavour of questioning. So needless to say I am still confused regarding the process to get the retirement visa. I understand the requirements to get a retirement visa its just the procedure/process I am unsure of.

1.    Do I apply for the Retirement visa whilst still in Australia  or
2.    do I apply for a 90 days (O visa (non-Immigrant?)?  but I am not visiting family in Thailand?) in Australia and then once in Thailand I go to a Thailand Immigration office and apply for a 1 year extension for a retirement visa?
3.    If option 1 above, how do I prove 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account if I dont have a Thai bank account or do I need to prove finance in an Australia Bank account? ( I am not going the 65,000 baht monthly income route)
4.    If its option 2 above, I assume I open a Thai bank account when I get to Thailand and then transfer the 800,000 baht to that account and then after 2 months go to a Thai immigration to apply for the retirement extension?
5.    Do I do the medicals and police clearance whilst still in Australia for option 1 and/or option 2?

Any URL links for my questions I can explore further?

Personal i go #2 if i was you, as it is much "easy".

Get the NoN O single 90 days for retirement in you home country, Not sure what proof the Embassy / Consulate want in your country.

I think you over 50 years, since you write 800k baht in the bank.

so you have the money in a bank in you home country, then you need your bank to make a letter saying have that, and copy of you bank book, or like in my home country,  Print out (we don´t have bank book for many years now) you account balance, But best to contact the Embassy / Consulate your going to use to ask what the NEED / WANT to be 100% sure.
In my home country the Consulate is very casual about the proof.

When in Thailand open a bank account and transfer your money, be sure it is a account in you name only (not joint account with spouse), not frozen for XX month for better interest, as Immigration MIGHT ask you to go and put 100 baht into the account, withdraw 100 baht and get a new ATM slip to see you have control over the account.
All so i say to have more then 800.000 baht, as Immigration KNOW many foreigners "buy" the bank account book holding 800.00 baht but don´t have control over it. so something over the 800.000 baht, like 813.000 baht, 825.000 baht and so on.

I think first time the money have to be in your account for 2 month before applying for a 1 year  Extension. and after that 3 month.


Many Immigration in Thailand don´t want police clearance, medical paper.
But the police clearance in Bangkok cost 100 baht and take 7-30 days. Can be faster if one want to pay for it.
The medical paper cost 30-50 baht.

When i have help a few of my friends get it, Sometimes Immigration want a lease, sometimes they want the power bill for the addressee, and one have to get hes hotel to make paper saying her living there.

You can apply for you 1 year Extension "retirement" after you money have be in your Thai bank long enough and inside the last 30 days on your Visa, some Immigration like Bangkok you can do it 45 days before it run out, but then you money have not being in a Thai bank for 2 month before applying.

Please go to Immigration in good time before you Visa run out, So you have plenty of days to get the extra stuff they MIGHT ask you for, as you going to learn here in Thailand, Sometimes the Immigration want more then normal, sometimes less, So better to come in good time. 

Hope you enjoy you time here, it is a super nice country, with the nice people in the world.

Kindly.

Thanks for the lovely and detailed response. I now have a clear understanding of what I need to do. I'll do the O 90 day visa from Australia. When I get to Thailand I'll open a bank account and transfer 8.25k Baht to the account and then after 60 days go to an immigration in Thailand and apply for a 1 year retirement extension with multiple entries.
Seems pretty straight forward............I hope :)