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DrJack54 - You have given a brilliant Response - Exactly what I needed.

After Going online to book an appointment for the extension I found that the next available date is just 2 days before end of my Visa Exempt. Since this is the land of surprises it seems best to get things done as early as possible in case a plan-B is necessary. Questions: 1. Is the walk-in option something that takes up a lot of the day (Since the booked appointment is supposed to only take 15min)? 2. If I book one of the available slots is there any danger (even with all the correct forms, money and pics) that a rejection might occur - I am speculating here, but probably the only other reason might be because of what is disliked in the passport?

I actually expected the same once the overnight requirement had been identified. However one of the people in the crowd when I entered into Cambodia after leaving immigration was shouting he could fix it with Thai immigration to go back the same day, which did confused me. It could be I misunderstood or his English was not accurate or none of the above. However the sheer number of people trying to get attention for commerce was a bit overpowering and difficult to really have a sensible conversation with a crowd. At the end of the day even if the overnight issue was fixed, unless all the other issues were fixed with Thai immigration I was still going to have the same challenge with the immigration supervisor - I am speculating here, but she was more likely looking for a week or two in Cambodia - The one overnight didn't impress her at all. Also I think in retrospect staying one night in Poipet is probably a small price to pay if it could guarantee re-entry to Thailand with a Visa Exempt. Unfortunately these probably might be two separate issues.

Thanks - persimmon I took a notepad with me. I have done trips before and could not remember the details after a few weeks - Hence this time wrote it down.

Good feedback Saigon - Thanks for taking the time for the response

Ha - That made me laugh - And I guess I agree mockingbird

Good info Saigon - Its difficult to know if the questions that were ask of you at Padang was just immigration doing their job and this is standard process for all non Thai / Malaysians or this was a one off arbitrary decision made on that day. However on a more general point - It is difficult to remove conflict from a system when there is presumed entitlement by users, while many times it's just interpretation and subjective thought. I was actually very surprised by the flight details that were required and again echoing the above - If you want compliant users then provide them a consistency to follow so they can give what you want.

Yup - I have done that train journey to Nong Khai a few times before and yes in hindsight it would have made more sense. Its my Bad, that will serve as experience for future decisions. However more importantly hopefully this will help others who were on the fence about Poipet with a similar Visa / exemption profile - Providing them with some details for consideration.

I really appreciate your positive feedback - Thanks

Background: Mostly O & OA Retirement Extensions between 2010 - 2020. - Previously leaving Thailand Feb 2020 and I entered Thailand with Visa exempt November 2022 (was not extended) . After 44 days I was attempting to get another 45 day Visa exempt on a Poipet border run. 5:15 am Arrive at Hua Lamphong station and buy a Ticket to Ban Klong Luk Border (Poipet, Cambodia), 49 Bth - 4 queuing lines with 7 in each line, time taken to get a ticket is 3 mins. Took #53 bus (8 Thb) from Thewet to railway station, travel time of 14 mins. 5:55 am Train leaves on time, most seats are full 11:21 am After 50 stops arrive at the border (4 mins late) and follow most of the passengers out of the station, turn left and then immediately turn left again, following the signs for Thailand immigration, total distance 100 metres. 11:24 am Enter Thailand immigration, 4 lines with 7 people queuing in each line. The process of getting stamped out is straightforward and without questions or issues. 11:31 am Exit Thailand immigration, walk down the steps and enter Cambodia arrivals which is 80 metres on the right, then walk up the steps and immediately directed to the table on the right to fill in an arrival card (like a TM.6). The building is new, the kiosks have signs “payment should not be made at this kiosk” looks professional, clinical and well organised. There are 4 lines and 7 people queuing in each line. 11:47 am Get the arrival stamp in my passport and walk down the steps into Cambodia (I had the Cambodian Visa purchased previously, no payment was required). Immediately met by 10 vendors offering transport. One was smartly dressed and spoke good English and similarly offered transport, seemed like a middleman. I said I was going directly back to Thailand and he said that this was not possible since I need to spend at least one night in Cambodia or would be refused entry by Thai immigration. 11:49 am Spoke to a Cambodian uniformed official who was about 50 metres away, outside. I asked if I would be allowed back into Thailand with a Visa Exempt as I had just arrived today in Cambodia. His answer was No, I would need to spend one night in Cambodia, but I should go check with Thai immigration to be sure. His English was good and his approach was friendly. 11:52 am I walked into the entry to Thailand area about 100 metres behind the Cambodian uniformed official (will refer to this building again later) and spoke to a Thailand Immigration Police officer. I asked the same question and his response was that I need to go back to Cambodia. I persisted and said I would do this, but I wanted to know if I could enter Thailand on a Visa Exempt if I stamped out of Cambodia today. The officer raised his voice and waved me away saying "come back once you leave Cambodia". 11:59 am I entered the Cambodian exit building I had just walked from and I walked up the stairs and there were about 100 people queuing for the 4 exit Kiosks open. I asked a man who was not in uniform at the doorway if he worked for Cambodian immigration which he confirmed he did. I asked him the same question as before. His answer was that I need to spend one night in Cambodia or will be denied entry by Thai immigration. His English was good and his approach was friendly. 12:23 pm I exit the building and set off to Poipet to find accommodation 5:02 pm I found Hotel accommodation ($15, paid with 550 Thb) 1Km from the border (clean and good value). I tried 9 hotels and Guest Houses previously, which were surprisingly all full and had prices between $50 to $17.50 with distances ranging from close to the border and up to 3 Km away. 7:35 am Next day I leave the hotel and head towards the border. 8:01 am Enter up the stairs again to the Cambodia immigration exit kiosks. There are 4 Kiosks open and no one else waiting. Fingerprint and photos taken with some keyboard work, then stamped out of Cambodia. The exit is straightforward and there are no questions asked. 8:04 am Walk down the stairs at the rear and head back again to Thailand arrival. There is a coffee shop on the left with a “Quarantine area” sign above and 20 metres further there are barriers that guide you to the Thailand Immigration. On the left when entering is an office signed Thailand immigration and I enquire for guidance and the officer points loosely across a large open area filled with about 150 people mostly seated. I reach barriers next to the escalator on the left hand side where I ask a man not in uniform, partially sleeping, where I need to go and he sits up and finds a pack of TM6 forms and he hands me one. I completed the form and he then directs me up the escalator. 8:12 am I enter the Thailand immigration room and there are 75 people queuing with 6 Kiosks open. There is one western family with a child and all other passports seem to be Cambodian. 8:49 am I entered the Kiosk area. There are 2 Kiosks now open and approximately 110 people are queuing. My fingerprints and photographs are taken and some computer keyboard entries are made. After about 90 seconds I am asked questions: “How long you stay in Thailand” and I reply 45 days. He asks “How long do you stay in Cambodia” and I reply 1 day. He asks “Why do you come to Thailand” and I reply that I am on holiday. He calls over his supervisor and I am ushered to a seating area. 9:06 am Supervisor arrives and the following conversation approximately happened: Supervisor: “ How long you stay in Thailand” Me: “45 days” (Assuming this to be my Visa exempt entitlement) Supervisor: “Why you come to Thailand” Me: “For a Holiday” Supervisor: “When do you leave Thailand” Me: “In 2 weeks to go to Vietnam” (I now start adapting and mentally rescheduling my time in Thailand since I am sensing she has a problem with another 45 days of stay). Supervisor: “Where do you go then” Me: “I will then go to Bali for 2 Months” (more mental adaptive rescheduling) Supervisor: “Show me your flight out of Thailand” Me: “ I have not booked this yet” Supervisor: “Where do you stay in Thailand Me: I hand her a copy of my Condo Contract Supervisor: “This is for a 6 months stay Me: “I have an arrangement that I can leave before this date and I am then just charged a fee for storage of my things while away. Supervisor: “ Do you have Flight bookings to leave Thailand” Me: “ Yes, but this is in May 2023” Supervisor: “ You need to book a flight now out of Thailand to leave in the next two weeks” Me: “How can I do that, I only have cash with me (20,000 Thb) and my credit card is in my condo in Bangkok. Supervisor: “You need to book a flight now” Me: “ I have a ten year history of long term visas with very few visa exempts. I am here on a short holiday and will be going back to the UK, returning to Thailand to get a conversion to O Visa and then an extension, I just misunderstood the Visa exempt rules" Supervisor: “You did not have to come to Cambodia as you could have applied for an extension giving the 2 weeks needed before leaving for Vietnam” Me: “I did not know that”. In reality I did know that, rather I thought my entitlement would start again for 2 per calendar year, just in case I needed them (the border run was December 2022) Supervisor: “ You need to book a flight out of Thailand before you will be allowed to enter” Me: “How can I do this if my credit card is in Bangkok” Supervisor: “Do you have a Thai girlfriend” Me: “No" Long silence occurs as she flips through the pages of my passport. She then stands up and says “Follow me”. We go to a Kiosk and then she takes my fingerprints and photo again and then she stamps into my passport a 45 day permission to stay. 9:38 am I exit immigration and enter Thailand then I head to the market to buy a fresh shirt before getting back on the train to Bangkok. 1:53 pm Train leaves the station (full) and we arrive in Bangkok 7:53 pm (13 min late) THE END Subjective Issues: I should have taken a credit card with me and booked onwardticket.com ($14) when a ticket was needed. However I thought this was only required for Airport arrivals, not land crossings. I had the 20,000 Thb and proof of accommodation, which I thought was the only requirement. It was not stated that any further comments would be made in my electronic file and there are no comments made in my Passport and I am guessing that after I extend the current Visa exempt and then I go for another 45 day exempt (at Lao Border) or possibly apply for Tourist Visa (in Hanoi) this incident will not jeopardise nor will the same issues be raised. I should have known from other reports, one night's stay would be required in Cambodia and that 2 border runs per calendar year is not the only consideration for Thai immigration at the Poipet border. However I was convinced otherwise by two people living near me with broadly similar Visa backgrounds who had just done the same run successfully and had not found any problems other than queuing times were excessive. A Cambodia border bounce company costing 3,500 Thb vs DIY 2,000 Thb = 1,500 Thb premium - If doing the trip again now I would consider this to be good value insurance. On a positive note - The 45 day Visa exempt objective was achieved and the supervisor didn't give a denied entry stamp / write comment in passport / enforce a return to Thailand by air and I got a cheap shirt from the market.

Thanks - That is good.

Just a quick follow up question: Assuming you turn up with the correct documents and money, are there any known reason why an extension might be refused (on an exempt)?

Thanks Joe

For getting an extension to Visa exempt (45 days) in Bangkok do you go to Chaeng Wattana or IT Square Laksi Plaza? Do you need to wait until the last few weeks of the Visa exempt to extend this or can you do this immediately once you get it?

My assumption is that the border crossing points are open every day of the year, but only between certain hours of the day. Are there any special days when they might be closed - specifically are they open this Christmas and New year?

Mnnnn - Interesting Info - I had no idea this was ever in place.

Really? - "six visa exempt entries (total by land or air) since a specific start date which I have forgotten (maybe mid 2016?)" Is this still a thing? i.e A software flag is triggered - after 6 visa exempts obtained over the last five / six years?

Yup - This is sound advice!

Ahhh - OK, good. Then I think what you are saying is there is no centralised electronic record made when these warnings are made As for stamps or written notes made - He has over thirty nine pages with various stamps and notes and its not clear from just the single and joining page if there is something hiding itself in content from the six different countries (from three non English speaking continents) which I can not actually read or determine if there is a special Cambodian stamp in the mix.

Not sure, but that would be a different subject - I am just wanting to get an answer to the question posted.

A friend just got back from a Poipet border run. He is from the UK and entered Thailand for the first time after three years with a Visa exempt 45 days, with no subsequent extension applied to the exempt and was informed that he would not be allowed another visa exempt run. Theoretically this should not be the case since the new calendar year starts in a few weeks and the reset for two per year should then begin again. However it's possible this is a single officer making an arbitrary decision or a general Poipet immigration interpretation, either way getting the calendar year border run refresh is more likely to be available at Vientiane. Is there any kind of historical log made to reflect the warning by either ink stamps / written notes on the passport or centralised data entry for individual electronic records?

You are not going to get a straightforward answer to your question for the following reasons. Consulates outside of Thailand issuing e-Visa will not do so if you are known to be outside of your home country (unless exceptional circumstances are shown). However as you are probably aware it is sometimes difficult for the consulate to know that you are not inside your home country. Hence if you are able to fulfil all the other requirements including evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full) and passport pages copy Visa pages last 12m of travel stamps then there is a possibility of success. However if you are currently in Thailand and if the last stamp was of when you entered Thailand then this would be clear to the Consulate admin. If you were to leave Thailand with a passport exit stamp in your passport this is where it becomes conjecture since the question would be more about the testing of the rules done by the immigration officer letting you back into Thailand. Whether this is part of their adopted role is not clear. I suspect that each will assume a different amount of checking and also will have different types of actions taken when they suspect a position where the e-Visa owner has transgressed a rule of the application only from the home country. Within this uncertain framework you would need to test and see what happens since there is no clear probability of a certain outcome.

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If applying at the border - Is this a full page sticker?

Great response ubonjoe - Thanks