BritTim

Historically, Mae Sai was fine for those wanting a visa exempt entry. However, it would be good to check if that is the case with this apparent recent reopening.

I think this was just a confused immigration official, combined with a breakdown in communication. There is nothing for you to worry about.

This is the second time I have heard of a UK citizen getting one via the e-visa site. Funnily enough, on the other occasion, the applicant had intended applying for an METV. The bank statements submitted were apparently sufficient to qualify for the multiple entry Non O (retirement) and they provided that instead. Years ago, anyone in receipt of a UK state pension could get a multiple Non O, but that went away when the e-visa system was introduced.

The application now goes via the Thai e-visa site (https://www.thaievisa.go.th/). When first introduced, the e-visa site did not support multiple entry Non O visas, but I believe this is now resolved.

By law, they are supposed to, and most do. Ask them before booking/checking in.

At 5:00 am, the taxis are much less picky than at most other times about long trips on the meter, especially if you are willing to take the expressway.

You do not state where, exactly, on Sukhumvit you will be. If actually on the main road, you can flag a taxi down within about 30 seconds at that time of the morning. Alternatively, while I find Grab very professional, they are quite pricey. Bolt is cheaper. As I recall, if you are vaccinated, there are no Covid testing requirements for Laos.

I saw reports a few years ago that re-entry permits were available at Phuket airport but, unlike at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang, could take a long time.

Your problem will not be Immigration. As already mentioned, your domestic flight may arrive late. An early morning flight will typically be OK unless there is bad weather. However, by the afternoon, there is a very real chance of the flight being late. A second issue is check in for the international flight. Some airlines at DMK on some days have totally insufficient numbers of check in staff. Since you apparently will have checked baggage, I think you are taking a significant risk.

To apply for an appointment in Saigon, use https://booking.setmore.com/scheduleappointment/f8af2588-daa5-4e23-9bea-6b35c5e06758. Note that you usually need to apply well in advance. A few years ago, another good option in Vietnam was the embassy in Hanoi. However, recent reports indicate that it has become the embassy from hell for visa applications.

I assume you meant a 30-day extension of your first tourist entry. If you do not have a lot of stamps in your passport with tourist visas or visa exemptions, there should be no trouble getting a tourist visa in Ho Chi Minh City or Vientiane. Note that, in either case, you need to book an appointment for the day you will apply. Using the Thai e-visa system to apply for a visa while outside home country might work, but is not officially allowed.

Do you use the same arguments to try to avoid tipping taxi drivers and waiters in New York? Certainly, there are people who earn less, especially in other countries. Are you aware that the minimum pay for a junior immigration official can be as low as 6,800 baht per month in some provinces? It can be below 9,000 baht even in Bangkok. Out of that, they are supposed to pay for their own uniforms. I think paying people so little that they cannot survive without some degree of corruption is very unhealthy, and I wish everywhere was like Japan. I repeat what I said above, though. I dislike the system but, if corruption is inevitable (and it is) I prefer this fairly harmless kind to construction companies paying off senior officials to avoid complying with safety regulations; or buying the right to destroy national parks for strip mining or resort construction.

It can be either criminal or administrative. If you just leave (paying the fine) after a short overstay, that is not criminal. However, if arrested (even for other offences) the overstay can, and usually will, also be prosecuted as a criminal offence, for which you can be incarcerated, deported and blacklisted from re-entering Thailand.

On one occasion, a few years ago, I did both basic stamp transfer, with suitable annotations in the new passport, and a re-entry permit (for permission to stay from a retirement extension) at Suvarnabumi when flying out. Unlike just a re-entry permit, this did take a bit of time (over 30 minutes) so that should be allowed for.

I think it is very much a matter of cultural expectations. Someone from New York would think nothing of being expected to leave an almost mandatory $15 tip to the surly waiter on a $50 meal. The argument is that it is necessary for the waiter to have a living wage. If you are aware of the basic pay for immigration officials, you might be less judgmental about mandatory unofficial tipping for certain services by officials in Thailand. For what it is worth, I think Thais are subjected to mandatory tips to officials more often than foreigners. I do not especially like the system, but is harmless compared with what unscrupulous businessmen are allowed to get away with by paying off senior officials.

I definitely have, but not (thankfully) in Thailand. However, in 2023, you can get away with dressing any way you like in tourist ghettos. It is not the 1980s any more.

You will be fine wearing them at the airport or in Patong or Pattaya. If you want to be well received, I would recommend you not dress like that in rural Loei or Phayao.

The Thais never liked people who were dirty and/or dressed inappropriately. I always found the Thais very welcoming to young people who were respectful towards their culture, and genuinely interested in Thailand. I sometimes stayed in temples or village homes for free. (The village dogs were often not so tolerant, however!)

When I was a young backpacker (a long time ago now) I would have found this extremely annoying. At that time, tourism was a voyage of exploration, and I often had no idea where I was going to sleep the following night. It seems Thailand now really only wants package tourists who book flights and hotels (and maybe a few tours) leaving after lazing on a beach for two weeks. Tourists who are genuinely interested in immersing themselves in the culture and exploring are no longer welcome.

That was my experience years ago. However, there are multiple reports that things have changed.

It is extremely rare that an under consideration application is rejected. If that does occur, Immigration calls you to tell you to immediately come for the rejection stamp and seven days to leave the country. What you may find, and is not that rare, is that you go on Monday and are given a new report back date, saying the application under consideration is not back yet from division headquarters. That is irritating, but again nothing to be concerned about.

Everyone is saying that this is a problem with a TM30 notification not being done. However, I have heard that Trang Immigration can be a little flaky, and I think this is an example of a rogue office. When offices start adding unusual requirements that are often difficult to comply with, I become suspicious about their motives.

The advantage of the night bus from Bangkok to Mukdahan (rather than a fly-ride service) is that the buses arrive at an ideal hour, in time for the first international bus from Mukdahan to Savannakhet in the morning. WARNING: Ignore the post that indicates you can apply up until midday. That is incorrect. The gate closes at 11:00am. You will make it fine if you are on an early bus, but do not assume you have more time than you do.

Obviously, just immigration not knowing what they are doing. "NON IMMIGRANT VISA" is a scrivener's error for "HOUSEKEEPING CHANGE OF PERMISSION TO STAY STAUS" and the fresh 90-day permission to stay accompanying the "status change" is an error by the official. As already pointed out, Immigration has shown their incompetence by misnaming the TM86 and TM87 forms and having two separate forms for "change of permission to stay status" depending on whether you previously entered on a tourist visa or a visa exemption. Non of us understand the system except him.

If she has a Thai id card, and you are applying for a Thai visa for yourself, there is no necessity for your wife to have a passport (though getting her one is cheap, fast and easy). If you want your Thai wife to join you in Savannakhet for two or three days without a passport that is possible. She will need to get a border pass.