Caldera

Would you like to report a crime to go with your ham and cheese toasty? That'll be an extra 19 baht kha. Yep, I can see that work.

The Thai police farce making the headlines again.

So once again and for the umpteenth time, scientists realize that they know nothing.

Go for it, I liked the occasional short break in Savannakhet as well. As for proving people wrong, well you wouldn't, you'd just prove that things are inconsistent and can change from one day to the next (or one counter clerk to the next, or one applicant to the next, ...). It is what it is, a gamble, but as you have nothing to lose, it's worth a shot.

Ah, the Thai bureaucracy at work... one step forward, two steps back...

With that history, Savannakhet might very well refuse to issue another tourist visa on grounds of having spent too much time in Thailand as a tourist already. Best to check with a visa run company that offers trips to Savannakhet what the current situation is there.

Well he does look like a ghost doesn't he, so I'd guess "resurrection" is a real possibility.

I'm guessing here, but could it be as simple as the time of the year? High season is over, the snowbirds depart. Tourist visa and visa exempt entries can be extended, so only people who want to stay longer than 90 or 60 days need to embark on a border run. Some prefer to make it a real holiday by air.

Thai overstay stamps are usually blue, not red. What you might confuse them with are entry denial stamps.

In the current climate, I wouldn't overstay deliberately (not even by just a few days), and as you said, in your case it can be avoided by applying for an extension before your permission to stay will expire. As you already have a previous short overstay, getting another overstay stamp in your passport wouldn't look good. So in case you ever need to rely on immigration's leniency or discretion in the future, that could well come back to bite you.

You might get an answer, but it won't be an authoritative one, because the IO stamping you out won't be the same IO stamping you back in.

At land borders, it's usually no problem to get those two visa exempt entries per calendar year that are permitted. I say "usually" because there's the infamous Poi Pet / Aranyaprathet border. If you go there, all bets are off.

Strange, other Indian scammers tell me that I have a happy face.

I'd fly to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam. Great place for a change of scenery, you won't get bored. Many flights available throughout the day from both BKK and DMK. Depending on your nationality, you might qualify for visa exempt entry to Vietnam, which is 45 days nowadays. Otherwise you'd need an eVisa.

Whenever an Indian-looking guy tells me that I have a happy face, I smirk at him and keep walking. Served me well, it used to be even more common in Malaysia than in Thailand. If I had rat poison with me... but no, a smirk will have to do.

With that kind of educational and/or professional background, one wonders what kind of career he can reasonably expect in Thailand, as a foreigner. If any.

The hub of overconfidence and mediocrity.

There is no "90 day extension for retirement", and you cannot apply for a Non-O visa within Thailand as you're already on a non-immigrant visa entry. If you meet the requirements for a 1 year retirement extension, in particular the money seasoning, you should be able to apply for that when your work permit and extension are canceled. Check with your local immigration office before though, as some are unwilling to do that or have their own local rules and requirements.

Oh wow that's a major surprise. Not. What else did anyone think they were coming to Thailand for? Buddhist retreats?

Oh yeah I wished I knew her 555

Be more selective today, only to whinge about decreasing revenue tomorrow. That would be a very Thai thing to do.

Ask a few schools what they can offer you. Only a school can tell you what's acceptable for their MoE and immigration contacts at any given time.

They've clearly lost the plot with their new offers, I'm curious what's next.

Consider it a fee for being allowed to re-enter without getting hassled. Legitimate? Well... What's your plan after re-entering? If you want to continue to stay in Thailand, possibly on another education visa, it's probably best to just pay that extra fee.

No, and that's because foreigners can only use those automated gates to leave the country, not to enter.