Chuck443

Great news! I was under the impression that you needed to apply for a METV from your home country, but I guess I have misunderstood the rules.

Yeah, I saw 2,500 baht mentioned earlier in the thread for BKK. (and a visa history similar to mine) I paid more for DMK entry, but once I had paid already, another agent approached me rather late, just two days prior to my arrival, and quoted 3,000 baht for DMK.

Ok, I'm back in Thailand. With a VE and I used the safe entry service (at DMK) and everything very smooth indeed, no questions asked. My history is two VEs last year, but also using a METV. Nothing prior to 2025 and going back to pre-Covid times. Now just hoping I can extend this VE at Laksi Plaza. DMK more expensive than BKK it seems.

The elephant in the room, the biggest taboo subject of our time. Who would believe that Nigeria will leapfrog China in the next 75 years and become the 2nd most populous country on this planet?! Europe will be inundated with Hausa-Fulani-, Yoruba- and Igbo people from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Correction: Actually the first extension was with a TV, then a VE with extension - and the last VE without extension (I left for Vietnam in mid Jan without even trying to apply for an extension at Laksi)

Was it VE or did you apply for a TV while in Vietnam? (I'm in Vietnam myself now and trying to decide if I need a TV - two VE with extensions in 2025)

Well, the 12 wealthiest billionaires in the world own more than the poorest half of the world population (that's 4 billion people)

In Vietnam the largest banknote is 500,000 dong, about 590 baht. And no coins in circulation, works Ok. Get rid of the 1,000 baht note at least. And make sure that most cashless payment systems work across Thailand, not only the domestic ones.

Interesting. May I ask how many days in total for 2025?

I would be very surprised if they revert back to 30 days. Also, I expect the border runs organised by the visa agents to resume, but maybe not until after the elections. Just my guess.

We will be back to business as usual in a few months at the most - also with border runs. There's no way that IO will accept to lose a big chunk of their extra money - especially since there's no proposal to increase their wages.

One biggie for 2026 will be if possible to go beyond 180 days with VE and TV - with the help of agents? We will know when we have someone who maxed out two VEs in 2026 for 120 days, then trying Fast Track with a SETV or METV.

What is going on then, I don't get the suspicious mindset? My busiest year travelling to Thailand (from Europe) was in 1997. I had 5 return flights to Thailand during that calendar year, the shortest trip was arriving Friday evening and flying back home Monday evening. Just so I could spend some quality time with my new girlfriend 🤣 Would have been horrendous to be stopped at immigration and questioned like some criminal.

The two VEs per calendar year might not be carved in stone. According to one of the visa agents: Since 17 November 2025, Immigration has changed it’s criteria, however the previous mentioned two entries per calendar year, seems not correct. Haven't been able to find anything more about this yet.

A brave man. Hope his personal security detail is top notch.

So you mean they will count also the first VE of the calendar year even if no extension is possible for it? That might be valuable information for many.

You should be Ok. One of the visa agents telling this about the crossing at Savannakhet: "it is OK to go to Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane and Royal Thai Consulate-General in Savannakhet to apply for a proper visa."

And now with the new rules strictly applied for the time being, if you did the same next year, then for the first VE overland you wouldn't get an extension, but the second VE by air would get you the 30 days extension.

You are right. And although the application is done online, you have to submit flight itinerary, so will be obvious I'm not flying from my home country.

I remember it was easy to take a flight to Udon Thani in the morning and from there to Nong Khai and Vientiane. Apply for a TV at Thai embassy and pick it up the next day before heading back to the airport in Udon Thani. I did that for almost 6 years from Sep 1998 to Apr 2004. No questions asked.

Wondering the same (my VE60 runs out 14 Jan), although I only have two VE in a row. The rest of 2025 was covered with a METV. Or it might be possible to take a trip to Vietnam in January for a week or two and apply for a new METV while there. If approved then use the METV to maximum capacity and complement with the two allowed VEs for the rest of 2026?

Here we go again. "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles"

I appreciate your view, though I see it differently. I don't work in Thailand and I'm spending money which originates outside of Thailand. I'm just the person Thailand should welcome with open arms. A real tourist. So hopefully I can continue with my border runs ad infinitum. Or until I decide to retire and maybe choose Thailand as my country of residence.

I'm very relaxed as well. I intend to go on doing my border runs until my agent tells me it will not work anymore. And if no border runs, maybe safe entries will still work. And if all VE options exhausted, then my agent have to get me a retirement visa instead (I'm +50).

Yes, I agree. The two visa-exempts per calendar year is open for interpretation - and possibly abuse: ดังนั้น ด่าน ตม.ทุกด่าน ทั้งสนามบิน และชายแดน จะใช้มาตรการเข้มคุมการเข้าออกของคนต่างชาติ หากรายใดใช้สิทธิวีซ่ารันซ้ำเกินกว่า 2 รอบ โดยไม่มีเหตุผลที่ชี้แจงได้ ตม. จะพิจารณาปฎิเสธการเข้าเมือง เพื่อให้ไปยื่นขอวีซ่าให้ถูกต้องตามวัตถุประสงค์ที่แท้จริงต่อไป Therefore, all immigration checkpoints, both at airports and land borders, will enforce stricter measures on foreign entries and exits. If any individual uses visa runs more than twice without a valid explanation, immigration will consider denying entry and require them to apply for the appropriate visa that matches their actual purpose. My interpretation is that more than two visa-exempts per calendar year will still be possible if you have a valid explanation – whatever that could be.