Ok, so.. I'm Dutch, 24, not married here, just doing tourist visas.

Spent one month on a free visa, then one month in malaysia, came back, did two border runs, then bought a 2 month visa. Now I'm wondering if I can go get a new free visa because i was out for one month or am I just gonna have to pay the 1900 baht for an extension? If so, would it be worth trying to go get a stamp anyway? Would be Mae sai (burma) border. And if they don't give you one, then.. they just turn you back?

Apoligize if I'm asking something that's been asked over and over. Simply no time. Any insight very much appreciated.

Maikel.

if you will be staying for more months ahead ... pay for the extension

You don’t say how long you stayed in Thailand on each of the three visa-exempt entries. The rule is that you are allowed maximum 90 visa-exempt days in 6 months. As this rule took effect on October 1, 2006, this means 90 days until March 31, 2007.

If in doubt about your number of visa-exempt days, use the Thai Visa calculator.

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Maestro

The count starts with your first entry after the 1st of October 2006.

So far it is no problem doing 3x30days borderrun and then apply for a Tourist Visa , if you plan to stay longer , it is advisable to pay for the 30day extension.

Due the way of counting you will come up to 177-178days , so you have to plan for another Tourist Visa before start doing 3x30days borderrun .

So far most of the people have been granted back to back Tourist Visa.

Some Embassies/Consulates are very friendly , other best avoided ( PP, Rangoon and Manila) .

You appear to be in the twilight zone with probably close to 90 days but perhaps less than six months from start (without the extension) so you can either extend at 1,900 baht without travel or travel and ask if they will let you return (and maybe have to extend anyhow).

Thanks for the replies.

BUT..

I'm confused again.

Here's the dates:

1st visa exempt:23sept06-21oct06 = 29 days

2nd visa exempt:27nov06-25dec06 = 29 days

3rd visa exempt:25dec06-23jan07 = 30 days

Total 88 days.

Now I'm on a 2 month tourist visa, from 25jan07-25mar07

23sept06-25mar07 = 184 days

Meaning I can get myself a free 30 day stamp again? The rule is 90 days in 180? I've got 88 in 184. Should be fine. Or am I missing something?

The rule, ie Thai Police order 608/2549 (see link in topic “Thai Immigration Laws, Regulations, Police Orders,” pinned at the top of this forum), took effect on 1 October 2006 and talks about 90 visa-exempt days in 6 months “from the date of first entry into the Kingdom”

There are some complications:

– the rule is not very clear

– some Immigration officers do not know the rule well

– some Immigration officers do not count the days correctly

In your particular case, as an immigration officer I would not be sure if I should count your visa-exempt days only from your first entry after 1 October, which was on 25 November, or should I count also the days from 1 October to 21 October from your first entry, or to make things easy should I count the whole period of your first entry.

In other words, whether you get refused a new visa-exempt entry, get only 2 days or get 30 days depends on how the Immigration officer you deal with will look at it. To play it safe, you should go to a Thai consulate and get a tourist visa.

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Maestro