I will be in Thailand in april when my O visa based on retirement wil expire. I have decided not to extend it as I only spend up to 6 months each year in Thailand and now don't have 800k in my thai bank account.

If I want to extend my stay for 1-3 months in Thailand after the visa expires, what are my options?

 

1. Do I have any option to change to another visa type/extend the existing visa prior to expiration to allow an extra 1/2 months in the kingdom? I can show funds in global accounts but not in a Thai bank.

 

2. Can I leave Thailand, (probably to Laos for convenience) and come straignt back at the land border in on a Visa on Arrival for another month? I assume that, barring changes in the meantime, I would need to do ASQ for 14 day which makes this option unattractive, unless I can extend for another month at immigration after 30 days?

 

3. Can I apply for a Tourist visa in Laos?

 

4. Any other optons :)

 

Thanks in advance guys.

 

 

 

Investigate whether you can get a METV, that worked for me for a few years, I did border runs every 60 or 90 days depending

Hi Scubascuba3, do you mean getting the METV from the Thai embassy in Laos?

Your 1 is a no unless covid extensions still allowed.

Your 2/3/4 are unknown.  After covid it is not clear what requirements may be.  

 

As they used to say in TV land 

Thanks lopburi, but are 2 and/or 3 currently allowed?

18 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Hi Scubascuba3, do you mean getting the METV from the Thai embassy in Laos?

That is possible. You can only apply for a METV in your home country or country of legal residence.

If the borders are open the most you could get is a single entry tourist visa.

1 minute ago, Dazzler said:

Thanks lopburi, but are 2 and/or 3 currently allowed?

Not as far as I am aware.  Only a few special tourist type entries are currently allowed and must be coordinated with country Thai Consulate - there is no free travel yet.  But as said by that time we have not a clue.

3 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Thanks lopburi, but are 2 and/or 3 currently allowed?

Not possible at the time.

Thanks guys.

 

It appears that currently I have no 'local' option unless I can get a covid extension in BKK though would that be possible now that I dont have 800k in the bank?

 

Moving forward I would go for a METV in the future, but I am looking for an option to spend a couple more months in Thailand from April without the expense of flying to the UK and back...

5 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

It appears that currently I have no 'local' option unless I can get a covid extension in BKK though would that be possible now that I dont have 800k in the bank?

You could not apply for it until April and we do not know what will be available or possible in April

 

5 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

Moving forward I would go for a METV in the future, but I am looking for an option to spend a couple more months in Thailand from April without the expense of flying to the UK and back...

Wait until April to see what is available at that time.

OP, wait until April. If borders are open then all good.

If not you can use agent to obtain annual extension retirement without having money in bank. Not cheapest option but straightforward

17 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, wait until April. If borders are open then all good.

If not you can use agent to obtain annual extension retirement without having money in bank. Not cheapest option but straightforward

What about that news a week or so ago that now revenue department and immigration are linked and you'll no longer need to provide financial information as they'll get it automatically, you just need to approve?

4 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

What about that news a week or so ago that now revenue department and immigration are linked and you'll no longer need to provide financial information as they'll get it automatically, you just need to approve?

News to me.

3 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

What about that news a week or so ago that now revenue department and immigration are linked and you'll no longer need to provide financial information as they'll get it automatically, you just need to approve?

 

The OP doesn't appear to be working in Thailand so the revenue department won't know he exists.  Seems not relevant to this particular thread.

6 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

What about that news a week or so ago that now revenue department and immigration are linked and you'll no longer need to provide financial information as they'll get it automatically, you just need to approve?

That is only for extensions based upon working for a company.

18 hours ago, Dazzler said:

 

2. Can I leave Thailand, (probably to Laos for convenience) and come straignt back at the land border in on a Visa on Arrival for another month? I assume that, barring changes in the meantime, I would need to do ASQ for 14 day which makes this option unattractive, unless I can extend for another month at immigration after 30 days?

 

 

A couple of months ago a Thai immigration officer told me that, as an alternative to putting 400,000 in the bank for a one-year marriage extension, I could go to Laos and spend 15 days in quarantine there, followed by 14 days quarantine in Thailand. She was serious. So yes, definitely an unattractive option.

3 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

A couple of months ago a Thai immigration officer told me that, as an alternative to putting 400,000 in the bank for a one-year marriage extension, I could go to Laos and spend 15 days in quarantine there, followed by 14 days quarantine in Thailand. She was serious. So yes, definitely an unattractive option.

Just because someone says something does not make it true.

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

7 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

A couple of months ago a Thai immigration officer told me that, as an alternative to putting 400,000 in the bank for a one-year marriage extension, I could go to Laos and spend 15 days in quarantine there, followed by 14 days quarantine in Thailand. She was serious. So yes, definitely an unattractive option.

Just because someone says something does not make it true.

 

Are you saying that Laos doesn't have quarantine and the IO was lying?

6 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Are you saying that Laos doesn't have quarantine and the IO was lying?

No I did not say that.  But one might question how he will re-enter Thailand without a visa.

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

A couple of months ago a Thai immigration officer told me that, as an alternative to putting 400,000 in the bank for a one-year marriage extension, I could go to Laos and spend 15 days in quarantine there, followed by 14 days quarantine in Thailand. She was serious. So yes, definitely an unattractive option.

That is the most absurd suggestion I've ever heard.

 

It will be a bureaucratic nightmare. Laos won't allow you to enter unless you are considered an "essential worker", you would probably need to fly in, pay for a quarantine hotel that, while cheaper than Thailand could still be quite expensive. Then Thailand will be another bureaucratic nightmare.

 

All in all, you could end up spending 200,000 Baht!

 

All to save on putting 400,000 into the bank? Come on!

 

Just pay an agent 25,000 or so and stop with the run around. 

7 minutes ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

A couple of months ago a Thai immigration officer told me that, as an alternative to putting 400,000 in the bank for a one-year marriage extension, I could go to Laos and spend 15 days in quarantine there, followed by 14 days quarantine in Thailand. She was serious. So yes, definitely an unattractive option.

That is the most absurd suggestion I've ever heard.

 

It will be a bureaucratic nightmare. Laos won't allow you to enter unless you are considered an "essential worker", you would probably need to fly in, pay for a quarantine hotel that, while cheaper than Thailand could still be quite expensive. Then Thailand will be another bureaucratic nightmare.

 

All in all, you could end up spending 200,000 Baht!

 

All to save on putting 400,000 into the bank? Come on!

 

Just pay an agent 25,000 or so and stop with the run around. 

 

I just put 400,000 in a Thai bank. Might come in useful ????