When I last arrived into Phuket it was my third entry in on a tourist visa exemption.
The IO told me that the next time I came in, I would not be allowed entry unless I had "visa in your passport".
Like many on here, I had heard that as long as I arrive my air, there was no limit on the amount of times I can use a waiver.
However, after research, the Embassy of Thailand in London states:

"Foreigners who enter Thailand under this Tourist Visa Exemption category may only do so for 30 days at one time with a maximum of 3 times in a 6 month period by flight and 2 times a year for overland crossing."

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/84256-tourist-visa?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562
 

Thought that you might find the above interesting.

Freddie.

Like much info on Embassy websites out of date and incorrect. There is no limit to how many times you can enter visa exempt by air.

However, if the IO thinks you are using visa exempt entries to live in Thailand long term you will eventually run in to difficulties. How many entries this will be? Who knows. Depends on the individual IO and your luck. It will happen eventually though.

 

@Greenwich Boy is spot on. 

You and others with the no limit thinking are not up to date on the current situation. What your saying was fine say back in 2005, but unfortunately spending large amounts in thailand now as a tourist is scrutinized heavily. An immigration officer told me they basically think like this , a genuine tourist comes to thailand once, maybe 2 or 3 times a year going back and forth between their home country. If your not doing something like that they would investigate further. I don't necessarily agree here as some tourists perpetually travel around but they dont see it like that so we must work with what we got.

1 hour ago, at15 said:

. An immigration officer told me they basically think like this , a genuine tourist comes to thailand once, maybe 2 or 3 times a year going back and forth between their home country. If your not doing something like that they would investigate further

I guess that's why they make an METV available.

Granted does require exit reentry every 60/90 days but basically enables (almost) continuous  stay in Thailand of 9 months. 

Visa exemption by air:

No explicit limits. Officials are instructed to deny visa exemptions to those trying to use them in a manner that is not consistent with regular tourism. In particular, back-to-back visa exempt entries in combination with long periods in Thailand as a tourist carries a high risk of a denied entry. In the end, it is immigration official dependent.

 

Visa exemption by land (almost all crossings):

Limited to two visa exempt entries per calendar year, but otherwise very safe.

 

[When you read embassy websites claiming there are rules like 90 days per six months; or 180 days per calendar year; or three entries per year; or whatever, these may simply be rules that were rescinded 10-20 years ago, or may simply be a figment of the website author's fevered imagination.]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

Visa exemption by air:

No explicit limits. Officials are instructed to deny visa exemptions to those trying to use them in a manner that is not consistent with regular tourism. In particular, back-to-back visa exempt entries in combination with long periods in Thailand as a tourist carries a high risk of a denied entry. In the end, it is immigration official dependent.

 

Visa exemption by land (almost all crossings):

Limited to two visa exempt entries per calendar year, but otherwise very safe.

 

[When you read embassy websites claiming there are rules like 90 days per six months; or 180 days per calendar year; or three entries per year; or whatever, these may simply be rules that were rescinded 10-20 years ago, or may simply be a figment of the website author's fevered imagination.]

Thankfully I am almost at the end of all the hoop jumping.

17 hours ago, at15 said:

You and others with the no limit thinking are not up to date on the current situation. What your saying was fine say back in 2005, but unfortunately spending large amounts in thailand now as a tourist is scrutinized heavily. An immigration officer told me they basically think like this , a genuine tourist comes to thailand once, maybe 2 or 3 times a year going back and forth between their home country. If your not doing something like that they would investigate further. I don't necessarily agree here as some tourists perpetually travel around but they dont see it like that so we must work with what we got.

I would say that I agree with the IO in this case, but in contrast to what he/she is saying - the immigration offices actively allow extensions of back to back tourist visas and exempts (specifically through land borders with no time spent out of Thailand, or tourist visas from Laos for example).

 

They should make up their mind on how they want the whole system to work, with clear guidelines and specific limits for what is considered staying "too long". Otherwise the hoop jumping will just continue like it is now. 

 

 

Currently in Manila awaiting a tourist visa as per IO telling me last time that I would need a ‘visa in your passport next time’. 
Gave them all of my supporting documentation yesterday. 
Two phone calls today looking for further documents re: employment and income etc which I have emailed to them. At least they are being thorough. 
This will hopefully be my last tourist visa before I get my O-A.

Wish me luck. 

1 hour ago, FreddieMercury said:

This will hopefully be my last tourist visa before I get my O-A.

Wish me luck. 

So back to home country just to get a non O-A? 

I’m not sure. They called and asked if it was a non O-A that I wanted. I said yes but that I was waiting to arrange a Thai bank account for funds etc. which is why I’d applied for a TR visa as per the IO telling me to do so. However, they phoned again later and asked for more extensive bank statement information which I sent them. After that I got an email that said “Your visa has been approved.” I’m assuming this will be a TR, or maybe I got them on a good day and it’s something different.

Who knows?

1 hour ago, FreddieMercury said:

I’m assuming this will be a TR, or maybe I got them on a good day and it’s something different.

It won't be a non O-A.

Yes Tourist Visa. 

1 hour ago, FreddieMercury said:

I’m not sure. They called and asked if it was a non O-A that I wanted. I said yes but that I was waiting to arrange a Thai bank account for funds etc. which is why I’d applied for a TR visa as per the IO telling me to do so. However, they phoned again later and asked for more extensive bank statement information which I sent them. After that I got an email that said “Your visa has been approved.” I’m assuming this will be a TR, or maybe I got them on a good day and it’s something different.

Who knows?

It might be a tourist visa or might be a Non O. It will not be a Non O-A. How much did you pay? That will provide a clue on what they will give you.

7 hours ago, BritTim said:

It might be a tourist visa or might be a Non O. It will not be a Non O-A. How much did you pay? That will provide a clue on what they will give you.

Yes I only paid them around 1200 baht so TR it is, I'd say. 

10 minutes ago, FreddieMercury said:

Yes I only paid them around 1200 baht so TR it is, I'd say. 

Correct

Ok so I got my passport back this afternoon with a tourist visa in it. 
However, there are two Thai handwritten notes on it. 
The first says: has a history of traveling in and out of Thailand. 
(Surely the IO would know that anyway?)

I’ve been coming and going since 1997.
The other says: Will apply for ‘retirement’ visa at 50 years old. 
(Both lines translated by Thai friend.) 

The plot thickens. 

4 minutes ago, FreddieMercury said:

Ok so I got my passport back this afternoon with a tourist visa in it. 
However, there are two Thai handwritten notes on it. 
The first says: has a history of traveling in and out of Thailand. 
The other says: Will apply for ‘retirement’ visa at 50 years old. 
(Both lines translated by Thai friend.) 

The plot thickens. 

The "travels frequently to Thailand as a tourist" annotation has been used at a number of embassies and consulates over the years. It greatly reduces your chance of further tourist visas until the next time you replace your passport.

 

The other message is not something I have seen before. It is obviously an indication to other consular and immigration officials that you told them your plans, and your credibility will not be high if you do something else.

That seems fair. I’ve just turned 50 so I guess I’ll have to do the non-O next time. 

1 minute ago, FreddieMercury said:

That seems fair. I’ve just turned 50 so I guess I’ll have to do the non-O next time. 

Manila is known to be tough on tourist visa applicants. I am actually mildly surprised you were successful.

26 minutes ago, FreddieMercury said:

Ok so I got my passport back this afternoon with a tourist visa in it. 
However, there are two Thai handwritten notes on it.

You have a tourist visa.

You should not have an issue.

 

Have a clear "storyline" of your intention is to do conversion to non O retirement using TM86 

 

Back up plan would be to have "dummy" onward flight. 

27 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You have a tourist visa.

You should not have an issue.

 

Have a clear "storyline" of your intention is to do conversion to non O retirement using TM86 

 

Back up plan would be to have "dummy" onward flight. 

I have a return flight already booked. I'll remember the TM86. 
Thank you.

42 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Manila is known to be tough on tourist visa applicants. I am actually mildly surprised you were successful.

They asked for a lot of additional paperwork. It was kind of them to tell me by email on the day that it was approved. Otherwise it would have been a pensive weekend. 

Arrived yesterday. 
No issues. 
 

Will let you know how my Non O goes when I get the agent to reply.