After a few one year marriage visa extensions I want to leave Thailand for a few days and start anew with an e-visa or visa exempt.

But now I've gotten myself in a bit of a situation.

 

My non O marriage visa renews in mid January. This was inconvenient for me, so I planned to go to Savannakhet and get a new multiple entry visa there, so I don't have to renew at Chaeng Watthana anymore.
I have to do this now as I didn't put the 400k on my account 2 months beforehand.
Today I found out, that Savannakhet switches to e-visa from 2025 and all time slots until December 20, after which the old system stops, are taken. I also guess, that the multiple entry visa will be off the table after this change.

So now I plan to go to Ho Chi Minh (because there they already do it for a while and I hope for a smooth process) and just do the e-visa there for non O marriage 90 days and then in April extend it for another year. The processing, if all documents are ok, should be 5 days.

Or could i just leave and come back a few days later visa exempt? And then convert this into a non O extension? Is that possible? Of course I would have to buy an onward ticket to pass the check in desk of the airline, I guess.

 

I'm married since 2017 and at Don Muang immigration at about 2018 an officer lady told me, that I can only enter with a non O visa and that my entry visa exempt or tourist visa will be for the last time and that she made a note in the system. I'm not sure to this day, if it was a bluff or if that was serious? I never challenged it until today.

 

Is there someone here, that had one year extensions, left Thailand and hence invalidated the visa and then successfully got back in - still married - visa exempt and then converted it to a one year non O extension based on marriage.

 

Thanks to everyone for any helpful comments.

12 minutes ago, frimu said:

Is there someone here, that had one year extensions, left Thailand and hence invalidated the visa and then successfully got back in - still married - visa exempt and then converted it to a one year non O extension based on marriage.

Plenty.

BTW after reentry visa exempt (60 day stamp) you could obtain a 60 day extension to visit wife.

That gives you time to organize funds.

For non O application funds only need to be in bank on day of application.

The non O provides 90 day stamp.

In last 30 days with funds seasoned for 2 months obtain 12 month extension. 

 

Process outlined in this thread 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1328106-marriage-visa-from-visa-exempt/ 

 

Extension to visit wife here

https://aseannow.com/topic/1327691-60-days-extension-to-visit-family-restrictions/

23 hours ago, frimu said:

I'm married since 2017 and at Don Muang immigration at about 2018 an officer lady told me, that I can only enter with a non O visa and that my entry visa exempt or tourist visa will be for the last time and that she made a note in the system. I'm not sure to this day, if it was a bluff or if that was serious? I never challenged it until today.

The change to 60-day visa exempt also changed the stated-reasons for using it to including visiting Thai family. 
But, if doing a VE entry, I would return via a known safe entry-point like Nong-Khai, or use one of the Cambodia-border visa-run agents.