24 minutes ago, Chuck443 said:

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)

Submit your history to whichever safe entry service you chose. They will advise if there are any challenges based on your history (unlikely) and quote accordingly. Either way, the end result is you get back in, no questions asked.

50 minutes ago, Chuck443 said:

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)

If I'm reading this correctly that's

60 (setv) + ve 60 + extension then another ve entry 60.

Then went to Vietnam jan...

And now, want to reenter Thailand ve.

You need safe entry services 100%

Cost will be 4-4.5k

we at www.thaivisaservice.com can offer Safe Entry at BKK as low as THB2500 as long as the customer had just a few VE stamps in 2025.

Will I have trouble entering Thailand. I had 2 VE entries last year, not extended, stay 40 days each time. Same in 2024.

But have history before that, stayed throughtout covid then 2022 through 2023 back to back border runs/extensions for 7 months.

56 minutes ago, MangoHaze said:

Will I have trouble entering Thailand. I had 2 VE entries last year, not extended, stay 40 days each time. Same in 2024.

But have history before that, stayed throughtout covid then 2022 through 2023 back to back border runs/extensions for 7 months.

You should be OK for another VE entry, but if in any doubt obtain a TV to enter.

1 hour ago, MangoHaze said:

Will I have trouble entering Thailand. I had 2 VE entries last year, not extended, stay 40 days each time. Same in 2024.

You are good to go visa exempt entry.

Be aware that airline at departure may require proof of onward flight.

However you have done that previously so would be aware of airline requirements

1 hour ago, MangoHaze said:

Will I have trouble entering Thailand. I had 2 VE entries last year, not extended, stay 40 days each time. Same in 2024.

But have history before that, stayed throughtout covid then 2022 through 2023 back to back border runs/extensions for 7 months.

why risk it? simply obtain the visa appropriate for your stay here. simple.

I have a "friend of a friend"! He discovered Thailand last year.

He went in January last year (his first time there!) He liked it so much..That he went home (UK) stayed there for 2 weeks...then went back to Thailand for 2 months (using the 60 day visa exempt),, cme back to UK for 2 weeks, back to Thailand for 2 months etc etc!

He apparently came back last week, he is going back again to Thailand next Monday!! However, apparently, on his last trip there , he was told by immigration at Suvarnbhumi " to get a proper visa nest time".

He is going back a week today as I say! Again he is hoping to get allowed in for another 2 months?! When I asked my friend, why doesn't this guy just apply for a proper visa..he just saidoh he seems to think he will just get in OK , and that the immigration officer who told him to get "a proper visa"..was just a jobsworth?!!

I imagine, he will just get refused entry next week? I "assume", there may be some sort of "marker" or something against him? Or is it simply down to the individual immigration officers?

As I say, for the past 12 months, he has done, 2 weeks in UK then back to Thai for 2 months rinse and repeat!!

He is over 60, doesnt work (obviously!)...God knows why he wont apply for a proper visa!! He must be spending a fortune on air fares travelling etc...apart form the "inconvenience" of all the travelling!

I guess, what Im asking is, what are the chances of him being refused entry next week?!

17 minutes ago, welshguy said:

I have a "friend of a friend"! He discovered Thailand last year.

He went in January last year (his first time there!) He liked it so much..That he went home (UK) stayed there for 2 weeks...then went back to Thailand for 2 months (using the 60 day visa exempt),, cme back to UK for 2 weeks, back to Thailand for 2 months etc etc!

He apparently came back last week, he is going back again to Thailand next Monday!! However, apparently, on his last trip there , he was told by immigration at Suvarnbhumi " to get a proper visa nest time".

He is going back a week today as I say! Again he is hoping to get allowed in for another 2 months?! When I asked my friend, why doesn't this guy just apply for a proper visa..he just saidoh he seems to think he will just get in OK , and that the immigration officer who told him to get "a proper visa"..was just a jobsworth?!!

I imagine, he will just get refused entry next week? I "assume", there may be some sort of "marker" or something against him? Or is it simply down to the individual immigration officers?

As I say, for the past 12 months, he has done, 2 weeks in UK then back to Thai for 2 months rinse and repeat!!

He is over 60, doesnt work (obviously!)...God knows why he wont apply for a proper visa!! He must be spending a fortune on air fares travelling etc...apart form the "inconvenience" of all the travelling!

I guess, what Im asking is, what are the chances of him being refused entry next week?!

Very high. Once you get the warning, it's completely foolish to try again without changing anything. They're not playing games right now.

2 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Very high. Once you get the warning, it's completely foolish to try again without changing anything. They're not playing games right now.

And to add to that, it's extra risky for him if he's coming from the UK. 99 times out of 100, if you are denied entry, you are going back to where you flew from. Which means he's going to be spending a lot of money to fly back to the UK if he's denied entry.

For me, with 3 visa-exempt entries within 8 months of 2025, and with minimal time spent outside Thailand in between, the "early warning" was the immigration officer asking for proof of outward travel, which I had. This was the first time in over 100 entries over 45 years, that I had been asked for that. My subsequent, 2 trouble-free "no questions asked" entries have been facilitated by safe entry.

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.

On 2/2/2026 at 10:22 AM, Chuck443 said:

...Now just hoping I can extend this VE at Laksi Plaza.

DMK more expensive than BKK it seems.

The fee for an extension of stay is 1,900 Baht regardless whether you entered Thailand at DMK or BKK.

3 hours ago, Maestro said:

The fee for an extension of stay is 1,900 Baht regardless whether you entered Thailand at DMK or BKK.

I understood the OP to be talking about the safe entry fee being more expensive at DMK, as opposed to at BKK.

On 2/2/2026 at 4:22 PM, Chuck443 said:

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.

I see. Thanks.

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.

3 minutes ago, Chuck443 said:

Yeah, I saw 2,500 baht mentioned earlier in the thread for BKK. (and a visa history similar to mine)

Doesn't mean it exists.

Doubt much difference in Bangkok airports for safe entry.

On 1/26/2026 at 5:48 PM, welshguy said:

I have a "friend of a friend"! He discovered Thailand last year.

He went in January last year (his first time there!) He liked it so much..That he went home (UK) stayed there for 2 weeks...then went back to Thailand for 2 months (using the 60 day visa exempt),, cme back to UK for 2 weeks, back to Thailand for 2 months etc etc!

He apparently came back last week, he is going back again to Thailand next Monday!! However, apparently, on his last trip there , he was told by immigration at Suvarnbhumi " to get a proper visa nest time".

He is going back a week today as I say! Again he is hoping to get allowed in for another 2 months?! When I asked my friend, why doesn't this guy just apply for a proper visa..he just saidoh he seems to think he will just get in OK , and that the immigration officer who told him to get "a proper visa"..was just a jobsworth?!!

I imagine, he will just get refused entry next week? I "assume", there may be some sort of "marker" or something against him? Or is it simply down to the individual immigration officers?

As I say, for the past 12 months, he has done, 2 weeks in UK then back to Thai for 2 months rinse and repeat!!

He is over 60, doesnt work (obviously!)...God knows why he wont apply for a proper visa!! He must be spending a fortune on air fares travelling etc...apart form the "inconvenience" of all the travelling!

I guess, what Im asking is, what are the chances of him being refused entry next week?!

Thought id do a follow up to my thread!

He was an extremely (I think so anyway!) boy! The immigration let him in! They weren't going to , but apparently he showed them he has an appt. with some visa agents in Bangkok tomorrow? Also he showed them a cheque? For a large amount of money?!!!!

As I say, I think he is extremely lucky! He came in with no visa, just got the visa exempt on arrival. I told my friend to tell him to buy a lottery ticket too!

"Apparently"? He is going to get a 15? month visa?!!!! (Not heard of one of them before!!?) The "visa agent" doing it for him, is charging him a "mere"!!!! 70 odd thousand baht!!!!!! and "apparently" he will have this 15 month ? visa and a Thai bank account on the same day? (tomorrow that is!).

2 minutes ago, welshguy said:

"Apparently"? He is going to get a 15? month visa?!!!! (Not heard of one of them before!!?) The "visa agent" doing it for him, is charging him a "mere"!!!! 70 odd thousand baht!!!!!! and "apparently" he will have this 15 month ? visa and a Thai bank account on the same day? (tomorrow that is!).

It sounds like the Visa agent is getting him a 3-month type-O visa, ... and to save time at immigration, the visa agent has arranged to also get a 1-year permission to stay on that 3-month type-O visa. So 3 months + 12 months = 15 months.

I have (err had - sadly he passed away) an elderly friend in Pattaya (in his late 80s) who obtained 15 months via getting the 90-day visa + 1 year extension "in one shot" using an agent to assist his visa application at immigration. And frankly - given his frail health, using the agent was a smart move! I was applying for a type-O in Phuket at that time (having entered visa exempt) and I was envious.

I suggest you recommend to your friend to be certain to get a re-entry permit for his Visa else he will invalidate it the second he leaves Thailand, if he has not done so.

EDIT: Re: getting the Bank account. If he is on a visa exempt status then that reads like he is doing ok. Its very hard to open a Thai Bank account if one is visa exempt, even with an agent's help.

22 hours ago, oldcpu said:

It sounds like the Visa agent is getting him a 3-month type-O visa, ... and to save time at immigration, the visa agent has arranged to also get a 1-year permission to stay on that 3-month type-O visa. So 3 months + 12 months = 15 months.

That's standard when using an Agent to do the Conversion. Feb last year it cost <30K but now I believe it's 35K+ as the banking side of things is much more difficult.

As other's have said, best to get the Non-IMM O outside of Thailand then even if you do use an Agent to do your 12 month extension / provide the financials, you're looking at approx 15K (Last I heard Maneerat were charging 13.5K but it may have gone up since).

On 11/15/2025 at 6:40 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Well, I wouldn't believe them that, e.g., retirement extensions are 'set in stone' for long-term tourists. Who says that they won't go after retirees, or married expats next?

Maybe because this isn't something new with visa exempts and has been used many times since the early 2000's when first started.

Like everything in Thailand enforcement is up and down, but this is nothing that's really new.

What do you mean by go after retirees and married expats?

They already jump though hoops each year to extend their stay, they are not border jumping to avoid doing an annually extension.

On 2/5/2026 at 11:42 PM, oldcpu said:

Its very hard to open a Thai Bank account if one is visa exempt, even with an agent's help.

Previously possible agent can open bank account for folk on visa exempt.

Not now.

Folk should obtain Non O eVisa prior to entry

58 minutes ago, ericthai said:

What do you mean by go after retirees and married expats?

Is a silly throw away line. Ignore

On 2/5/2026 at 4:34 PM, welshguy said:

apparently he showed them he has an appt. with some visa agents in Bangkok tomorrow?

I'm planning to do the same thing myself.

But he sounds a bit mad flying back and forth to England every few weeks.

He could have been spending two weeks in neighbouring countries and saved thousands on air fares.

My question for Dr Jack (or anyone else) would be, can I fly in with an SETV and a booked appointment for a retirement visa with an agent, without an onward ticket? If I'm going there to retire, it seems a bit silly booking an onward flight.

Another question is, how can they force you to fly back to England? What right do they have to say you can't go to Cambodia instead?

9 minutes ago, SenorTashi said:

I'm planning to do the same thing myself.

But he sounds a bit mad flying back and forth to England every few weeks.

He could have been spending two weeks in neighbouring countries and saved thousands on air fares.

My question for Dr Jack (or anyone else) would be, can I fly in with an SETV and a booked appointment for a retirement visa with an agent, without an onward ticket? If I'm going there to retire, it seems a bit silly booking an onward flight.

Another question is, how can they force you to fly back to England? What right do they have to say you can't go to Cambodia instead?

Just have an onward ticket to Saigon, costs under 2,000bht with 45 days visa waiver on entry for Brits.

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Just have an onward ticket to Saigon, costs under 2,000bht with 45 days visa waiver on entry for Brits.

If I've arranged a retirement visa in Thailand, why would i want to go to Saigon?

42 minutes ago, SenorTashi said:

If I've arranged a retirement visa in Thailand, why would i want to go to Saigon?

You need a ticket out from Thailand to get the SETV.

You don't have to use the ticket, you stay in Thailand and hopefully get your retirement visa. Actually, you may be able to get the SETV with a train or bus ticket out of Thailand to a neighbouring country, which is even cheaper. You may try that solution first and if the embassy demands a to see a flight ticket, you can buy a cheap one way ticket to Saigon or another nearby country.

5 minutes ago, farang51 said:

Actually, you may be able to get the SETV with a train or bus ticket

Oh ok. So I need the onward ticket to apply for the SETV? That part went over my head earlier.

I've been asked a few times at Heathrow for proof of onward travel but I've never had it.

I just said I'll be getting an extension and they let me on.

I wasn't thinking about the Thai embassy.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Just have an onward ticket to Saigon

Which airline do you suggest and from which airport?

2 hours ago, SenorTashi said:

can I fly in with an SETV and a booked appointment for a retirement visa with an agent, without an onward ticket? If I'm going there to retire, it seems a bit silly booking an onward flight.

It's not clear what you are planning.

Entering Thailand with a SETV e-Visa the booked appointment with agent is irrelevant.

Entry to Thailand with a Visa the airline and immigration in Thailand would not require an onward flight.