Tourist Visa Extension Troubles

[anthoma]

The same happend to me two weeks ago in immigration in Phibun in Ubon. I had a double entry touristvisa and when my first 60 days was expired i went to immigration and got 30 days extention without problems. After 30 days i went to Laos to start my second touristvisa. And then after 60 days i went back to immigration to get 30 days extention again and the man there sad i could only get 7 days more. I sad that i got big problem no because i already bought ticket to go home on 23 september. He sad that if i could show him the ticket he would give me 30 days more. When i showed him the booking i got my 30 days extention. So obvious som rules here.

[Irish]

I had the same Roy... I wanted a 30-day extension on my 60-day tourist visa. I also went to Nong Khai and was told "No can do" and he offered me 7 days. It wasn't Adolf, he is a polite guy but just couldn't do it. So I had to leave to kick in the second leg of my tourist visa.

[tropo]

I had the same Roy... I wanted a 30-day extension on my 60-day tourist visa. I also went to Nong Khai and was told "No can do" and he offered me 7 days. It wasn't Adolf, he is a polite guy but just couldn't do it. So I had to leave to kick in the second leg of my tourist visa.

Did you receive and pay for your 7 day extension, or did you just inquire and not go ahead with it and opt for a border run instead?

This is bad news. If we can't be gauranteed a 30 day extension on tourist visas, then definitely it's time to move on.

Edited September 3, 2007 by tropo

[astor]

There are a very large number of people go every day at immigration for extension of t.v. After 7 pages of comments we still have too much few testimonies about some negative experiences.

[p_brownstone]

What surprisingly few people seem to realise when complaining about their individual circumstances (vis a vis Thai Immigration legislation) is that most legislation, Criminal, Civil or Immigration, in most Countries, is written with a broad brushstroke to encompass as wide and as common a set of possibilities as possible – and because of that there will always be a few exceptional situations where the law seems to be an ass.

Someone steals from you and you take a few friends around to his place to get revenge – it’s still assault.

You euthanise your terminally ill Grandmother – it’s still murder.

(Extreme examples I know)

The point is there will always be individuals whose particular circumstances fall outside the general provisions for which any of the various Visa categories here were established; in the OP’s case he is able to retire in his late 30’s and wants to live in Thailand but the law as it is written now simply makes no allowances for that – quite rare - situation.

The end result is that he falls back on using strings of Tourist Visas etc. which, while seemingly perfectly legal, are clearly against the general principal for which that Visa was issued. A Tourist Visa is intended for just that – to facilitate entry to a Country for the purpose of Tourism for a relatively short period of time (this is implied, obviously, simply because most people under a certain age have to work to support themselves and only have a few weeks of Holiday time per year.) Anyone using back-to-back Tourist Visas is not a Tourist as the term is implied in the legislation – and, as such, will always attract the attention of Immigration Officers particularly since use of such Visas will fuel suspicion that the person is working illegally in Thailand – something which is definitely against the law – because so many people are actually doing that.

As Simon43 so clearly understands, to expect Thai legislation to be adjusted in your favour is unrealistic – if you are not prepared to work within the system as it is established then the only alternative is to go somewhere else.

Patrick

[block2]

Hi Forum, I'm A first time poster as you can see from previous post tried to do the quote thing but i messed it up. Been reading all the posts regarding the extension troubles and would like to pass on my experiences. I have a couple of questions that I need answering, and would really appriciate anyones help on the following matters.

( 1 ) I have been holidaying in Thailand for 2 years 6 months. I have a Thai girlfriend who as a 5 year old daughter. Before the new law changes regarding visa's came into effect on Oct 1st 2006, I used to do the 30 day visa run to the border. Since Oct 1st I have stuck to the law, but I had a problem on Saturday at Mae Sot. I got a 30 day stamp that takes me to 30th September but the immigration officer put a 3 with a circle round it next to my stamp. i explained to the immigration officer that this should be a 1 and not a 3 as I had left the country when I was supposed to and applied for a new tourist visa in Vientiane, Laos, which I had done once before. But the immigration officer was not very helpful and waved me away. She also said, you have been on holiday in Thailand for 2 1/2 years, no one holidays for that length of time....I explained that if I had the funds that I could holiday as long as I wanted

Below are my visa details since Oct 1st.

10th Oct - 8th Nov...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 1 next to stamp.

7th Nov - 6th Dec...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 2 next to stamp.

6th Dec - 7th Dec...

60 day tourist visa from Vientiane, Laos, which expired on 4th Feb.

4th Feb - 6th Mar...

Extended 60 day tourist visa from Vientiane, Laos, for a further 30 days.

6th Mar - 4th April...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer advised was my last 30 day visa. He said I would have to leave the country....I said that I thought I was entitled to 3 x 30 day visa runs. He then told me I did not have to leave the country just come back on the 4th April extended my visa for a further 7 days and this would take me past April the 9th, ( not sure what the 9th had to do with it, maybe start of the Thailand new year ) then I would be entitled to 3 x 30 days....I went to the immigaration office in Mae Sot and spoke to the head immigration officer and she comfirmed that this was correct.

3rd Apr - 11th Apr...

Extended 30 day visa from Mae Sot, for a further 7 days.

11th Apr - 10th May...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 1 next to stamp.

10th May - 8th June...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 2 next to stamp.

4th June - 5th June...

60 day tourist visa from Vientiane, Laos, which expired on 3rd August.

3rd Aug - 2nd Sept...

Extended 60 day tourist visa from Vientiane, Laos, for a further 30 days.

1st Sept - 30th Sept...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 3 next to stamp.

I have followed the rules of the new visa law and after my 30 day visa from Mae Sot, on 10th May - 8th June, which the immigration officer put a circled 2 next to stamp, I left the kingdom on the 4th June and went to Vientiane, Laos, and applied for a new tourist visa. I do not understand why the immigration officer as put a circled 3 next to my recent visa stamp. Like I explained earlier I expected a circled 1 and not a circled 3. I asked the immigration lady what this meant and she just waved me away. I asked if I could go to Loas and apply for another tourist visa and the lady just said Up To You.

Can anyone please explain what this circled 3 means?. Can I go back to Vientiane, Laos and apply for a new 60 day tourist visa?. I spoke to a friend from switzerland and he said that he belived it meant that i had to leave the kingdom for 3 months or more. Is this true?.

( 2 ) If this is true, I am thinking of going to Vientiane, Laos, for 3 months as I have friends there. I know I can get a 30 day visa, but am not sure what I do when this 30 day visa runs out. If I can't come back into Thailand for 3 months, does this mean I have to do a 30 day visa run to a neighbouring country to Laos, Vietnam for example or can I just enter Thailand for 1 hour to renew the 30 day visa for Laos.

( 3 ) My British passport has only 4 pages left. I know that there is no British Embassey in Vientiane, Laos, and that the Australian Embassy deals with all British enquries. Does anyone know if I can renew my passport at the Australian Embassy in Laos or is it best i go to Bangkok?. Also can you advise me on the cost of renewing my passport and how many days it takes, I have been informed that I can take my passport and for a small charge they will post it to me once it has been processed. Also what documentation do I need to provide for the renewing of my passport?

Any help on above matters would be greatly appriciated.

Kind Regards

Block 2

[CyberViking]

Can anyone please explain what this circled 3 means?. Can I go back to Vientiane, Laos and apply for a new 60 day tourist visa?. I spoke to a friend from switzerland and he said that he belived it meant that i had to leave the kingdom for 3 months or more. Is this true?.

The circled 3 means you had 3x30-day entry stamps within 180 days. You can only get three 30-day visa exempt entry stamps in a 180-day period. A tourist visa does not "restart" the 180-day clock. Same thing happened to me back in April at Ban Laem, when I miscalculated and was, like, 11 days short of the 180 days.

You going to have to try for another tourist visa from a Thai consulate/embassy in another country. I myself quit doing the 30-day border runs 'cause of all the associated hassle (and waste of passport pages). By the looks of things in this thread, even tourist visas might start getting iffy. One hopes for the best. Good luck.

[block2]

Can anyone please explain what this circled 3 means?. Can I go back to Vientiane, Laos and apply for a new 60 day tourist visa?. I spoke to a friend from switzerland and he said that he belived it meant that i had to leave the kingdom for 3 months or more. Is this true?.

The circled 3 means you had 3x30-day entry stamps within 180 days. You can only get three 30-day visa exempt entry stamps in a 180-day period. A tourist visa does not "restart" the 180-day clock. Same thing happened to me back in April at Ban Laem, when I miscalculated and was, like, 11 days short of the 180 days.

You going to have to try for another tourist visa from a Thai consulate/embassy in another country. I myself quit doing the 30-day border runs 'cause of all the associated hassle (and waste of passport pages). By the looks of things in this thread, even tourist visas might start getting iffy. One hopes for the best. Good luck.

Hi Viking,

Thankyou for explaining the circled 3....I'm still non the wiser though as I did the same last Oct and am still here nearly a year later. Unless April 9th had something to do with the last time I did this. (Start of a New Year!). I'll try to apply for a new tourist visa in Laos again, but will take my belongings just in case I have to stay there for 3 months.

Regards

Block2

[lopburi3]

You are not limited to the number of entries on 30 day stamps - the restriction is 90 days in a six month period and periods are not re-set by tourist visas. The numbers are used by officers to be able to count the days.

[Jingthing]

You are not limited to the number of entries on 30 day stamps - the restriction is 90 days in a six month period and periods are not re-set by tourist visas. The numbers are used by officers to be able to count the days.

How are the numbers reset? I would assume the first use of a 30 day stamp in a given period, correct?

[cali4995]

I had the same Roy... I wanted a 30-day extension on my 60-day tourist visa. I also went to Nong Khai and was told "No can do" and he offered me 7 days. It wasn't Adolf, he is a polite guy but just couldn't do it. So I had to leave to kick in the second leg of my tourist visa.

Did you receive and pay for your 7 day extension, or did you just inquire and not go ahead with it and opt for a border run instead?

This is bad news. If we can't be gauranteed a 30 day extension on tourist visas, then definitely it's time to move on.

Strange that these isolated reports of people only getting 7-day 1st

extensions on tourist visas comes from such out of the way places

as Nong-Khai or Ubon Ratchatani. Looking at the immigration.go.th

website, I see they've actually already been doing this for some.

"Foreigners applying for the first time for an extension of stay are

given a 30 day extension from the date of expiry of the original

admission, except for citizens of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Iran,

Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Togo, and Uganda, whose application

for extension of stay will not be approved and the applicants are

ordered to leave the kingdom within seven days."

It's understandable they are trying to separate those on a genuine

holiday from people working on tourist visas, or those trying to

retire on tourist visas. In the interim, everyone is inconvenienced.

[justarrived]

Sorry I am in hurry and can't use the search function.

I have heard that the tourist visa is limited to 2 in 360 days. Could anybody confirm this statement?

Or is there any link I can learn more about that law?

Thanks a lot for your help

[Lite Beer]

Sorry I am in hurry and can't use the search function.

I have heard that the tourist visa is limited to 2 in 360 days. Could anybody confirm this statement?

Or is there any link I can learn more about that law?

Thanks a lot for your help

There is no limit

[mrmark]

Good luck people - if you've never been ripped off in Thailand, this is where it all starts. With the Thai government. Yes, believe it or not - they are here to rip is off as much as they can, and the moment they think they've had enough (of your money) they'll make up a rule and send you on your merry way. Welcome to Thailand.

Three of us arrived in BKK on the same day, one Australia, an American, and one from India. All 3 of us had the same 3 month VISA you're talking about. The Australian got a 30 day stamp, the American a 60 day, and the Indian a 60 day. When the Yank and the Ozzy went in for renewal - 30 day extension for the American and 60 day extension for the Australian, also for 1,900 Baht. The Indian got 7 days only for the same price. You figure it out - none of us can...

[Kaojai]

I've always used the chain of command in other countries (US, UK, EU). Does that not work here in LOS?

Another reason a Thai will not counter another Thai - is they band together, right or wrong - especially if the outsider is a farang. It's a similar mentality of prison gangs or nightclub fights: if one of 'my brethren' gets threatened, I'm going to jump in the fray and do anything (fair or not) to defeat the other guy. Whether 'my brethren' is right or wrong in the scenario is inconsequential. ....the important thing is sticking up for one's own kind.

sad but true.

Same same a major contingent of posters on TV. Farang = always right. Thai = always wrong.

If the facts don't merit condemnation, then the speculation generator is engaged.

At one time I was amazed by the thinly veiled, hate-filled posts here on virtually every topic in the "news" and "visas" topic threads. Now I just check to see how virtually any topic will be twisted to suit the Negativity Brigade's agenda. Considering all the anti-Thai sentiments expressed here, and demonstrated everyday by these same people in their interactions with Thais, there is no mystery why many Thais may feel anti-farang.

It's difficult to imagine why people who are so obviously unhappy here would want to remain here. I can only guess that they expected to be treated like little princes and were disappointed that Thais are not particularly impressed by them. That and/or they came to Thailand because they couldn't afford to live elsewhere and now feel trapped because they find the alternatives even less attractive.

[tropo]

You are not limited to the number of entries on 30 day stamps - the restriction is 90 days in a six month period and periods are not re-set by tourist visas. The numbers are used by officers to be able to count the days.

How are the numbers reset? I would assume the first use of a 30 day stamp in a given period, correct?

I you read Block2's post carefully you'll discover that his count was reset in April after his first 6 month (180 day) period was finished and they started back at '1' again.

[tropo]

I had the same Roy... I wanted a 30-day extension on my 60-day tourist visa. I also went to Nong Khai and was told "No can do" and he offered me 7 days. It wasn't Adolf, he is a polite guy but just couldn't do it. So I had to leave to kick in the second leg of my tourist visa.

Did you receive and pay for your 7 day extension, or did you just inquire and not go ahead with it and opt for a border run instead?

This is bad news. If we can't be gauranteed a 30 day extension on tourist visas, then definitely it's time to move on.

Strange that these isolated reports of people only getting 7-day 1st

extensions on tourist visas comes from such out of the way places

as Nong-Khai or Ubon Ratchatani. Looking at the immigration.go.th

website, I see they've actually already been doing this for some.

Maybe because geniune tourists would not normally stay in those areas.

[tropo]

Good luck people - if you've never been ripped off in Thailand, this is where it all starts. With the Thai government. Yes, believe it or not - they are here to rip is off as much as they can, and the moment they think they've had enough (of your money) they'll make up a rule and send you on your merry way. Welcome to Thailand.

Three of us arrived in BKK on the same day, one Australia, an American, and one from India. All 3 of us had the same 3 month VISA you're talking about. The Australian got a 30 day stamp, the American a 60 day, and the Indian a 60 day. When the Yank and the Ozzy went in for renewal - 30 day extension for the American and 60 day extension for the Australian, also for 1,900 Baht. The Indian got 7 days only for the same price. You figure it out - none of us can...

It often happens that an Immigration Officer fails to see a visa in a passport and stamps 30 days instead of the allowed 60 days.

I'd bet this is what happened in the Australian's case.

There are 3 steps you can take to ensure this does not happen:

1. Make sure your visa number is marked on your arrival card.

2. Bookmark your visa with your arrival card to insure the officers sees it.

3. Check your stamp immediately to see if you've been given 60 days. If not, immediately bring it to the atttention of the officer.

If you discover you've been stamped incorrectly later, once you've already left the airport, you can rectify the situation at an Immigration Office.

[block2]

You are not limited to the number of entries on 30 day stamps - the restriction is 90 days in a six month period and periods are not re-set by tourist visas. The numbers are used by officers to be able to count the days.

How are the numbers reset? I would assume the first use of a 30 day stamp in a given period, correct?

I you read Block2's post carefully you'll discover that his count was reset in April after his first 6 month (180 day) period was finished and they started back at '1' again.

Thankyou For replying Tropo.

Don't want to come across as a fool but i reckon theres a lot more having the same problem as me. I still cant get my head round this 180 days in a six month period. It's the 1st time I have had a circled 3 in me passport.....can I do what I did in april and just extend this last stamp for 7 days and then does it start all over again from 1.

Failing that if I have to leave for 3 month and live in Laos can I cross over back into Thailand every 30 days to renew my visa for Laos or am I barred from entering Thailand for 3 month.

Your advice or anyones would be greatly appriciated.

Kind regards

Block2

[tropo]

You are not limited to the number of entries on 30 day stamps - the restriction is 90 days in a six month period and periods are not re-set by tourist visas. The numbers are used by officers to be able to count the days.

How are the numbers reset? I would assume the first use of a 30 day stamp in a given period, correct?

I you read Block2's post carefully you'll discover that his count was reset in April after his first 6 month (180 day) period was finished and they started back at '1' again.

Thankyou For replying Tropo.

Don't want to come across as a fool but i reckon theres a lot more having the same problem as me. I still cant get my head round this 180 days in a six month period. It's the 1st time I have had a circled 3 in me passport.....can I do what I did in april and just extend this last stamp for 7 days and then does it start all over again from 1.

Failing that if I have to leave for 3 month and live in Laos can I cross over back into Thailand every 30 days to renew my visa for Laos or am I barred from entering Thailand for 3 month.

Your advice or anyones would be greatly appriciated.

Kind regards

Block2

There's a few questions here, so let me try to clear them up one at a time.

First of all, when you get a 30 day stamp, you are not getting a visa, in fact it is a visa-exempt entry. Visas are usually one page stickers like the ones you get in Laos when you enter, or from the Thai Consulate.

1. If you've already stayed for 90 days in any 6 month period, you've stayed as long as you can on visa-exempt (30 day stamp) entries. If that is the case, you won't be allowed entry into Thailand to take care of your Laos visa runs, so you'd probably have to visa run to Cambodia or Vietnam.

2. If you've reached near the limit of your visa-exempt entries (90 days), then it's a waste of money to go to Immigration to get a 7 day extension. For the 1,900 baht you'd be better off booking a air-ticket to Penang, or taking a bus to Laos to get another tourist visa.

3. For the time being it is still possible to stay in Thailand full-time on a combination of Tourist Visas and 30 day visa exempt entries, so it isn't necessary for you to spend 3 months in Laos.

I stress "for the time being" as we don't have a clue about how things will go in the future, and one thing is certain, rules and policies are always changing.

[cali4995]

Block2, here is "the rule" from the ministry of foreign affairs website.

"Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry."

Your second 6th month period started with this entry below at mae-sot, hence the

highlighted/circled #1 next to the stamp.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11th Apr - 10th May...

30 day visa from Mae Sot, which the immigration officer put a circled 1 next to stamp.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You have to count 6 months forward which is more like 183 days.

6 month Period begins 11th April, 6 month Period ends 10th October.

I think cyberviking got it right. It's too much hassle. You will come-up short and

then you have to count on them giving you an additional 7-day extension or

you have to plan on spending extra days in Laos to put you over the 6-month

hurdle. You certainly don't want to use up all your visa exempt days because

you can't ever be sure what they're going to do. Stick with the tourist visas

and then if you are denied you still have visa-exempt days left.

Note: My apologies Tropo, you posted while I was composing.

Could have saved myself the headache.

Edited September 4, 2007 by cali4995

[jkoll724]

Hi guys,

reading your posts here and must say it interesting yet quite confusing reading. Here is what happened to me I would appreciate if any of you could actually see the thinking process and tried to explain it to me.

- I came to Thailand on Czech passport with one year category "O" in it. Lived here happily almost full year without realizing the need

for 90 days periodical checkins at the immigration hence got "busted" at Suvarnabhumi trying to go for a short visit to Australia (new addition to my passport that time read: overstay 130 days - penalty 20,000 baht). Yeah I know should have checked etc etc. My fault.

- Came back from Australia got 3 months visaclass "non-O" till 27 Jun 07

- Trying to be smarter this time went for another 3 months extension to Mae Sot on 8 Jun and yes got another "non-O" again for 3 months (ie. exp. 5 Sep 07)

- NOW again some juicy bits:

Booked another trip to Australia for 28 Sep to do my taxes there, thinking I will grab another 30 days extension in MaeSot which will easily cover the period from 5 Sep to my departure.

So headed up there today (well its 4th isn't it) only to be politely informed that I am now only elibile for 15 DAYS extension (not 30) as I came with Czech passport. Also apparently this is my third time extesion after which I would not be eligible for any other one!!?? !!

Little pushing back and forth with the officer but I was always gonna get the shorter end of the stick as you, living here a little longer, have probably already guessed.

So with a need to rebook my plane ticket on my mind I need to ask if any of you know why:

a) Am I only getting a 15 day extension (TR15 visa)

Is there any limit for the number one can extend his/her tourist visa? Three times and its all over? I thought there is large number of expats which have been living here with these for ages.

Anyway dont get me wrong, I realize I could have been more deligent in chasing up a "proper" visa but for various mainly family reason was unable to do so. Nevetheless can you help me to understand this?

Thank you

jkoll

[tropo]

You should start a new thread with this inquiry. It involves a non-O category visa which is different from a tourist visa. Specific knowledge of these type of visas will be necessary in order to answer you questions.

You should include more details on when you arrived (dates), and about the visa itself as your post is confusing.

I would be curious to know how you so easily get non-O visas, even after a lengtly overstay.

15 day extensions are all that is offered to people of certain nationalities. Maybe you are in that category.

Edited September 4, 2007 by tropo

[jkoll724]

tropo: Thanks for speedy reply mate. Yeah I am just trying to get it out of my chest too quick, sorry for the confusing post.

How did I get the "Non-O"? Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps they felt sorry for having to charge me 20,000 baht for overstay...you can see I am new to all this so really not sure how it went from O to Non-O and not tourist or anything else.

I can just tell you that "non-O" was automatically stamped to my passport at Suvarnabhum on my first return here after the huge overstay fiasco.

15 days extension: Yup I was shown the countries "sorting out" table while protesting about the shortness. I just don't get how

did I fell from 3 months "non-O" to barely two weeks tourist visa

I will open a new thread as you suggest to stop hijacking this one, thanks.

Edited September 4, 2007 by jkoll724

[lopburi3]

A tourist visa for your nationality allows a 30 day stay - it can be extended up to a total stay of 90 days only. Others get a 60 day stay and can extend one time for 30 days for the same 90 day total.

You are not allowed visa exempt entry - so the only thing you can obtain by crossing border and return is a 15 day visa on arrival.

[block2]

Hi Tropo, Cali4995, And Viking

Can't thankyou all enough for putting it into plain english for me....it's made me and my girlfriend and the baby very happy.

Have just had some terrible news my girlfriends sister has just been involved in a motorbike accident with a car.....she has had to have a leg amputated and the thai lad that was driving the bike has lost an arm and a leg. The crazy thing about it, is her brother was coming home from working the local market, his friend as over took him and hit the bike coming in the other direction. So they all knew each other.

I just hope that the thai embassy in laos grant me a further tourist visa as my girlfriend and family really need me at the moment. I couldn't bare to be apart from them for 3 months now this as happened.

Again I can't thank you enough for putting my mind at rest.

Kind regards

Block

[JimmyCA]

I've always used the chain of command in other countries (US, UK, EU). Does that not work here in LOS?

Another reason a Thai will not counter another Thai - is they band together, right or wrong - especially if the outsider is a farang. It's a similar mentality of prison gangs or nightclub fights: if one of 'my brethren' gets threatened, I'm going to jump in the fray and do anything (fair or not) to defeat the other guy. Whether 'my brethren' is right or wrong in the scenario is inconsequential. ....the important thing is sticking up for one's own kind.

sad but true.

Same same a major contingent of posters on TV. Farang = always right. Thai = always wrong.

If the facts don't merit condemnation, then the speculation generator is engaged.

At one time I was amazed by the thinly veiled, hate-filled posts here on virtually every topic in the "news" and "visas" topic threads. Now I just check to see how virtually any topic will be twisted to suit the Negativity Brigade's agenda. Considering all the anti-Thai sentiments expressed here, and demonstrated everyday by these same people in their interactions with Thais, there is no mystery why many Thais may feel anti-farang.

It's difficult to imagine why people who are so obviously unhappy here would want to remain here. I can only guess that they expected to be treated like little princes and were disappointed that Thais are not particularly impressed by them. That and/or they came to Thailand because they couldn't afford to live elsewhere and now feel trapped because they find the alternatives even less attractive.

Never heard that said before. For sure thais make alot of mistakes about which they refuse to consider another view. Thai style, nothing can be done about it.

[Lancelot]

Did you receive and pay for your 7 day extension, or did you just inquire and not go ahead with it and opt for a border run instead?

This is bad news. If we can't be gauranteed a 30 day extension on tourist visas, then definitely it's time to move on.

Nowwho hates the Thai people? Its their country, they may do as they please.

PS-You never bought me a coffee, you cheap charlie

Edited September 4, 2007 by Lancelot

[keg]

I was in the Nong Khai Immigration Office last week for about an hour to obtain a letter for a drivers license. During that hour 6 or 7 farangs came in for 30 day extensions of tourist visas and the response to all was the same "new law, only 7 days now, if you want more go Lao". The price for the 7 day was still 1900baht and they all left without getting an extensions. I had my wife ask him when the new law went into effect and he did not answer but went on a bit of a rant about farangs. Her polite translation was "he speak no good farangs".

[TAWP]

On the flight to Malaysia I overheard a british fella talking to a Canadian 'early retiree-traveling-asia'-guy how easy it was to live on 2 months Visa and 30 day extension, back to back, and that he had been doing it for 7 years sofar. Ofcourse he was in his 50ies, greyish hairs and arms full of tatoos - noticed a swastika midarm, lower left, which I found especially tasty.

I couldn't help feeling that the taightened control had missed a few and made live harder for some it shouldn't.