I intend to visit Thailand this September, looking to stay for as long as possible into next year, however I also need to be back in the UK for two or three weeks in November of this year. Would my best option be to arrive visa exempt in September and extended for 30 days at an immigration office, then apply for a multiple entry tourist visa when back in the UK in November to maximise my length of stay, or could the visa exempt entry plus 30 day extension actually lower my chances of the tourist visa being granted such a short time later, in which case I’d simply arrive on a multi entry tourist visa in September? I should add that, if relevant, my previous stay in Thailand was from early November of last year until early April of this year, using a multiple entry tourist visa (British national). Hope that makes sense. Many thanks.

Apologies for the lack of spaces between paragraphs, there seems to be a problem with the formatting.

Pretty sure the embassy will have no idea you were just in Thailand when you apply for the METV so can't see a problem with that plan.

21 minutes ago, brotherother said:

in which case I’d simply arrive on a multi entry tourist visa in September? I

IMO... Just obtain METV e-Visa for your entry in September.

Yes but applying for the visa in November as opposed to September would give me an extra two months stay next year.

6 minutes ago, brotherother said:

Yes but applying for the visa in November as opposed to September would give me an extra two months stay next year.

A METV can provide a stay of up to 9 months.

You are aware of your options.

Not sure point of thread.

OK, as stated in my original post, my intention is to stay in Thailand for as long as possible (using an METV). In this regard, applying in November instead of September would of course be the better option. My question is - and the point of this thread - would my chances of the visa being granted in November be lowered having entered visa exempt (plus a 30 day extension) a relatively short time previously?

2 minutes ago, brotherother said:

- would my chances of the visa being granted in November be lowered having entered visa exempt (plus a 30 day extension) a relatively short time previously?

That assumes visa exempt not changed back to 30 by time of travel to Thailand.

The application for METV would not impact by prior ve entry.

Visa, does not guarantee entry.

It's clear what you are doing.