Stay Extension?

[Seth79]

Dear all,

I have a little tricky question.

I am a Swiss national, 30 years old.

I am in Thailand since April 2nd 09. I came here to make a traineeship in order to complete my education in Hotel Management.

My training ends on september 30th and my fly back to Switzerland is on 4th of October.

I entered the Kingdom in Bangkok with a Non Immigrant "ED" Visa, valid through July the 1st.

On end of June, my Resort sent me on a Visa Run to Penang and i got a Non Immigrant "B" Visa, valid through September the 21st.

My question is: As my Non Imm "B" is not valid until my departure date, is it possible to have an extension of stay (as tourist, i want to visit before going home ) at an immigration office (I am on Koh Phangan, near Koh Samui) or is it a must to go out of the country?

Thanks for your help and prompt answer

Best Regards

[Mario2008]

It is not the validity of the visa that is impoirtant, but the permission to stay which was stamped in your passport when you arrived in Thailand. I understand that this one runs out on 21st Sept. and that you don't have a multiple entry visa.

The only extension of stay you would get is a 7 day extension, provided you have an air ticket out of Thailand within those 7 days. I Think you better just leave the country on the 21st of Sept, enter a neighbouring country and come right back to Thailand. That would give you a stay of 15 days at any landborder.

[Lite Beer]

You are going to have to do a border run. Just cross the border and come back again. This will give you 15 days which should be enough.

From where you are most go to Ranong and cross into Burma or the Malaysian border.

A Visa is not needed to enter Malaysia but is needed to enter Burma. You need a crisp $10 Dollar bill for this.

[Seth79]

You are going to have to do a border run. Just cross the border and come back again. This will give you 15 days which should be enough.

From where you are most go to Ranong and cross into Burma or the Malaysian border.

A Visa is not needed to enter Malaysia but is needed to enter Burma. You need a crisp $10 Dollar bill for this.

Thanks for the answer.

The next question is: I will get only a 15 days? Even if I am Swiss and there is an agrement between both contry (Tourists: 30 days without visa)?

Thanks for replying

[Lite Beer]

15 days at a land border and 30 days at an airport checkpoint.

[Seth79]

15 days at a land border and 30 days at an airport checkpoint.

Thanks for answering

The fact is my wife is coming on holidays with my and she arrives in Samui on 20th of September. I don't want to involve her in a exhausting visa run...

If if go on 19th of September, I count correctly if I say that my visa will be valid until 4th of October (19th Sep + 15 days)?

I hope I am not bothering you with little detail question...

Thanks

[Lite Beer]

My maths tell me that is 16 days.

[Seth79]

My maths tell me that is 16 days.

Euh... My maths also tell me it is 16 days...

As far as I know, if i exit the Kingdom after the validity of my visa, I have to pay a fine of 200 THB per day. That means I will have to pay 200 THB at the airport upon departure.

Am I correct or will I get trouble if I no longer have a valid visa on departure?

Many Thanks

[Lite Beer]

With one day of overstay you will not be fined at the airport. Your passport will get an overstay stamp. This should not be a problem. Why not just do the border run a day later?

[Mario2008]

My maths tell me that is 16 days.

Euh... My maths also tell me it is 16 days...

As far as I know, if i exit the Kingdom after the validity of my visa, I have to pay a fine of 200 THB per day. That means I will have to pay 200 THB at the airport upon departure.

Am I correct or will I get trouble if I no longer have a valid visa on departure?

Many Thanks

It is not the validity of the vis, but the permission to stay (the stamp you got that says till what date you are allowed to stay when you entered Thailand) that is important.

The fine for overstay is 500 baht a day, but if you leave by air and only overstay 1 day no fine is collected.

[ParadiseLost]

Unless things have changed, be warned that if you overstay and you are checked by immigration or tourist police anywhere outside the airport you will most likely be arrested.

[lopburi3]

There is normally no problem with Immigration Police and have not heard of anyone being arrested on short overstay for several years. But you are in violation of the law and could face penalties if your luck is bad.

[Seth79]

Thank you all for your answers.

One more question.

If I have a 15 days autorisation in my passport, is it possible to have a stay extension (7 days) at any immigration office? If yes, the 7 days are counted from the date of the demand or are added to the duration of the stamp?

Again, thank you to take time to answer me.

[Mario2008]

Thank you all for your answers.

One more question.

If I have a 15 days autorisation in my passport, is it possible to have a stay extension (7 days) at any immigration office? If yes, the 7 days are counted from the date of the demand or are added to the duration of the stamp?

Again, thank you to take time to answer me.

Yes, you should be able to get a 7 day extension on a visa exempt entry when you have a ticket out of the country within those 7 days. The extension is 1,900 baht and requires a photo.

[Lite Beer]

The 7 days will be added to your current stay.

[Seth79]

Many thanks to everybody for your information and answers.

I will try to find the best solution to stay in the thai law.

Best Regards

[Seth79]

Another precision please...

As LiteBeer told it, if i cross the border on ground, I will have only 15 days stamp.

What if I go in Kuala Lumpur, stay there overnight and come back the following day? Will I get a 30 days stamp as I enter Thailand by air?

I know I can seem asking a lot of details, but I don't want to have problems and running after an immigration stamp during my holidays with my wife...

Thanks Again.

[Mario2008]

By air your will get 30 days, by land 15 days. Doesn't matter if you spend the night in another country, you can come right back into Thailand the same hour if you want.

[Seth79]

By air your will get 30 days, by land 15 days. Doesn't matter if you spend the night in another country, you can come right back into Thailand the same hour if you want.

Just for precision... It is not that I want to stay overnight... but it is not possible to make the Roundtrip Samui-Kuala Lumpu-Samui in one day

Regards

[Lite Beer]

You can go Bangkok-KL-Bangkok in one day with Air Asia on 19 Sept. 3,665 Baht.

[Seth79]

You can go Bangkok-KL-Bangkok in one day with Air Asia on 19 Sept. 3,665 Baht.

Thanks for the info, but i am staying on Koh Phangan and my wife arrives at Samui on 20th ...

[Lite Beer]

Only 2 airlines fly international from Samui.

Bangkok Air. Singapore and Hong Kong. Very expensive and the times do not allow with a day return trip.

Berjaya-Air If they are still doing that route it is only twice a week and again not possible in a day.

If you want to go by air you are going to have to get to Bangkok and go with Air Asia

You could always fly form Samui to Bangkok with Bangkok Air and get an Air Asia flight to KL and do the same coming back. It is not going to be cheap.

[Seth79]

Only 2 airlines fly international from Samui.

Bangkok Air. Singapore and Hong Kong. Very expensive and the times do not allow with a day return trip.

Berjaya-Air If they are still doing that route it is only twice a week and again not possible in a day.

If you want to go by air you are going to have to get to Bangkok and go with Air Asia

You could always fly form Samui to Bangkok with Bangkok Air and get an Air Asia flight to KL and do the same coming back. It is not going to be cheap.

I found Firefly

Samui - KL - Samui, one flight per day in each direction, total price around 5,700 THB

[watcharacters]

Unless things have changed, be warned that if you overstay and you are checked by immigration or tourist police anywhere outside the airport you will most likely be arrested.

Stickman wrote a horrible piece about his experience with a few days overstay a few years ago. I think I would be absolutely certain to not make that mistake

[Seth79]

Dear all,

Thank you for all your advices but now it is time to close this tread...

I went on Sunday 13/09 to KL with Firefly, came back on 14/09.

Roudtrip Samui-KL-Samui was 582 MYR (~ 5500 THB). Now I have my 30 stamp and can stay till my flight home leaves.

Again, Thank you everybody for accurate hints and wonderful "Knowledge Base" you are

See you around...