I am currently in Thailand on a tourist visa. (American Passport). I want to get a Non-Immigrant Visa multiple entry so I will only have to do 3 Visa Runs a year instead of one every month. After reading quite a bit, technically it doesn't seem that I would qualify for this visa as I am really just a touist. So I have two questions:

1. How strict is the letter from a Thai business requirement? ie. I am interested in the exporting business. Can I make a case that I am here for business, speaking with such and such company, (who writes the letter)?

2. If so, can this be done in Thailand or do I need to leave the country and apply?

Any other advice on how to go from a tourist visa to a non-imm visa would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

You cannot get a visa inside of Thailand. If you are unable to get non-imm. then get multiple entry tourist. Tourist is good for 60 days and extended for 30 by immigration, then leave and come back in for 60 plus 30,etc.

Try for a Non-Immigrant Business Visa. The letter can be from yourself and examples are available on the forum. Use a fancy letterhead which can be created on a computer, and note that your appearance may influence the officer's decision. There's no multiple entry tourist visa's. Additional entries MAY be granted on a fee per entry basis. Any visa/s must be utilized within 6 months, whereas a non-immigrant multi entry visa is valid a full year and a creative holder can get nearly 15 month stay

Yes there are multiple entry tourist visas.

No, Multiple Tourist visas dos NOT exist. They come in single, double, triple entry (you can technically have four or five entries as well on a TR, but they must all be utilized within 6 months of issue).

The only flavour that has multiple entries is the Non-Immigrant visa.

Fester I checked with a Thai Consul personally and he assures me that your view is the correct one.