I'm planning on a 2 month trip to Thailand. After spending 3 or 4 days in Bangkok, I plan on going overland to the temples in Cambodia for 4 or 5 days and then returning to Thailand. If I arrange a 60 day tourist visa before arrriving in Bangkok, is it possible to not activate my visa and get a 30 day visa redemtion and to activate my visa when I return to Thailand from Cambodia?

Thanks for any input.

Not likely. Recent experiences reported here indicate Immigration will insist on using a valid visa if seen. This is a change from previous policy and seems to be firm.

It depends on the immigration officer. I was in the same situation about 2 weeks ago. I was arriving in Bangkok and only staying for 3 days, then planning to leave the country and return again. On my initial arrival, the immigration officer at the airport saw that I had a tourist visa in my passport. I told him I was only staying 3 days and didn't want to use the visa. He said ok and gave me the 30 days. When I re-entered later, I was able to use the visa.

It depends on the immigration officer. I was in the same situation about 2 weeks ago. I was arriving in Bangkok and only staying for 3 days, then planning to leave the country and return again. On my initial arrival, the immigration officer at the airport saw that I had a tourist visa in my passport. I told him I was only staying 3 days and didn't want to use the visa. He said ok and gave me the 30 days. When I re-entered later, I was able to use the visa.

Lucky ,

Thai Immigration has instruction to use a Visa if a vaild Visa is in the passport.

It might help if you have a confirmed travel itinery with you.

This topic has come up several times, especially in the recent past.

I concur with 'lopburi3"; it is highly unlikely that Passport Control aka Immigrations at Suvarnabhumi Airport will stamp you in on a 30 day visa exempt stamp while you have a valid but unused tourist visa already in your passport.

Recent reports, (two people I know, who flew in on different days about two weeks ago tried to do just what you've outlined). They were both told they could get a 30 day visa exempt stamp BUT Immigrations would cancel the unused tourist visa. Immigrations told them to 'pick one or the other', but they wouldn't stamp them in on a 30 day visa exempt without canceling the tourist visa too. (One of the people had an unused double entry tourist visa, and when he enquired if they'd just cancel one entry, they said no, they'd cancel the entire tourist visa. ..

The O/P might be better served flying in on a 30 day visa exempt stamp, going to Cambodia and then securing a tourist visa for thailand at the consulate or embassy there for the return to thailand after the 'temple tour'.

Duplicate passport would do the job, but probably more trouble and expense to obtain than it's worth just for this.

Why not just obtain 2 separate Tourist Visas in your passport while in your home country -- I know can be done for other countries i.e. 2 separate applications applied for at the same time or otherwise ... and TTBOMK they are still free.

You can not have more than one valid visa in your passport for Thailand. You can have a visa valid for more than one entry.

Corrected then .. dual or multi-entry Tourist visa ... or maybe like #6 above dual personalities.

Thanks for the replies guys. It seems that i'm going to have to get a double enrty tourist visa before I come to Thailand or get a single entry, then another single entry in Cambodia. I was only planning on visiting the Angkor temples, but thinking about it, a trip down to Phnom Pehn (I can get my visa sorted there) and Sihanoukville would be an interesting extension to the trip. However, the best option would be the double entry visa, anyone know if they are issued free at Hull?

Thanks.