Hey,

First timer here and just need a little direction from y'all.

My 30 day visa (tourist) runs out in the middle of October. I have decided to (want to) stay in Thailand until about mid January which means getting extended for a further 90 days. I know that can't happen with a tourist visa but can anyone let me know if:

1. Its best to keep getting the Immigration Office to renew for 30 days at a time (can I do this?).

2. Get a 30 day extension in mid October thru' Immigration and then when that runs out in November, do a visa run for a further 60 day?

3. When it comes to the visa run where is it best to go from. I'll either be in Bangkok or around Phuket (my plans like my mind are anything but organised!).

Thanks to anyone reading and replying.

Bob

1. You do not have a tourist visa to extend - all you have is a 30 day entry without visa and you are not likely to get more than a 10 day extension on that.

2. 30 day extension not available. Visa run would require obtaining a tourist visa from a Consulate allowing a 60 day stay and 30 day extension of stay and take several days to obtain.

3. You have to go to a foreign Consulate so Penang in Malaysia is one of the best places from both Bangkok and Phuket.

Just to add to the above...

You've 2 choices....either,

1. Make your way to a neighbouring border (normally Cambodia from Bangkok) there are plenty of organised trips that do the day run (do a search here)..........this would however only give you an extra 30 days stay meaning that you would have to repeat the trip in Mid Nov and Mid Dec to take you through to Mid Jan.

2. Make a one off trip to Penang and obtain a single entry tourist visa (plan on 3 night stay in Penang) this would give you a 60 day stay on your return to Thailand which can be extended at local immigration by 30 days to take you through to Mid Jan.

The second option is the best as back to back 30 day border running is slightly frowned upon..........and a pain every month!

If you make the Penang trip make sure you book your flight out in Jan to coincide with when your stay runs out.............the last thing you want is having to do another run to the border for the sake of a couple of days.

Try Vientiane ....... drop off your paperwork by noon and pick up your passport at noon next day.

Either fly from BKK or take the train to Nong Kai.

I would go to Laos before I went to Phonom Phen, Cambodia. The Thai embassy in Phonom Phen is like going to Berlin during WWII to ask Hitler for a favor.