I was granted an O-A retirement visa with an issue date of August 10. I entered Thailand for the first time with my new visa on September 3. I need to go to Singapore next week, and I ned some advice on ensureing I don't have a visa problem. My visa is marked as "M" under number of entries.

Since my visa is marked "M", do I need any special permits to leave Thailand for 5 days and then return? Also, when I reenter does that start a new 90 day reporting period?

This is a great forum and the help is greatly apprecialted!

Just leave and return for a new one year stay. 90 days later make address report if you do not leave again. Any entry on the visa will be a new one year until the actual visa expires. When visa expires (any entry after that) will will need re-entry permit to keep your last permitted to stay alive.

The "M" = Multiple which is number of entries, you can basically go in and out whenever you want, each re-entry would start a new 90 day period.

Each entry on a non immigrant O-A visa gets a one year permitted to stay. Other non immigrant visa entry is 90 days but not "O-A".

To be 100% sure and safe go to the Immigration department where you live and ask there.

For 3,800 baht you can buy a multi re-entry permit and have no worries at all.

To be 100% sure and safe go to the Immigration department where you live and ask there.

For 3,800 baht you can buy a multi re-entry permit and have no worries at all.

Absolutely not! With a multiple O-A visa, every entry -- up to visa expiration date -- gets you a new 365-day permission stamp. If you get a re-entry permit, this will void any new 365-day stamp, instead granting permission up to the expiration date of your last stamp (i.e., until 2 Sept 2012 in your situation). Don't get a re-entry permit until after 10 Aug 2012, when your O-A visa expires.

[Note: Another check to ensure your visa is multiple entry is that it is good for one-year. A single entry would only be good for 3-months.]