65 Day Tourist Stay? Plane Ticket Already Booked...

[anjanj]

Hi all,

My friend has booked a return ticket from London to Bangkok for the 2 of us across a period of 65 days. Unfortunately he did this before reading about visa requirements.

I am wondering if we will be allowed to extend a 60 day tourist visa even though our return is booked for 65 days after arrival. If not, what are our options?

We are both British nationals, two guys aged 22. If it helps, we will be travelling to other countries in the area so will only spend around 30 days actually in Thailand over the 65 day period. We are not planning to fly to these other countries.

Any help is MUCH appreciated. Thank you so much!

[thaiphoon]

With your travel plans you will obtain 15 day visa exempt entry on each re-entry into the Kingdom by land or 30 days by air. Combined with a single tourist visa that may be enough for you. Depends on your precise travel plans.

[PoorSucker]

Get a 60 day tourist visa at a Thai consulate.

The 60 day tourist visa can be extended with 30 days in Thailand.

Without a air ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or a proper visa your airline can refuse to board your flight.

[Jingthing]

You will probably be boarded with no visa and an AIR ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration at Bangkok airport won't care about your timing and will give you a 30 day stamp on arrival without question. So you might want to consider AIR travel for a trip outside Thailand (then coming back to Thailand by air you get a new 30 day stamp, not 15). If you get a single entry tourist visa it dies when you leave Thailand by land or air unless you apply for a reentry permit at a Thai immigration office, in which case your permission to stay will then be the same 60 days you got upon arrival in Thailand (you don't get to add the days out of Thailand to the stay). Confusing? You could also go for a double entry tourist visa, allowing two 60 day stays and no need for a reentry permit. Basically, you are going to have to plan your trip and then get visas (or not) based on your planned travel dates (including side trips).

Editorial note: while the 15 day stamp given to land crossings (it used to be a more reasonable 30) was designed as a way to harass long stay visa runners, your case is a typical example of how stupid it is as it inconveniences REAL tourists like you.

[thaiphoon]

Get a 60 day tourist visa at a Thai consulate.

The 60 day tourist visa can be extended with 30 days in Thailand.

Without a air ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or a proper visa your airline can refuse to board your flight.

The Op plans trips in/out of Thailand. The permission to stay on tourist visa will expire on departure from the Kingdom, so applying for an extension will not work. He is going to have to rely on visa exempt entry thereafter on re-entry, unless has visa allowing more than one entry, or obtains a new visa. Even obtaining a re-entry permit will only preserve the initial 60 day permission to stay.

[Jingthing]

To simplify this a little bit, I think right now your basic starting choices are --

1. No visa, buy an air ticket to another country that leaves within 30 days of arrival in Thailand

Sample trip. Thailand 17 days (on 30 day stamp). Vietnam by air 10 days (visa needed for Vietnam, can be sorted online). Thailand 10 days (on 30 day stamp). Cambodia by land 10 days. Thailand 5 days (on 15 day stamp). Malaysia by land 10 days. Thailand 3 days on 15 day stamp.

2. Single entry tourist visa in which case you will probably need to get a reentry permit in Thailand

3. Double entry tourist visa. This option would provide more flexibility and timed well would avoid the need for any reentry permits

Timing is everything.

To avoid troubles, I am afraid you're going to have to learn a bit about the ins and outs of the visa system here.

I'm too lazy right now to spec sample trips for the tourist visa options.

So you don't sue me, for the no visa option 1., I should say that while your airline SHOULD board you with an air ticket out within 30 days there is a chance they may give you some flak about not having any visa given your RT timing back home. In my view, there may be a very small risk of not being boarded although I don't recall anyone ever reporting that happening on thaivisa (if showing the AIR ticket out within 30 days).