This topic may have been discussed before, but I'd like to get the latest info.

I've entered Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa (I'm eligible for the tourist visa exemption, so my passport was just stamped at BKK airport).

Now, I'm thinking of extending my stay for another 30 days.

Is this doable without leaving the country?.

My current visa expires on April 23. How soon before that should I apply (if that's even possible) for an extension?.

Currently staying at Pattaya.

TIA

You do not have a tourist visa, but a visa exempt entry. This cannot be extended.

If you want an extra 30 days, you have to elave the country and fly back in. if you come back by land, you will only get 15 days.

Alternatively get a tourist visa in a neighbouring country, good fro 60 days which can be extended by 30 days.

You say the 30-day visa exempt entry cannot be extended. However I have heard that you can get a 7-day extension on it from immigration office. Can anyone confirm that and also whether any special reason is needed for this extension? My husband's mum is planning to come over for 5 weeks and it's too late for her to get a tourist visa out of country now, so we need to figure out the best option for her stay. I'd rather not send her on the minibus trip to Burma if it can be avoided!

It can not be extended - but immigration can refuse the extension once application is made and that can provide up to 7 days to exit the country. They will normally do this but may require proof of the outbound ticket. The OP was asking about a 30 day extension of stay and that is not possible for tourist reasons.

My husband's mum is planning to come over for 5 weeks and it's too late for her to get a tourist visa out of country now, so we need to figure out the best option for her stay. I'd rather not send her on the minibus trip to Burma if it can be avoided!

Staying more than 30 days She needs a Visa before leaving.

Without one she may well be refused entry to the flight to BKK

If you google Thailand immigration translate http://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=th&u=http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php&ei=Dwu-T_mLJsqtiQeytM3WDw&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CGYQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthailand%2Bimmigration%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26tbo%3Dd

On the right under featured service it currently states a 7 day extension is possible but not at intl airport. It wasnt a good translation but I think if the officials at the airport wanted to then they could - probably too busy to want to be hit with requests regularly. Sounded like you fill in a form and email it for the 7 day extension, it said one day prior and pay a fee.

Elsewhere it said a one day overstay was free and extra days charged at 500bht per day to max of 20000 which can be prepaid. There is also a 1111 phone number to ring apparently.

Hope this helps.

Overstay is not free but if only one day and air departure no charge is made - but if more than one day it will be charged along with others. In either case you may receive an overstay stamp in passport.

That 7 days is not an approved extension (it will be marked disapproved) but in effect allows 7 days to depart without overstay so useful when no other option.