Multiple Trips To Thailand - Which Visa?

[travelbug12]

Need guidance on which visa I should apply for. My family and I (hubby and 2 small kids) are planning a summer trip to Bangkok. We have family there so we are using Bangkok as our holding post. We are all US Citizens and have 30 days visa exempt. We fly in to Bangkok and our final departure is out of Bangkok, about 100days later. In betwee, we will be visiting other countries so at a stretch, we would not be in Bangkok for more than a month except for the 1st hop. Can we get a single entry tourist visa for the first hop and use our visa exempt status for the remaining 2 hops? Is that allowed?

Where we live, there is just another Honorary Consul. He suggested that he can give me a double entry tourist visa valid for 6 months. Can I get an extention for another entry from the Immigration office in Thailand?

[wayned]

Since you want to enter and re-enter Thailand, I would go for a double, or even triple entry tourist visa. You will get 60 days on entry extendable tfor 30 additional days. Visa exempt will work, but you only get 30 days permission to stay if you enter by air and only 15 days by land. It really depends on your travel plans and how long you intend to remain in Thailand on each entry.

[travelbug12]

Except for the 1st hop where I will be in Bangkok for 6 weeks, the rest of the hops will be under 30 days. In that case, if I get a single entry tourist visa, I can use the visa exampt for the rest of the hops? Do I have to get visas for kids? They are 7 and 5 years old.

[travelbug12]

And, all the hops will be by air so I should get 30 days visa exempt per entry?

[Mario2008]

Yes, only for the first stay fo you ned a tourst visa. Your children will also need a visa. For the other flights you and the children will get 30 days for free.

[travelbug12]

Will the airline bother me if I get the sngle entry tourist visa? I understand it will be valid for 90 days from date of issuance. My final outbound out of Thailand is slightly over 90 days.

[wayned]

With your plans, a single entry tourist visa will work fine for all of you. Your children do need visas. As long as you have a visa, the airline should not be a problem