I was wondering if anyone has done this before or could advise:

I'm a US passport holder with 8 tourist visas in my passport since Nov 2009, not consecutively, from Penang, Hong Kong, and New York. I have been back to the US last year, where I got my 6th tourist visa.

My current tourist visa (obtained in Penang) expires in four days and I'm getting nervous that Penang is going to reject my application (going there because I am in southern Thailand). What do you think my chances are of getting this next tourist visa? How likely is it that I will get red stamped? Do they tend to be more relaxed during this time of year, as it's low season in southern Thailand and perhaps they are less busy?

Alternatively, I read on this forum that you can get triple-entry tourist visas at the Los Angeles Consulate. I was thinking that I would mail my passport to a friend who lives there and have him apply in person for me. Would the consulate get suspicious if they can't find a US entry stamp in my passport?

Or is my best bet to just get a new passport? Mine doesn't expire until 2019 and is already a replacement for a legitimately damaged previous passport.

Thanks for your help.

Believe Penang has policy to not provide tourist visa if you have extended for the extra 30 days regardless of number of visas. Do not believe they use red stamp at present.

Mail application must be from outside of Thailand as if not there will be a stamp in your passport showing you are in country when obtained and visa (even is issued by mistake) would not be valid.

Getting a visa by mail from your home country is actually illegal, as you have NO exit stamp

There is no exit stamp from USA.

I assume he means there would be no exit stamp for Thailand...

There is no exit stamp from USA.

I would leave Thailand (thus getting an exit stamp) and hang out in a neighboring country while I waited for my passport to get sent back to me, then re-enter Thailand. Do you think this would be feasible?

Also, I extended one 2-month tourist visa last year, but the next visa I got after that was in New York, so maybe by returning to my home country I "reset" tourist visa clock?

I seriously doubt LA Consulate will issue visa to a passport showing you are not in the USA and do not believe Penang was using any reset in policy of not issue of new visa if any extensions found - but have not seen any current reporting from there as few seem to use anymore so things may have changed. Check below link for current reports (note last from Penang was February and they were using red stamp at that time for too many tourist visas).

Thanks lopburi3...needed someone else to confirm my suspicion that LA might not do it...

i don't know for LA but when i called the royal thai consulate in my town(liège in belgium), the secretary told me it wouldn't be a problem to give non-B multi entry under this condition(being in a neighbouring country of thailand).

i didn't do it because i had other options in the region, however don't forget that if the police asks you to show your passport in the country you entered, you'll have a big problem and i don't think hiding is what you want...

according to this page http://hdvisa-thailand.com/tourist-visa , it's from a well known visa run guy in koh samui(herbert) you won't be able to obtain another tourist visa even in kota bharu.