Hi guys and girls

I am due to pick up my multiple entry TV (3 entries) from the Thai Embassy in London tomorrow but think I may have boobed with my timings

briefly I fly to Australia next week but do not get to Thailand until the 28th December.

say for the sake of argument my visa is dated 1st October what is the best means of maximizing my stay in Thailand

I was hoping to stay until June or July with a combination of visa runs and extensions but it is the 'use all visas by expiry date' comments that are confusing me a bit

I realise with hindsight I should have waited and got the visas from an embassy in Australia but I wanted to get all the organizing out of the way (first trip to Thailand so we live and learn)

many thanks for your help

Important is the 'use before date', stamped in the visa. That is the last entry, for another 60 days, plus the option for 30 days extension.

I hope (there is another discussion about this) for you, this will be around end of march, 180 days validity

If it is like that, and you have the last entry then, it will get you to end of June.

Edited October 3, 201213 yr by noob7

There should be a use by date for a 3 entry usually 6 months from date of issue. As noob said use your last entry before that date and you have 60 days and then another 30 with extension at immigration.

^^ What they said...

Calculating 180 days from 1st October should take you up to ~30th March. This will be the 'enter before' date on the visa.

Your last entry, if used on/by 30th March will see you through up to 28th June, which includes the final 30 day extension.

I doubt you'll be able to squeeze any more than that out of it. The final reckoning depends on the exact 'enter before' date.

Edited October 3, 201213 yr by SimonD

If your triple enrty visa was issued on 1 Oct, it should be valid for 6 months ans the "must enter by" date should be the last day of March 2013.

When you enter you will get 60 days permission to stay which should give you until the end of Feb 2013. The day before yor 60 days permission to stay exit and reenter Thailand (border run), you will get another 60 days permisssion to stay until late April. Ignore the expiration date of the permission to stay stamp and exit and reenter (border run) Thailand the day before the "must enter by" date on your VISA, the last day of March. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS THE VISA IS A TICKET TO ENTER THAILAND ANS IS INVALID AFTER THE "MUST ENTER BY" DATE!!! When you reenter you will get another 60 days permission to stay which should take you to the end of May. During the last 30 days of that permission to stay go to immigration and extend for 30 days. That should get you somwhere near the end of June. Then you must exit Thailand. You can get a new visa in a neighboring country or reenter on a visa exempt entry but you will only get 15 days by land or 30 days by air. Visa exempt entries can not be extended for more than 7 days. You got the visa too early to get the maximum benefit but is sometimes difficult if you are travelling..

Theis senario is minimum coast. Each border run, 2, will cost you travel expenses plus the cost of the visa to enter whichever country that you go to (Loas, $35, Cambodia, $20, Myanmar, 500 baht and Malaysia, free). The one 30 day extension will cost you 1900 baht at Thai immigration.

Thanks everyone

picked up my visa today, and as you all thought it has an 'enter before date' of 31st March 2012.

so if I have now got my head round this I get 60 days from entry date in my case end December to end Feb then can extend for 30 days to end March for 1900 Baht

border run to Myanmar (I am staying in Chiang Mai) ensuring it is before 31st March gets me another 60 days plus another 30 extension and I am up to end June or close enough which is fine.

This is slightly different to your suggestion, WAYNE D, which involves 2 border runs but only one extension.

is either way acceptable or have I missed something important like using all 3 visas?

again thanks to all who replied, your help is appreciated from a first timer!

Thanks everyone

picked up my visa today, and as you all thought it has an 'enter before date' of 31st March 2012.

so if I have now got my head round this I get 60 days from entry date in my case end December to end Feb then can extend for 30 days to end March for 1900 Baht

border run to Myanmar (I am staying in Chiang Mai) ensuring it is before 31st March gets me another 60 days plus another 30 extension and I am up to end June or close enough which is fine.

This is slightly different to your suggestion, WAYNE D, which involves 2 border runs but only one extension.

is either way acceptable or have I missed something important like using all 3 visas?

again thanks to all who replied, your help is appreciated from a first timer!

If you thinking to go to Myanmar, on your own:

Get some brand new US$ for the visa fee in Burma.

Edited October 4, 201213 yr by noob7

Thanks everyone

picked up my visa today, and as you all thought it has an 'enter before date' of 31st March 2012.

so if I have now got my head round this I get 60 days from entry date in my case end December to end Feb then can extend for 30 days to end March for 1900 Baht

border run to Myanmar (I am staying in Chiang Mai) ensuring it is before 31st March gets me another 60 days plus another 30 extension and I am up to end June or close enough which is fine.

This is slightly different to your suggestion, WAYNE D, which involves 2 border runs but only one extension.

is either way acceptable or have I missed something important like using all 3 visas?

again thanks to all who replied, your help is appreciated from a first timer!

Thanks everyone

picked up my visa today, and as you all thought it has an 'enter before date' of 31st March 2012.

so if I have now got my head round this I get 60 days from entry date in my case end December to end Feb then can extend for 30 days to end March for 1900 Baht

border run to Myanmar (I am staying in Chiang Mai) ensuring it is before 31st March gets me another 60 days plus another 30 extension and I am up to end June or close enough which is fine.

This is slightly different to your suggestion, WAYNE D, which involves 2 border runs but only one extension.

is either way acceptable or have I missed something important like using all 3 visas?

again thanks to all who replied, your help is appreciated from a first timer!

Your plan is fine.