Advice On Either Triple Entry Tourist Visa Or Double Entry Tourist Visa?

[bencorbo]

Hey everyone have researched around the forum alittle but need alittle advice!

Me and my girlfriend are planning on leaving the UK sometime in early November 2013 spending a month in Northern Thailand, December in Vietnam, January in Cambodia, Feburary in Laos, then back into Thailand and hopefully in Koh Tao for March 2014 as I’m wanting to start my PADI scuba training there to be an instructor.

Basically by the time we come to Koh Tao in March 2014 we need to have the most possible time allowed on a tourist visa as possible for my girlfriend.

This so far is a very rough plan! But we were think of obtaining a triple tourist visa from the UK before coming which would be better for peace of mind, but relieased we are wasting the time from when it was issued being issued as we are in other countries.

Would it be better for me just to fly into Thailand in November and get 30 days on arrival by air and spend a month in Thailand. Followed by Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos Then applying for a double entry visa in Laos either Vientiane or elsewhere therefore we will get a 180 days from March 2014.

Or would it be better to arrive in Thailand in November on a triple entry visa and extend this just before it expires from date of issue IN March 2014?

Hope you guys can clear this up for me, cheers

Edited January 26, 2013 by bencorbo

[noob7]

I would go for this:

"Would it be better for me just to fly into Thailand in November and get 30 days on arrival by air and spend a month in Thailand. Followed by Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos Then applying for a double entry visa in Laos either Vientiane or elsewhere therefore we will get a 180 days from March 2014."

[Mario2008]

Applying for the double entry in Laos will be better. You would otherwise waiste 1 entry and pay for something you will not use.

[wayned]

One of the problems that you could encounter with your plan is that the Airline might not let you board the flight to Thailand without an outbound ticket during the 30 days. If you intend to fly then you should purchase outbound tickets departing before/at the end of the 30 days. If you intend to travel by land you could have a problem without an outbound ticket.

[koolbreez]

Get at the very least one tourist visa before you leave the UK. This will let you avoid the airline refusing to let you board the plane. After that make your last stop at Vientaine in Laos before returning to Thailand, and get a double entry tourist visa at the THai Consulate there. Or, if you don't want to be locked into making Vientaine your last stop before returning to Thailand (That Thai Consulate is the only one on your itinerary issuing two visas at a time), get three tourist visas before leaving the UK.

[lopburi3]

They could easily avoid any airline issue with a ticket to there next destination within 30 days of arrival in Thailand so maybe not a big issue with this travelers plans.