Hi,

I have entered Thailand on a three month ‘O-Type’ visa based on dependency on my wife who is training to be an English teacher.

Her training finishes mid-May and our visas expire at the end of May so it is unlikely that she will have gained employment by the time our visas expire.

When my visa expires I plan to leave Thailand and apply for a multiple-entry tourist visa which would effectively give me another six months in Thailand, assuming I can get extensions.

However ,a bit of research has revealed that it may be quite tricky to obtain a multiple-entry tourist visa from anywhere other than my home country, the UK, is that correct?

I had planned on travelling to Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia (Ideally Cambodia or Malaysia so I can do some diving). However I am now worried I may get refused re-entry.

Perhaps I would be better off enrolling in some kind of education and obtaining an Ed visa? I am interested in learning Thai or a martial art but I am currently studying for an Open University degree so I don’t really have time for that until August / September.

Any thoughts on the best course of action would be appreciated.

Tourist visas are given with a certain number of entries, like on or two and sometimes even 3. There should be no problem for you getting a double entry tourist visa in Laos. (At other places you will only get a single tourist visa) Extensions are only a formality.

What is best depends on how long you and your wife plan to stay. If longer than 1 year an ED-visa is a good option.

There is no such thing as a "multiple entry" tourist visa.

Tourist visas are issued for 1, 2 or 3 entries. The very best that can be obtained locally is a double entry vis.

Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos are your only choices to get a 2 entry tourist visa.

I recently posted that earlier this year i recieved 2 entries at Hanoi. Reports indicate 3 entries being available. You could check recent reports for what HCMC was granting as well.

Denpasar Consulate in Bali will issue 2 or 3 entry Tourist Visas.

I received a 3 entry Tourist visa from this consulate in August last year, on my UK passport.

A bit further than Cambodia or Laos, but quite a bit closer than the UK.

Hope this helps

Thanks very much for all the responses above, much appreciated.