What's the best way? A border run, tourist visa or extension?

[Too]

Hello Everyone!

I was going to apply for a Non-B visa for teaching in Savannakhet, Laos, this weekend. What I found out just a few days ago is

that my school forgot to prepare one document.

I'm now staying in Thailand on a visa-exempt stamp, which expires in just a week, and I'm wondering if they'll be able to have

the paper ready by Friday next week. I'm afraid not. I MUST leave Thailand within the next few days.

What should I do then?

1. Do you think it possible or risky for me to make a visa run to Laos and come back to Thailand on another visa-exempt stamp

(it's going to be the 4th one this year)?

2. Should I apply for a tourist visa in Laos? I heard that you're sometimes asked to show the Immigration officials 10,000B or

20,000B CASH when applying for a tourist visa. I can show them 10,000B CASH but 20,000B is too much for me.

3. Can I extend my visa-exempt stamp for 30 days at the nearest Immigration office? I heard that some Immigration offices won't

do an extension for you. I can't present an air-ticket to fly out of Thailand to the Immigration officials because I'm going to live and

teach in Thailand for at least 6 months.

If possible, I'd like to do a border run for another visa-exempt stamp, to be honest, because I don't have to pay for a visa or extension

or show them the cash. I've got lots of visa-exempt stamps for Thailand in my passport but not a single visa. I've also got a written

contract with my school, so maybe I could show it to the Immigration officials and explain the fact to them at the border post.

What's the best bet?

Thank you.

[steve187]

get a 30 day extension on your visa-exempt stamp at local immigration

[ubonjoe]

Your best choice is to pay 1900 baht for a 30 day extension of your exempt entry. You do not need to show a ticket out of the country.

A border crossing to Laos will cost almost as much as the extension unless you are from a country that gets exempt entries for there. Also you might be denied entry because you have done an exempt entry before.

[Too]

Hi there!

Thank you for your advice!

However, I've just checked some threads which said that they will give you only a 7-day extension for 1,900B and even charge you

3,000B for a 30-day extension at some immigration offices in Thailand. I'll definitely need another 30 days to stay in Thailand to get

the procedure done for my Non-B visa for teaching in BKK.

I'd think it safer for me to go to Laos for a Thai tourist visa that costs you 1,000B and is good for 60 days. I don't need a visa to

stay in Laos for up to 15 days.

What would you say?

[ubonjoe]

Jomtien is the only immigration office that has been reported as saying 30 day extension are not possible and then charging 3000 baht to get one.

If you are in Bangkok you will not have a problem getting one.

[Too]

Hello Joe

Thank you for your info.

I'm actually living in Prachuap Khiri Khan now, where I met some Englishmen who have lived here with their Thai partners for a long time.

They unanimously said that the Immigration Officials here are really arrogant (these Englishmen are not arrogant at all but are really gentle)

and sometimes won't even do for them what they're supposed to and one of them has been told by the Immigration Officials to go to the

Immigration office in another province to get things done.

I can afford to go to the Immigration Office here only this coming Friday. What if they don't do any extension or only do a 7-day extension?

I will then be in trouble because my visa-exempt stamp expires in only 1 week, as I said. My time is ticking. Oh, My Buddha...

[ubonjoe]

You should at least try to get the extension. You would loose nothing by trying and refusing the 7 day extension. There would be no problem because you only have a week left on your entry.

Since you are on a visa exempt entry you are not stuck with one immigration office. You can use another one if you can put a local address on the application form.

[stevenl]

Don't believe the grumpy old men mill, go to immigration to extend your visa exempt for 30 days.

[Too]

Hello

Thank you for your consideration!

I'll try and go to the Immigration Office in Hua Hin, NOT in Prachuap Khiri Khan, the capital of the province, for the extension.

They're supposed to do it for me because there're loads of Farang living there, who must have been to the office to get things

done.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Too

[skills32]

Hello

Thank you for your consideration!

I'll try and go to the Immigration Office in Hua Hin, NOT in Prachuap Khiri Khan, the capital of the province, for the extension.

They're supposed to do it for me because there're loads of Farang living there, who must have been to the office to get things

done.

The people at Prachuap are very helpful. Go there in the afternoon about 3pm when they are not busy.

Had a friend extend the other day but cost him 1900 baht. Took all of 15 mins.

[Loukas]

Where are you going to teach in Savannakhet or in BKK ?

[Strangebrew]

The lady at Hua Hin is real nice she will do what she can to help you out legally. Good luck.