So I am looking at spending 6 months in Thailand , I was told for this I would need a multi-entry visa which basically means I would use two 90 day visas , Point to note I will be staying in Phuket .

What I would like to know is if im using the 90 day tourist visa where would be the best place for me to fly to for the re-entry and would I need some kind of visa to fly there too ?

To get 6 months you would need at least a double entry tourist visa purchased just prior to your departure. A triple entry would cover all options, "multiple" entry tourist visas are not available You will get 60 days on each entry which can be extended for another 30 days at immigration for 1900 baht. To activate the second entry you could either fly or do a land crossing. KL is most likely the best option if you fly and you get a visa on arrival and is free. If you go by van, I think that they either go Rayong , 500 baht for a Burmese visa purchased at the border, or a Malaysian crossing which is free.

If you were interested in a side trip for a couple of days to see Lao or Cambodia (Angkor Wat) in conjunction with a visa run the flights are fairly cheap. Both Lao and Cambodia require a visa for entry but you can get the visa at the airport on arrival as well as the major land crossings.

Should be "Ranong," me thinks: "If you go by van, I think that they either go Rayong , 500 baht for a Burmese visa purchased at the border, "

Mac

To reiterate ... Brad473, 2 Entry Tourist Visas are available to people in most Western Countries. They work like this - Enter first time get 60 days... Extend - sometime in the last 30 days or before at the local immigration office... 1,900 Baht. Then when a day or so Before the 90 days (60+30) runs out ... You exit and reenter Thailand to activate the second 60 day Tourist Visa -- then another 30 day Extension at Immigration. All has to be done in the 6 month time period of the Tourist Visa. When you get the 2 Entry Tourist Visa be sure it is stamped for a 6 month period -- mistakes can happen and a lesser amount of time could be stamped. Also the 6 month term of the Tourist Visa begins the day of Issue .... the Enter Before Date is the Expiry date.

Short Answer to your question: Where to fly - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Or Penang, Malaysia by FireFly Airlines -- in low season it would require an over night stay as the flight schedules are often reduced to one flight daily in low season. But Penang / Georgetown is not a bad place for a little touring with modest priced hotels. Flying to Vientiane, Laos is also possible. You only have to do a border run (out - then back in) by land to activate the second part of the 2 entry tourist visa ... but it is a fairly lengthy van drive to Ranong,

To reiterate ... Brad473, 2 Entry Tourist Visas are available to people in most Western Countries. They work like this - Enter first time get 60 days... Extend - sometime in the last 30 days or before at the local immigration office... 1,900 Baht. Then when a day or so Before the 90 days (60+30) runs out ... You exit and reenter Thailand to activate the second 60 day Tourist Visa -- then another 30 day Extension at Immigration. All has to be done in the 6 month time period of the Tourist Visa. When you get the 2 Entry Tourist Visa be sure it is stamped for a 6 month period -- mistakes can happen and a lesser amount of time could be stamped. Also the 6 month term of the Tourist Visa begins the day of Issue .... the Enter Before Date is the Expiry date.

Short Answer to your question: Where to fly - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Or Penang, Malaysia by FireFly Airlines -- in low season it would require an over night stay as the flight schedules are often reduced to one flight daily in low season. But Penang / Georgetown is not a bad place for a little touring with modest priced hotels. Flying to Vientiane, Laos is also possible. You only have to do a border run (out - then back in) by land to activate the second part of the 2 entry tourist visa ... but it is a fairly lengthy van drive to Ranong,

"All has to be done in the 6 month time period of the Tourist Visa" - What happens if you enter Thailand one week after you get issued the visa? Does it mean you lose one week from the 6 month total or as far as you get your last 30 day extension before the expiry you will still get your total of 6 month's stay in Thailand?

"When you get the 2 Entry Tourist Visa be sure it is stamped for a 6 month period" - does this mean that you will get 2 tourist visas in your passport when you apply for a double entry tourist visa?

To reiterate ... Brad473, 2 Entry Tourist Visas are available to people in most Western Countries. They work like this - Enter first time get 60 days... Extend - sometime in the last 30 days or before at the local immigration office... 1,900 Baht. Then when a day or so Before the 90 days (60+30) runs out ... You exit and reenter Thailand to activate the second 60 day Tourist Visa -- then another 30 day Extension at Immigration. All has to be done in the 6 month time period of the Tourist Visa. When you get the 2 Entry Tourist Visa be sure it is stamped for a 6 month period -- mistakes can happen and a lesser amount of time could be stamped. Also the 6 month term of the Tourist Visa begins the day of Issue .... the Enter Before Date is the Expiry date.

Short Answer to your question: Where to fly - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Or Penang, Malaysia by FireFly Airlines -- in low season it would require an over night stay as the flight schedules are often reduced to one flight daily in low season. But Penang / Georgetown is not a bad place for a little touring with modest priced hotels. Flying to Vientiane, Laos is also possible. You only have to do a border run (out - then back in) by land to activate the second part of the 2 entry tourist visa ... but it is a fairly lengthy van drive to Ranong,

"All has to be done in the 6 month time period of the Tourist Visa" - What happens if you enter Thailand one week after you get issued the visa? Does it mean you lose one week from the 6 month total or as far as you get your last 30 day extension before the expiry you will still get your total of 6 month's stay in Thailand?

"When you get the 2 Entry Tourist Visa be sure it is stamped for a 6 month period" - does this mean that you will get 2 tourist visas in your passport when you apply for a double entry tourist visa?

The visas validity starts on the date of issue. The validity is reflected as the enter before date on the visa.and that is exactly what it means it is not the amount of you can be in the country. You can do an entry on the enter before date and get a 60 day entry and then extend it for 30 days.

It is one visa with X number of entries allowed.

Two entry tourist visas from Laos are only valid for 3 months. Even some farther away locations issue them with only 3 months.

The visas validity starts on the date of issue. The validity is reflected as the enter before date on the visa.and that is exactly what it means it is not the amount of you can be in the country. You can do an entry on the enter before date and get a 60 day entry and then extend it for 30 days.

It is one visa with X number of entries allowed.

Two entry tourist visas from Laos are only valid for 3 months. Even some farther away locations issue them with only 3 months.

So from Laos you pretty much need to use them straight away or lose time use. Do you know if Australia is also a 3 month validity or 6 months?

Normally they are issued with a 6 month validity in Oz. But I do recall one being issued with 3 months that could of been a mistake. Best to confirm with the location where you apply,