easiest way to stay in thailand for roughly 10 months?

[thanksinadvance]

Hey all,

i am a 17 year old american passport holder who is planning to stay in thailand for the next 10 months. Until recently, i was in thailand on a student visa, but am no longer attending the school, and the visa has since expired. I was initially planning on doing a number of visa extentions and cheap, same-day roundtrip flights (border run/flights) to malaysia or vietnam and on arrival in thailand recieve the 30 day tourist visa and do another extension, and repeat for the entirety of my stay.

However, upon partially reading up on the new 2014 laws which prevent "border-runs" (im unclear if they are limited to land crossings) I was wondering how long I would be able to get away with doing this, or if it would be able to easier to attain a multiple (3) entry tourist visa (then again ive read while applying in america you need proof of 20.000 thb and copies of multiple ticket entries which is a problem for me).

Additionally, I was reading about the thai visa exemption which states, 'Foreigners who enter Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category and would like to leave and re-enter may only stay for a cumulative duration which does not exceed 90 days and is within a 6-month period from the date of first entry.' http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/?q=node/55 Does this mean i can only stay 90 days every 6 months? (ive been there for 35 already, but had a my 30 day visa extended) or does this mean each stay cannot exceed 90 days (eg. with a 60 day tourist visa being extented once for a total of 90 days).

While in thailand, im not going to be attending a school but will be studying and taking exams.

so yeah, what would be the easiest way to stay in thailand for roughly 10 months?

-thanks in advance

[nowretired]

Attempting to remain in Thailand by using visa exempt entries is a bad idea .

Your solution would be to obtain a triple entry tourist visa but maybe you should re-examin the whole "plan" if 20,000Bht / $600 would be a problem ........

[skatewash]

As an American you would probably not wish to visit Vietnam for your border run as the visa will cost you at least $45 and must be obtained in advance either from the Vietnamese Embassy or by paying an additional fee to a company to obtain an approval letter which can then be used to obtain a visa on arrival at one at the Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City airports. In other words, for an American obtaining the necessary visa to visit Vietnam is relatively costly and effort on your part is needed in advance of the trip. You will find it easier (more convenient, less expensive) to visit other countries in the region.

[ubonjoe]

You could make a trip to Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos and get a 2 entry tourist visa that would give you a total stay of about 6 months. Then after that 6 months go out for another one.

You could get a 3 entry tourist visa in Bali but you would need to show tickets out of the country for each entry.

[thanksinadvance]

You could make a trip to Vientiane or Savannakhet Laos and get a 2 entry tourist visa that would give you a total stay of about 6 months. Then after that 6 months go out for another one.

You could get a 3 entry tourist visa in Bali but you would need to show tickets out of the country for each entry.

I'm assuming that applying for a thai visa in Laos would involving a similar process as a visa extension in Thailand?

Except for: ?

• double-entry tourist visa for 2,000 baht
• submitted between 08:30 and 12:00 and will be ready to collect on the next working day between 13:00 and 15:00

would that be right?

[paz]

Additionally, I was reading about the thai visa exemption which states, 'Foreigners who enter Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category and would like to leave and re-enter may only stay for a cumulative duration which does not exceed 90 days and is within a 6-month period from the date of first entry.' http://www.thaiembas...g.uk/?q=node/55 Does this mean i can only stay 90 days every 6 months? (ive been there for 35 already, but had a my 30 day visa extended) or does this mean each stay cannot exceed 90 days (eg. with a 60 day tourist visa being extented once for a total of 90 days).

This rule has been repealed long time ago, see:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/doc/temporarystay/policy778-2551_en.pdf

However, it is not possible to stay all the time with exempt entries and extensions. As mentioned above, you will need a double entry torusit visa from Laos.