How many time can I get visa exemption extention?

[Jg2015]

Here is my situation. US passport entered Thailand by air got 30 day stamp.

Then went to Khonkaen Immigration office got another 30 day stamp extention for 1,900 baht

now I want to extend for another 30 days, thinking about crossing border to Laos at Chong Mek.

Question:

1. Will I get another 30 day visa exemption stamp crossing by land to Laos on the same day trip?

2. How many time can I keep doing this until they refuse my entering?

Thank you.

[ubonjoe]

You can get another 30 day entry at Chong Mek. Then extend it at immigration. You should be able to do it at least one more time after that.

It would better to make a trip to Vientiane or Savannakhet to get a single entry tourist visa that would allow a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days.

[Jg2015]

Thanks ubonjoe

I just need another 30 day from now after that I will be flying back to US. Just curious about "three entries" visa exemption rules though. Is it included by air too?

[ubonjoe]

There is no 3 entries rule.

[BritTim]

Just curious ubonjoe, about a year ago there was a crackdown on back-to-back visa exempt entries, especially overland. I would assume, in the OP's case, he would be OK with the booked air ticket. However, as a general principle, has the crackdown on back-to-back exempts ended?

[ubonjoe]

Just curious ubonjoe, about a year ago there was a crackdown on back-to-back visa exempt entries, especially overland. I would assume, in the OP's case, he would be OK with the booked air ticket. However, as a general principle, has the crackdown on back-to-back exempts ended?

That first tightening died out and was mostly at the crossings to Cambodia just like the resent one was.

There has never been a big problem doing them at the Lao border.

No problem for the OP with one fly in, extension and the a border hop for another one.

[salim94]

U can do 6 times per year for sûre more than 6 times Years dépend on immigration Guy u meet at immigration or crossing or airport

[JackThompson]

Just curious ubonjoe, about a year ago there was a crackdown on back-to-back visa exempt entries, especially overland. I would assume, in the OP's case, he would be OK with the booked air ticket. However, as a general principle, has the crackdown on back-to-back exempts ended?

That first tightening died out and was mostly at the crossings to Cambodia just like the resent one was.

There has never been a big problem doing them at the Lao border.

No problem for the OP with one fly in, extension and the a border hop for another one.

First, agree entirely with the case of the OP. But ...

U can do 6 times per year for sûre more than 6 times Years dépend on immigration Guy u meet at immigration or crossing or airport

At 6 times per year, with extensions, that could equal nearly 12 months* - meaning one could "border run + extension" in perpetuity. It was my impression this was not possible (any longer) using any border, including airports. As the Double-Entry is gone, and a Single-Entry visa only conferrs 3 months (including extention), vs 2 months (*flying-in or G-7 including extention) using VisaExempts, this would be a popular way to stay in the Kingdom, if permitted.

It is my understanding that the "6 Visa Exempts" is not a "rule / law" but rather a "red flag" that appears on Immigration computers when you attempt to enter - and that this "Count of 6" is not restricted to a calendar-year or a rolling 12 months, but some longer period of (presently) unknown duration (maybe forever).

So, for the OP, yes, you should be OK. I would not try 6 per year - especially back-to-back. If others are doing this now, without issue, using a border-crossing to Lao or elsewhere, I would like to hear of their experiences.