I have a double entry tourist visa. I have entered Thailand with my first entry. Then I did the extension of stay for 30 days. I will leave and reenter Thailand on my second entry end of this month.
My friend wants to do a tourist visa in Vientiane next month. I am thinking about joining him there for leisure. Because I don't want my 60 days from my second entry cancelled I would do that on a re-entry permit.
Now my question: If I get a new tourist visa in Vientiane can I enter Thailand on my re-entry permit and save this new visa for the next time I enter Thailand? (of course this got to be before the visa expires)

Thanks in advance.

It will depend upon what the immigration officer on entry would do. You could put the re-entry permit number on the arrival card and they might use it instead of the visa.

It will depend upon what the immigration officer on entry would do. You could put the re-entry permit number on the arrival card and they might use it instead of the visa.

Thank you.

Is it a bad idea to ask him to use the re-entry permit? I do nothing sneaky or illegal, right? So I guess I might just can point it out to him.

It will depend upon what the immigration officer on entry would do. You could put the re-entry permit number on the arrival card and they might use it instead of the visa.

Thank you.

Is it a bad idea to ask him to use the re-entry permit? I do nothing sneaky or illegal, right? So I guess I might just can point it out to him.

You will be doing nothing "wrong" but it is the immigration officers decision as to whether the re-entry permit or the visa is used.

One other thing to consider is that Embassies don't like to issue new visas when there is an existing valid visa. Your tourist visa will be (used) invalid but the re-entery permit keeps the stay granted on entry with that visa alive. So it may be that the embassy cancel the re-entry permit when issuing the new visa. I've no fact or experience to back that up. It's just a thought.

It has been my understanding over a few years that the issuing of any new visa automatically cancels any existing visa or permission to stay?