My job is ending and I was previously going to go to Laos for a tourist visa after my non-B & work permit ended. But it would be much more convenient for me to fly to a nearby country and fly back, and get a 30-day exemption instead. (My passport only has about 3 blank pages and I don't want to waste 2 on a Laos visa and Thai tourist visa.) After I return I'm definitely going to be in Thailand less than a month because I only want to apply for a work visa for another country (not Thailand), and I was told by their embassy I can do it here while on the 30-day exemption and it will only take 3 days to get the work visa.

In late 2014 I came on a 30-day visa exemption (US citizen) then I went to Laos in early 2015 and got a non-B. I've been on the non-B ever since and have a work permit. I haven't left the country in this time. I've never overstayed or anything.

Can I leave Thailand and fly back on the same day, without really entering the nearby country, or do I have to stay in another country for a day and come back the following day?

What do you think are the odds they'll grant me the 30-day exemption?

Can anyone suggest the best place to fly to and return immediately from?

Lastly, should I bring a letter of termination from my employer and if so, what should it say?

Thanks for any advice you can give on this!

If you had a non-b visa entry it would remain valid. You apparently have an extension of stay based upon working not a visa entry.

If you fly out of the country you would not need a termination letter.

Check Air Asia for flights to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. You will get a 90 day visa exempt entry when you enter Malaysia.

You can fly out and back to get a 30 day visa exempt entry on the same day without a problem.

Thanks ubonjoe! You're right about the extension of stay I think, because I've been having to do the 90-day check-ins which I guess means it's an extension of stay. This is a stupid question I know but just checking - is it okay if I buy the ticket as a return ticket? The Thais aren't going to be bothered when they see that I'm coming right back the same day? I guess I'll only be showing them the one part of the ticket to Malaysia anyway.

Edited June 15, 201610 yr by someusername

AirAsia is a point to point carrier.

You'll get two separate boarding passes.

Fly to KL, check-out through Immigration, check in for your flight back, pass through KL Immigration, fly back to LOS and pass through Thai Immi.

Allow 3 hours between flights for Immi processes etc.

Edited June 15, 201610 yr by Evilbaz

Thanks ubonjoe! You're right about the extension of stay I think, because I've been having to do the 90-day check-ins which I guess means it's an extension of stay. This is a stupid question I know but just checking - is it okay if I buy the ticket as a return ticket? The Thais aren't going to be bothered when they see that I'm coming right back the same day? I guess I'll only be showing them the one part of the ticket to Malaysia anyway.

People fly out and back all the time. You will have no problem leaving the country.

I guess my concern is with them not letting me board the flight without an onward ticket. When I was returning to Korea once from Australia they did ask me for an onward ticket, I had to prove to them that I had a Korean work visa (my passport only had the original visa for the first year which was not updated). So if Thailand asks me for proof of onward travel I'm going to have to show them that I'm returning to Thailand. And if KL asks me for proof that I have a ticket out of Thailand, I won't have that either because I'm not purchasing my ticket to the new country until I have its visa in my passport.