Hi my retired sister and husband arrived in Thailand from the UK on the 23 December 2016 and were granted a visa on arrival   until the 21 January 2017

Their return flight to the UK is booked for the 23 January 2017 so they are a couple of days short.

As we live north of Chiang Mai can we do a border crossing at Mae Sai to get the extra days or other options

Thanks in advance 

What time is their flight on the 23rd

Sent from my SM-J500G using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

They could apply for a 30 day extension at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

Or just pay a overstay fine of 1000 baht overstay fine on departure from the country. 

If they pay the overstay fine does that not run the Isi of being banned from traveling here again in the future

5 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

If they pay the overstay fine does that not run the Isi of being banned from traveling here again in the future

Only if they are caught before getting to the airport. Not much chance of that happening though. On departure there is no ban until after 90 dayd of overstay.

However small there is always a chance of being caught I used to be very lax about a few days overstay but not anymore, apply at Immigration for the extension, it is a painless process

I believe the Mae Sai border crossing is still currently available for travel by tourists on Visa exemption travel.

There have been a few posts previously about this on the forum,

Another external source updated (Dec 2016) quotes the following.

 

As of May 2014, Thai Immigration have been clamping down on those who continually exit and immediately return without visas via land crossings for the purpose of extending their stay for a further 15 days each time under Thailand's visa waiver scheme. This means that those without visas won't automatically be granted entry, although they have also announced they'll apply the ruling on a case by case basis.

The rule is:

Tourists attempting to re-enter Thailand without a visa after having just completed a stay in the country will NOT be allowed to do so.

At any other land crossing, this wouldn't normally be an insurmountable problem as you could always apply for a Thai tourist visa in whichever of the other neighbouring countries that you've stranded yourself in. In Tachileik that's not possible, and it's further complicated by the fact that (unless you have a previously obtained Myanmar visa) your Myanmar entry stamp doesn't allow you to travel outside of the Tachileik/ Kengchung districts. It's a stalemate situation, and one side or the other would eventually have to grudgingly waive the rules to resolve the situation.

To avoid that situation, Thai Immigration have been preventing people without a multiple entry visa from using this exit.

 

 

Further enquiry could be made at the following:

 

Chiang Rai Immigration Office

 

117 Moo 10
Tambon Wiang Phang Kham
Amphoe Mae Sai
Chiang Rai 57130
Phone: 0-5373-1008
Email: [email protected]
Service area: Provinces of Chiang Rai, Phayao

 

Unless there have been recent changes, although Mae Sai can be used by those with multiple entry visas to get a new entry, border hops there to get fresh visa exempt entries are not allowed. This is true at most crossing points into Myanmar. Generally suggested for those in the North who want to cross for a visa exempt entry in Chiang Khong into Laos.

5 hours ago, Paul Catton said:

I believe the Mae Sai border crossing is still currently available for travel by tourists on Visa exemption travel.

Did you leave a not out of that line. A crossing for a new visa exempt entry is not possible.

There are posts in the topic you posted a link to that states that.

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Did you leave a not out of that line. A crossing for a new visa exempt entry is not possible.

There are posts in the topic you posted a link to that states that.

Not, not, it should have read unavailable, can you wave a moderator magic wand?

Many thanks for your responses it is much appreciated

they are both eighty and I do not want any potential stress for them on departure so for the small cost involved will apply at Chiang Mai for the extensions

i should have checked the dates more carefully when the bookings were made

Regards

Stephen