Sound Visa Strategy?

[ftpjtm]

I'm from the US and have spent about 90 days in Thailand during winter months the past 4 years. 

 

Two and three years ago I got single entry, 60 day visas and flew out of the country once to extend. 

 

Last year I was told that single entry 60 day visas were no longer an option and got a Multiple Entry Tourist visa instead (at double the price). I extended it 90 days, and never left. 

 

This year I decided to save the visa cost and flew in with no visa, getting 30 days on arrival.  I've extended it by an additional 30, and have booked a 4 day trip to Macau & HKG via U-Tapao Airport at the end of the extension period. I will return to U-Tapao less than 30 days from my flight to the US, so another 30 days on arrival would be sufficient. 

 

Is this a sound strategy? I'm a bit nervous because it seems that most do the "visa run" in the first 30 days rather than after the visa extension. Does that make a difference? Where does U-Tapao immigration rate on the friendliness scale? I've never flown internationally from U-Tapao before. 

 

My current entry to Thailand was mid January 2017. My second most recent entry was January 2016, departing March 2016.

[ubonjoe]

You should have no problem getting a 30 day visa exempt entry when your return from your trip.

Getting a extension of your previous entry makes no difference when doing another entry.

7 minutes ago, ftpjtm said:

Last year I was told that single entry 60 day visas were no longer an option and got a Multiple Entry Tourist visa instead (at double the price). I extended it 90 days, and never left. 

Who told you that. Single entry tourist visa are still available.

[ftpjtm]

The Thai consulate in Boston told me the single entry tourist visa was no longer available in January 2016. 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, ftpjtm said:

The Thai consulate in Boston told me the single entry tourist visa was no longer available in January 2016. 

That was false info. Perhaps they confused a 2 or 3 entry tourist visa with it since those were eliminated when the multiple entry tourist visa became available in November of 2015.

[ftpjtm]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That was false info. Perhaps they confused a 2 or 3 entry tourist visa with it since those were eliminated when the multiple entry tourist visa became available in November of 2015.

I would not be surprised to hear that information received incorrect information from the Boston consulate. It is a satellite office above a restaurant, and staffed by the restaurant owner and his wife, neither of whom are Thai nationals. My wife has translated Thai to English for the office staff, because no one there speaks Thai!

 

In any case, I figured I would rather spend money on an airline ticket vs a visa this time, I'm just a bit nervous after hearing so many stories of people turned away at immigration. I'm glad you think that I should not encounter any problems.

[ftpjtm]

On 2/27/2017 at 10:04 PM, ubonjoe said:

You should have no problem getting a 30 day visa exempt entry when your return from your trip.

Getting a extension of your previous entry makes no difference when doing another entry.

I am back with my additional 30 days, so Yes I had no problem. Thanks for your earlier input which reduce my stress level a bit after receiving some mis-information prior to my trip.