Can I convert a tourist visa to a student visa in Thailand?

Lucky chap. Happy Birthday in Thailand then!

@Man****

, well that's better than NOT being able to do it at all inside the country :)

you might be able to just change the reason you're getting an extension from being on a dependent visa to studying. Go try it, I mean you're out nothing but the time if it doesn't work

It may or may not be the same for Non-B (I don't know the requirements), but for what it is worth, as soon as I hit 50, I went to immigration to convert my Non-Imm ED visa extension to an extension based on retirement. This was at CM (Promenada). Initially, they refused to do it ('you have to leave the country and get a new visa Sir'), but I stood my ground and after checking with a more senior person at immigration, they accepted that it was possible, and I got it done. I had to cancel my ED extension and then just apply for a new extension based on retirement rather than education.

@R**

, you should in theory be able to cancel your extension of stay on your ED visa and immediately apply for an extension based on employment. All the requirements are for that extension is you previously held a non-immigrant visa (of ANY type). and all you'd be doing is changing the reason for your extension.

Still I have seen many companies send people out to get Non-B's rather than try to coordinate pulling off canceling one extension based on education and immediately applying for a new one based on working.

They didn't take the time left on my TV into consideration, just said has to go to an embassy or consulate. I don't know that this is a rule, just my experience.

Getting the same message now in Chiang Mai going from my non-Ed -> non-b, have to leave. This is from my companys attorney, I've not been down personally to try. I've read online that some have successfully done it, but my luck hasn't been the same

@Rob *****

WOW, I can't believe that :/ Did you not have the 15 days left on your tourist visa or did they just say you had to go out of the country to get the ED visa ?

I had to leave last year to go from SETV to non-ED, both Nakhon Phathom and Chaengwatthana said I'd have to go to Laos. Had plenty of time left on my TV. This was for Faculty of Graduate Studies at Mahidol, your uni may have a different way to do this.

@Man****

, inside the country you apply FIRST for a 90 day Non-ED visa and then when that time runs down you take paperwork from your uni and usually the immigration office will give you a year extension at a time.