I hold an Australian passport and have a 6 month METV issued in late March and with a last entry date of late September. I have travelled to Thailand twice on this visa (without needing any extensions) and plan to return again before the last entry date which would allow me to stay until late November.
Can I obtain a 30 day extension to the November date and if so do I need to travel out of Thailand (which I currently have to do within the 60 day period) before late December? Also can I get the extension, say in early November, and still leave Thailand and return using the visa extension or is it once I leave Thailand I would need to return on a 30 day visa exemption/visa waiver?
Thanks for any advice.
TLDR : Answer Summary
An Australian passport holder with a 6 month METV can enter Thailand until late September and is considering obtaining a 30 day extension to stay until late November. It is possible to get the extension while still needing to leave Thailand, but a re-entry permit is necessary to maintain the extension upon returning. The best approach would be to enter Thailand before the last entry date to receive a new 60 day stamp, followed by a potential 30 day extension.