Hi, I have a question. I plan to be in Thailand for 3 months.. June, July and August. However I am planning to leave the country for a week in June. When I return to Thailand I will still need about 7 weeks which is too much for a visa waiver stamp but I don't think I will be going somewhere with/have time to make it to a Thai embassy during the week I'm away. My question is would it be possible to obtain a Tourist visa in May, but when I enter Thailand for the first time ask them to give me a visa waiver stamp and save the tourist visa for my second entry? I'm guessing it's going to be down to the immigration officer I have but hoping someone knows for sure.
More info - last year I had two warnings (stopped and questioned at the border and told I'm no longer allowed visa waiver stamps) for having too many visa waiver stamps. But this year I have a new passport and by the time I enter Thailand at the end of May I will have only spent 3 weeks there in total this year out of 5 months (with one visa waiver stamp which I had no problems with in my passport from this year and one tourist visa from last year)
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user inquires whether they can obtain a Tourist visa in May and then enter Thailand with a Visa Exempt Stamp to extend their stay, given their previous warnings about excessive visa waivers. Responses clarify that while it depends on the immigration officer, they can generally enter, use the 30 days granted by a visa waiver, and later return using the Tourist visa. Additionally, they can apply for a re-entry permit while in Thailand to facilitate their travel.
