How can I extend my stay in Thailand for 3 months or more without land border runs?

Thai Visa Exemption Visa Extensions Visa Regulations Tourist Visa Immigration Advice Visa Overstay Staying in Thailand Longer DTV/ED Visa Travel History Expat Advice

Dec 20, 2024

2 days ago

António *********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hey guys, I’m currently in Thailand and trying to figure out how to stay longer—around 3 months or more. 

I’d like to avoid land border runs (I really don’t trust those mini-vans 😅), but I’m trying to plan things out properly.  

Here’s my situation so far:  

- June 2 to July 10, 2024: I stayed in Thailand earlier this year (used the 45-day visa exemption + 30-day extension).  

- December 9, 2024, to February 7, 2025: I’m currently here again (planning to use the 60-day visa exemption + 30-day extension).  

I'm from Portugal, Europe..if that matters.

In February 2025, I’m thinking about leaving by plane for a week, go to China for a few days, and then flying back to Thailand. 

My goal is to get another visa exemption for another 2-3 months.

I know it’s ultimately up to the immigration officer, but how strict are they considering the days I spent here the last year?

Would this work, or should I look into another solution?  

I’m planning to get an DTV/ED in June 2025, so I just need to figure out how to handle my stays until then. 

Thanks for any tips or experience you can share!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is seeking advice on how to extend their stay in Thailand for another 3 months without conducting land border runs. They plan to utilize the 60-day visa exemption along with a potential 30-day extension. The user is concerned about the immigration rules regarding frequent entries and overstays. Several comments offer varying perspectives, suggesting contacting a local visa center, considering a tourist visa for clarity on travel history, and even exploring alternative exit strategies, such as visiting different countries to reset the visa clock.

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Bart **************

Be aware that February 7th is one day too long in your case. For a single day the 500 baht fine is normally waived, but you will still get an overstay stamp. The count works calendar day based, yielding one more day than a duration-based count would.

I think you should be fine with a third entry. Although you'll max out one stay, the one in June/July barely exceeds 30 days. There should be room for one additional entry. If they ask how many days you plan to stay, you could help your case presenting a lower number than 90.

You could also consider getting a tourist visa. Then the check of your travel history is done upfront. If the embassy is good with it, immigrations is not supposed to deny entry.