How do I activate my Thailand DTV visa after applying while in Thailand?

print it and do a border bounce

Go out of of Thailand asap for a few days, and back in with your DTV print out, to get 180 day stamp. You might well get asked by Immigration when you EXIT Thailand why you didn’t use your DTV yet. Explain what happened. It is already registered in the system that you have DTV even before you get your first stamp

A very similar thing happened to me. Application submitted in HCMC Vietnam. Additional documents submitted, and the system said ‘Pending Approval’

I had a family emergency back in Thailand before my application was finished. I called the Thai embassy in HCMC to explain, and sent an email.

I was back in Thailand on a Friday with 60 day visa exempt stamp, and my DTV was approved on Monday.

I stayed in Thailand around 6 weeks before exit to Lao, via Nong Khai.

On Exit though immigration at Nong Khai, the IO told me to go to the IO supervisor office. They asked me why I didn’t use my DTV yet. I explained what had happened, and the IO said it was no problem, I could come back in with my DTV and get 180 stamp. He reminded me to file the TDAC before coming back into Thailand and put the visa number in the form.

Back into Thailand a few days later through Nong Khai Immigration, DTV printed out, and absolutely no questions asked, 180 day stamp inked in.

I am just sharing my experience, BUT this is NOT advice to others to try and get away with coming into Thailand before visa is granted.

Very interesting so you prove that the Thai embassy files are not connected to Thai immigration file ... so far so good .., let us know next step please

In the email you got saying it was approved it says exactly what you should do next. Print out the visa and present it at immigration at the border when you enter Thailand.

If they ask you why you came back to Thailand whilst the visa was processing, just tell the truth

You can only hope they don't realize you left vietnam before approval.

Otherwise you are screwed as they will cancell your visa

You got it but you do know similar have had theirs rescinded on arrival or at later dates.

So now you are in Thailand on a visa exempt?

If you entered Thailand during the process of visa, your application might be cancelled cause you are not supposed to be in Thailand during the process.