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How many days can I stay in Thailand with a 30-day entry stamp?

Thailand visa regulations30-day entry stampoverstay policiesThai immigrationvisa extensionscounting visa days
Jul 4, 2024
4 months ago
Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just arrived back to Thailand from KL. In July 4. They stamped me in to Aug 2. Which is fine I will be out on Aug 1. But isn't that 29 days?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses confusion over the duration of stay allowed with a 30-day entry stamp received upon returning to Thailand. Users clarify that the day of arrival is counted as day one, thus resulting in 30 days of presence in Thailand—29 nights. There are anecdotes shared about misunderstandings related to exit stamps and overstay experiences.
Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
so when folk pay the 1900 baht to immigration for the 30 day extension is it 29 days or 30?
4 months ago
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Jean-Claude *********
so for sure, it is not 29 but 30 right ?

also, do they add it at the date you go to immigration or to the date of your ending visa ? because they do not like to see you on the last day of the visa
4 months ago
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Bart **************
@Philip *********
 an extension is 30. The 30 days are added i.e. your stay is 'extended' by 30 days. The name is accurate.

If you change from one extension to another, it's called 'change of reason of staying'. Then your stay is NOT extended, then instead the day you get the new extension immediately counts in full towards its duration. So if you you are on a 90 day extension of some kind, then switch to the 60 day visiting Thai family extension, even if you do it on the last possible day, you don't get 150 days out of it. The best case scenario is 149. Any day you switch before the last cuts a day off your total stay.
4 months ago
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Jean-Claude *********
@Philip *********
 good question
4 months ago
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Jean-Claude *********
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Jan **********
No. 30
4 months ago
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Bart **************
Yes, but it's spread over 30 calendar days (dates), which they all count in full. So you always get a little less time than what's advertised.

Not all countries count this way. If two people go to Thailand and Vietnam at the exact same, using a 30 day exemption/e-visa, respectively, the one going to Vietnam gets to stay until one day later.
4 months ago
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Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
 Malaysia they give you 90 days. But no end date. You have to work it out yourself. Bit like the constipated mathematician. He worked it out with a pencil. 555
4 months ago
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Bart **************
@Philip *********
 then I'm curious if they use the Thailand or the Vietnamese way of counting. But I suppose not so many are staying that long so would be hard to find examples.

Indonesia also doesn't stamp the exit date, but there I think they purposely keep it vague as part of some obscure business model. The most common visa gives 30 days, but they don't show you which day it ends, and then instead of going for the more generous of the two interpretations, to avoid people from hitting their head, they count the stingier way, like Thailand. And then their overstay fine is insanely high. Better to rob a bank there then go on overstay. So I think they are aiming for that money.
4 months ago
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Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bart *************
 with everything now digital and could be made available online they could use the stop watch method. The clock starts when you get stamped in
4 months ago
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Bart **************
@Philip *********
 I think it's clearer for travelers to have a specific date, that always ends at midnight. I just don't understand why they need to be stingy and avoid so specifically that an occasional traveler gets a few extra hours every now and then. Who is harmed by that? No one.
4 months ago
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Bart **************
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Jean-Claude *********
always, arriving day = 1 day, already; like if you were born at 1 yo 555
4 months ago
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Jean-Claude *********
first time I stayed 1 month, I was guilty; no fine at all for 1 day too much but recorded in the computer so I can no more say I was not aware;

my trick is to count leaving day (thai) - starting day (Belgium) = 30 (I always arrive the day after due to flights, stop, jet lag and no plane before 6 AM)
4 months ago
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Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jean-Claude ********
 that's right. Often if you ask a Thai how old they are they will tell you their age for their next birthday. So you're right. Born on your first birthday.
4 months ago
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Philip **********
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Martin *********
Mathematics a problem?
4 months ago
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Bart **************
@Martin ********
 from a mathematical perspective, if you calculate the duration between the two said dates, it's indeed 29 days, at least with proper rounding. But Thailand, apparently concerned about a few occasional extra hours, rounds your qualifying stay time up to full days instead, and then both at the arrival and at the exit. Getting 30 days is now only the best case scenario arriving just after midnight and exiting just before. Worst case (doing the reverse) is only 28 days. Average is 29. So it's debatable how wrong he really is. At least if you involve mathematics.
4 months ago
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Ron ******
@Martin ********
 Maybe they need to buy an abacus on Lazada🤣
4 months ago
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Ron ******
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Joe **********
They once stamped me as overstayed because my flight back was 1 am and they said my visa ran out at midnight! I tried to tell them that I went through passport control at 10 pm so had officially left the country at that time, they wouldn't have that but very graciously let me off the overstay fine!
4 months ago
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Bart **************
@Joe *********
 unfortunately it seems to work like you said, or at least part of the time. It makes absolutely no sense at all, to give so little value to the time you're passing immigrations, but it happens more often. But not always.
4 months ago
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Frank **********
@Joe *********
 impossible if you already passed through Immigration before midnight.
4 months ago
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Joe **********
@Frank *********
 Look I posted this as a matter of interest so who the hell are you to say it's impossible and imply that I am a liar! You sir are a fool and obviously don't understand how Thais do things sometimes.
4 months ago
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Frank **********
@Joe *********
 whatever dude.
4 months ago
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Frank **********
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Andreas *********
@Joe *********
 WHO would have stopped you after you had already exited through Immigration at the airport at 10 pm? Once you exited through passport control and Immigration, before midnight, you weren't in any overstay. WHO spoke to you in the International Gates area?
4 months ago
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Joe **********
@Andreas ********
 They pulled me and other people to one side and informed us we had overstayed because our flight out didn't leave until 1am as I said I pointed out that I had gone through passport control at 10 pm so had officially left the country, this was at about 10. 15 pm so it wasn't even past midnight but they wouldn't listen and the stamped 'overstay' in my passport! You cannot win with them no matter what you say.
4 months ago
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Andreas *********
@Joe *********
 There can only be ONE explanation: I guess you had miscalculated your stay by one day (like the threadstarter!) and you were already in overstay, since they pulled you aside after you already stamped out, which is the usual routine on overstayers. And for overstays less than 24 hours the 500.- THB fine normally gets waived
4 months ago
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Joe **********
@Andreas ********
 My visa ended at midnight on the 12th and my return flight was 1am on the 13th it's that simple, don't try and disect it because I'm telling you that's what happend! They were on a mission because it wasn't just me they pulled there were lots of us all complaining but to no avail, if you have lived here for any length of time you will know that they have no logic to their decisions at times!
4 months ago
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Graham ******
@Joe *********
 post a photo of your exit stamp plus the Overstay stamp for all to understand
4 months ago
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Joe **********
@Graham *****
 I would gladly do that if I still had that passport but it was quite a while ago and I don't have it now.
4 months ago
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Andreas *********
@Joe *********
 I meant it to be a suggestion to what might have actually happened. The threadstarter miscalculated his own entry stamp by one day. I am just proposing that something similar could have happened to you as well. You would not be the first person who is misinterpreting the entry stamp. The duration of a visa validity never is the same as the duration of the stay permit granted.
4 months ago
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Andreas *********
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John **********
Nope it's 30 days. The day you enter Thailand is day one, and you also have to count the day you are stamped in until.
4 months ago
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Graham ******
@John *********
 Correct, a 30 day entry stamp gets you 29 nights in Thailand
4 months ago
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Graham ******
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Alma ***************
Same here..we came back from KL July 3 and stamped tlfor Aug 1 only..anyways we are travelling again in 2 weeks so not an issue for us.
4 months ago
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Stephan ***********
4 months ago
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paul****
Yes
4 months ago
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Brandon ************
The day you arrive is day 1
4 months ago
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Philip **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 yes it was the same with the 60 days. In May 1 until June 29. 59 days.
4 months ago
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Andreas *********
@Philip *********
 May 1st thru June 29th, that's exactly 60 days. The day of entry counts as number one, and the last day counts until midnight. Just repeat the count on your calendar - it's exactly 60 days
4 months ago
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Andreas *********
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