@Mere****
you don't lose any days going early, they ADD the extension to your current expiration date.
FWIW, In Chiang Mai you can apply for an extension when you have 45 days or less left on your current stamp <- meaning on a visa exempt entry like you have NORMALLY you could have went right from the airport to the immigration office and got an extension.
They are just telling people now to wait until closer to your expiration date.