Is it possible to stay long-term in Thailand using a tourist visa rotation, and what should I be cautious about?

I arrived on November 1, 2023 with a 30 day visa exemption. Went to immigration and got a 30 day extension. December 14th flew to South Korea to visit my daughter and applied for a 60 day tourist e-visa, online, Thai embassy Seoul. Left Korea on December 18 (4 days later) and my e-visa was still not approved although all my paperwork was completed on my first day in Korea. When departing Korea, the airline insisted I prove I had an onward flight out of Thailand, so I showed my flight to the United States for 4 months in the future. All they cared about was a flight leaving Thailand in the future.

Returned to Thailand by air and got another 30 day visa exemption. Then returned to immigration for another 30 day extension on my 30 day visa exemption. My e-visa arrived by email 3 weeks after arriving in Thailand. On February 12, 2024 with printed out e-visa, a passport photo or 2 and $30 USD, I drove to Poi Pet, Cambodia for a border run. My Thai wife dropped me off at the border and she and her friends waited for me on the Thailand side.

I spent 20 minutes in Cambodia.

There was a little push back from Cambodia immigration upon completing my 20 minute visit to the country. I got the feeling that they were looking out for my best interests (I know, it’s hard to believe). I thanked them for their concern and continued on. Anyway, I flowed through customs and immigration.

I activated my 60 day tourist e-visa at the border. From the time I was dropped off at the border to my return was about 2 hours elapsed time.

That brings us to April 1st. I’m going to immigration this week for a 30 day extension on my 60 day tourist e-visa. I return to the United States at the end of this month.

I had to leave Thailand twice, but I got 6 months in paradise.

Get the right kind of visa, is a far better way to go, than milking the tourist visa options.

you most likely not have a problem if your spending that much time outside of Thailand. In 2022 I had 8 visa exempt entries and spent about 200 days here. never a single question or comment. The problem is when you tourist visa 60 days extend 30 days and repeat with only leaving the country for a few days.

Question…I’m from Australia. Been here for 4 months doing border bounces and Visa extentions. Can I apply for a 60 day Visa from a neighbouring country? Or do I have to do it from my home country?

I had no problems with using tourist visas until I hit just over a year. This was in 2018-2019. I first entered Thailand on July 26, 2018, and (with border runs, trips, etc) left on Aug 19, 2019.

It was at that year mark that they asked me if I had a flight booked to go to my home country, upon departure, which I did (but went to Australia first). I wouldn’t have been able to re-enter Thailand from that moment on without going home, thus why they asked.

If you have the “6 month” METV, you’ll be fine for up to 9 months as long as you re-enter Thailand just before the 6 month visa expires.

There is no clear number of days permitted. You can return and stay as long as you wish… until you can’t.

At some point, they will certainly ask questions of your legitimacy as a tourists, but if you have the means to travel as you wish, it’s generally no problem. Only 2 land entries per calendar year though.

Border bounce agencies will only take you as a client if they know for sure they can get you back in. If you need help at an airport, reach out to an agency for FastTrack service and they will meet you at your gate and ensure smooth entry.

You won't be able to get tourist visas that often as most of the Thai embassies in SE Asia have moved to only allowing 1 tourist visa in a rolling 365 days. But these policies only started coming into place at the end of last year so we don't have a lot of information about them.