What are the best strategies for successfully passing through Thai immigration while on a TR visa?

Just get a Proper Visa

Pre-covid you would see people in this group getting denied entry at both land and air immigration checkpoints. Both were rare (in the group, in life I have no idea). If you cross at land border you can go back and find a new land border and try again.

If you're rejected flying you could be sent back you your home country, a country of your choice, or back to the country you came from (I think). I believe you have some influence but not all. When I was doing risky border runs I would cross by land. Another option maybe is to use a smaller airport. I had a volunteer visa. A lot of people were having issues getting through BKK, with volunteer visas. I flew into Phuket no problems. From what I understand Phuket is known to be friendly.

I did tourist visas for few years. Twice I was questioned when coming back. Both times the immigration officer would say 'next time you come back', they knew I was doing a long term stay one tourist visa at a time. One of those officers suggested to me, its best to stay away for a couple weeks at a time, maybe get married, avoid ED visa (because of my age 40+). After that I would travel a few weeks get a new tourist visa, return..

Australia was providing Multiple Entry Tourist Visa to US citizens, maybe others. So I would go to Australia a couple of weeks, pull a METV, return, do border bounces every 90 days (9 months), then repeat.

Post Covid, I am not sure if Australia is still providing METVs or if they are even available anywhere.

What you are doing is risky. Not too risky but there is a risk. Highly recommend you have a plan B.

Make some Thai friends with some influence. I had a friend that clerked for a judge and her father was a police man. She never got me out of trouble with immigration but she did make things easier whenever I had legal issues. I would always tell her when I planned to come back into Thailand so she would wait for my call, if I got in trouble or not.

Eventually I did the wife thing. So far its been ok. If you want to know more about that PM me.

This site's admin are agents... good reliable agents with good reviews... why not actually ask them. They will have the answer as well as the ability to actually help you rather than those who say "They think" or " They used to...". Just talk to the administrators of this site...simple.

Your long-term options are an Elite Visa or Marriage. The Bangkok airport in particular is going to get REALLY on you. I was able to do like you for about a year (before covid, I've been here 5-years now) before I got an ultimatum from the Bangkok airport immigration. I almost had to get sent back to Malaysia where I was doing my visa run.

So really, at your age either cough up $10K to get your first few years of elite visa. Or, head up to Chiang Mai or BKK to get married brother. No one cares if you think this is your home, there is no mercy. :)

Have you actually applied for a LTR visa? Where did you apply?

What's your age and citizenship?

I think you need to return to your home country for a long while... and apply from there.

In the eyes of immigration, I think they'll view your situation with suspicion that you're not a real "tourist"

YMMV

TIT

Why is the LTR visa delayed?