What are the best visa options for staying in Thailand for 6 months?

Interesting, I stayed in pattaya for almost 60 days, flew out to malaysia for about 5 days, returning through don mueng, felt it wasn't a given they were going to let me back in...called a supervisor over before stamping me in for another 60 days, even though I was staying only another week or so...

PS make sure all docs are in order when you apply and you should get it about 5 days after applying check email daily because they may ask for some other doc i got knocked back because i didnt send my full flight details this was the only request I had for more info so make sure it shows your arrival flight your name flight number etc. and same for the return flight date name flight number

Thats the visa I have just had you apply for the metv do it about two weeks before coming. When its approved that is the day the 6 months starts so this is what you do say the visa is approved on the 10th Sept (expires 8th Mar) but you arrive on the 20th that is your first day 60 days later is the day you have to leave so lets say its a 30 day month you will leave no later than 18th Nov then when you come back lets say you stay over for two days and come back on the 21st this is the first day of your second 60 days and you need to leave sometime during 19th Jan lets say you stay 2 days again and return on the 21st this is the first day of your 3rd 60 days but your visa expires before the 60 days are up after 47 days on the 8th Mar leave on the 5th or 6th come back 7th get another 60 days.

This is what I did thanks to Tod's advice no problems.come back on the 5th, 6th, 7th No later than 8th and you are here until 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th May depending what day you came back. After 6th your are overstay/illegal

METV is your best bet, just done mine, landed in Thailand 10 days ago. Relatively straightforward process. Gives you 90 day continual stay (60 +30). If you leave and re enter on final day of visa you get additional 90 days,so 9 months in total.

I think u do the 60days...then extend 30days, then leave thialand & return with another 60days + 30 day extension, it makes no seanse as you can do that without the METV, altho it will probably give u peace of mind as I think your re-entrys are kinda guaranteed... holding the METV...I maybe wrong, im sure I will be corrected if so... 🧐

An METV does work that way, but he could also apply for a 30-day extension each time, meaning 90 days + 90 days.

Although if your friend has not been in Thailand recently, and will not be staying beyond 6 months, he would probably be fine just arriving visa exempt (60 days) and then applying for the 30 day tourist extension. Leave Thailand, go somewhere for a few days (not actually required, he could return immediately, but why not enjoy the region if you're here already?) and then when he returns he gets another 60 day visa exempt stamp, +30 day extension before returning home.

Visa exempt is not a good option for staying long-term, as you're likely go run afoul of immigration, but if it's just 2 entries, without a long history of being in Thailand and not trying to stay too long, it's probably okay.