What are the steps for a UK tourist to extend their stay in Thailand for family visits after entering visa-free?

Your husband doesn't have ANY visa, and I didn't say anything about a visa

@Kate ********

PLEASE READ what I said.

your husband is here as a tourist on a visa exempt entry <- which is issued based on tourism (no matter if he has a thai wife or not)

and

IF he gets an extension based on tourism <- the ONE 30 day extension he can get on that entry, it is added to the expiration date of the current stamp

HOWEVER if he wants to apply for an extension for a different reason <- like the 60 day visit thai family extension which is NOT issued for tourism, but for visiting a thai family like it says; that is a DIFFERENT REASON for the extension and as a rule that means it starts the day you apply. 😕

Whether you believe that's the best way forward for you or not doesn't change the fact that your husband is here as a tourist now and you're wanting to NOT take the 30 day extension based on tourism but instead take the 60 day extension based on visiting thai family <- which means it's for a different reason and will most likely start the day you apply for it.

IF you're not gonna slog out there on your own BEFORE he needs either extension and see what's what in person then you need to go out there close to when this current 45 day stamp is expiring. That way you can see if they will let you get the 60 days and if it does start the day you apply, you don't lose that many days,

AND

if they won't let him get the 60 day extension without the 30 day extension being taken first you can apply for that instead.

Face it we're talking about 1900baht here, it's hardly the end of the world if he has to take the one 30 day extension and then go back in a month and get the 60 day visit thai family extension for another 1900baht

I believe we've gone round and round on this enough. That you want to do something doesn't mean you CAN do it at the immigration office and the way you're going to find out if it can be done is to slog on out there with your husband, your documents and try. All they can say is you have to get the 30 day extension first, and go from there.