What defines a 'real tourist' in Thailand?

@Jim ******

$250

@Jim ******

appreciate normal conversation

@Steve **********

if one has the freedom and money to do so, why not?

@Ozan ******

We are many visiting Countries ,as a tourist, as many times we wish and can afford !

@Tania *********

Did I write my post specifically for you? Take a look.

@Ozan ******

I am part of this group ; we comment about the post , your comment is not accurate, think well before comment.

@Tania *********

If you have visited a single country 100 times in 10 years, you are not a tourist, besides (I came for my wife) what did he write, don't be disturbed by the facts.

@Ozan ******

We are Tourists Yes !!

We go whatever we wish , we have financial security and what you affrirm keep for yourself : your life, your way etc… we are Tourists, yes !

@Tania *********

yes you are tourist ,You are the best tourist in the world, you are the queen

@Ozan ******

I've been to thailand 16 times. I speak thai, my trips are normally 2 weeks. Stayed for a month 1 time. What Visa do you recommend I get?

@Ozan ******

that's a clearer statement. I go to thailand about 60 days a year to see my partner, I take 4 trips and work in Australia. This year I think ill have to get the metv just to take 4, 2 week trips.

@Jared *******

no you don't, visa exemptions are fine in your case. I've entered Thailand 8 times this year, longest stay probably being about a week, often only 2 or 3 nights. I entered on Christmas night, no issues, no questions asked. It's to stop people living on back to back exemptions and extensions and not people in your situation.

@Darren ******

yeah that's what I've been told. But an rfi from embassy they now told me it's a limited of 2 exemptions even for legitimate tourism.. so it's a bit confusing.

@Jared *******

you're fine with your entry history that you've described. If the country you're from (passport country) is entitled to Visa Exempt entries, then you don't need to purchase a Visa from an Embassy. Forget what the Embassy said. They cannot get their words correct and they obviously don't check the meaning of some of their words. When they said "Exemptions" they either used the wrong word, or don't know the facts. What has changed, as of November this year, is that "Extensions" are limited to 2 in a year, not a calendar year, but two in a twelve month period. So, if you visited in January this year, stayed the full sixty days on A Visa Exempt entry and extended that for thirty days at an Immigration Office, then returned later during this year and stayed sixty days, plus applied for an Extension again, they would only grant a seven day Extension. If then you visited a year after your January 2025 entry, you could, if you wanted to, get a thirty day Extension again in January 2026. That's the understanding of the guidelines announced by a Senior Immigration Officer last month that all Immigration Officers must follow.

There's no maximum of Visa Exempt entries. As long as Immigration see your history of stamps in your passport and on their computers and determine that you are a genuine tourist, you can enter multiple times in a year - if you're staying a few days or up to the sixty days there shouldn't be any issues. The problem comes when they suspect that you're 'playing' the system with the intention to either live or work in the country. As is the case and always has been (same in any country), the Immigration Officer that you stand in front of, can use their discretion as to who is allowed in and who is refused entry. They're seemingly not consistent either. A post, I'm sure in this group over the past few days, one guy commenting said that he was refused entry, even though, I think he said, hadn't had multiple entries that would raise suspicion and no Extensions. True or not, we can only take his word for it.

@Jared *******

ignore the embassies, they are under a separate department than Immigration so they're not linked together at all.