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What issues might I face when re-entering Thailand on a tourist visa after frequent short exits?

Jul 17, 2025
13 hours ago
Biff ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I usually use just the passport.Visa exempt stamp in my passport and then I go out of the country every sixty days and I have had no problems. This trip I have a tourist Visa which is valid until October multiple entries.And at the end of the two months I went to laos and when I came back to don muang i was pulled aside and taken to an area where they looked at my history of traveling. They made me show them my Visa. My bank accounts in America how much money I had on my hotel reservation, My return ticket to America which is in October and also I had to get my girlfriend's I.D picture and show them that. So after all that they did allow me entry but they said if I try to do a two month exit and come back again they will possibly ban me from coming to thailand. I thought the tourist Visa would not be a problem.So what everyone has been saying about it becoming more difficult to come back into thailand after short exits is true. As of today I will be leaving one month before my return ticket date. I may go to the immigration office and try to apply for an extension and see.I have the same problem.I did at the airport. Anybody have a suggestion on that?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The post discusses a user's experience of re-entering Thailand on a tourist visa, revealing challenges faced during immigration checks after frequent short trips out of the country. The user has traditionally relied on visa-exempt entries but now encounters scrutiny, especially due to their travel history and relationship in Thailand. Several comments emphasize obtaining an extension or transitioning to a long-term visa to avoid future re-entry problems, while some question the user's tourist status.
Phil ******
@Biff *****
time for a long term visa as immigration caught you out by not being a tourist. You told them your visiting your girlfriend
David ******
Because you're taking the piss.
Jacob *****
Nice one pal another one who's abusing the system and ruining it for the rest of us πŸ‘πŸΌ give yourself a pat on the back
Dennis *********
long term visa seems the obvious answer.
Rich ****
It seems you've done a lot of trips here with just the entry stamp and now you are drawing scrutiny because of your history but the extension is easy once you've made it in.
John **********
You won't have any problems getting an extension of stay at an immigration office for 30 days but after that it sounds like it is time to get a long term visa
Ally ************
You didn't mention your nationality.. which has a bearing on visa exempt entries.. or whether you have a 3-month (or maybe a 6-month) tourist visa granted in your home country before you travelled to Thailand.. your facts are a little sketchy to get a full understanding.. but if you had a multiple entry tourist visa and complied with its terms.. you should have had no problem re-entering Thailand whilst it remains valid.. so I'm slightly confused here πŸ€”
Lynnette *******
You've been trying to enter repeatedly as a tourist, ( but trying to live in Thailand because you've got a girlfriend?)so that's why you've been stopped.
Jordan *****
There is no solution in your case, other than getting a long term visa.

If I were you, I would go back to the US, wait for a year and get another METV and try to spend 4-5 months in Thailand in 2027.
Phil *******
By the sound of it, you are not a tourist?
Jordan *****
@Phil ******
Most people who are now on long term visas had at one point spent half a year, or a full year on visa exemptions, or tourist visas before transitioning to a new status.

His case is fairly common because many people hesitate getting a long term visa, due to no actual rules governing how long you can spend in Thailand during one year on visa exemptions, setv, or metv. The fact that he was still allowed in after questioning, and the existence of border run agencies, is proof of the lack of rules.
Bent *************
@Jordan ****
TiT

Only Thais understand why people can’t be tourists for one, two, or more years!

The word tourist simply means a person who travels to somewhere to enjoy!
Brett *********
Getting an extension is easier than getting in at DMK or BKK. I was grilled on my 60 day exemption when I arrived and warned. Then I got a 30 day extension in Korat. Go figure.
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