What should I consider before leaving Thailand on a volunteer visa given recent immigration changes?

It amazes me, with computers, fingerprints and facial recognition adopted by Immigration, there's still people thinking of changing passport strategy.

You can get back in but you could get in trouble at the airport unless your “agent” can arrange some special treatment at immigration 🙂

If you come through Phuket I was told they are more relaxed there but BKK is tough without some “special treatment”.

Really funny that some people still think that Thai immigration is not able to link a new passport to the old one. You really think that they have to look at the stamps in your passport to get information of your previous visits to Thailand ?

The big problem you might face is in the fact technically volunteer visas must be extended every 90 days, just like ED visas, in order to stay valid, with who you are volunteering for giving you the documentation needed for these 90 day extensions. There were a few immigration officers giving technically real volunteer visas, but not doing the 90 day extensions. Technically without these 90 day extensions, after the first one was missed, your visa became invalid, and as such technically if they want to enforce it you've been in overstay. There was a big shakeup, with many promotions, and transfers, especially of those officials selling visas. It would be foolish to think higher ups didn't know what was going on, and put a stop to it in a manner with the least amount of loss of Face. Transfering these visa sellers into positions without that ability was how it was handled. You'll notice they did this after all the covid threats basically ended, and test and go started back up. It was a way people were paying more money when they could have just gotten covid extensions, so at the time no big deal, but now it is, so those few doing it were transferred last September. Now what you could face, and why some got new passports, is because of the overstay and one year+ of entry bans.

Bit late now but this is why the agent route is never the best idea as when it comes back to bite you it will come back and bite you hard

If you are on a volunteer visa, why are you going on a business trip?

Sham volunteer visa is same as having a page saying you are a refuge with covid, aids and cancer and have no money. Odds of reentering would be higher as a refuge then with a volunteer visa now.

My son came in with a volunteer multi in december.....not sure if rules have changed since then

They stopped volunteer visa you won't get back in you'll need a new visa

I've extensively researched going to Cambodia for one night and returning here on the visa exemption scheme with new Test and Go policies

All in all a one nighter will cost a minimum of $600 USD to $700 total

That's a budget of not staying in a hostel in Cambodia

Do NOT leave Thailand. Expect *ONE* the following to happen if you leave:

1. You'll be allowed to return on a visa on arrival/ visa exempt/ bilateral agreement (depending on the country you're from) OR;

2. You'll be rejected from entering Thailand because you can not support yourself OR;

3. You'll be shaken down for a bribe (if you bring in lots and lots of money)

Maybe look for agents who connections in smaller provinces , Its not impossible to extend however a little bit difficult than before , could cost a few thousand baht extra but its not impossible im stuck in asimilar situation ..

When does this bogus visa expire?

Go home after business trip, get a new passport then come back on another visa

I have seen maybe 4 or 5 posts from people experienced problems. Two had gone on to get new passports which seemed to help.

Don't leave Thailand or if you do then cancel your volunteer visa before you do and get a proper visa whilst overseas.