What should I know about activating a DTV visa in Thailand?

Dunno if anyone saw this on Instagram (I didn't, someone sent it to me :P )

This should be a lesson for ALL people who apply for a DTV :O

This person applied for their DTV either while they were inside thailand or they came here after they applied but before it was approved. Then they got the DTV approved

BUT

they didn't realize in order to activate it you have to exit (to get OFF the current stamp you're on) and then re-enter presenting the DTV when you stamp in (to get ON the new DTV).

They just thought they were good to go, and ended up overstaying their free stamp entry by more than 90 days <- which means when you leave the country you're automatically banned for a year :O

Lucky for them, they weren't caught out inside the country while on that overstay because an overstay like that gets an automatic FIVE YEAR ban if you're caught inside.

So moral of the story people;

If you apply for a DTV either while you're already in thailand <- (which is totally against the eVisa / DTV rules) or if you apply then come to thailand before it's approved (which is frowned upon but allowed) once you do get the visa approved make sure you bounce out/back to activate the DTV :)

Hard lesson for this kid to learn, but good news is, he's got a 5 year DTV and can still get 4 years of stay out of it once he stays out of the country for the year he's banned :O