What visa options are available for staying in Thailand for 6 months while volunteering and traveling?

Mar 30, 2023
2 years ago
Samantha *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Absolutely hopeless at this.

Wanting be stay in Thailand for 6 months next year.. 3 months volunteering and 3 months travel... Does anyone know the requirements for me to stay 6 months in total ?

From Australia 🌏🦘
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An Australian expat is seeking advice on staying in Thailand for 6 months, divided between volunteering and traveling. For volunteering, it is recommended to obtain a non-O visa prior to arrival, as the volunteer visa is currently hard to obtain. The travel portion can be managed by first securing a tourist visa (TR60), which can be extended at an immigration office. Suggestions include temporary border runs (like to Cambodia or Laos) to reset visa days and possibly enabling further stays. There appears to be a consensus that combining visa strategies effectively can result in a total of 180 days in Thailand.
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Paul *******
Try a multiple entry tourist visa.
Samantha *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Me again. Has anyone from Melbourne been successful getting a type O Visa and if so how did you get it ?
Mitchell *******
Exemption, extend, quick trip to another country

Repeat 2 more time. 180 days in the books.
Samantha *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay so what I'm hearing is spend 30 days volunteering in Thailand go to Laos for 30 days then volunteer in Cambodia for 30 days and come back to Thailand for a month and travel..... πŸŒπŸ™
Samantha *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Haven't been to Laos or Cambodia so this works out nicely πŸ™
Bob **********
Volunteer Visas are very hard to get nowadays TV and extend then leave and get a new TV and extend shouldn’t be a problem but more than that back to back you could be denied
Giorgio ******
so many volunteers for touring !!555/5/5/55//
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John *********
I'm doing 6 months i came on a 45 days then 30 days at Jomtien Immigration then 2 same day Cambodia border runs which each gave 45 days then 30 days at Jomtien Immigration
James ********
Hi John after you did a cambodia board run to get 45 days can you then get a 30 day extension at immigration again? Also how much did you pay for a one day border run? Thanks πŸ™πŸ»
John *********
@James *******
yes you can and i paid 3100 then 2600
Bob **********
@John ********
your 30 days short of 6 months
John *********
@Bob *********
45 +30+45+45+30
Bob **********
@John ********
I think you have an extra 45 there
John *********
@Bob *********
use a calculator they work wonders πŸ˜ƒ
Bob **********
@John ********
why would you have 3 45 exempts stamps and only 2 extensions ???
John *********
@Bob *********
everything is explained above ^^^^^^^^
John *********
@Bob *********
I'm not i will have a few days spare
Graham ******
@John ********
Have you already completed your second border bounce?
John *********
Bob **********
@John ********
if you did both in a calendar year your done with land crossings
John *********
@Bob *********
yes i know i don't need again
Paul *******
To be a volunteer in Thailand, you need the appropriate visa. But due to abuse, by mainly Chinese nationals, Thai authorities have stopped issuing the visa. Who knows when they will start again but unlikely soon with so many Chinese tourists now entering Thailand.
Paul *******
@Paul ******
I'm sure legitimate volunteer visas continue to be issued. Chinese nationals won't stop coming to Thailand now that the border has reopened. Unless there's another plandemic/scamdemic I don't think the borders will close again and certainly not before 2025.
Ryan ***********
@Paul ******
Yes because of the damn always corrupt bugmen I have to go to Chiangmai for my marriage visa reοΏΌn
Ben ******
@Paul ******
The scourge from the north.
Steve *******
@Paul ******
Incorrect. The Non Imm O visa based on volunteering is still issued in the UK.
Brandon ************
You won't be able to do it without leaving the country at least once.

If you want to volunteer you need to be in contact with the organization you'll be volunteering for and apply for a non-O visa before you leave Australia with the paperwork the organization provides you.

This visa should be 90 days and then when it's coming to an end, cancel your work permit and leave Thailand.

You can then either travel to a nearby consulate and apply for a tourist visa which can get you 90 days in the country and is your best option, or just do a simple border bounce and get a 30 day visa exempt plus 30 day extension. Then you'll have to do this again after those 60 days, but at that point you'll have been in Thailand for 5 months already and may encounter issues trying to enter the country again as a tourist. Which is why getting the tourist visa is the better option since you can get 90 days and not have to worry about leaving and re-entering.
Wayne *********
3 months travel is easy, get a tr60 visa then pay 1900baht at immigration office thailand and get an extension of 30 days that gives you 90 days total. Volunteer visa i am not sure about
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