ATTENTION MEMBERS ON MULTIPLE COVID EXTENSIONS WHO HAVE TO EXIT/RE-ENTER WHEN THEIR STAMP RUNS OUT
I got a LOT of DM's from people who have been here an extended amount of time on covid extensions (some who have been here since Jan 2020 :O ) who are now panicking because they have to exit the country when their stamp runs out.
Now I have no problem with people who took advantage of these extensions as a way to further their stay in thailand and good on you guyz/gurlz for doing it (y),
BUT
The fact is the covid extension program ended Wednesday the 24th, and that means anyone ON a covid extension has until their current stamp runs out to exit the country.
Most want to exit/re-enter <- AND that's where the problem(s) can occur..
There are MULTIPLE reports of people who tried to bounce out and in by air with a passport full of covid extensions (especially using Don Mueang and/or Suvaranbhumi) being denied entry :O Those people were denied even with proof of funds, proof of onward travel and proof of lodging :/ Most were sent back to where they flew in from but some of them were actually sent back to country of passport origin :(
We don't have the answer on how you can bounce out and back trouble free.
Perhaps GO to a nearby thai consulate and buy a tourist visa, then cross in to thailand by a land border <- at least that way IF you're denied entry you just get sent back to the country you stamped out of NOT shipped out by air like when you fly in and are denied.
Another option is to use a visa run company that will run you to the border to get a new visa exempt entry <- usually safer than going on your own because those companies 'grease the wheels at the border' and you won't have problems getting stamped back in
Yet another option if you're going to fly in is to look around for "express entry" or "fast track service". Many of the visa agencies offer this service
One thing to remember when you enter thailand, you can be asked for the "3-proofz" when you go to stamp in (by air OR land) and those are
- proof of funds; 20K baht in CASH or the equivalent
- proof of onward travel; within the number of days you'll get stamped in for
- proof of lodging; for the time you'll be stamped in for (although they usually accept a hotel booking for a couple days)
IF you're asked and you cannot provide those things it can be grounds for denial of entry. Also I realize many people have entered thailand multiple times and never been asked for any of these, BUT that does not negate that there is a law stating you need those when you stamp in if you're asked.
So to recap, if you got a passport full of covid extensions and need to exit/re-enter;
- get a tourist visa from a thai consulate
- enter by land to lessen the impact of denial of entry
- use an airport OTHER than Don Mueang / Suvarnabhumi
- have the 3-proofz on hand
- use a visa run company to bounce out/back
- use fast track or express entry at the airport
Good luck one and all, you had a good run on covid extensions, but alas, all good things come to an end. Take care, (y)
