Best flights thus far.

@Ahron *******

@Jai *******

Try calling the number above for SS IO and asking for the young male immigration police officer who speaks perfect English. He seems knowledgeable.

David Broadfoot

You have just described Big Brother Myanmar.

Thais in general don't bother reporting and IOs in the south usually don't check.

The Malaysian government is smarter.

Malays know they are competing dismally against Thailand in the tourism industry.

They compensate for this by adjusting their visa policies to allow relatively rich passport holders to enter visa-free, stay for up to 90 days per entry and re-enter without limit.

Martin Gillespie

I am always unwilling to give up my Baht at the IO, for reasons we tourist-felons know.

I would rather give it to my Thai friends or others who really deserve or need it.

Jerem Groizard

If you decide to go it alone next time, you will have an easier time at SS IO.

Jerem Groizard

Call SS IO first. I see an office phone number listed for them on Google Map.

Jerem Groizard

If you still have time, take a trip to Samut Sakhon (SS) IO tomorrow and ask to see the young male officer who speaks English (he told me he is an immigration police officer) and ask him for options.

Jerem Groizard

This was the first $ visa extension (30 days) made available weeks before the expiry date of the visa amnesty (26 SEP).

The former general kept playing the fear game to the very end, only to show mercy a few days later, thereby pushing forward the final amnesty date to 31 OCT.

Maybe this new 60-day COVID extension comes with residence rules that are new, different and far more stringent than previous rules?

A most helpful officer at Samut Sakhon IO suggested in late SEP that I could check into a nearby inexpensive hotel for at least one night and then bring with me the hotel-issued resident proof to apply for a 30-day visa extension.

This is one alternative for tourists to bye-pass (!) long delays as well as self-knowingly rude and sadistically uncommunicative officers at infamous IOs.

Isn't this option still available?