Asked all the time and the only accurate answer is that there’s a formal onward ticket requirement within 60 days for tourist entries as tourist visa and visa exemption. Rarely checked at the immigration but you might risk your airline will require it for boarding. Therefore you have two options: call your airline and ask for their policy regarding this and/or buy a cheap onward ticket within 60 days.

Two months prior should be fine and you should assume that the IO’s are human enough to understand your personal situation here.

There’s no 180 days rule and people have stayed for 270 days and even more on visa exemption before they’re told to get a proper visa next time. However we know that 180 days in country sometimes can be a turning point. Everything is in the discretion of the IO you’re standing in front of and no one can give you a 100% correct answer or predict what the IO will tell you. If you were in Thailand I would have advised you to use a professional land border transport company. The safest bet from outside Thailand has always been to apply for a tourist visa and enter by a land border point. When you enter be at least prepared to show proof of an onward ticket within the time you’ll get stamped in for now.

@Suparno ****

You’re mixing up things. Indians had a promotion for 30 days visa exemption after the old visa exemption scheme until 11 th of November.

HOWEVER from the 15th of July this year Indians were PERMANENTLY included in the NEW visa exemption scheme and get 60 days visa exemption upon arrival on the same conditions as the 92 other countries entitled to visa exemption.

SO you can go to Thailand and get a 60 days free stamp when you come and apply for a 30 days extension at your local immigration in Thailand if you wish. NO VISA IS NEEDED.

@Daniel *******

If you enter on visa exemption you’ll get a 60 days visa exemption which can be extended with additional 30 days locally. If you leave and re-enter you’ll get another 60 days visa exemption.

For both entries your airline might require a an onward ticket within 60 days.

You can check out at anytime, but you can never leave😉

@Meg **********

There’s no official statement regarding this and you can just do a border bounce and return immediately. However we know that some border points make up their own rules and demands that foreigners doing border bounce on their own need to spend minimum one -some two- nights out before they can re-enter. As I’m aware of the Nong Khai border is ok, but a border closer to Chang Mai demands two nights. I don’t have any overview here, that’s why I would have used a professional company my self. They know the name of the game and wouldn’t bring you unless they sure they can get another extension on your behalf.

@Eric *****

Sorry, the only extension available for Non O is one year extension of Stay, unless you’re married Thai or have a Thai child and can apply for the 60 days extension visiting Thai family. Only tourist visa and visa extension gives possibility to apply for the 30 days tourist extension.

@Eric *****

No, all 93 countries entitled to visa exemption after the new scheme can apply for an extension.