@Marc *******

until 24th of March the stay would be 5 months, so they said they would allow him into the country for 5 months and 2 weeks, on visa-exempt entries plus two 30-days extensions, if he showed them an onward ticket. I believe it, absolutely possible. . . . However it proves exactly what I said: they calculate per 365-days period, they do not calculate 180 days per calendar year. The period they allow him in spans across two calendar years, so HOW would they want to calculate it? The Immigration officer in his bad command of English used the WRONG terminology: he should have said "365-days period", but he said "calendar year" because he thinks this is the same! He was not able to express himself correctly . . . I am used to these misinterpretations - I am reading and giving visa advice since 25 years, and I am the admin of a very well known and reputed visa advice group

@Marc *******

your wires are totally crossed, and your friend is totally lost in translations. . . . . Tell me, HOW is it possible to enter Thailand by October 2026 and return by April 2026 😂 is your friend an expert in "time machines" ? If you ever wondered why I don't believe you and your friend: THIS is the reason

@Marc *******

I think you are obviously miscalculating . . . if he returns by October 2026, you mean they will enforce that he has a return ticket in April 2027 ? Why do you write April 2026 ? It should say April 2027 😆😃

@Ralph ******

that's unclear as I can't make any sense out of what Marc Widmer tried to explain

@Ulrik ************

no, won't be a problem but you should not maximize the first 60 days with a 30 days extension, and then expect Immigration at the border not raising their eyebrows when you try to do a border run closely to the previous expiry of the 90th day

@Ralph ******

yes you should normally stay in one of Thailand's neighbour country for 2-3 weeks holiday before you attempt a second visa-exempt entry. And you chances are greater if you haven't maximized the first visa-exempt 60-days with a 30-days extension but exited Thailand before the 60-days stay permit expired. Then you are regarded as being a "real" tourist travelling South East Asia

@Sean ****

Lucky you, they must have been impressed by your politeness 😂

@Shaughn **********

you are right, they should have given him a leeway of 14 days/two weeks 😄 and YES thank you for confirming the "rule of Thumb" being "180 days within a 365-days period" and not "within a calendar year" (which won't make any sense anyways)

@Ralph ******

like I said - "lost in translation" . .it is not "per calendar year" this is NOT how Immigration counts

@Peter *********

well he can . . . enter visa-exempt, 60 days, extend with 30 days, then do a border bounce and enter visa-exempt a second time, 60 days again. That's already 60+30+60 = 150 days or 5 months . . and another border bounce or another 30 days extension will catapult it to six months and beyond