@Bart *************

also I intend to stay only for another 15 days.

From what I understand is that immigration also cares more about the number of days stayed in Thailand rather than how many days the visa actually allows you to stay.

I don’t intend to come back to Thailand in the next 6-8 months so I guess but rather explore the nearby countries more like Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

@Bart *************

before December, all the 15 days entry were on visa on arrival, not exempt.

Actually, I had read that most times when the IO warns/denies visa exempt entry, they usually either ask to get a tourist visa from the embassy or to get another proper visa.

So it seems that a visa from the embassy is better than visa exemption in general. Probably the IO might also be a bit more lenient because they know that someone already checked the documents and travel history and gave the traveller a green signal. But if that would be true in my case or not i am not sure.

I got the visa this time because of the lady’s warning. It just seemed having a visa from the embassy would reduce the reasons the land border could give me for rejectin.

@John *********

do you happen to remember if he tried on visa exempt or an actual tourist visa?

The problematic part of being refused entry is that then you have to go back to laos where they need to cancel your exit stamp.

@John *********

what I fail to see is that if you actually have a visa from the embassy, then the land border asking to fly through the doesn’t really make sense.

My understanding would be that if the land border refuses you entry even with a visa, then pretty much the airports would do the same.

Considering that people say that nong khai is one of the easiest borders for visa run, I am inclined to trying nong khai border again.

@Jan *****************

perhaps you are right. I think what ticked off the IO was that I was leaving on the very last day of the extension.

@Bart *************

march - april : 1 month.

June - 15 days

July - 15 days

Sept - 2 months

Dec - 14 days + ongoing.

Today I exited Thailand and the nong khai immigration lady asked me to use flight if I want to enter Thailand again instead of land border(i have never entered Thailand using land border before). Have applied today for the 60 day visa at the embassy in Vientiane. Perhaps that would work at the load border rather than visa exempt?

Yes, I entered Thailand in Dec’23 on visa exemption.

I haven’t done any border/visa run this year. It will be my first visa run this year.

Yet, I was still told to fly and not come via land. I think trying visa exemption again has very high chances of denial so I have applied for a visa at the embassy but I have 0 confidence right now via both airports and land(after the lady told me not come through here).

@John *********

that’s my worry, specially at the airports.

@Christopher ************

so your suggestion would be to not try nong khai again even with the visa?

@Jonathan *************************

so the biggest challenge would be to renter Laos I guess.

Other than that, I guess that if they flag me in the system or worse - put a rejection stamp then all borders would be the same.