1. NEED TM30

Your friend will need to make sure his accommodation provider register him for TM30 (Registration of Foreigner's Residential Address) within 24 hours of entry into Thailand.

He will need a screenshot of the TM30 Registration for his application for extension of stay.

List of documents required for application is attached. This is from the immigration office at IT Square Lak Si.

TM30 can be registered online by the accommodation provider:



Or



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2. WHERE TO APPLY FOR EXTENSION OF STAY (VISA EXEMPT)

The immigration office to apply for extension of stay (Visa Exempt) is dependent on his accommodation address.

Generally speaking, if his accommodation address is in Phuket, he cannot go to the Immigration office in Bangkok. He has to go to the immigration office in Phuket.

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3. APPLY IN BANGKOK PROVINCE

If his accommodation address is in Bangkok province:

Option 1. Apply in person at immigration office in IT Square Lak Si



Option 2. Apply online via a paid service (authorised agent) called VFS, and after approval, bring your passport for "stamping" at:

Immigration Division 1, 3rd Floor, Government Complex Building B (Chaeng Wattana)



VFS charges minimum 500 THB service fee in addition to the 1,900 THB "Visa fee".

Service Fee:

• Regular Service fee: 500 THB to get your E-Extension decision within the next 7 business days.

• Express Service fee: 1,500 THB to get your E-Extension decision within the next 3 business days.

• Super urgent service fee: 5,000 THB *You can also apply for a super urgent service, to get your E-Extension decision within the next day (only business day).

I have been told by VFS that they will charge only 500 THB for Express and Super Urgent services, from 1 May to 31 Jul 2023. I recommend you confirm this in writing via email before application, if your friend is going to use VFS.

Note that VFS only services customers with Bangkok address.

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4. IMMIGRATION OFFICE AT IT SQUARE LAK SI

The immigration office at IT Square Lak Si has a lunch break between 12:00pm to 1:00pm. The last queue number issued is at 3:30pm.

Depending on your friend's arrival time in Thailand, he may not make it in time to apply on the day of arrival.

There are 2 photo-taking, printing and photocopying shops next to the immigration office.

Your friend will need to make sure he has everything in the list before he goes to the counter to get a queue number.

He will need to fill out 3 forms.

So roughly, it will take 1 hour to photocopy passport pages, take a photo if he does not have one, fill out the forms, etc.

Recommend your friend arrive at 9:00am (hopefully get approved before lunch break) or 1:00pm (just after lunch break).

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Another very common scam that everyone should be aware of...

1. Someone (could be family, friend, acquaintance) in your Facebook Friend List had their account hijacked by scammer.

2. Your "family/friend/acquaintance" (scammer who took over their account) messages you to ask for your mobile number or email address, to join a lucky draw which both of you could win big prizes.

3. The scammer then uses your mobile number or email address on the "Forgot Password" facility on Facebook, Gmail, Lazada, mobile phone company website or other online account.

4. Your "family/friend/acquaintance" then asks for the code sent to your mobile or email to confirm entry into the lucky draw.

5. Because it is a trusted person asking, you didn't think twice about sending the code to them.

6. Oooops... you have just let the scammer logged in to your account. They will immediately change the mobile number, recovery email address and password so they have complete control of your Facebook, Gmail, Lazada, mobile phone number or other online account.

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Moral of the Story:

Never give ANYONE the code sent to your phone or email.

It does not matter if they claim to be the police, tax department, government, family member or a trusted friend.

The person asking is 100% a scammer.

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@Josh *********

Technically, they do.

After you load credit on your account (say 200 THB), you can call, text and use mobile data, at a per unit rate, according to your SIM card type.

You will find that your credit is gone real soon because your phone is downloading stuff in the background via mobile data.

DTAC - Pay-As-You-Go

30 Days of Mobile Data:

199 THB + 7% tax (total 213 THB) for 6GB mobile data at their highest speed for 30 days.

Unused data quota is rolled-over/added to your new quota, if you subscribe to another package before the current one expires.

However, don't subscribe to a new package too early (preferably as close to your expiry time as possible). 30 days usage expiry is counted from the time you sign up the new package, not 30 days added to your old package's usage expiry date/time.

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Extending the validity of your SIM card:

Every time you top up (minimum is 20 THB via their DTAC app), you extend SIM/credit validity by 30 days.

So, it makes sense to ALWAYS top up 20 THB at a time, multiple times, instead of topping up a bigger amount to your required credit to buy your next package.

10 x 20 THB top up = 10 x 30 days SIM validity extension = 300 days.

MAXIMUM SIM/CREDIT VALIDITY is 365 days.

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Yearly SIM deal (on Lazada) a cheaper option?

Based on above, 12 x 213 THB per 30 days = 2,556 THB per 360 days.

Depending on your mobile data usage needs, the "yearly SIM card deal" available on Lazada could be a cheaper option.

Examples:

DTAC - Turbo - 60GB per year @ maximum speed 100Mbps -- 1,390 THB

AIS - Marathon - 100GB per year @ 15Mbps -- 1,790 THB

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Seoul, South Korea… eVisa

@Wd *********

If you entered Thailand via 90-day Visa Exempt (e.g. South Korea), you might want to contact the Immigration Bureau to check if you are eligible for "visa extension" and if so, what is the maximum days of extension. It is not automatic 30-day extension for every nationality.

@Wd *********

Did you enter Thailand on Tourist Visa or Visa Exempt?

If Visa Exempt, it is IT Square Lak Si.

Visa Extension @ IT Square Lak Si



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Email them (Immigration @ IT Square Lak Si) to confirm:



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@Wd *********

You are welcomed. 👍

Also important to take note.. Depending on your accommodation address, you need to go to the Immigration office in your province.

For example, if you go to the Immigration office at IT Square Lak Si (for Bangkok province) when your address is in Samut Prakan province, they will ask you to go to the Immigration office in Samut Prakan.

So, check the full address of your accommodation to determine which province you are in.

One work-around for the Immigration Office at IT Square Lak Si is to use a Bangkok address on your form - e.g. your embassy's address in Bangkok. They will overlook it and allow you to apply there. This work-around was suggested by the Immigration Officer there.

@Wd *********

If TM6 is not applicable to you, don't worry about it.

But you need TM30, which your accommodation provider should register within 24 hours of your check-in.

Screenshot of the TM30 registration is fine. Preferably a clear screenshot, which you can print out and submit with your application.