When you check in at a hotel they ask for your passport which they photocopy so they can register you online for the TM30. If you are in private accommodation you will probably need a printout but in a hotel immigration can see the TM30 online

The latter, unless you want to apply for a 6 month extension while in country.

@Brandon ***********

and the difference is?

@Patrick *********

Yes but you must get a certificate of residence from immigration. Banks are hard work at the moment as they try to comply with international banking rules, so you may have to go to a few branches before being accepted. Avoid Bangkok Bank.

Basically you are required to supply everything you did on your original application, so not many people bother. Just do a border bounce

As soon as your visa is approved it is active so you do not need to enter Thailand first.

First you have to get your marriage certificate legalised. Your home government will have a service for this. It is sometimes called apostilled/attested. The government simply guarantee your marriage document is genuine. You then have to get both documents translated into Thai and then pay your Thai Embassy to confirm the translation is correct. It is much easier to do this in your home country than in Thailand. When you are ready apply for a Non Immigration O visa based on visiting Thai family (your wife). When you get to Thailand they will stamp you in for 90 days. open a Thai bank account deposit 400k. This has to be in the account for two months before you can apply for your extension, so do it ASAP. As soon as you can take your Thai wife to the immigration office and they will supply a list of documents and photos they require for a marriage extension. The first one can be a little daunting but it is not as hard as it looks. Good luck

Why should you be worried? The crackdown is for visa-exempt abusers. It doesn't affect visa holders unless you have a history of staying long-term in Thailand using visa-exempt entries.

Geez! who knows. please keep us updated. You came and stayed four days and then left! I would arrest you for suspicious travel plans :D

@Koyoto ****

Mine came the day before I travelled