@Paul ******

If you are in Thailand and have a valid OA visa then you can extend it for one year from the date of your permission to stay stamp in your passport. Visit your house immigration office for the requirements.

And follow anything Tod Daniels tells you.

@Tod ********

There is never enough information

@Tod ********

Yes but if he never left Thailand (likely during Covid) then the entry stamp and the visa expiration (also assuming insurance) should be the same date.

@Sid ******

Yes, he can extend an OA at the end of his first year while in Thailand. An OA has a one year expiration date. An extension would be an extension of that original visa.

@Ellie ******

Interesting. That means these days arriving with an OA but not having insurance means you can enter visa exempt.

I remember when I was in the 2nd year of my OA with a multiple entry permit that I couldn’t kill the OA until I was past my permission to stay date. There was no insurance requirement at that time.

@Ellie ******

OK. So that is an interesting question. If he has a valid visa until May 31st but doesn’t have insurance (which wasn’t mentioned in his post) then he can’t enter Thailand but the visa is still valid. He just doesn’t have insurance. Does not having insurance cancel an OA? Can he get a non-O outside the country if he has a valid OA? Can he enter visa exempt?

@Ellie ******

He already has an OA valid until May 31st. I know he doesn’t want to continue it but since it is multiple entry until May 31st he can’t get a different visa while he has a valid visa.

@Ellie ******

Why can’t he re-enter on his non-OA?

@Chris ***

An OA is a 1 year multiple entry visa already.

@John *********

Also, my understanding is that if I extend as married then the insurance requirement no longer applies.

I am currently on my 4th extension of my OA as a retiree. I am married to a Thai but I am choosing to continue to extend as retired. It is a much easier process in my opinion. I have the money in the bank and the insurance but I always have the option to transition to a marriage extension.