Thread: Need advice on my "visa runs"

Hello! I've just registered because honestly, I got confused all the information I found online.

I'm a med student and I'm doing a 4 week exchange practice in Thailand. My trip is like this:

Arrive date: 27th Nov.
Departure date: 30th December
This is 34 days. 4 days more than I could but:

I want to go to Cambodia in the 16th Dec. (Friday) for the weekend and go back on Sunday (18th Dec.) because I have to work on Monday.

Then on the 23rd Dec I want to fly to Myanmar and travel back all the way through Mae Sot, crossing on land to Thailand around 28th/29th, then go to the airport and fly home on the 30th Dec.

My original plan was getting a 30 day permit upon arrival, then getting a 14 day one when getting back from Cambodia, then getting another one at Mae Sot but as far as I'm concerned it would be 2 "border bounce", right? More than one is forbidden. Or the 5/6 days in Myanmar are enough not to count as "visa run"?

And since my ticket back to home is not in 30 days, I can be banned to enter to Thailand at the very first time when I arrive, right? At the Cambodia/Thai and Myanmar/Thai border I can show my plane ticket back to home, it would be in 14 days at both of the places.

What do you guys suggest? Any tips would be very welcomed.

I would simply get a ME Tourist Visa before arriving.

The cost would be less then any Visa run I could imagine.

Originally Posted by AlrightSir

And since my ticket back to home is not in 30 days, I can be banned to enter to Thailand at the very first time when I arrive, right?

In theory, yes. More likely the airline may not let you board.

I'd get a double tourist visa and then a 14 day stamp on your last entry.

Originally Posted by AlrightSir

At the Cambodia/Thai and Myanmar/Thai border I can show my plane ticket back to home, it would be in 14 days at both of the places.

Don't forget passport fotos, and neat Dollar bills to pay for the visas on arrival. Price depends on your nationality.

You'll be fine...Common sense and follow the line...Boring, but it must be done...I hate borders and I'm always "loaded for bear" and usually have something illegal and can't be arsed to worry...

Welcome to the Buffalo Board, Sir...From a polite Canadian...Heh...


BTW, it's usually just too many cigarettes or an over-sized dildo "for a friend," not a kilo of anything important...

ME is a no-go unfortunately.

So let's say: I won't go to Cambodia, only to Myanmar. If I have my plane ticket of Thailand->Myanmar within 30 days, that should do it right?

Visa upon arrival probably 30 days each country, yes...

Great! Thanks guys!!

Originally Posted by AlrightSir

If I have my plane ticket of Thailand->Myanmar within 30 days, that should do it right?

yep.
.
.

I will defer to todd if he showz, but all the information given so far is not correct (to me). You said you were here for a 4 week exchange as a med student. You therefore need either a student visa or a work non immigrant visa.

You are NOT coming here as a tourist.

I suggest you contact the international relations department of the university you will be attached with, or other authority as appropriate.

I have come to Thailand the past five years for 31-35 days. I didn't get a visa in advance and had no problem as we planned to cross the boarder at some point during our trip. The only sticky point was at the ticket counter in the U.S. with Korean Air. They fuss a bit about not having a visa and staying over 30 days I told them we would leave Thailand at some point but it's a bit risky as they seem quite strict. So this time i'm playing it safe and getting a visa here first. It would be a real drag to be turned away at the airport.

Okay, there's more than a little bad information on this thread;

First

Originally Posted by stroller

I'd get a double tourist visa and then a 14 day stamp on your last entry.

There is NO such animal as a double or triple entry tourist visa anymore, and there hasn't been since the 13th of Nov 2015. Tourist visas are sold as:
SETV (90 day, single entry tourist visa) <- which is valid for 90 days from the date they're issued and allow a single entry stamp of 60 days
OR as
METV (6 month, multi-entry tourist visa) <- which is valid for 6 months from the date they're issued and allows unlimited entrie/exits into the kingdom for the duration of the visa with each entry getting a stamp of 60 days

Second

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Visa upon arrival probably 30 days each country, yes...

People from 57 countries get into thailand on the "visa exempt entry" program. <- It has that catchy name because people showed up without having bought a visa at a thai consulate before winging their way here and were stamped in for a period of time ranging from 90 days (5 countries) down to 14 days (2 countries) without a visa..

FWIW: A "visa on arrival" is something "sold" to people from 19 countries when they arrive here for 2000baht and gives them a 15 day visa.

It was pointed out correctly that it's not the passport control officers here in thailand that's gonna have a problem letting the O/P in on a visa exempt stamp. It's gonna be the airline they're flyin' in on. Many airlines don't wanna let you board a flight to thailand without a visa, because should you be denied they have to pony up the money to lug you back outta here. Sometimes, showing proof of onward travel at the check in counter works, sometimes it doesn't. A good friend of mine who travels here often on visa exempt entries had to sign a waiver at the check in counter in the US to board his flight here stating if he was denied entry he'd pay his own way back.

A good solution (which has been pointed out) would be for the O/P to secure a Tourist Visa before winging his way here.

I would suggest a SETV (single entry tourist visa). On arrival he'd be stamped in for 60 days. He could then buy a single re-entry permit at his local immigration office for 1000baht. That would effectively keep his 60 day stamp "alive" while he travels to burma for a few days. Then when he re-enters thailand he'd be stamped in for the remainder of the 60 days.

To me that's the most trouble free option.. But hey, what do I know

^ Todd, that's all well and good, but the guy is NOT coming here as a tourist.

care to comment?

Originally Posted by toddaniels

If he's not from a G7 country (Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan, and the USA), he'd most likely pull only 15 days entering a land border

Which is all he needs...

single entry tourist visa with either a multi or single entry re-entry permit, (and a visa exempt entry for the second trip out of Thailand), covers the no ticket for flight out within 30 days of arrival