Getting into the Kingdom of Thailand

There is a whole raft of ways to spend time in Thailand and for most the "stamp on arrival" will suffice (depending on which country you are from; most countries are eligible).

I you are flying into the main airport (Suvarnabhumi) you will get a stamp, free of charge, to allow you to visit for up to 30 days, no questions asked.  Note that if you enter the Kingdom by any other means than flying in (boat, train bus), this is reduced to just 15 days.

Apparently there is no limit to the times one can repeat this, nor is there a time period; you can literally fly out in the morning to a neighbouring country (Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam- anywhere) and return on the next available flight and have your passport stamped for another thirty days.

Another option is to apply for a 60 day, single entry Tourist Visa which you can get from any Thai Embassy or consulate in another country (one has to be outside of Thailand) which will cost you around £20* and enables you to do exactly what it advertises.  It is valid for three months from the date of issue and has to be used in that time or it becomes void.

I also believe you can extend that (for a fee) for another thirty days at Immigration, but we've never tried this as Immigration will cost you a day in hanging around and it's just as easy (and cheap) to fly out and back in again.

However, there is a risk of refusal for a 60 dayer at the discretion of the person issuing the visa- if they believe you are trying it on with back to back applications, don't expect 100% success.  However, if they turn you down, simply fly in and get your free 30 days.

There are plenty of ways to spend whole year in the country but this usually involves being 50 (retirement), having a Thai partner or child or taking a language course.

We're currently more than happy doing our 20-60 days in, a month or two out to explore another country and repeat, but it has to be said, once we hit fifty, we're coming back to stay permanently.



*Currently, up until March 2011, the application fee has been waived to help boost the tourist trade after the awful demonstrations earlier this year.