Can I get a 60-day visa exemption upon arrival in Thailand, extend it, and then do a border run to Laos or fly to Bali to get more visa days?

@Rene *****

with an METV you don’t need to do extensions if you don’t want to. At the end of each 60 day entry you can border bounce to get another 60 days. If it’s more convenient then once each entry you can buy one extension of 30 days.

Either way with one final extension you can milk almost 9 months off a METV.

@Rini ********

No. you can only apply for the multiple entry tourist visa from your home country or country of legal residence.

@Rini ********

METV can ONLY be obtained in your home country. You can't apply for any tourist visa in Thailand, that wouldn't make sense.

@Chris *********

the biggest mistake you are making with your plan is getting the 30 day extension every time. That is not a pattern a real tourist uses. That is a pattern someone trying to stay long term in Thailand as a tourist used. Lots of actual tourists base out of Bangkok when they visit other countries in South East Asia. They do not get the 30 day extensions, and they do not always cross at the same location. After the first time you cross and come back, after having gotten the 30 day extension, you have a high probability of being stopped and questioned about what you are doing. After the second time entry can be refused until you get the proper long term visa. Buying a tourist visa does not guarantee being let into the country if they know you are trying to stay long term as a tourist. If you follow a pattern of an actual tourist you can stay here for years, but if you don't by getting the 30 day extension each time you can, you will be refused entry very fast, no matter how you cross and return.

@Chris *********

Extensions are 1900 baht cash.

@Chris *********

Terminology is very important when it comes to these matters as the answers are completely different based on the entry method. But since they increased visa exempt to 60 days, the immigration officers have become MUCH more strict, and many people are encountering issues just coming back after 90 days. You are talking about coming back after 180 days, so your plan is not very good. Tourists don't spend 6 months, with trying to enter again for 9 months in a country. That's trying to live somewhere and considered abuse of tourist entries.

@Chris *********

You could be stopped trying to do 2, but very surely will be stopped trying it 3 times in a row. All depends on your travel history and the IO you meet on arrival.