Deadline to apply for “Covid” visa extension July 29; office closures

[Thaiger]

The deadline to apply for a 60-day special “Covid” visa extension is July 29, but many should apply at least a week prior as Immigration offices will be closed for public holidays during the last week of the month. Immigration offices in expat-dense areas tend to get packed during the days leading up to the deadlines. The special visa extension is intended for foreigners who cannot leave Thailand due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The extension is somewhat of an alternative to so-called “border runs” since people cannot easily leave the country and re-enter on a new visa. The extension […]

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[Soidog]

I find this all very interesting. I’m sure there are one or two places where it’s still impossible to return to. However, I would have thought the vast majority of “tourists” would have been able to get a flight back home over the last 15 months! Clearly this is an acceptance by the Thai government that there are thousands living in the country who use “border runs” to find their way around visa requirements etc. I guess the alternative was to either round people up and have the cost of deportation, or lose track of them as they went to ground and stopped reporting to immigration? It’s essentially a nod to a practice that during normal times is often seen as unacceptable? 

[Svcoquette]

We would be happy to go early if they extended the VISA from the date of expiration NOT the date you apply. We went early one time and lost a week of the "extension", so now most go the last day. Many of us "yachties" came here from Malaysia but cannot return as the ports are closed to yachts. Many, especially older ones, would not risk contracting Covid by getting on an airplane where 95 % of the air is recirculated.

 

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, Svcoquette said:

We would be happy to go early if they extended the VISA from the date of expiration NOT the date you apply. We went early one time and lost a week of the "extension", so now most go the last day. Many of us "yachties" came here from Malaysia but cannot return as the ports are closed to yachts. Many, especially older ones, would not risk contracting Covid by getting on an airplane where 95 % of the air is recirculated.

I have to say that has never happened to me. I have frequently extended a 60 day tourist visa by a further 30 days and it’s always been the full 30 on top of the full 60. This May however be different under extensions due to Covid issues??

[Svcoquette]

Yes Soidog, we've been coming here for 10 years and the extensions were always from the date of expiration, not the date of application. At least in Phuket that has now changed. And they wonder why it's so crowded at immigration at the end of the month.

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, Svcoquette said:

Yes Soidog, we've been coming here for 10 years and the extensions were always from the date of expiration, not the date of application. At least in Phuket that has now changed. And they wonder why it's so crowded at immigration at the end of the month.

Oh ok, well that’s interesting to know and thank you for sharing that information.  A silly situation that makes little sense.