NEED ADVICE ON TRAVELING TO THAILAND!!!

For all of you who live in and travel to Thailand...

I live in the US and am wanting to travel to Thailand soon with my boyfriend and I am wondering how those of you who live and travel in Thailand are able to stay for longer than 1-3 months with regard to visas. From my understanding you can get a 2 month tourist visa and then you can renew it for an extra month.

Is my understanding of this tourist visa situation correct?

Are there other visas that I could apply for that would let me stay longer?

Are you able to find work in Thailand without having a work permit?

I am wanting to travel throughout Thailand with the hopes of collecting textiles to have clothing made from that I can sell. Would this in any way qualify me for another type of visa?

Any information or advice that you could offer me would be greatly appreciated!!!

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Permalink Reply by Janneke on May 19, 2012 at 4:40am

Hi Jessica,

Thailand in amazing! I really loved living there for 6 months. It's te easiest country in the world to travel in, there are tourist offices everywhere that make sure you get to where you need to. It is SUPER cheap. You can live on a very low budget.

I came in on a tourist visa for 30 days, you do not want to stay longer than your visa allows as you have to pay a daily fine of 10-15 USD. Most places/tourist offices offer a visa run. This is usually a 1 day trip to the border of Burma, Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia. You would get a new visa for 30 days. I myself went once to the thai embassy in Kota Baru, Malaysia and had a new visa for 3 months and once to the thai embassy in Laos.

Don't plan too much before going to thailand, as everything is very easy to arrange. I worked as a divemaster/dive instructor, which is very easy, and all is under the table.

I lived on Koh Tao and Koh Chang for a while and spend another 2 months in Chiang Mai, great city. Did a meditation course of 10 days, which is SUPER interesting!

I hope you'll enjoy Thailand as much as I did!