90 day visa - Thailand

[lord-of-creation]

Looking for a bit of advice. I'm going to Thailand on the 4th September this year and scuba diving for 12 weeks which finishes on the 29th of November. I am then volunteering in Malaysia and you have to arrange your flights to arrive in Malaysia on the 5th December so they can collect you from the airport.

4th September - 5th December = 93 days

Is there anything I can do in advance to avoid any potential problems for staying in the country for 3 days over the allowed limit. Also, what will happen if I don't arrange anything and turn up at the airport on the 5th to fly out to Malaysia. Will it just be a fine or can they detain me?

[MrSpike]

just turn up at the airport, three days is nothing and it's 500 thb a day anyway. They would never detain you at the airport and hold up a plane for that. When you go through immigration you just go to a desk there and pay the fine.

[lord-of-creation]

Anyone know if there are any checks when travelling out of thailand by train? I'd assume not, so might go down this route and make my own way to Kuala Lumpur

[XJSJohn]

It will be exactly the same, a slap on the wrists, 500bht and that's it.

Whereabouts is your dive school located? you could always do a visa run over a weekend / 1 day'er to Malaysia or the like and back if you are worried about any reprecussions.

Otherwise, see if the dive school can send a letter of request to the Immigration people explaining that you are on a course and that you need 3 days over your visa.

Have to say its a bit of a clanger dropped by the school not realising that their courses run so close to a visa duration!