30 day visa extension, same day or not?

i think the confusion comes from people mixing up the 30 day extension with the 60 day covid extension or a visa exempt entry. the standard tourist extension is always same day at chaeng wattana, just get there when the doors open at 8:30 and you'll be done by lunch. the passport surrender thing is real if you go to an office like lat krabang or prakanong where they process in batches, but that's usually for annual extensions or marriage visas, not this. just bring your tm6 departure card too, they always ask for it and half the tourists lose it

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The key is which office you go to. Chaeng Wattana is the main one and it's same day if you get there before 10am, but later in the day they might tell you to come back the next morning for pickup. The smaller offices like Muang Thong Thani or the one on Soi 101 can sometimes be faster since there's less crowd, but they're stricter about having every document exactly right. If your visa expires on a Monday, go the Thursday or Friday before just in case they ask you to come back, but don't stress about it taking a week. That only happens if you go through an agent who batches passports together.

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same day is the norm at most immigration offices here, especially if you go early. i did mine at chaeng wattana a few months back and was out in under 2 hours. just make sure you have the 1900 baht in cash, a passport photo, and your tm.30 slip if you're staying at a hotel or condo. the horror stories about surrendering passports for days are usually from people who went through an agent for a longer extension or visa run stuff, not the standard 30 day tourist extension. go a few days before your current stamp expires to be safe, but same day is totally fine

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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