Single & Multiple Re-entry Permits ... oddity?

[Smiles]

Talking about Re-entry Permits (triggered by Arnold's post regarding a new Airport visa service):

This part of the process has always interested me:

Fees:
Single 1,000 Baht[/*:m:3pq170b7]
Multiple 3,800 Baht[/*:m:3pq170b7]
I reside in Thailand under the yearly permission-to-extend-stay rules 'attached' to my original Retirement Visa.
Normally I use the 1000 baht Single re-entry ... because I usually go back to Canada once every year, so lately that's all I needed.
But next year I'm planning a short trip to Australia in October 2011 (i.e. after I get back to Thailand in September), but I'm still planning on going back to Canada in May 2011.
That means a Multiple Re-entry Permit at 3800 baht.

But does it? Am I able to get two Singles ... i.e. one just before the Oz trip, and another Single just before the Canada trip. That would be only 2000 baht.

(Now, he asked, possibly answering his own question) I'm assuming that a 'Single' means just that ... once you've received a Single Entry stamp that's the only one you're allowed for a 12 month period.
Why even have a Multiple version if one can successfully receive two singles for roughly half price?

Anyone know?

[quiet1]

You can purchase as many singles as you want -- there is no limit.

For folks like me who used to travel in/out of Thailand at least once per month (some times more frequently), the multiple was a good option. For your normal yearly travel pattern, a single (or two, or even three) would save money.

[cdnmatt]

Yes, very perplexing...

[mahjongguy]

Yes, you can buy as many Singles as you want but only one at a time. Buy one, use it, buy another.

The only thng against the 3 singles are cheaper than one multiple argument is that each single takes up nearly a whole page in your passport. For Americans I understand yu can get new pages added, but for us Brits running out of pages means getting a new passport. They are very expensive and take several weeks to aquire via Hong Kong if you live in Thailand, and then you have the hassle of tranferring visas.

[Smiles]

For my particular case (i.e. not normally going outside Thailand more than 2 or 3 times) 'multiple' singles :blackeye: make the most sense.
Thanks guys, for the very helpful info that one can actually receive more than one 'Single' a year.

The only thng against the 3 singles are cheaper than one multiple argument is that each single takes up nearly a whole page in your passport. For Americans I understand yu can get new pages added,.

As I remember, extra pages in US passports are $90.00 now. That's 2700 baht, the price of 2.7 reentries. Someone in the US gov did a study and concluded that the cost of sewing in extra pages was the same as all the overhead, etc. they need to issue new passports, hence the new cost to add extra pages should be similar.

Yes, Smiles, it's a matter of how many times you'll need a reentry during the year. As you are so stable and know well in advance the exact number of days you'll be home each year you can plan it that way but then you might find yourself deciding not to take an extra trip. I suppose that if you have to go all the way out to nowhere to get a new single entry then there's that transportation and time cost, which would make availability at the airport very good for you.