lsemprini

It certainly could be, but I checked all the screens in the manual: https://thaievisa.go.th/static/English-Manual.pdf and also checked the list of required documents for the visa types I was considering (non-O, TR): https://thaievisa.go.th/ (scroll down to "Visa Category" and click each) and I didn't see any request to send a scan of flight ticket to Thailand. I DID see the form ask for date and port of entry, but not flight and no ticket upload. For sure, the CoE application process at: https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en requires uploading an image of the air ticket during Step 3 of the CoE application, but that is a separate process from the visa application, and if the air ticket that ends in Thailand happens to be from another country, that is not actually anything unusual (it could be a transiting flight). So at the moment I don't see any practical or legal obstacles to using e-visa. Certainly there could be a catch, but I don't see it yet.

Understood, but since there is no embassy/consulate visit and no paper being mailed, it seems unlikely they would have any realistic way to check, and possibly they would not care as long as I am outside of Thailand. The reason I say they might not care is that if you go to https://thaievisa.go.th/ and you click "Am I eligible to apply online?" the website states (after asking for one's passport country): "Permanent Residency / Current Location: Your resident status in a country of which you are granted a residence visa to stay for more than six months." So if someone is physically located in a third country for a short time, they should choose their country of origin in this box, and they can legally apply for the e-visa. In the thread you mentioned below, some people speculated that they might require us to show a flight from the country of application, but that doesn't seem to be the case (only TR requires a flight and it is a flight OUT of Thailand). Also some people speculated that they might want to see a scan of Thai exit stamps (to prevent people from applying for visas while inside Thailand) but they are not doing that and it doesn't apply to my case anyway since I am in VN. FYI for others, that thread is here: https://aseannow.com/topic/1231586-e-visa-stickerless-system-starting-on-september-27th-thai-embassy-usa-announcement/

Interesting, I hadn't heard of that website in ages.... I clicked on the website and they said you cannot use e-visa if you are a US citizen resident in Vietnam.... HOWEVER, the website also popped up a message saying that as of 26 SEP 2021 (yes, 2 days ago), they have FINALLY fixed the fundamentally broken e-visa system so that it is no longer necessary to submit one's passport to the local embassy/consulate as part of the process (which, of course, COMPLETELY defeats the whole purpose of being an e-visa). Instead, finally, the e-visa website ends up in you getting a confirmation e-mail which you print and present to Immigration at the border along with your passport. If that's really true, it is a massive sea change to the Thai Visa process and it would mean I could apply from anywhere. I'm surprised it's not major major news on thaivisa.com, I mean aseannow.com Is it really true?? Is there some "TIT" catch?

Yup, thanks, definitely considered that, but with the VN->US->TH airfare and the requirement to be in the US (and thus find housing in the US) for at least 30 days (the minimum number of days for any vaccine to take enough effect to be counted as "fully vaccinated;" J&J being one-shot doesn't meaningfully shorten that), that's going to be a much more expensive option. Currently there are a handful of flights from Viet Nam to BKK that are ~$200 and then you've got the $1000-$1500 ASQ quarantine hotel, but compared to VN->US->TH airfaire and the cost of non-ASQ hotel in Phuket (given that my goal is to end up in Mae Hong Son), it's still a lot less. Granted I can avoid quarantine, but it's pricey. Either way there will be the same cost for the absurd Thai health insurance.

Hi, I am a US citizen in Danang, Vietnam and trying to find a way back to Thailand. The only Thai consulate is in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) and it is COMPLETELY closed due to COVID. The only Thai embassy is in Hanoi and it seems to be open, but they never return messages or answer the phone. AND there is no way I can get there anyway due to extremely strict COVID checkpoints (the Thai consulate is in a "red zone" in the city). And there are no planes and Hanoi is a 16-20 hour expensive car ride away. So, I am wondering: 1. has anyone gotten any Thai visas AT ALL in Viet Nam in the last few weeks? 2. were you able to do it by mail inside Viet Nam (whether yourself or through an agent)? 3. was an STV (special tourist visa) one of the choices of visa type available? https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand-visa/thailand-tourist-visa 4. what documents did you need for the visa and CoE? FWIW I have a work permit and TRC in Vietnam so that may be useful in showing residency. As with 92-98% of the population I have not been able to get even 1 shot of vaccine yet. It's just not available. Thanks.