Entering Thailand (Visa Excempt) Ticket requirements.

[wildpikey]

I am aware that if you are arriving in Thailand on a "visa exempt" you are required to show an onward travel plan. This was often checked by airlines to allow you to board before the flight to Thailand. (Not always.)

 

A friend of mine recently checked in for an Emirates flight from Tunisia to BKK. It was a one way, and he would have been visa exempt. He had an onward ticket to Hong Kong as a final destination. (On a separate booking, but again with Emirates.)

Emirates apparently refused the onward ticket, and told him that a ticket back to his home country was required. (UK)

He apparently managed to board in the end after speaking to a manager and signing some sort of "waiver" form.

Is this a new rule? if so seems a bit harsh, especially as he doesn't live in UK anyway...

 

Can anyone shed some light on this?

[KhunMhee]

Nope not at all. One thing I know about from years of working overseas but living in Thailand. In this case Emirates had 0 right to refuse him the first time. The on going ticket can be to any place outside of the Kingdom of Thailand with any carrier. He did the right thing in speaking with a manager as it was likely the person in the front desk that was sadly misinformed. As for signing a waver it was likely to assist in the saving face of the employee who made said mistake.

 

I myself book one way tickets to and from work. At times I need to stay at work longer and if you have ever tried to change flights it can be hard so lesson learned book one way then before you're about to go book a flight back. To add to the ticket not needing to be to your home country I have not been home in 9 years and go in and out with 0 issue.

 

Glad it was all sorted but he was 100% in the right to begin with

[samsensam]

 

Emirates apparently refused the onward ticket, and told him that a ticket back to his home country was required. (UK)

 

sounds like staff training is required, thousands of travellers, especially business people, have onward destinations. how could you force all visitors to thailand to return to their home country before continuing to an onward destination? madness.

[charmonman]

Korean Airlines has been doing this to me for the last few years when before that they never checked. Kind of annoying. It must be due to stricter Thai immigration policies. They're apparently responsible for flying a passenger back to their origin if refused entry.

[wildpikey]

Reply's here seem reasonable, (and what I have always thought.) But always good to get other opinions / experiences. The rules change so much, and some of the rules that the Thai's make up are ridiculous...

 

 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, charmonman said:

Korean Airlines has been doing this to me for the last few years when before that they never checked. Kind of annoying. It must be due to stricter Thai immigration policies. They're apparently responsible for flying a passenger back to their origin if refused entry.

Had a similar experience with Thai Airways in China recently. They almost refused me boarding of plane (and connecting ferry to Hong Kong, where the departure was from). Took me a lot of talk to supervisors on the phone, telling them how much cash I had on me (15K US, which convinced them). Silly thing was, they wanted me to have a return-flight to Hong Kong or China, even though I told them that I was on a one-time trip to China! In addition, that airline (Thai Airways International) not only damaged my suitcase, but their ground-staff also stole things from the bag's side-pocket! Suffice to say, that I'm not flying with those crooks ever again!

Edited December 28, 2017 by StayinThailand2much

[geisha]

It also depends on if you have a visa or not. I always have a tourist visa for Thailand when leaving France with Emirates. This year, due to the Monaco consul closing down with little notice, i had to leave without a visa and a return ticket dated 3 and a half months later. I was warned I would be refused boarding, so I bought  a one way ticket out of Thailand within the 30days of arrival. This I had to show at check in with Emirates in France. Airlines are getting very strict these days and one is not free to move around as one wishes any more. 

[Mac98]

I always plan an 89-day visit: Two-month tourist visa plus 30-day extension. It would cost hundreds of dollars each visit to have a flight out in 59 days and then change it for the longer stay, so I always book the later return flight and have never been challenged in 20 years. Have same visit set up for spring. Just lucky?

[JackThompson]

20 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

I always plan an 89-day visit: Two-month tourist visa plus 30-day extension. It would cost hundreds of dollars each visit to have a flight out in 59 days and then change it for the longer stay, so I always book the later return flight and have never been challenged in 20 years. Have same visit set up for spring. Just lucky?

You don't need to show an outgoing ticket if you have a Visa.  The "flight out in 30-days rule" only applies to Visa Exempt entries.

[Mac98]

3 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

You don't need to show an outgoing ticket if you have a Visa.  The "flight out in 30-days rule" only applies to Visa Exempt entries.

Good to know, but when visiting a 2nd or 3rd time in a year I would arrive visa exempt and, planning a 30-day extension, have a flight out in 59 days. Again, no problem -- so far!

[JackThompson]

17 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

Good to know, but when visiting a 2nd or 3rd time in a year I would arrive visa exempt and, planning a 30-day extension, have a flight out in 59 days. Again, no problem -- so far!

In that case - Yes - you have been lucky.  Enforcement of the policy varies by airline and location, it seems. 

 

Just in case, I'd make sure and arrive a bit early for boarding when doing this, so if they do start enforcing this, you have time to buy a throw-away ticket to KL (~1200 Baht), with time to spare.

[Senior Player]

I just have a very simple question. It might sound a bit daft to some of you, but it’s been many years since I’ve come in on the 30 day visa exempt rules. I’m just visiting for a maximum of 29 days, I already have my return flight booked and confirmed, but I was just wondering whether there have been any new changes or introductions to the 30 day exemption, such as proof of accommodation, travel insurance documents, etc. Most recently, I traveled in on an OA 1 year visa (over 4 months ago since when I last departed, now expired) but don’t need to stay very long on this particular trip, hence not needing an OA Visa this time.

 

It’s just that when I was queuing last time at immigration, I noticed a lot of travelers having to provide proof of their itineraries, etc, before they got a stamp. I don’t know whether this was due to their age, as most were quite young, early 20s? As a seasoned traveler, over 50, I was wondering would I too be put through the grinder on arrival? I tend to not pay up front for a hotel, preferring to arrive and go when it suits me.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Senior Player said:

I just have a very simple question. It might sound a bit daft to some of you, but it’s been many years since I’ve come in on the 30 day visa exempt rules. I’m just visiting for a maximum of 29 days, I already have my return flight booked and confirmed, but I was just wondering whether there have been any new changes or introductions to the 30 day exemption, such as proof of accommodation, travel insurance documents, etc. Most recently, I traveled in on an OA 1 year visa (over 4 months ago since when I last departed, now expired) but don’t need to stay very long on this particular trip, hence not needing an OA Visa this time.

 

It’s just that when I was queuing last time at immigration, I noticed a lot of travelers having to provide proof of their itineraries, etc, before they got a stamp. I don’t know whether this was due to their age, as most were quite young, early 20s? As a seasoned traveler, over 50, I was wondering would I too be put through the grinder on arrival? I tend to not pay up front for a hotel, preferring to arrive and go when it suits me.

It is vanishingly unlikely that you will have any issue. However, it would be prudent to have 20,000 baht equivalent in cash or travelers' checks, just in case you run into an immigration official having an exceptionally bad day. You are required, if asked, to demonstrate that you have funds to finance your stay, and immigration has yet to advance to the point where they consider credit cards or money in the bank as a reliable source of funds.

[ChomDo]

I fly in to BKK with exempt at least 3-4 times a year and never have an onward ticket out of Thailand. Most times they question me at the check-in counter at the departure airport and usually the airline officers are very confused about this rule. I always tell them that I' never have a ticket out of Thailand and I've never had any issues about it. Usually that explanation has been enough, but last month I departed back to BKK from Osaka Kansai airport and they did not let it go that easy. The check in officer had to call a supervisor and finally I had to sign a paper stating that I'm personally responsible for any possible trouble at Bangkok airport. I signed the paper and had no troubles after that. I told them I was taking a bus to Laos to exit Thailand and of course I couldn't have a ticket for that.

 

Of course to avoid any hassle it's good to buy an exit ticket from Thailand. I personally just don't want to waste money on a plain ticket that I'm probably not going to use anyway.

[Senior Player]

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is vanishingly unlikely that you will have any issue. However, it would be prudent to have 20,000 baht equivalent in cash or travelers' checks, just in case you run into an immigration official having an exceptionally bad day. You are required, if asked, to demonstrate that you have funds to finance your stay, and immigration has yet to advance to the point where they consider credit cards or money in the bank as a reliable source of funds.

Thank you for your reply. Most appreciated.

[Mac98]

On 12/28/2017 at 3:48 AM, JackThompson said:

In that case - Yes - you have been lucky.  Enforcement of the policy varies by airline and location, it seems. 

 

Just in case, I'd make sure and arrive a bit early for boarding when doing this, so if they do start enforcing this, you have time to buy a throw-away ticket to KL (~1200 Baht), with time to spare.

Thanks.