Thailand Visa on Entry - No prep required?

[JimmyJ]

I believe not but want to doublecheck.

 

USA citizen - entered on a SE Tourist visa.

Flew out of Thailand long before it expired to visit some neighboring countries.

 

Planning to fly back in (from Vietnam) to Bangkok on a one way ticket and get the 30 day Visa on Arrival.

 

I'm carrying the equivalent of over 20k THB (in 4 currencies including THB).

 

So is the procedure that I simply fill out a form upon arrival, they stamp my passport, and that's it?

 

Nothing required beforehand?

 

Also -

I have a flight out of Thailand already booked for 6 weeks from now.

I shouldn't have a problem with the airline in boarding the flight out of Vietnam  into Thailand as I have a ticket out of Thailand already booked (although in 6 weeks, not within 30 days).

Correct?

 

 

[Travelanimal]

USA citizens don’t qualify for visa on arrival infact they get visa exempt entry of 30 days so you don’t need to fill anything other than your departure-arrival card . Keep cash with you in THB , accomdation and return ticket the date of which shall not be more than 30 days from date when you enter thailand  .

You will be good to go

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, Travelanimal said:

USA citizens don’t qualify for visa on arrival infact they get visa exempt entry of 30 days so you don’t need to fill anything other than your departure-arrival card . Keep cash with you in THB , accomdation and return ticket the date of which shall not be more than 30 days from date when you enter thailand  .

You will be good to go

If you want flexibility, get a cheap air asia ticket out. I got one from Phuket to KL for like $38

[BritTim]

As far as Thai immigration is concerned,  assuming you do not have a longer history of visits to Thailand you have not told us about, you will be fine. It is conceivable your airline may not want to let you board with a ticket out of Thailand six weeks ahead. If they raise an objection, say you would be happy to sign a form indemnifying them against any financial consequences to the airline should you be denied entry. Check in early so that, in the worst case, you will have time to book a cheap throw away ticket online to satisfy the airline.

[JimmyJ]

7 hours ago, Travelanimal said:

USA citizens don’t qualify for visa on arrival infact they get visa exempt entry of 30 days so you don’t need to fill anything other than your departure-arrival card . Keep cash with you in THB , accomdation and return ticket the date of which shall not be more than 30 days from date when you enter thailand  .

You will be good to go

Doesn't the cash just need to be the equivalent of 2,000 THB, in any currency?

 

6 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

If you want flexibility, get a cheap air asia ticket out. I got one from Phuket to KL for like $38

Did your airline demand to see your exit ticket before letting you board to fly into Thailand? 

(Perhaps you bought it for a different reason).

[Nyezhov]

48 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Doesn't the cash just need to be the equivalent of 2,000 THB, in any currency?

 

Did your airline demand to see your exit ticket before letting you board to fly into Thailand? 

(Perhaps you bought it for a different reason).

Needed it for an SETV

[ubonjoe]

51 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Doesn't the cash just need to be the equivalent of 2,000 THB, in any currency?

I think you left out a zero of the amount you posted.

For a visa exempt entry the amount required is 10,000 baht or the equivalent of it in any exchangeable currency. But they sometimes they want to see 20,000 baht or the equivalent which is required for a entry with a visa.

[JimmyJ]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I think you left out a zero of the amount you posted.

For a visa exempt entry the amount required is 10,000 baht or the equivalent of it in any exchangeable currency. But they sometimes they want to see 20,000 baht or the equivalent which is required for a entry with a visa.

Yes,

 

I wrote "20k" in the OP but made a typo on the post you quoted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JimmyJ]

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

As far as Thai immigration is concerned,  assuming you do not have a longer history of visits to Thailand you have not told us about, you will be fine. It is conceivable your airline may not want to let you board with a ticket out of Thailand six weeks ahead. If they raise an objection, say you would be happy to sign a form indemnifying them against any financial consequences to the airline should you be denied entry. Check in early so that, in the worst case, you will have time to book a cheap throw away ticket online to satisfy the airline.

This is my 1st time in Asia and only in Thailand the one time I've mentioned.

 

"It is conceivable...".

Is asking to see a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days if entering Visa Exempt - airline dependant or employee dependant or neither and it just occurs somewhat randomly?

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

"It is conceivable...".

Is asking to see a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days if entering Visa Exempt - airline dependant or employee dependant or neither and it just occurs somewhat randomly?

It tends to depend on the airline and where you are flying from. If checking in at an airport close to Thailand, they tend to be less strict than when you are flying from, say, the US. When referred to an airline supervisor, your appearance is important. If you look affluent, even if inclined to be strict, they are quite likely to allow you to sign an indemnity form instead.

[Nyezhov]

1 minute ago, BritTim said:

It tends to depend on the airline and where you are flying from. If checking in at an airport close to Thailand, they tend to be less strict than when you are flying from, say, the US. When referred to an airline supervisor, your appearance is important. If you look affluent, even if inclined to be strict, they are quite likely to allow you to sign an indemnity form instead.

Just for sheetz and gigs, I called Korean Air (I have ended up flying with them for a while) and asked about return tickets.

 

Customer service said they dont require one for flights originating in US. They never asked to see mine, which I had to get anyway....

[persimmon]

Last year I booked with Qatar LRH -- BKK when checking in they questioned why my return flight was in 4 months but I only had a SETV good for 60 days.Very frustrating arguing with the woman  on the counter who knew nothing about visas or extentions.When entering Thai immig. They have never asked to see a return ticket.

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, persimmon said:

Last year I booked with Qatar LRH -- BKK when checking in they questioned why my return flight was in 4 months but I only had a SETV good for 60 days.Very frustrating arguing with the woman  on the counter who knew nothing about visas or extentions.When entering Thai immig. They have never asked to see a return ticket.

So the airline accepted your arguments - or just gave up - and let you go without an exit  ticket within 60 days?

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, persimmon said:

Last year I booked with Qatar LRH -- BKK when checking in they questioned why my return flight was in 4 months but I only had a SETV good for 60 days.Very frustrating arguing with the woman  on the counter who knew nothing about visas or extentions.When entering Thai immig. They have never asked to see a return ticket.

Check in on line with no luggage next time....

[JimmyJ]

I saw a post on a travel forum that Vietjet insisted on having an exit ticket within 30 days.

 

Sure enough, when I checked in at Da Lat, she asked if I have a ticket out.

 

The day before had booked Vietjet online.

Curious if I could beat Nyezhov's $38 price i checked the cost of their Thailand to Vietnam in 30 days.

The site ended up charging my card without asking for my cc info - had retained it from my purchase -  non refundable - so I ended up with a hiso throwaway ticket - $52, which got me on the plane.

 

I was curious if Brit Tim's gambit would work of offering to sign a form but decided to leave it alone and try that next time.

 

At any rate, demanding the exit ticket is apparently Vietjet official policy.

 

 

 

[persimmon]

On ‎9‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 4:04 PM, JimmyJ said:

So the airline accepted your arguments - or just gave up - and let you go without an exit  ticket within 60 days?

Yes.she called a supervisor who decided to let me through to the boarding waiting area - maybe she could detect I was starting to get a bit p*ssed off with their hostile attitude.

[BritTim]

44 minutes ago, persimmon said:

Yes.she called a supervisor who decided to let me through to the boarding waiting area - maybe she could detect I was starting to get a bit p*ssed off with their hostile attitude.

I think this was eventually correct procedure. Only the supervisor was allowed to relax the airline's rules on onward flight reservations. You could likely have sped up the process by asking to be referred to the supervisor earlier.