Transit Visa To Avoid Departure Tax

[bruce3404]

My wife and I will be passing through BKK on the way home from Burma. We have to wait about 21 hours to catch our connecting flight. We do not want to stay in a transit lounge for that length of time. Wondering if there is any sort of visa we could obtain that would allow us to avoid paying the 700 baht departure fee? My research indicates no, but I thought I'd throw it out to the pros who visit this forum and see if I'm wrong.

[Digitalbanana]

The airport departure tax is unrelated to an immigration visa. You'll have to pay the departure tax if you exit re-enter airport.

Not sure, but isn't this tax now included in ticket fee since beginning of Feb?

[Crossy]

Not sure, but isn't this tax now included in ticket fee since beginning of Feb?

It is indeed, so our OP may well be able to go and play in BKK and then get back into the airport without paying

Probably a wise move to actually have 700 Baht per head though, just in case

[bruce3404]

Not sure, but isn't this tax now included in ticket fee since beginning of Feb?

It is indeed, so our OP may well be able to go and play in BKK and then get back into the airport without paying

Probably a wise move to actually have 700 Baht per head though, just in case

Thanks for the responses. Didnt' think it would work, but worth a try. Actually, I purchased my tickets in September, so I guess I would be liable for the tax. Wondering if the airline will collect it at check in or if they'll still have a separate payment area?

[Krub]

Not sure, but isn't this tax now included in ticket fee since beginning of Feb?

It is indeed, so our OP may well be able to go and play in BKK and then get back into the airport without paying

Probably a wise move to actually have 700 Baht per head though, just in case

Thanks for the responses. Didnt' think it would work, but worth a try. Actually, I purchased my tickets in September, so I guess I would be liable for the tax. Wondering if the airline will collect it at check in or if they'll still have a separate payment area?

The airline will check your ticket at check-in and makeyou pay the 700 baht if it is not included in your ticket.

You might get away with it if the check-in agent does not spot it.

From Feb 1 it is up to the airline to pay 700 baht airport tax per departing non-transit international passenger.

Another way might be to try and get your boarding pass already at your Burmese departure airport and not have to re-check-in in Bangkok.

Edited February 12, 2007 by Krub

[adammike]

Lounge!!!!!

You can not sit on the metal seats for an hour

let alone lounge in them.

[guardian]

Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought you don't have to pay airport tax if you arrive and leave within 24 hours ? Or is it within 1 hours ?

[Rinrada]

TRANSIT PASSENGER TOURS

Dont know if they still do it (assume so)but used to be the policy that you could get dragged about for a couple of hours on usually FREE transit tours and be brought back to the airport (sanam Bin) and you didnt have to coff up any dosh.....

I did similar on occasions in Singers-KL and Hong Kong ...but never needed to in Bangkok ....always worth a try... ...

Bit of Info..

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has been assigned by the Working Committee to run tours that last between four and five hours each.

All eight of these tours include places in Bangkok and its surrounding areas that are of cultural and historical interest :

Temples & Palaces Tour

Khong Thon Buri & Shopping Tour

Grand Palace & Shopping Tour

Thai Boxing Trip

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bang Pa-in &

Shopping Tour

Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts

Centre & Shopping Tour

Thai Food & Night Market Tour

Thailand Grand Sale Trip

Note : Transit passengers who wish to join the tour must come from visa-exempted countries : or else Visa on Arrival in needed and must be processed before joining the tour.

Please also note that, on occasion the number of passengers may affet a tour's itinerary.

For Bangkok Transit Tour, transit passengers have to contact ATTA desk in Transit Area (before passing through the Immigration Check-in).

Suitable time for transit tour is between 9 a.m.- 8 p.m

[Krub]

Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought you don't have to pay airport tax if you arrive and leave within 24 hours ? Or is it within 1 hours ?

To avoid the tax you need to stay in transit and not go through immigration (in my experience)

[Prakanong]

Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought you don't have to pay airport tax if you arrive and leave within 24 hours ? Or is it within 1 hours ?

To avoid the tax you need to stay in transit and not go through immigration (in my experience)

Yes but its now in ticket price - with the proviso it depends upon when you bought your ticket. I booked my ticket with ROP early Jan but by the time I picked it up from the TG office they added on the departure tax which they had been just told to add

BTW: it worked out at 625THB and not 700THB due to exchange rates which is the first time any exchange has worked to my advantage regarding Thailand

[wpcoe]

BTW: it worked out at 625THB and not 700THB due to exchange rates which is the first time any exchange has worked to my advantage regarding Thailand

That's odd, since the fee is levied in THB, not in another currency to be converted to THB. In what country was your ticket issued, and how much was the "tax" stated and in what currency (before being converted to THB)?

[Khutan]

I went through on Sunday, and there is no longer the fee, its included in the price of the ticket.

[guardian]

That's odd, since the fee is levied in THB, not in another currency to be converted to THB. In what country was your ticket issued, and how much was the "tax" stated and in what currency (before being converted to THB)?

Guess on his itinerary, Bkk was the 2nd leg of his trip. eg. if he booked from JFK, his itinerary'd be JFK-BKK-JFK. So, he'd be charged in a foreign currency. Just my thought.