Urgent Question About Vientiane Land Crossing

[highland66]

The last couple of times I flew into Bangkok, I was told (very firmly) to apply for a proper visa - so I applied for an Elite Visa over a month ago. I didn't realize the Elite Visa process now takes two months or perhaps even longer. (This is new, apparently it used to take a few weeks at most.)

 

So I've been out of Thailand in a neighboring country for the past four weeks, while waiting to hear from the Elite Visa office about when I can pay for the visa and receive it. They can't give me any firm time frame. It might take another month. I don't know. And I'd much rather be in Thailand while I wait for it, rather than staying in hotels outside of Thailand. 

 

Tomorrow, I have a ticket to fly to Vientiane so that I can cross by land into Thailand at the Nong Khai crossing. However, the flight from the neighboring country I am in, to Vientiane, has a one-hour layover in Bangkok. And according to the airline, I will need to pass through Bangkok immigration in order to get on my transfer flight to Vientiane. 

 

My question: do you think I going to be scrutinized at Bangkok airport, and possibly denied entry, if I am simply trying to pass through to get my connecting flight to Vientiane? If they were to turn me back and say "go back to the country you flew in from," I'd be alright with that. I would check into another hotel in a neighboring country and keep waiting for my Elite Visa.

 

Unfortunately, I've heard from close sources of mine, that now - if they deny you entry - it means they don't just turn you back. It means you are sent to the detention jail under Bangkok airport until you can work out a flight back to your home country. I do not want to take that risk.  

 

Any thoughts or advice? Bottom line, will I get scrutinized passing through immigration for a transfer flight to Vientiane, the same as I would if Bangkok was my final destination? 

[onera1961]

18 minutes ago, highland66 said:

Any thoughts or advice? Bottom line, will I get scrutinized passing through immigration for a transfer flight to Vientiane, the same as I would if Bangkok was my final destination? 

I think if you tell them you're waiting for elite, they would let you in. Have some paperwork to show. Elite is a privileged visa and I assume they will give you some slack.

[Essecola]

Is there any end to the unending headache and worry of flying into "Thailand". It is really quite a joke at this point. If you are admitted thru immigration in Bkk why not just stay in Bkk rather than waste $35+ getting into Laos plus hotels etc.

[Briggsy]

53 minutes ago, highland66 said:

My question: do you think I going to be scrutinized at Bangkok airport,

Yes, passing through immigration is exactly that. Are you absolutely sure you have to clear immigration?

 

54 minutes ago, highland66 said:

t means you are sent to the detention jail under Bangkok airport until you can work out a flight back to your home country.

Not true at all. You are put back on an available flight with the same airline you flew in on. You are held in the detention room under the airport until 2 or 3 hours before your flight out. If you have a prepared ticket out with the same airline it will all be easier

 

You are absolutely not ordered back to your home country. This is not true.

[elliss]

1 hour ago, Essecola said:

Is there any end to the unending headache and worry of flying into "Thailand". It is really quite a joke at this point. If you are admitted thru immigration in Bkk why not just stay in Bkk rather than waste $35+ getting into Laos plus hotels etc.

 

 Beggars the Question , for what reason do they want us aliens in their kingdom. 

 

 

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, highland66 said:

My question: do you think I going to be scrutinized at Bangkok airport, and possibly denied entry, if I am simply trying to pass through to get my connecting flight to Vientiane? If they were to turn me back and say "go back to the country you flew in from," I'd be alright with that. I would check into another hotel in a neighboring country and keep waiting for my Elite Visa.

That's the worst case - back where you came from.  Very rarely is there any "back to your home country" ordered; years ago, I remember one case - and even then, no trip to IDC involved - just a different flight.

 

But if you present the outgoing flight to the IO when entering with your passport, rejection is even less likely.  Worst case (and unlikely) I would forsee, is being taken to the outgoing departure area, rather than let into Thailand.   I would carry the Elite paperwork also, but don't think it will come to that.

Edited May 6, 2019 by JackThompson

[jimn]

Maybe I read it wrong but your post dont make sense to me. You say your are flying to Vientaine via Bangkok, to enter Thailand by land at the Nong Khai crossing. You say you have to clear imigration at BKK. Now if this is the case then you have achived your objective of entering Thailand. Why on earth would you then leave Thailand again to go to Vientaine only to re enter Thailand via the Nong Khai crossing. 

Am I reading this wrong or do you mean you are in "transit" and not actually clearing BKK immigration?

[Briggsy]

Just now, jimn said:

Maybe I read it wrong but your post dont make sense to me. You say your are flying to Vientaine via Bangkok, to enter Thailand by land at the Nong Khai crossing. You say you have to clear imigration at BKK. Now if this is the case then you have achived your objective of entering Thailand. Why on earth would you then leave Thailand again to go to Vientaine only to re enter Thailand via the Nong Khai crossing. 

Am I reading this wrong or do you mean you are in "transit" and not actually clearing BKK immigration?

I also find the OP's post nonsensical for the reasons you have pointed out. @jimn You are not alone.

[watcharacters]

19 hours ago, highland66 said:

Unfortunately, I've heard from close sources of mine, that now - if they deny you entry - it means they don't just turn you back. It means you are sent to the detention jail under Bangkok airport until you can work out a flight back to your home country. I do not want to take that risk. 

 

 

Hopefully,  you'll post back and tell the forum how it all turned out.

 

If I were in your place I wouldn't take a chance with such unknowns.   

 

Get caught up and who knows where it leads?    TIT

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2019 by watcharacters

[utalkin2me]

I have only had to go through immigration at one airport in china during a transfer out of dozens of airports entered. I guess it is possible he has to go through immigration for a transfer but i find it improbable. 

[JackThompson]

43 minutes ago, jimn said:

Maybe I read it wrong but your post dont make sense to me. You say your are flying to Vientaine via Bangkok, to enter Thailand by land at the Nong Khai crossing. You say you have to clear imigration at BKK. Now if this is the case then you have achived your objective of entering Thailand. Why on earth would you then leave Thailand again to go to Vientaine only to re enter Thailand via the Nong Khai crossing. 

Am I reading this wrong or do you mean you are in "transit" and not actually clearing BKK immigration?

Assuming he has to clear immigration in Bangkok:

Having the outgoing ticket, and presenting it to immigration immediately, could avoid being refused-entry and bounced-back. 

They might just "stamp him in," in which case he could skip his flight to Vientiane. 

Alternatively, they might direct him straight to the outgoing terminal, in which case he probably avoided a bounce-back, by planning to fly onward to Vientiane.

[MadMuhammad]

23 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Yes, passing through immigration is exactly that. Are you absolutely sure you have to clear immigration?

 

Not true at all. You are put back on an available flight with the same airline you flew in on. You are held in the detention room under the airport until 2 or 3 hours before your flight out. If you have a prepared ticket out with the same airline it will all be easier

 

You are absolutely not ordered back to your home country. This is not true.

Incorrect. It does happen. And as recently as 4 weeks ago. 

A very close friend of mine who has been living in Thailand on a mix of ED Visa and tourist visas for 22 years. Recently he tried to reenter at Suvarnabhum from HCMC with a valid SETV. He was denied entry due to having had 2 back to back extended Visa Exempts. 

Although he requested to be sent back to HCMC that was denied and he was returned to Australia after being detained in the holding cells for 24hrs as that was his home country passport. He had not been to Australia for 3 or 4 years but luckily had family there he still had contact with.

He had to pay for his own one way ticket with Thai Airways 

 

[Briggsy]

Yeah, I have been there too.

 

I don't know why your friend was "ordered to Australia" and I suspect he wasn't. The key thing is the airline that brought you in. You have misinterpreted my post as suggesting you must go back to your last port of call. That is not the case. It is firstly the airline that brought you in that is contacted. The liaison worker who works with immigration and airlines and tells you what you "must" do will just say anything to get you to buy a flight.

 

So, with your friend, the first question would be who did he fly from Vietnam with, the second would be what are the visa regulations for Australians in Vietnam, then did the airline really refuse to accept him and if so on what grounds.

 

I stand by my assertion that denial of entry cases are not ordered back to their home country. However the liaison officer may well present only one option (even though there are others) to the person held in the detention accommodation. It is very easy under pressure just to go with what they present.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, MadMuhammad said:

A very close friend of mine who has been living in Thailand on a mix of ED Visa and tourist visas for 22 years. Recently he tried to reenter at Suvarnabhum from HCMC with a valid SETV. He was denied entry due to having had 2 back to back extended Visa Exempts. 

 Although he requested to be sent back to HCMC that was denied and he was returned to Australia

He could not be returned to HCMC because Vietnam requires you have a visa applied for in advance. This is true even for those entitled to visa exempt entry if they have just left Vietnam.

 

Thai Airways flies to many destinations, and your friend should have been able to fly to any destination they serve that allows visa free entry or visas on arrival. He just needed to know his rights. The airline wanted to send him to his home country, because they considered that lowest risk for them of further problems. However, you need to know your rights in this situation. If the airline wants to send you somewhere you do not want to go, tell them that they will be sending you there on their own dollar, as you refuse to pay to be sent somewhere you do not want to go. Tell them you will pay without question to be sent, say, to Kuala Lumpur.

[DJ54]

On 5/7/2019 at 3:53 PM, utalkin2me said:

of dozens of airports entered. I guess it is possible he has to go through immigration for a transfer but i find it improbable. 

This is Thailand ... for reference USA International arrival you have

to clear immigration/custom them proceed to domestic 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, DJ54 said:

This is Thailand ... for reference USA International arrival you have

to clear immigration/custom them proceed to domestic 

Getting off topic, but for a long time you have been required to clear immigration on arrival in the US even if leaving immediately on another international flight (common when flying to Central America and sometimes Canada). It is a major pain.

[Tayaout]

Why would you need to get stamped in when connecting to international flight? Maybe you need to clear security again?

 

I experienced this multiple time for example when flying to Europe with a connection via Heathrow. It has nothing to do with clearing immigration. Sometimes it takes so long that you miss your flight but the airline put you on the next flight. 

Edited May 8, 2019 by Tayaout

[Tayaout]

6 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Getting off topic, but for a long time you have been required to clear immigration on arrival in the US even if leaving immediately on another international flight (common when flying to Central America and sometimes Canada). It is a major pain.

That's crazy but not surprising. I understand now why my friend doesn't want any flight that connect via the US even if he has no criminal records.