Should I Get A Visa Before Coming To Thailand?

[noserious]

I am an American and have a 43-day return ticket Tokyo to Bangkok. I plan on a side trip overland through Had Lek to Cambodia before expiration of the 30-day Thai tourist visa (the one received at Bangkok airport). I did the same trip last year without getting a visa or other airline tickets. However, now with stricter immigration practice will I have any problems with the airline (Air India) or Thai immigration? Has anyone done something like this recently? Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, noserious

[huski]

I am an American and have a 43-day return ticket Tokyo to Bangkok. I plan on a side trip overland through Had Lek to Cambodia before expiration of the 30-day Thai tourist visa (the one received at Bangkok airport). I did the same trip last year without getting a visa or other airline tickets. However, now with stricter immigration practice will I have any problems with the airline (Air India) or Thai immigration? Has anyone done something like this recently? Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, noserious

shouldn't have any problems when arriving in BKK, a tourist 30 day entry is available at the airport for US citizens.

[egghead]

No problem coming in on a 30 day entry stamp at the airport, leaving when it expires and doing a visa run to any of the border crossing points nearby.

[ovenman]

You won't have any trouble with inbound Thai immigrations but you may have a problem with the airline when you check-in for your flight in Tokyo. My own experience is that it seems like a 50/50 proposition as to whether an airline checks for a proper visa in the passport for a stay in Thailand of over thirty days or for travel into Thailand on a one-way ticket.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You won't have any trouble with inbound Thai immigrations but you may have a problem with the airline when you check-in for your flight in Tokyo. My own experience is that it seems like a 50/50 proposition as to whether an airline checks for a proper visa in the passport for a stay in Thailand of over thirty days or for travel into Thailand on a one-way ticket.

The airline is the big problem. Get a visa and avoid the grief and hassles.

[Pink Mist]

I did another visit to the Consulate here in Adelaide and this time the girl looked at the guidlines.

She told me without proof that I was leaving LOS within that 30 dayperiod (train, bus or airline ticket) I would have problems.

So I forked over $45 and will get the visa tomorrow, I just have to lie down for the rest of the day now, why do I feel like a yorkie?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I did another visit to the Consulate here in Adelaide and this time the girl looked at the guidlines.

She told me without proof that I was leaving LOS within that 30 dayperiod (train, bus or airline ticket) I would have problems.

So I forked over $45 and will get the visa tomorrow, I just have to lie down for the rest of the day now, why do I feel like a yorkie?

The forced removal of the 45 bucks for the visa, has been known to bring tears to a grown man's eyes Bronc. Particularly if you work out how many VB's that equates to.

[Khun Larry]

I plan on a side trip overland through Had Lek to Cambodia before expiration of the 30-day Thai tourist visa (the one received at Bangkok airport).

The stricter immigration practice should have no effect on you.

1. You will get a 30 day tourist visa on arrival issued by immigration at the airport.

2. You stated you will leave within the allowable 30 day period as required.

3. When you reenter Thailand you will receive a new 30 day visa

4. You stated you will again leave within the allowable 2nd 30 day period.

With the air ticket you should not be accused of trying to remain in Thailand by making many 30 day visa runs. Air india should not care (but I don't know about air India for a fact) if Thai Immigration has no problems.

All sounds good. I have done the same before with no problems.

[Pink Mist]

I did another visit to the Consulate here in Adelaide and this time the girl looked at the guidlines.

She told me without proof that I was leaving LOS within that 30 dayperiod (train, bus or airline ticket) I would have problems.

So I forked over $45 and will get the visa tomorrow, I just have to lie down for the rest of the day now, why do I feel like a yorkie?

The forced removal of the 45 bucks for the visa, has been known to bring tears to a grown man's eyes Bronc. Particularly if you work out how many VB's that equates to.

I did, 36 VB's, still crying.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I plan on a side trip overland through Had Lek to Cambodia before expiration of the 30-day Thai tourist visa (the one received at Bangkok airport).

The stricter immigration practice should have no effect on you.

1. You will get a 30 day tourist visa on arrival issued by immigration at the airport.

2. You stated you will leave within the allowable 30 day period as required.

3. When you reenter Thailand you will receive a new 30 day visa

4. You stated you will again leave within the allowable 2nd 30 day period.

With the air ticket you should not be accused of trying to remain in Thailand by making many 30 day visa runs. Air india should not care (but I don't know about air India for a fact) if Thai Immigration has no problems.

All sounds good. I have done the same before with no problems.

WRONG WRONG WRONG follow this incorrect advice at your own peril noserious.

[Pink Mist]

different to the advice I recieved this morning also Doc

[Khun Larry]

WRONG WRONG WRONG  follow this incorrect advice at your own peril noserious.

OK What are you talking about. Be specific.

If you are talking about the airline, they have no right to require you to get a visa for 60 (43) days if you will only stay in the country less than 30. An explanation of the itineracy should suffice.

For the past 5 years I have arrived BKK with no return ticket as I purchase tickets in BKK. Never had a problem on departing flight from NY or the connection in NRT.

If you have NEW or USEFUL information let's hear it.

[jimbim]

OK What are you talking about. Be specific.

If you are talking about the airline, they have no right to require you to get a visa for 60 (43) days if you will only stay in the country less than 30. An explanation of the itineracy should suffice.

For the past 5 years I have arrived BKK with no return ticket as I purchase tickets in BKK. Never had a problem on departing flight from NY or the connection in NRT.

If you have NEW or USEFUL information let's hear it.

Most of the time, your advice would be okay, no problems. But I think the criticism came from the problem that "might" arise with someone more strictly following the rulebook or a different rulebook. Noserious has no proof, such as onward tickets, that she intends to leave the country within 30 days and that "might" cause the airline some discomfort and they "might" hassle her. Airline clerks are given rules to follow and I haven't seen the rules that Air India hands out in Japan, though I have flown from Calcutta with AI on a one-way ticket to Bkk without problem. Once off the ground, I don't think Noserious would have any problem.

[Pink Mist]

so I just wasted $45, dont tell me, I'll have to lie down now.

[Axel]

so I just wasted $45, dont tell me, I'll have to lie down now.

Bronco, 36 VB at

45.00 AUD
Australia Dollars    =   1,280.33 THB
Thailand Baht  
1 AUD = 28.4517 THB   1 THB = 0.0351473 AUD  

Now this is roughly Baht 36 per VB.

Very tough to find any OZ beer at that price, I believe.

BKK a somehow decent draught beer at a pub is around 80 per 0.3 l.

Cry in your beer.

[Axel]

Actually, this is a very old subject. Thailand immigration resp. MFA requires proof of funds (which usually is not checked) but does not say specifically you need a return- or onward ticket to be allowed a visa-exempted entry for 30 days.

The AIRLINES, however, have in their computer a ruling that says, need visa or return- onward ticket, as well as proper documentation for the next country.

Here an abbreviated copy of the present rulings by an US-carrier:

/ 02JUN04 / 1257 UTC

National U.S.A. (US) /Transit JAPAN (JP) Destination THAILAND (TH)

Passport required (recommended to be valid 6 months after

period of stay. However, Thai immigration will accept passports

which are only valid for period of intended stay).

Visa not required for a max. stay of 30 days if holding

confirmed return/onward ticket.

Extension up to 10 days possible. Fee THB 500.- (1 photo

required).

Visitor must hold all documents for next destination.

Non-compliance with the visa regulations will result in:

- refusal and immediate deportation of passenger;

- fines for the airline of THB 20,000,-;

- overstay fine for passenger of THB 200,- per day.

Timaticweb Version 1.3

02 June 2004

So the issue is to get on board, without being stopped by the check in-staff. You might be arguing with them, finally might be buying a ticket or you might be lucky an nobody checks your visa.

It seems to me, most airlines are afraid of having to pay the fine of Baht 20,000 if a passenger is refused and have to fly him/her out of Thailand.

My own experience, abt. 50% of all trips I am requested to show my visa. This afternoon, in Singapore, the checkin staff did not ask for, last trip did.

So to cut it short, get a visa and relax. If nobody checks it, well....

If you have a multi-entry visa, you can come back overland without problem, if you have a single entry-visa, it will expire, but your ticket to leave out of Thailand is still valid and you will get 30 days visa exempted at the land border.

[Yohan]

WRONG WRONG WRONG  follow this incorrect advice at your own peril noserious.

OK What are you talking about. Be specific.

If you are talking about the airline, they have no right to require you to get a visa for 60 (43) days if you will only stay in the country less than 30. An explanation of the itineracy should suffice.

For the past 5 years I have arrived BKK with no return ticket as I purchase tickets in BKK. Never had a problem on departing flight from NY or the connection in NRT.

If you have NEW or USEFUL information let's hear it.

I never had any problems about that with the airlines (Northwest, United, JAL, Thai and others from Narita, Japan into Bangkok)

What about if you have an OPEN ticket? My return flights often were not confirmed yet during departure check-in. This coming July the same, by the way...

Sometimes, 30 days were not enough for me, and as I was in Songkhla (like last year), I took the car and made a 45 minute drive to the border to Malaysia....out -in.... 30 days again.

There are plenty of foreigners in Thailand crossing into Malaysia for visa-run....

nobody has an airticket, nobody has luggage, nobody is looking like a typical tourist ......

and nobody ever asked me for an airticket when entering Thailand or Malaysia, regardless if by air or by road

(USA is much stricter, for my trips to Hawaii no visa is required, however the tickets are checked...in Narita at the airline counter and at the Immigration in Honolulu - no tickets and no visa = no way into the United States....)

Johann

[Pink Mist]

so I just wasted $45, dont tell me, I'll have to lie down now.

Bronco, 36 VB at

45.00 AUD
Australia Dollars    =   1,280.33 THB
Thailand Baht  
1 AUD = 28.4517 THB   1 THB = 0.0351473 AUD  

Now this is roughly Baht 36 per VB.

Very tough to find any OZ beer at that price, I believe.

BKK a somehow decent draught beer at a pub is around 80 per 0.3 l.

Cry in your beer.

That's 36 I can't cry in Axel.

Just off topic a bit, the girl at the consulate told me the procedure for issuing visa's was changed, it was now a 24 hour process. One reason was to check the list of persona non grata, matching photo on application aginst photo on file.

I mentioned a previous forum member's name and she said they received something on the subject last week, and went quiet.

[noserious]

Thanks to everybody for their fast responses. You helped point me in the right direction. I called Air India and asked about Tokyo to Bangkok passengers with return tickets that will be in LOS greater than 30 days. Their policy is to make the passenger sign something that states that Air India is not responsible if any problems arise at Thai immigration.

After finding that out and getting your reassurances about a most likely hassle-free arrival at immigration I don't think I will bother to get a visa here in Japan.

Cheers, Noserious

[Axel]

OK, yesserious,

have a nice flight and tell us about your stay in LOS

[Axel]

If you are talking about the airline, they have no right to require you to get a visa...

I never had any problems...

there are plenty of foreigners in Thailand crossing into Malaysia for visa-run....

nobody has an airticket, nobody has luggage...

Johann and Khun Larry, I took your two comments together.

Let's be fair, Admin can only quote the rules here. And the airline rules are visa or ticket.

Of course in manyu instances the check in staff does not really check if you have a visa. I mentioned b4, I always return to LOS on a ticket ending in BKK and my p/p;ort has no visa. About half of all timesd it is queried.

The airlines are afraid of being penalized by the Thai authorities, the fine is Baht 20,000 plus taking the culprit back. So they might be overzealous. The immigration rules do not specify the ticket, at least not if you are holding a passport from 1 of the 40 (or now 41 Dr.?) countries allowed to enter on visa exemption.

I recall having read somewhere that carriers as well should check your funds. TGhere is an requireement that yhou must have at least Baht 10,000 (20 K for family) but shying back from this, afraid to lose bussiness.

Having said all this, experienced travellers know how to get out and in the worst case buy another ticket, but I would not advice anybody jsut to come without visa and/or ticket.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If you are talking about the airline, they have no right to require you to get a visa...

I never had any problems...

there are plenty of foreigners in Thailand crossing into Malaysia for visa-run....

nobody has an airticket, nobody has luggage...

Johann and Khun Larry, I took your two comments together.

Let's be fair, Admin can only quote the rules here. And the airline rules are visa or ticket.

Of course in manyu instances the check in staff does not really check if you have a visa. I mentioned b4, I always return to LOS on a ticket ending in BKK and my p/p;ort has no visa. About half of all timesd it is queried.

The airlines are afraid of being penalized by the Thai authorities, the fine is Baht 20,000 plus taking the culprit back. So they might be overzealous. The immigration rules do not specify the ticket, at least not if you are holding a passport from 1 of the 40 (or now 41 Dr.?) countries allowed to enter on visa exemption.

I recall having read somewhere that carriers as well should check your funds. TGhere is an requireement that yhou must have at least Baht 10,000 (20 K for family) but shying back from this, afraid to lose bussiness.

Having said all this, experienced travellers know how to get out and in the worst case buy another ticket, but I would not advice anybody jsut to come without visa and/or ticket.

More people are denied boarding than make it without the outbound ticket or a visa.