Curious if this will work or makes any sense.

 

It's around the time I visit Thailand for the winter. Typically, I get a SETV and keep it under 60 days. Sometimes I bounce it for another 30. This year, I need to fly to Johannesburg for work.

 

Considering booking two round trips, US to BKK and BKK to JNB.

Getting my standard SETV for my stay in Thailand.

Arrive in Thailand, use visa, stay for ~50 days.

Fly round trip BKK-JNB, returning a week later.

Reenter Thailand on 30-day exempt stamp.

Lay around in BKK for two days before completing my round trip US-BKK.

 

Can prove my financial worth and all that. How much drama should I expect to get from Thai IOs in a situation like this? I can save thousands of dollars in airfare by booking trips this way, rather than a multi-city.

 

Thoughts welcome.

I see no reason for you to have a problem doing what you're planning on doing.

I am 99% confident you will be fine. On the return from South Africa asking for a visa exempt entry, you will have your onward flight to the US departing in a couple of days. It would be very harsh to deny you a visa exempt entry under those circumstances.

OP, you won't have problem with imm. You might wish to have print out of onward flight when flying to bkk. 

I have been having increasing scrutiny from airlines. Last week I flew oz to Saigon (I only had 6 days left on my visa for Vietnam). I live bkk and was just spending few days in Saigon. on route to Thailand. The airline staff made me produce onward flight out of Vietnam. Also she checked every page of my extensive pp. What the??.

This was x Melbourne airport nov 11

I've flown on double and triple nested tickets, and on the XXX-BKK segment (which completes a ticket, i.e. it is the last segment on that PNR) have been asked for proof of BKK-XXX (at check-in or at the gate if in transit), so carry proof of your BKK-USA PNR in case it is asked for...at check-in at JNB and/or on arriving Immigration at BKK.

 

The carrier for JNB-(XXX)-BKK may not ask, but best to have proof handy.