New requirement to show air ticket at land border

[wineaux]

Did a visa run on 31st March to Poipet. There was quite some debate between the officers before they would let me leave the Kingdom (I have Multi Non Imm B ), they handed me a small piece of paper to explain the delay which reads;

THE ALIENS ENTERING KINGDOM WITH NO VISA MUST PRESENT TICKET OR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID ALREADY OR CONFIRMED TO EXIT THE KIGNDOM AND MUST NOT EXCEED 30 DAYS UPON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM

They was another sign postered in the queue saying that there were temporarily no visa's on arrival being issued, didnt get the exact wording on that, but it read like they were waiting to hear on some new policy.

After taking my passport and asking 2 other staff it was decided that I was ok to leave. However the 4 farang and 5 or so Lao's in front and behind me were ushered to the back of the room and not sure what happened to them as didnt see them after that.

One dutch guy I was speaking to said the touts outside were offering onward travel tickets for 100 baht but seeing as he was one the guys taken out of the line....

[dgrohl]

I returned yesterday from ban laem after getting my 30 day stamp. I had used my 90 days starting from oct the 1st so my time was reset and have started the six month period again. However when I recieved my 30 day stamp I was told to show my airline ticket because I didn't have a visa. I told the officer I didn't have it with me and he then told me that this is a new law that you must produce your plane ticket if your are getting a 30 day stamp, so the next time I get a 30 day stamp I must show my airline ticket. Has this happened to anyone else ??? Does anyone know if this ticket has to be the reuturn ticket to your home country or can you show any type of airline ticket to any other country?? They sure are making things difficult nowdays I just wish this was 2 years ago when everything was no hassle.

[jeebusjones]

This is the second report today of such an experience. Another poster reported the same condition in Poipet (see Poipet passport insertion).

The rule has existed for ages but until now has never been enforced. It seems now they are starting to bring it into action. Very frightening indeed. I would think a plane ticket to any country would suffice, but that's just a guess.

[Gumballl]

How does one produce a ticket if the airline issues only electronic tickets? Perhaps the official would be satisfied if he merely saw your itinerary on paper?

[the scouser]

Moved to Thai visas and residency sub-forum.

Scouse.

[PhilHarries]

Does this also mean that immigration will want to see your return ticket before giving the VE stamp on arrival in Thailand? As said on the other thread the date of the ticket must be within the 30 days, what if you are on a bit of a S. E. Asian tour with Thailand as your base arriving with an open return?

This new little twist certainly muddies the water with respect to my short term plans. Oh well, will just have to work around it.

[ovenman]

THE ALIENS ENTERING KINGDOM WITH NO VISA MUST PRESENT TICKET OR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID ALREADY OR CONFIRMED TO EXIT THE KIGNDOM AND MUST NOT EXCEED 30 DAYS UPON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM

How about a ticket to go on the same visa run service again, twenty-nine days hence...?

[ChokChaiChas]

Did a visa run on 31st March to Poipet. There was quite some debate between the officers before they would let me leave the Kingdom (I have Multi Non Imm B ), they handed me a small piece of paper to explain the delay which reads;

THE ALIENS ENTERING KINGDOM WITH NO VISA MUST PRESENT TICKET OR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID ALREADY OR CONFIRMED TO EXIT THE KIGNDOM AND MUST NOT EXCEED 30 DAYS UPON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM

They was another sign postered in the queue saying that there were temporarily no visa's on arrival being issued, didnt get the exact wording on that, but it read like they were waiting to hear on some new policy.

After taking my passport and asking 2 other staff it was decided that I was ok to leave. However the 4 farang and 5 or so Lao's in front and behind me were ushered to the back of the room and not sure what happened to them as didnt see them after that.

One dutch guy I was speaking to said the touts outside were offering onward travel tickets for 100 baht but seeing as he was one the guys taken out of the line....

Hmmm.

Well as regulations require an onward air ticket I think that 100baht for an air ticket is a bargain. although I suspect it excludes fuel surcharge, departure tax, insurance, security charge and administration charge. Did they accept credit cards?

Why did they delay you. You have a visa?

I sincerely hope this thread, and another quoting identical wording are not intended to create unnecessary concern.

Any chance you can scan the paper and post it here? I will then apologise for doubting you.

[ChokChaiChas]

Does this also mean that immigration will want to see your return ticket before giving the VE stamp on arrival in Thailand? As said on the other thread the date of the ticket must be within the 30 days, what if you are on a bit of a S. E. Asian tour with Thailand as your base arriving with an open return?

This new little twist certainly muddies the water with respect to my short term plans. Oh well, will just have to work around it.

If arriving by air and you do not have a confirmed international reservation departing from a Thailand airport within 30days of arrival you must obtain a visa before you travel. As widely reported you risk being denied boarding by the inbound airline.

I do not knowing if there is a regulation applicable to those entering at at a land crossing. Obviously those arriving by cruise ship cannot be expected to hold an outbound air ticket.

I am aware that being a newbie I should constrain my comments, but I confess to being highly sceptical of this and the 2 similar threads.

Corroboration is required.

If anyone is posting cruelly to cause anxiety to those already coming terms with the new regulations then they should be thoroughly ashamed.

[PeaceBlondie]

Just a guess, from an old bureaucrat here: if one set of regulations is too difficult to enforce or for the staff to comprehend, find some far easier excuse to say no to the clients, especially to those clients (perpetual 'tourists') who aren't paying anything to our agency.

Ah, so these folks have no visa issued by the MFA staff, and they have stamps in their passport that show they've been in Thailand a lot. Let's see, to whom do we give stamps for entry without a visa? To real tourists. Okay, real tourists should have a flight out of Thailand...voila, no counting of days, no counting of visa-free stamps.

All behaviour is caused. Governments do things for a reason. Do you see that the staff at the border crossings is greatly increased? Do they have time to count days, or stamps? Nope. Are they bright enough to recognize a squatter (an illegal resident who pretends to be a tourist) just by glancing through a passport? Yep.

With all due sympathy to those who cannot get real visas: you are in a bind. You are between a rock and your home country. If I were a second-level boss at a border crossing, without increased funds or staff, I'd cut down on the workload for my staff. Perpetual 'tourists' would soon learn not to cross at my bridge. Especially if my boss's boss hinted down the chain of command that we had to make do with the staff we have, and how to do it.

[ChokChaiChas]

Just a guess, from an old bureaucrat here: if one set of regulations is too difficult to enforce or for the staff to comprehend, find some far easier excuse to say no to the clients, especially to those clients (perpetual 'tourists') who aren't paying anything to our agency.

Ah, so these folks have no visa issued by the MFA staff, and they have stamps in their passport that show they've been in Thailand a lot. Let's see, to whom do we give stamps for entry without a visa? To real tourists. Okay, real tourists should have a flight out of Thailand...voila, no counting of days, no counting of visa-free stamps.

All behaviour is caused. Governments do things for a reason. Do you see that the staff at the border crossings is greatly increased? Do they have time to count days, or stamps? Nope. Are they bright enough to recognize a squatter (an illegal resident who pretends to be a tourist) just by glancing through a passport? Yep.

With all due sympathy to those who cannot get real visas: you are in a bind. You are between a rock and your home country. If I were a second-level boss at a border crossing, without increased funds or staff, I'd cut down on the workload for my staff. Perpetual 'tourists' would soon learn not to cross at my bridge. Especially if my boss's boss hinted down the chain of command that we had to make do with the staff we have, and how to do it.

At risk of sounding patronising (and I assure you I am sincere) this is the most insightful, articulate, interesting, cogent post I have seen in a long time (and I have been a reader of this forum since its start). You may well "have hit the nail on the head" and I will likely have to apologise to those whose posts I have implied are mischievous.

[LivinLOS]

Isnt that always the way ?? When boarding aircraft I often get asked for a proof of ticket in the old days when I was on visa free arrival.. I dont get asked if I have a non O..

So they enforce it at land borders also now ?? Is that the point ??

Just tell them you have an e-ticket on a ticketless airline.. That'll flommox em !!

[Maestro]

Just a guess, from an old bureaucrat here: if one set of regulations is too difficult to enforce or for the staff to comprehend, find some far easier excuse to say no to the clients, especially to those clients (perpetual 'tourists') who aren't paying anything to our agency.

This is what I am fond of calling the Thai way of not saying no. Instead of saying no, they impose conditions that are difficult or impossible to meet. “Yes, you can get a 30-day stamp on arrival if you have an airline ticket for a flight out of Thailand within 30 days”. See, he didn’t say no. Hid did not deny the tourist his visa-exempt entry.

Incidentally, this manner of not saying no is not limited to Thai Immigration; it permeates Thailand – and in my experience much of Southeast Asia – as a whole.

--

Maestro

[visarunner]

Does this also mean that immigration will want to see your return ticket before giving the VE stamp on arrival in Thailand? As said on the other thread the date of the ticket must be within the 30 days, what if you are on a bit of a S. E. Asian tour with Thailand as your base arriving with an open return?

This new little twist certainly muddies the water with respect to my short term plans. Oh well, will just have to work around it.

If arriving by air and you do not have a confirmed international reservation departing from a Thailand airport within 30days of arrival you must obtain a visa before you travel. As widely reported you risk being denied boarding by the inbound airline.

I do not knowing if there is a regulation applicable to those entering at at a land crossing. Obviously those arriving by cruise ship cannot be expected to hold an outbound air ticket.

I am aware that being a newbie I should constrain my comments, but I confess to being highly sceptical of this and the 2 similar threads.

Corroboration is required.

If anyone is posting cruelly to cause anxiety to those already coming terms with the new regulations then they should be thoroughly ashamed.

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

[ChokChaiChas]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has “previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on”.

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

[sriracha john]

Wondering if a print-out of an e-ticket with an impressive-looking assemblage of legitimate-looking numbers/letters for the ticket/reservation number along with some easily-obtained real airline flight numbers would suffice?

What are they gonna do? Call up every airline on every "ticket" to verify its voracity???

Edited April 3, 2007 by sriracha john

[chrisjune]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has “previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on”.

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

i went to poipet with jack golf on the 31st of march and got this sheet of paper from the immigration officer...

the officer told me that i would need a ticket the next time i wanted a 30 day stamp...

[ChokChaiChas]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has "previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on".

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

i went to poipet with jack golf on the 31st of march and got this sheet of paper from the immigration officer...

the officer told me that i would need a ticket the next time i wanted a 30 day stamp...

I apologise to the OP and others for my scepticism.

Some interesting posts forthcoming, I think

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has "previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on".

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

i went to poipet with jack golf on the 31st of march and got this sheet of paper from the immigration officer...

the officer told me that i would need a ticket the next time i wanted a 30 day stamp...

I apologise to the OP and others for my scepticism.

Some interesting posts forthcoming, I think

that paper doesn't exactly prove anything. anyone could have printed it.

[eugengeri]

Thank you for the pic 'krazyboi'

What do this German people they fly with LTU Airways? They get the ticket after check-in I have seen by some friends. Before they can only show an A4 sheet confirmed from LTU with the flight dates and numbers and this looks realy not like an airticket.

[LivinLOS]

Many / most of the budgets are simply an email..

Not like its hard to edit the dates of travel and have a e-ticket print out each time..

[lopburi3]

The note clearly states travel documents or airline ticket so E-Ticket printouts should not be a problem.

I say this because we know that many rules/laws are flexible here in Thailand but you should be aware that the criminal penalties for false documents

are much more severe than most might suspect (as recent crackdown on teaching documents have shown) and it is taken very seriously by police officials. Please don't take unnecessary risks. Any document can be checked if there is suspicion.

[briley]

Reminds me of the business man who flew into Douala, Cameroon on his own Jet.

Refused entry as he did not have a return ticket.

[Ned]

Tourist Visa (or work permit etc) holders only to enter Thailand at land borders! No more 30 day stamps. That'd make life easier at the crossings for the officials and potential visitors to the country.

[sriracha john]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has "previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on".

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

i went to poipet with jack golf on the 31st of march and got this sheet of paper from the immigration officer...

the officer told me that i would need a ticket the next time i wanted a 30 day stamp...

I apologise to the OP and others for my scepticism.

Some interesting posts forthcoming, I think

that paper doesn't exactly prove anything. anyone could have printed it.

While that is true, the wording is pure Immigrationese and thus lends credence to its legitimacy...

[chanchao]

Why the delay when LEAVING the country? They could just hand out the note to people wanting to return. Seems more than enough advance notice to me by Thai standards?

[Silomfarang]

If Immigration want to make life even harder for foreigners they can enforce the "must show sufficient funds" rule. Ie a visitor must prove that he has enough money to support himself while he is in Thailand. That would mean cash, bank statements etc.

You think Immigration would never do that? Many thought they would not do what they have done so far either.

And then there is the "improper dress" rule. They haven't enforced that one since hippie days when some long-haired scruffy Westerners were denied entry. But what is improper and not is up to each officer! If they dust off that rule we can have some great fun at the borders.

[Prakanong]

Tourist Visa (or work permit etc) holders only to enter Thailand at land borders! No more 30 day stamps. That'd make life easier at the crossings for the officials and potential visitors to the country.

The rules were though if you wanted to travel out over land borders you were supposed to have at least a Tourist Visa - its just that they were never ever enforced.

Asking for a confirmed flight is only going half way - they might just go the whole hog as you say.

Thai's are expected to have the proper visa's where they require them and pay the fee's so if the shoe is no on the other foot so be it - what's good for the goose and all that.

[tijnebijn]

Why are you sceptical?

You get valuable advise and the members who post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others are always spot on.

Unfortunality also this Airticket issue is true and will be enforced (more or less).

Things in this country are implemented without proper information or advance notice , but this is TIT.

OK. Here goes.

I remain sceptical exactly because the reports do not originate from members from whom the forum has “previously received valuable advise and……….. and the members who (regularly) post ,lopburi3/maestro and few others (who) are (usually) always spot on”.

There are 3 topics on this issue, 2 started by first time posters, 1 by a newbie member One topic was started on April fools day. You must be aware of numerous examples in the past of newcomers posting just to make mischief. And the pain in my injured leg which is keeping me housebound and hooked on this forum tends to throb more when I read certain posts, a sure sign of something.

This would be a very serious issue for many and my purpose in posting was solely to encourage corroborative posts, if only to prove me wrong. I had invited two posters to reproduce here a copy of the paper they were given which I think is not unreasonable.

I totally agree with you,i also think it is an april folls joke,just to make our hearts beat up abit and worrie.Some people enjot this,lopburi and Co do not reply to show that they think the same,not fully sure but almost.

[LivinLOS]

Posting jokes (if it is) on 3rd of April kinda shows some serious dumbness..

Where I come from its jokes until midday.. after that your the fool.. Good day for a lie in