New requirement to show air ticket at land border

[jbaldwin]

Interesting thread. My situation is a bit different as I live in Cambodia most of the year and like to hop over to Thailand every month or so to do some shopping or pass through there on my way home.. The last time i crossed the border was April 2. I had no problem at Hat Lek. The funny thing is when I book my air tickets I go to Trat to do so.

I wonder if the local immigration people will have enough sense to see by my passport that I am really a resident of Cambodia and not bother with the rules. My guess is they will.

oyster

It is not a question of having enough sense. The rules are very clear and have been in place for some time. The 30 day visa free entry only applies to TOURISTS who have a confirmed ticket out of Thailand. Historically compliance with these rules has not already been checked but it seem that the Thai authorities are finally getting feed up of people abusing the system and the rules are now being more constistently applied. If you have no ticket out of Thailand you need to apply for a tourist visa in Cambodia. You have always legally had to do this but presumably in the past you have just assumed that you would not be caught trying to breach immigration requirements

[Zpete]

Just wanna add my lil bit.

I took bus via Aran to Siem Reap. (Neva again....sheeeeesh)

Did Cambodia went on to Vietnam.

Flew back to Bangers, all I did was put my flite number and date on the form.

Nobody asked for onward ticket to check.

Mite be possible to bluff, put what ever on the form.

Dunno if they have a computer system that checks the veracity of the info.

Mite just be a lax immigration officer, but same occurred when returning to Phuket from Kuala Lumpur.

I dunno, very inconsistent, but suited me going by what I have read here.

Wish yers all "Good Luck"

Kiwi Pete

[Fred Sanford]

why am i not surprised zpete

[jdinasia]

Just wanna add my lil bit.

I took bus via Aran to Siem Reap. (Neva again....sheeeeesh)

Did Cambodia went on to Vietnam.

Flew back to Bangers, all I did was put my flite number and date on the form.

Nobody asked for onward ticket to check.

Mite be possible to bluff, put what ever on the form.

Dunno if they have a computer system that checks the veracity of the info.

Mite just be a lax immigration officer, but same occurred when returning to Phuket from Kuala Lumpur.

I dunno, very inconsistent, but suited me going by what I have read here.

Wish yers all "Good Luck"

Kiwi Pete

might <not mite> be because you flew in and didn't do a land crossing ... showing you were not a poverty packer

[Zpete]

Just wanna add my lil bit.

I took bus via Aran to Siem Reap. (Neva again....sheeeeesh)

Did Cambodia went on to Vietnam.

Flew back to Bangers, all I did was put my flite number and date on the form.

Nobody asked for onward ticket to check.

Mite be possible to bluff, put what ever on the form.

Dunno if they have a computer system that checks the veracity of the info.

Mite just be a lax immigration officer, but same occurred when returning to Phuket from Kuala Lumpur.

I dunno, very inconsistent, but suited me going by what I have read here.

Wish yers all "Good Luck"

Kiwi Pete

might <not mite> be because you flew in and didn't do a land crossing ... showing you were not a poverty packer

LOL, djinasia.

Mite, rite, flite, nite, just being lazy. Neva care.

Poverty packer, dunno, I stayed on Pnom Phen for $US3 a nite, actually paid 6 bucks for a double.......LOL.

Cheers all.

[Digitalbanana]

they dont scrutanise the printed ticket,, they just check that its a confirmation and the DATE, (that its within 30 days)

How do they check this? With airlines on computer terminals or just eyeballing the e-ticket printout you hand them? If the latter, it's hardly worth the time or effort is it as the check is as valueless as the paper it is written on?

[Weezaalinux]

went to the one and only thai embassy in cambodia in phnom penh along with the three thousand of cambodians (who all require a visa) and after a one and a half hour wait to get my passport and the completed form to the front desk, I was handed a list of requirements and told to comply FULLY with ALL the requirements for the Tourist visa which included "hotel reservations with dates " and a "fully paid AIR tickets" in and OUT of thailand.

so it doesnt seem possible to cross the land border out of cambodia into thailand.

and so I advised the lady behind the glass at the embassy that thailand is now off of the list of countries that I will visit. out of principle will buy my tickets to nepal in singapore instead of in bangkok . checked out both cambodia and vietnam as alternates to thailand but the bad news mototrash have lost it for both those countries. south asia here i come.

[sohn]

they dont scrutanise the printed ticket,, they just check that its a confirmation and the DATE, (that its within 30 days)

How do they check this? With airlines on computer terminals or just eyeballing the e-ticket printout you hand them? If the latter, it's hardly worth the time or effort is it as the check is as valueless as the paper it is written on?

Think your right there.

A bit off topic but would an airline confirm someone is on a flight from a third party.

Assuming there is no internet connection at the boarder

Edited July 31, 2007 by sohn

[easybullet3]

they dont scrutanise the printed ticket,, they just check that its a confirmation and the DATE, (that its within 30 days)

How do they check this? With airlines on computer terminals or just eyeballing the e-ticket printout you hand them? If the latter, it's hardly worth the time or effort is it as the check is as valueless as the paper it is written on?

Think your right there.

A bit off topic but would an airline confirm someone is on a flight from a third party.

Assuming there is no internet connection at the boarder

-------------------

they just look at your PRINTED email confirmation.. or your flight ticket.

they DONT double check it with the airline or 3rd party.

they just wanna see PAPER proof.

if you say its an e-ticket, they may ask you to print it out. (probably you will have BIG problems if you havent already printed it out).

so, DONT RELY ON SAYING : "its an e-ticket" (chances are they will want to see a 'print-out' of it)

[easybullet3]

went to the one and only thai embassy in cambodia in phnom penh along with the three thousand of cambodians (who all require a visa) and after a one and a half hour wait to get my passport and the completed form to the front desk, I was handed a list of requirements and told to comply FULLY with ALL the requirements for the Tourist visa which included "hotel reservations with dates " and a "fully paid AIR tickets" in and OUT of thailand.

so it doesnt seem possible to cross the land border out of cambodia into thailand.

and so I advised the lady behind the glass at the embassy that thailand is now off of the list of countries that I will visit. out of principle will buy my tickets to nepal in singapore instead of in bangkok . checked out both cambodia and vietnam as alternates to thailand but the bad news mototrash have lost it for both those countries. south asia here i come.

----------------

in Hanoi, (vietnam) I had to show my flight ticket OUT OF THAILAND at the thai embassy to get a 60 day TOURIST visa!!!

they wouldnt give me a visa without showing this. (january 2007)

in Vientiane, (Laos) it was sooo easy. no flight ticket requirements, 1 day turn-around service. (big queue, 40 mins - but was an easy experience). (July 2007)

next time I am going to Penang to give it a go.

i have no idea why the hanoi office needed a flight ticket out of thailand for a 60 day tourist visa.. (i thought it was only for the free 30 day visa!).. no problem,, I just booked a flight (which I later cancelled)!!

[sohn]

they dont scrutanise the printed ticket,, they just check that its a confirmation and the DATE, (that its within 30 days)

How do they check this? With airlines on computer terminals or just eyeballing the e-ticket printout you hand them? If the latter, it's hardly worth the time or effort is it as the check is as valueless as the paper it is written on?

Think your right there.

A bit off topic but would an airline confirm someone is on a flight from a third party.

Assuming there is no internet connection at the boarder

-------------------

they just look at your PRINTED email confirmation.. or your flight ticket.

they DONT double check it with the airline or 3rd party.

they just wanna see PAPER proof.

if you say its an e-ticket, they may ask you to print it out. (probably you will have BIG problems if you havent already printed it out).

so, DONT RELY ON SAYING : "its an e-ticket" (chances are they will want to see a 'print-out' of it)

Sounds like the perfect job for a scanner and paint shop pro or photo shop.

Edited July 31, 2007 by Maestro
Off topic. Deleted.

[lopburi3]

I believe there a few former teachers who regret providing false documents to Thai officials. Enough said.

[biggle]

I bought a VIP bus ticket , Bangkok-Vientiane and they accepted that at the Thai-Cambodian border , i aim to use that ticket next time i go to Vientiane.

[Weezaalinux]

here is a scan of the offending document receeived from thai embassy in phnom penh today.

http://www.badongo.com/pic/971183

notice also in addition to the harrassment detailed above, the details of itinerary and purpose of visit requirement at number 6..

[Weezaalinux]

it wasnt only me who got the bad news slip, there were a numer of other farang all getting the bad treatment as well . one farang guy was father of three (3)thai kids and was also still getting the harrassment.

time to move on.

[Maestro]

went to the one and only thai embassy in cambodia in phnom penh...for the Tourist visa...

Thank you for your report. It corroborates the many previous reports saying that Phnom Penh is among the three worst places to get a visa for Thailand. (The other two places are Manila and Yangon)

--------------

Maestro

[bruceboy]

It is strange that they should ask for a hotel reservation, many of the low-budget hotels won't give any written confirmation.

Yes, Manila, I was taken by surprise, some time ago when I didn't have my business and just wanted another tourist visa: they wanted to see a bank statement, which I didn't think was necessary.

They also insisted to see my airline ticket Manila-Bangkok, which was the last straw after I lost a few days getting proof of funds!!!

Did they think I was going to swim to Bangkok?!?

[expatwannabe]

God I'm glad I'm leaving before having to put up with this shiite.