Adequete evidence for leaving Thailand within 30 days?

[Adbro1]

I'm due to visit Thailand for around 7 weeks and will be visiting Cambodia or Myanmar during that time so i can get a 2nd VISA exemption.

I know airlines can ask for evidence of onward travel if my outbound and return flights are over 29/30 days apart with the possibilty of them refusing myself permission to board the flight to Thailand.

So ive looked into purchasing a bus ticket to either Cambodia or Myanmar but no tickets appear to be cross border tickets.

For example,i can get a bus from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai but not Chiang Mai to Tachileik.So,althogh the intention is there for me to cross the border,according to the ticket,i am remaining in the same country.

Likewise,i can get a bus ticket for Poi Pet to Siem Reap(i would be driving with a friend to the border) but thats travel in Camobia and not cross border travel.

Common sense would suggest im leaving Thailand if i have a Cambodian Bus ticket or have a ticket to Mae Sai but I not sure the airline will see it that way.

 

Any ideas whether these bus tickets would but acceptable or should i find some onward travel evidence that carries a bit more weight?

 

Also,im flying with EVA AIR,do they have a reputation for checking onward travel out of Thailand and do Thai immigration ever check for onward travel(i do recall them doing so before in my previous 5-6 visits)?

 

Sorry for my ignorance on these matters:( 

 

 

[Caldera]

Giant Ibis sells cross-border bus tickets from Bangkok to Siem Reap. You can buy a ticket online. Whether or not your airline would accept such a ticket, I don't know.

[Adbro1]

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

Giant Ibis sells cross-border bus tickets from Bangkok to Siem Reap. You can buy a ticket online. Whether or not your airline would accept such a ticket, I don't know.

Ok,i'll check that out,thanks.

[glegolo]

The proof is in your passport, no stamps, there is no going out, and problems for you.

Why not just extend your 30 day stay? Then you have 8 weeks right there??

 

glegolo

[Mr Smithy]

Cheap 'throwaway' tickets are available from the low cost airlines.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, glegolo said:

The proof is in your passport, no stamps, there is no going out, and problems for you.

The problem is not about staying in the country.

The problem is about having a ticket out of the country within 30 days of arrival that is required if you do not have a visa for entry.

 

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, Adbro1 said:

Common sense would suggest im leaving Thailand if i have a Cambodian Bus ticket or have a ticket to Mae Sai but I not sure the airline will see it that way.

A airline will normally insist on ticket out of the country by air within 30 days. They will no accept a bus ticket out of the country since they have no way to verify it.

You can get a low cost one way ticket to any nearby country from any airport here that will be accepted. Check Air Asia and other regional low cost carriers for flights. 

[Lamphen]

I got a one-way throwaway ticket from DMK to RGN (Yangoon) with Air Asia For 1.350 THB.

This is sufficient for the check-in requirement in Belgium.

[DrJack54]

OP, You have zero chance of getting on flight from Cambodia to Thailand without an onward flight. Bus ticket etc useless.

I live Thailand with reentry permit extension based on retirement. 

Today I flew Saigon to Bkk.

Did online check in with AirAsia. Still need attend check in for boarding pass. 

I already knew that and have my reentry page folded at corner. 

So anyway get boarding pass all ok. 

After clearing imm (2+ hours before flight) I miss my flight. Yes stupid.

Returned by airline staff to land side.

I end up buy Vietjet ticket. Now to point of this long story. Clerk ask "where your visa" I show her reentry permit. She happy. 

If no visa I need onward flight within 30 days. 

This topic comes up far too often. 

FLY VISA EXEMPT YOU need onward flight.

[treetops]

13 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, You have zero chance of getting on flight from Cambodia to Thailand without an onward flight.

He/she is flying in on Eva Air, so not flying in from Cambodia.

 

OP.  The system the airlines use does mention that in-country extensions are available for visa exempt entries, so in theory it's possible they would allow you to board if you got the chance to point this out to them at check in.  In practice there are far too many stories of denied boarding over the years to risk it.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, treetops said:

He/she is flying in on Eva Air, so not flying in from Cambodia.

 

OP.  The system the airlines use does mention that in-country extensions are available for visa exempt entries, so in theory it's possible they would allow you to board if you got the chance to point this out to them at check in.  In practice there are far too many stories of denied boarding over the years to risk it.

Point taken. I had mix up on original embarking airport.

It's true that an airline may except an onward flight within 60 days after explaining your plan to obtain extension to VE. Seen it happy personally.

Think he was lucky.

In same way am aware of friend applying for setv at Saigon (onward flight required at that time) and guy explained to consulate staff that had onward flight within 90 days as intention was to obtain extension for his 60 day stay. He obtained the setv.

[treetops]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It's true that an airline may except an onward flight within 60 days after explaining your plan to obtain extension to VE. Seen it happy personally.

I've not seen it or done it, but chatted to a check in agent about it once while checking in with a visa in my passport.  She confirmed (after being prompted to read the full page) that she would probably let someone board now it had been pointed out to her, but previously she was under the impression that no return ticket within 30 days meant no boarding.

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, treetops said:

I've not seen it or done it, but chatted to a check in agent about it once while checking in with a visa in my passport.  She confirmed (after being prompted to read the full page) that she would probably let someone board now it had been pointed out to her, but previously she was under the impression that no return ticket within 30 days meant no boarding.

Think I'm bit confused with point your making.

Here is my take on it.

To obtain setv (for eg) MOST consulates require onward flight. As a result airline will issue you with boarding pass having seen valid visa in pp.

With regards not having a visa or reentry permit and intending to obtain visa exempt entry into Thailand, then onward flight will be 100% required. 

Having stated that I know of airline staff accepting onward flight outside the 30 day when passenger has explained intention to obtain 30 day extension. Very hit and miss.

Also same re setv. Onward flight required within 60 day but can be possible within 90 with same explanation. Again hit and miss.

[treetops]

Same point and same take on it I think.  Hit and miss being 100% correct.

[inThailand]

Is this really an issue? Us expats almost never have a return ticket, regardkess of visa type. Never been asked and never had.

[treetops]

7 minutes ago, inThailand said:

Is this really an issue? Us expats almost never have a return ticket, regardkess of visa type. Never been asked and never had.

Probably not arriving and expecting to get a 30 day visa exempt stamp then. ????

[Peter Denis]

You have several options:

1. When you plan to arrive VisaExempt, you will need an onward ticket for a flight within 30 days of your arrival.

Without such a ticket the airline might and probably will deny you boarding, and it is also required by border-immigration although they will most probably not ask for it.

So you better buy a cheap one-way throw-away ticket to be covered (one-way tickets to international destinations from Thailand can be found for approx 1.000 THB, e.g. HuaHin to KL, or DMK to Saigon).

Since you plan to visit Cambodia or Myanmar, you could even consider to look for a cheap flight-ticket to these destinations instead of having to buy the throw-away ticket.

Note: If you travel to Cambodia or Myanmar before your VisaExempt permission to stay of 30 days expires, you won't need to apply for an extension of stay of that VE entry.  Same applies when re-entering Thailand on less than 30 days before your return-flight home.

2. You could also apply for a Tourist Visa in your home-country, thus avoiding the need to buy a throw-away ticket for use within the first 30 days of your trip.

But as it would be more expensive to get than the cost of the throw-away ticket (and a possible extension of stay when wanting to stay longer than 30 days before/after (re)entering Thailand), the VisaExempt entry is in your case the most convenient option.

[tgeezer]

Is proof of financial status required when extending a visa at Immigration. That would be the same amount any visitor needs to show on entry, 20,000THB per person isn’t it? 

[Mr Smithy]

27 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

Is proof of financial status required when extending a visa at Immigration. That would be the same amount any visitor needs to show on entry, 20,000THB per person isn’t it? 

A 30 day extension requires no proof of financial status

[tgeezer]

4 hours ago, Mr Smithy said:

A 30 day extension requires no proof of financial status

I thought so. Surprising I think.