My Flight Over From Usa To Bkk

I thought Id give you the summary of my experience flying over this week. My flight took me from the US to Tokyo then swith planes and off to BKK.

When I checked in at the counter with my luggage and got my seat assignment the lady only cared about my luggage being under the maximum weight , no questions on return trip ( though I had one and Im sure it was in the computer if she cared) and no visa questions.

Next up, I had my boarding pass to tokyo and was getting ready to board the plane and the lady takes the boarding passes and lets you through. She does not have a computer, shes just standing in front of the ramp to the plane. She asked where i was goingand said BKK since I have a TV and return ticket and she immediately flagged me and sent me over to the counter. If I would have said Tokyo ( if i didnt have a return ticket) she would have never known and I could have boarded the plane.

So over at the counter, she sees i have a return ticket ( which is all she cared about because she didn't understand a thing about thai visas. She saw in my passport that I had to USE the TV before october which isn't relevant to anything at all since I was headed there that day. She seemed satisfied with that useless piece of information and sent me on my way.

In tokyo changing planes, no questions at all about thai visas or return tickets or anything.

I was on Northwest airlines by the way. Im sure different airlines may handle this differently but if you want the least hassle, don't even mention a connecting flight to thailand and I think no one will bother you ( especially if you don't have return ).

Thai immigration in the airport have taped up an extension on their rule board that now says "return ticket" but the customs official just waved me through without even looking at anything as far as flights.

Interestingly, on the Asia Wall Street Journal they handed out in the plane there was a full page article on Pattaya trying to clean up its image. They have a marketing budet of $400,000 - $500,000 worldwide which the Wall Street Journal all but laughed at.