Ongoing/return Ticket At Aranya Prathet

[papakaz]

Yesterday (Sunday, 22 April 2007) I went to the immigration check-point at Aranya Prathet. I am American and expected to exit and enter again for another 30 days. When I went to get stamped out, the immigration officer told me that I'd better get proof of a ongoing ticket before exiting Thailand, because they would not allow me back in. He, the immigration officer himself, said an "e-ticket confirmation" would suffice, and suggested the travel agency "next to Siam Commercial Bank". I have attached a photo of that place below.

That travel agency successfully charged me 2,800 baht plus 200 baht service charge for a one-way ticket to Penang with Air Asia (next month). At least two other foreigners before me also were successfully charged this price for the same (or similar) one-way flight.

They then printed up the "e-ticket" confirmation that was emailed to them from their whole-saler.

This "e-ticket" confirmation (nothing more than an e-mail with an itinerary and the word "confirmed" on it) was accepted by the immigration officials.

Perhaps this scenario is best not repeated.

[visarunner]

One more reason to go with a established Visarun Company to Ban Laem.

This topic is not new and has been reported on this forum already.

[Maestro]

They then printed up the "e-ticket" confirmation that was emailed to them from their whole-saler.

This "e-ticket" confirmation (nothing more than an e-mail with an itinerary and the word "confirmed" on it) was accepted by the immigration officials.

Reading this I began to wonder whether that computer printout you got is really an electronic ticket valid for transport, or merely a reservation confirmation. When I got an electronic ticket last year, from my Swiss travel agent for a flight on Austrian Airlines, I first made only a reservation and this document included the text “reservation confirmed”. After that, I had to buy the ticket within three days, otherwise the flight reservation would be cancelled.

The printout of the electronic ticket I received when I bought the ticket does not include the word “confirmed”. Instead, it has a ticket number at the top and details of the fare calculation at the bottom.

--

Maestro

[Eugen]

Obvious a scam, but this e-ticket must be a valid document.

THE ALIENS ENTERING KINGDOM WITH NO VISA MUST PRESENT TICKET OR TRAVEL

DOCUMNETS THAT HAVE BEEN PAID ALREADY OR CONFIRMED TO EXIT THE KINGDOM

AND MUST NOT EXCEED 30DAY UPON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE TO THE KINGDOM.

[permanent_disorder]

One more reason to go with a established Visarun Company to Ban Laem.

until someone open a travel agency where you can buy an e-ticket just around the corner. good business, good money and a good side job for immigration officer too. they must feel boring with fewer and fewer visa runners coming these days.

i check air asia on the internet. flying one way to penang on 20.5. is 499 baht, and Total Package Price 1,849.00 THB (with tax and all).

on air asia website it say also that it is "permit flight changes more than 48 hours prior to scheduled departure for a specified fee". don't know how much this fee is but maybe a way for the people who need a ticket in 30 days again.

[Eugen]

IMHO Immigration want to get rid on the independant visarunners in Aran and move them south.

Immigration is already busy with the Gamblers to stamp them out and in.

On top of that they have to calculate the days for each individual visarunner.

[bkkspirit]

Last March, i was able to exit & enter Thailand without hassle. But this April, to my surprise, they have the new regulation regarding the onward/return ticket. I also bought a BKK-Penang Air Asia e-ticket and got another 30 days until May 12. This May, it would be my 3rd time to go to the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border.

Can I still move the date of the e-ticket and use it again for exit OR do I really have to fly out to Penang and get a 60-tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Penang?

Edited April 23, 2007 by Maestro
Removed formatting codes for better readability

[jeebusjones]

The wording of the rule says a document showing a "confirmed" flight is enough.

It's pretty easy to make a reseravation for a flight. This is free of charge, and can be done at any travel agent. If you actually want the flight, you need to pay about 10 days before.

Having the reservation will allow you to have a printed itinerary, complete with your name and passport number and all the rest.

Would this be enough for immigration?

One more reason to go with a established Visarun Company to Ban Laem.

This topic is not new and has been reported on this forum already.

Isn't the rule being enforced in Ban Laem also? I know the signs are up, but does anyone know if it's really being enforced?

Edited April 23, 2007 by jeebusjones

[sriracha john]

The wording of the rule says a document showing a "confirmed" flight is enough.

It's pretty easy to make a reseravation for a flight. This is free of charge, and can be done at any travel agent. If you actually want the flight, you need to pay about 10 days before.

Having the reservation will allow you to have a printed itinerary, complete with your name and passport number and all the rest.

Would this be enough for immigration?

One more reason to go with a established Visarun Company to Ban Laem.

This topic is not new and has been reported on this forum already.

Isn't the rule being enforced in Ban Laem also? I know the signs are up, but does anyone know if it's really being enforced?

Yes, I'm sure I've read other threads reporting the same notice and same requirements being asked for at Ban Laem. If need be, I'll search them out. Given that, I'm not sure what any benefit there is with a visa run company... unless they are offering discounts on airline tickets now or unless they're somehow getting their clients through without having to produce airline tickets like everyone else is having to do.

As to whether or not they'll accept the pseudo-ticket AKA a reservation notice or not, I don't know...

it'll be interesting to see if that or any other imaginative methods of meeting the requirement are successful.

Edited April 23, 2007 by sriracha john

[visarunner]

Based on a webside of a korean run company it will be enforced in Ban Laem from 1st of May onwards.

http://www.smsilom.com/sub_07.html?go_url=...=32&infor=2

Jack's is still "negotiating", I wonder with whom.

http://jackgolf.com/en/photobbs/view.php?id=184&p=1

ThaiVisaService has it listed under the VisaRule, but still without a "confirmed" date.

http://www.thaivisaservice.com/visa-rules.html

[Khun Bob]

Slightly OT but is having an outward air ticket being requested at Padang Besar when erriving on the train and not with a visa company ? My hunch that this is just being asked at certain borders that are being used by many visa runners and by visa running companies - but I may be wrong...

Seems strange that is you arrive into the country by train you are expected to leave by air - but I guess they could ask you to have an outward train or coach ticket within the 30days or whatever they give you...

[sriracha john]

Based on a webside of a korean run company it will be enforced in Ban Laem from 1st of May onwards.

http://www.smsilom.com/sub_07.html?go_url=...=32&infor=2

Jack's is still "negotiating", I wonder with whom.

http://jackgolf.com/en/photobbs/view.php?id=184&p=1

ThaiVisaService has it listed under the VisaRule, but still without a "confirmed" date.

http://www.thaivisaservice.com/visa-rules.html

Thanks for the links....

btw, rather mind-numbing that Jack Golf has its own BBS....

but by:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1254597

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1248916

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1242987

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1235439

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1231338

it would seem to indicate that Ban Laem is asking for onward air tickets the same as Aranyaprathet.

[sniffdog]

=======================================================================

on air asia website it say also that it is "permit flight changes more than 48 hours prior to scheduled departure for a specified fee". don't know how much this fee is but maybe a way for the people who need a ticket in 30 days again.

=======================================================================

500 baht + the difference in fare.

eg I changed from the morning flight on 26 to the morning flight on 25.

Price paid: 499

New Price: 999

So 500 baht fee + 500 baht difference=THB 1,000

BTW Changed at Tesco Onnut at AirAsia counter. No extra fees and near BTS.

=========================================================================

Can I still move the date of the e-ticket and use it again for exit OR do I really have to fly out to Penang and get a 60-tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Penang?

=========================================================================

Yes, you can change anytime (provided within 48 hours of departure time).

Just buy a ticket with a departure date equal to the last day of your anticipated stamp and a return date to three months after your first visa run.

Then every month change the departure date one month ahead.

Mind there are costs though but probably never more than 1,000 baht per time. And then really fly out when the 90 days are up.

A clever immigration officer might have an idea what you're doing as you don't have a 3 month visa to Malaysia ... Just tell him you travel to Singapore and Indonesia and return from Penang.

Edited April 24, 2007 by sniffdog

[jeebusjones]

Slightly OT but is having an outward air ticket being requested at Padang Besar when erriving on the train and not with a visa company ? My hunch that this is just being asked at certain borders that are being used by many visa runners and by visa running companies - but I may be wrong...

Seems strange that is you arrive into the country by train you are expected to leave by air - but I guess they could ask you to have an outward train or coach ticket within the 30days or whatever they give you...

So far it's only being requested at Poipet and Ban Leam. Supposedly this is because these borders are under a different chain of command.

However at these borders it is only a plane ticket that's accepted, a bus or train ticket will not be enough.

As far as I know Padang Besar shouldn't be a problem.

=======================================================================

on air asia website it say also that it is "permit flight changes more than 48 hours prior to scheduled departure for a specified fee". don't know how much this fee is but maybe a way for the people who need a ticket in 30 days again.

=======================================================================

500 baht + the difference in fare.

eg I changed from the morning flight on 26 to the morning flight on 25.

Price paid: 499

New Price: 999

So 500 baht fee + 500 baht difference=THB 1,000

This is correct, but changing the date can be expensive. As you get nearer to the date of the flight, the prices get pretty high. Last October I bought a flight to KL for around 4,000 baht. Four days before I was to leave, I went to the airport and tried to change the ticket. They wanted 5,000 baht just to change the ticket, as the fare price had gone up that much.

So just make sure you change your flights well in advance.

[sniffdog]

================================================================================

So just make sure you change your flights well in advance.

================================================================================

Correct, that why you have to start making the reservation one month before your stamp will expire (or just before you go on visa run), and change one month before the departure date comes up. Then the prices won't change that much ... will even be probably the same ..

I was lucky that the price changed only 500 baht just two days before departure. Now let's hope the plane departs on time (or with less than 45 minutes delay).

[bangkokgas]

Based on a webside of a korean run company it will be enforced in Ban Laem from 1st of May onwards.

http://www.smsilom.com/sub_07.html?go_url=...=32&infor=2

Jack's is still "negotiating", I wonder with whom.

http://jackgolf.com/en/photobbs/view.php?id=184&p=1

ThaiVisaService has it listed under the VisaRule, but still without a "confirmed" date.

http://www.thaivisaservice.com/visa-rules.html

Thanks for the links....

btw, rather mind-numbing that Jack Golf has its own BBS....

but by:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1254597

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1248916

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1242987

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1235439

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1231338

it would seem to indicate that Ban Laem is asking for onward air tickets the same as Aranyaprathet.