Well my Thai pass is confirmed – a remarkably smooth process in 5 days.

So I’m due to travel on 6 December and my return flight is early Feb (I plan to at least get the 30 day extension on my visa free 30 day entry but maybe try to re-instate my retirement visa extension which expired in my forced absence.)

Anyway, I now see from other posts that I may have problems with my check in (Emirates) as visa free is initially 30 days and my return ticket is 60 days .

So, I read on other posts about buying onward tickets from specialist web sites.

I’m new to this concept so could anyone who has used this process please give me some advice on which have been successful (For example one site says “tickets valid for 48 hours or 14 days” – onwardticket.com), so that would seem not to be useful as I need a ticket to be valid for about 30 days from my date of entry?  Or am I misunderstanding this process?

Help/pointers appreciated.

Just an opinion - it would seem ticket only needs to be valid for the flight to Thailand. I believe it can show any departure date you like.

OP, you are planning to fly visa exempt entry to Thailand.

The airline may/will require you to show onward flight.

Nothing to do with Thai immigration upon landing.

All about airline requirement at departure to issue boarding pass. The onward flight should be within 30 days.

It's required.

32 minutes ago, Negita43 said:

Help/pointers appreciated.

i will be in same situation as you for intended visa exempt feb entry. i read that fake outward tickets (any for that matter) are illegal albeit that they suffice at checkin. maybe IO will not ask for outward dates, maybe IO will accept your 60 day ticket on the basis that you explain that you intend to extend (ie 30 +30) or maybe the IO will deem that you are a risk of overstaying your 30 day entry. cos of uncertainty i intend to buy a throwaway scoot bkk to singers ticket for about $110aud departing in accordance with 30 day entry stamp.

There nothing illegal about onward ticket site, arguably against the spirit of the rules but boohoo, this was a myth started by some thaivisa moderators and angry thaivisa keyboard warriors, however you now see the exact same moderator even suggest onward ticket sites. Be aware the validity of them though is often 24-48hrs, although the main provider has an option for 14 days now for a little more

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The airline may/will require you to show onward flight.

please factor this into my other post

19 minutes ago, Bvor said:

please factor this into my other post

Don't understand.

Onward flight requirement has 3 well known options.

1.Throw away flight.

2.Flight with cost free date change. 

3.Rent a ticket ~12usd.

 

Not interested in your "other post."

As it's strange. Has nothing to do with immigration.

Departure or arrival 

The onward flight is all about airline for issue of boarding pass. 

 

Dr Jack, et al.:  This onward flight nonsense is exclusively about entering visa exempt, right? The last time this question was put to me by an airline I got them to drop it by pointing to my long stay status and the fact that I had months and months to decide on a return date. Now this upcoming time my permission to stay will appear as ending two weeks away, but of course I will be renewing for another 12 months. Surely not everyone entering LOS has a flight out already booked.

I use the $12 tickets and have never had an issue when asked to show them. As said above it is only check in at departure that you may need them so if you buy one on the day of departure the 24/48 hour validity is fine. Thai immigration are not concerned about onward flights

I could be wrong but I think one of the reasons airlines are anal about this is because they could be responsible for flying you back if you are denied entry to Thailand because of something they didn't check such as a valid visa and/or onward ticket etc., as unlikely as it may be.

Again to many cooks in the soup. Dr Jack is giving the right info. A return or an onward ticket is needed within 30 days. As simple as that, and nothing more to add.

Thanks for all your replies but that's not exactly what I asked. I asked:

I’m new to this concept so could anyone who has used this process please give me some advice on which have been successful (For example one site says “tickets valid for 48 hours or 14 days” – onward ticket.com), so that would seem not to be useful as I need a ticket to be valid for about 30 days from my date of entry?  Or am I misunderstanding this process?

3 minutes ago, Negita43 said:

Thanks for all your replies but that's not exactly what I asked. I asked:

I’m new to this concept so could anyone who has used this process please give me some advice on which have been successful (For example one site says “tickets valid for 48 hours or 14 days” – onward ticket.com), so that would seem not to be useful as I need a ticket to be valid for about 30 days from my date of entry?  Or am I misunderstanding this process?

The ticket only needs to be valid (if they would even check it, probably they don't) when you check-in for your flight at the airport.

So you can just book a 48 hours ticket on the day before you fly, if the airline should check the validity of your ticket, it would show as valid. The next day it would be expired, but then nobody will be interested in it anymore.

3 minutes ago, Negita43 said:

I need a ticket to be valid for about 30 days from my date of entry?  Or am I misunderstanding this process?

Yes you are misunderstanding.

The onward flight is solely for issue of boarding pass from airline.

Will not be required upon landing in Thailand.

In reality it's validity needs to be for time period to obtain boarding pass. 

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The ticket only needs to be valid (if they would even check it, probably they don't) when you check-in for your flight at the airport.

Risky advice.

IMO replace "...probably they don't" with probably they will.

 

32 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Risky advice.

IMO replace "...probably they don't" with probably they will.

I always took an old booking confirmation/ticket, changed the dates, and presented this to the airline. Not once did they check if that's actually a valid ticket.

Anybody here where the airline actually checked online if the presented onward ticket is valid?

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

I always took an old booking confirmation, changed the dates, and presented this to the airline

In other words onward flight was required.

Forged or otherwise.

Thanks for clarification.

Just now, DrJack54 said:

In other words onward flight was required.

Forged or otherwise.

Thanks for clarification.

I guess you just misunderstood my post above. By "check it" I was referring to the validity of the ticket that is presented to them, not that they don't ask for one. (Sometimes they did indeed not ask for one, but usually they do, so I also recommend to prepare a "ticket")

 

17 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I always took an old booking confirmation/ticket, changed the dates, and presented this to the airline. Not once did they check if that's actually a valid ticket.

Anybody here where the airline actually checked online if the presented onward ticket is valid?

I'm no international law expert but common sense tells me there could be severe penalties if you are caught forging travel documents, including being blacklisted from the country.  Congratulations on getting away with it...so far.

22 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't understand.

i was trying to correct my "other post" which erroneously referred to IO instead of airline staff.....which you have so kindly pointed out.

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I guess you just misunderstood my post above. By "check it" I was referring to the validity of the ticket that is presented to them, not that they don't ask for one. (Sometimes they did indeed not ask for one, but usually they do, so I also recommend to prepare a "ticket")

 

Fair enough.

I have personal experience that still can't believe even though it was me.

I was coming back home to Thailand (with reentry permit to Thailand). However flying first to Saigon, Vietnam. Only staying couple of days in Saigon

I had visa for Vietnam (required for Oz citizen) however only 5 days validity.

The Jetstar check in would not issue boarding pass without onward flight out of Vietnam.

Fortunately I had screenshot.

They were out of line.

To be fair at pp control Saigon the io pointed out that I only had few days left. Asked how long I stay.

Answer was genuine 3 days. 

Allowed in. 

Still can't believe it.

Thanks everybody now I get it - I'm afraid I'm the sort of person who doesn't like doing things at the last minute but I guess on this occasion that's what I'll have to do!