Will be denied COVID extension, quickest/cheapest way to get back to Thailand?

[MaiDong]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

This topic re onward flight requirement comes up often.

Some report of never needing an onward flight if flying without visa or reentry permit.

Think different airlines have different policies. 

Personally the opposite for me in my flights around S.E.A. 

Carriers such as AirAsia will insist upon onward flight if flying visa exempt. 

 

I've flown almost exclusively with AirAsia and never been asked for an onward flight, odd isn't it, perhaps it's your nationality? I'm British, which nationality are you?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

I've flown almost exclusively with AirAsia and never been asked for an onward flight, odd isn't it, perhaps it's your nationality? I'm British, which nationality are you?

I'm Oz.

I have posted on this so many times. 

Yes it's strange.

Prior to covid I flew monthly to Saigon for many years.

The airline staff look for my visa or reentry permit.

I even have the permit page marked so easy to find for the staff.

I have had couple of chats with boarding pass staff and when I ask what they are looking for and they have outlined what I stated above. 

I've even asked directly what if I'm entering visa exempt and the answer has been a confident "you need flight ticket"

Apart from flights to Thailand this practice occurs elsewhere.

We (Thai partner) fly to Osaka 3 times per year (before covid).

Thai nationals receive 15 days visa exempt entry to Japan.

EVERY time even with boarding pass return flight is inspected and the days carefully counted to enter airport waiting lounge. No ticket out within 15 days (for her) means no boarding plane.

 

[MaiDong]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I'm Oz.

I have posted on this so many times. 

Yes it's strange.

Prior to covid I flew monthly to Saigon for many years.

The airline staff look for my visa or reentry permit.

I even have the permit page marked so easy to find for the staff.

I have had couple of chats with boarding pass staff and when I ask what they are looking for and they have outlined what I stated above. 

I've even asked directly what if I'm entering visa exempt and the answer has been a confident "you need flight ticket"

Apart from flights to Thailand this practice occurs elsewhere.

We (Thai partner) fly to Osaka 3 times per year (before covid).

Thai nationals receive 15 days visa exempt entry to Japan.

EVERY time even with boarding pass return flight is inspected and the days carefully counted to enter airport waiting lounge. No ticket out within 15 days (for her) means no boarding plane.

 

Well, I'd rather be Australian and get asked for an onward flight, than be British full stop. ????

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

Well, I'd rather be Australian and get asked for an onward flight, than be British full stop. ????

As you no doubt would know...

UK folk have visa exempt entry to Vietnam. 

Soon this may become an option for people to obtain visa.

The requirements are not clear at this point for entry to Vietnam.

Might have something to do with current sky high covid new cases. 

 

Oz folk require a visa to enter Vietnam. 

[SebBkk]

1 hour ago, MaiDong said:

Were you detained by immigration upon your return? And if so, did you have to buy a 'fully refunded ticket' to your country in order to receive a 30 day stamp?

Did you obtain a visa from the embassy/consulate in PP or did you simply return to Thailand obtaining a tourist visa(30 days) on entry?

Yes upon my return at suvarnabum, officer asked me many questions because too many in and out stamps in Thailand. No tourist visa, just entry 30 days. They asked for flight ticket to my country (France), not to an other “nearby” country.

[MaiDong]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

As you no doubt would know...

UK folk have visa exempt entry to Vietnam. 

Soon this may become an option for people to obtain visa.

The requirements are not clear at this point for entry to Vietnam.

Might have something to do with current sky high covid new cases. 

 

Oz folk require a visa to enter Vietnam. 

This is handy as a friend who lives in HCMC is offering me his spare room for my trip, that is if I'm allowed to stay where I want, as opposed to where the govt allows me to stay!

[MaiDong]

1 hour ago, SebBkk said:

Yes upon my return at suvarnabum, officer asked me many questions because too many in and out stamps in Thailand. No tourist visa, just entry 30 days. They asked for flight ticket to my country (France), not to an other “nearby” country.

That makes sense then, and shouldn't be applicable to people like myself who have longer term visas.

[audaciousnomad]

On 3/13/2022 at 2:26 PM, MaiDong said:

This is handy as a friend who lives in HCMC is offering me his spare room for my trip, that is if I'm allowed to stay where I want, as opposed to where the govt allows me to stay!

If you can even get into the country. They are still closed, despite all the hoopla about reopening in the headlines.

Edited March 14, 2022 by audaciousnomad

[BangkokReady]

1 hour ago, audaciousnomad said:

If you can even get into the country. They are still closed, despite all the hoopla about reopening in the headlines.

Didn't they say they were going to open on the 15th?

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

Didn't they say they were going to open on the 15th?

They sure did. But then the health and tourism ministries couldn't agree on the exact rules. Hopefully they'll get their act together in the near future.

[impulse]

On 3/12/2022 at 10:12 PM, MaiDong said:

Thanks, I understand this, I'd just like to know what SebBkk experienced himself, so I know what to expect should I take this option.

Gotta be honest, I don't put a lot of faith in a noob to realize what happened, or why it happened.  Especially given his declaration of "detained by immigration" (what does that mean?) and that your onward ticket has to be to your own country (it can be anywhere outside of Thailand on the off chance that the IO even asks for one).   Then there's the proof of a place to stay and the 20K baht requirement, which are optional depending on the mood of IO you get.

 

That's not a slam on SebBkk.  It takes some time to understand the difference between a visa and an extension, between visa on arrival and visa exempt, the difference between an O and an OA visa, the difference between answering lots of questions and being detained, etc.  Throw in the inconsistency between Immigration at the various points of entry, what country you're from, and your travel history, and "your mileage may vary" from SebBkk's.  Even if you think you're duplicating his experience.  One seemingly tiny detail can put you in a completely different situation.

Edited March 14, 2022 by impulse