Thais Entering Thailand on Australian Passport

[Coota]

While trying to book flights for myself, wife and 3 kids I discovered that my 2 eldest kids (16 and 12) who are dual Australian/Thai citizens, Thai passports have expired about a year ago. They both have current Oz passports and they both have Thai ID cards. I am relocating myself and the family back to Thailand and want to travel around 23 April.

My question is, can they travel to Thailand and enter Thailand on the Visa exempt scheme using their Oz passports and then just stay in Thailand? I am aware that the airlines may not allow them to board without an onward bound ticket but an explanation about their Thai citizenship should alleviate that problem. I also don't know for sure if the onward ticket policy is actually used. 

I am also aware that there Aussie passports will be next to useless for them again if they leave Thailand but they are only valid for a couple more years before they expire.

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Coota
Grammar

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, Coota said:

Thai passports have expired 

You can enter Thailand on an expired passport. 

 

Depart Australia using their Australian passports.

 

Avoid entering Thailand on their Australian passports, it's just a pain, so much bother. 

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[Lite Beer]

Yep. Enter Thailand with their Thai passports.

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, Coota said:

While trying to book flights for myself, wife and 3 kids I discovered that my 2 eldest kids (16 and 12) who are dual Australian/Thai citizens, Thai passports have expired about a year ago

Normally Thai nationals could enter Thailand with expired pp.

However since covid and the need for TP you are required to have a valid pp. That's my understanding.

Expert will advise. 

@ubonjoe

 

Edit: OP, be aware that if your children enter visa exempt they can apply for one year extension as a returning Thai.

Edited March 29, 2022 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

However since covid and the need for TP you are required to have a valid pp. That's my understanding.

They may of relaxed that somewhat. In a recent post it was mentioned that a Thai got a Thailand Pass with a expired passport.

[StevieAus]

Coota I am curious about your comment in your last paragraph about the Australian passports being useless in the future.

Both my wife and daughter hold Thai and Australian passports and I can assure you that it is easier to travel outside SE Asia using an AustralIan passport and easy enough to renew in Thailand.

[Coota]

9 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Coota I am curious about your comment in your last paragraph about the Australian passports being useless in the future.

Both my wife and daughter hold Thai and Australian passports and I can assure you that it is easier to travel outside SE Asia using an AustralIan passport and easy enough to renew in Thailand.

Stevie, I meant it to mean the passports would be useless to use again in Thailand if I bought the kids in on those passports and just stayed there without notifying Immigration.

[Coota]

Thanks for the replies, however, I'm no closer to deciding which is the best potential solution. I think some of the repliers may not have realised that the kids in question are moving back to live in Thailand after living here in Oz for the last 2 and a half years.

 

Do I use the Aussie passports and use them for the Thai Pass application or use the Thai expired ones for TP and entry?

 

If I use the Aussie passports and simply just let the kids "overstay" could there be repercusions for them? Perhaps I could sort it out once they are settled in there. They can't "overstay" if they are Thai citizens though.

 

I suppose I will apply for the TP using Thai passports and see what happens. If that fails, use the Aussie ones.

 

 

[mrwebb8825]

Hope the eldest has stayed brushed up on Thai skills as they will be registered for the draft into military service upon arrival using the Thai passport.

Has the 12 yr old been a monk yet? Couple of cultural items to check with the wife about.

[Coota]

7 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Hope the eldest has stayed brushed up on Thai skills as they will be registered for the draft into military service upon arrival using the Thai passport.

Has the 12 yr old been a monk yet? Couple of cultural items to check with the wife about.

They all speak Thai better than English, that's one of the reasons we are moving back. Their heads are still in Thailand. The 12 year old is a girl so no monk worries there, the boy is 16 and has allready done some minor monk duites at his grandfather's funeral and also did a 5 day/night stint in boot camp with the army courtesy of being dobbed in to do it at his high school. He came home with no hair, filthy and black, had a smile on his face though. He wants to join the army now.

 

We have no worries about Thai cultural items and they were discussed during our decision to move back.