On the website it says a "Round trip ticket". I have a ticket from HCM to Penang, Malaysia and a return flight from Phuket to Penang. I am going to take a mini van from Penang to Hat Yai to enter Thailand. So I technically don't have a "Round trip ticket". Thank you in advance. I have never gotten a TR visa in HCM before.

Stay out of them vans, you will be jammed in like a sardine, can die in those things. Take the ferry across to Butterworth it drops you right in the station, then take the train. It stops at the border to do the immigration stuff. I believe the ferry is free going to the mainland.

You can book your train ticket online. Look at TheManInSeat61 's website, it explains exactly how to do this and everything you need to do to enjoy the journey. He recommends https://12go.asia/en for buying train tickets for Thailand online.

It's not faster but it's much, much more pleasant than traveling on the road. 

 

17 hours ago, sadmoneysnow said:

So I technically don't have a "Round trip ticket".

You don't need a round-trip ticket, but you do usually need to show travel to Thailand and an outbound ticket.

 

In your case, you might well have a problem, as the consulate in HCMC might advise you to apply for the Thai tourist visa in Malaysia instead, seeing that you'll travel there before traveling to Thailand. Or maybe your ticket to Malaysia will just confuse them.

 

It's usually a good idea to keep things simple. When I applied for a tourist visa in HCMC before, I bought a throwaway round-trip ticket to Bangkok, although my plan was to travel back overland via Cambodia.

4 hours ago, Drumbuie said:

You can book your train ticket online. Look at TheManInSeat61 's website, it explains exactly how to do this and everything you need to do to enjoy the journey. He recommends https://12go.asia/en for buying train tickets for Thailand online.

It's not faster but it's much, much more pleasant than traveling on the road. 

 

The kommuter train from Butterworth to Padang Besar can't be booked online.

Train good. Van bad

OP You need to have an appointment at the embassy

13 hours ago, Caldera said:

You don't need a round-trip ticket, but you do usually need to show travel to Thailand and an outbound ticket.

 

In your case, you might well have a problem, as the consulate in HCMC might advise you to apply for the Thai tourist visa in Malaysia instead, seeing that you'll travel there before traveling to Thailand. Or maybe your ticket to Malaysia will just confuse them.

 

It's usually a good idea to keep things simple. When I applied for a tourist visa in HCMC before, I bought a throwaway round-trip ticket to Bangkok, although my plan was to travel back overland via Cambodia.

 

14 hours ago, Drumbuie said:

You can book your train ticket online. Look at TheManInSeat61 's website, it explains exactly how to do this and everything you need to do to enjoy the journey. He recommends https://12go.asia/en for buying train tickets for Thailand online.

It's not faster but it's much, much more pleasant than traveling on the road. 

 

Thank you guys for the recommendations. I think I will provide them with a ticket from HCM to Phuket and Phuket to Penang. That should be sufficient. I am slightly worried about using the TR visa when entering at the airport as I have been here on Visa exempt + covid visa and 2 visa exempts at land borders. About 600 days.

3 hours ago, sadmoneysnow said:

 

Thank you guys for the recommendations. I think I will provide them with a ticket from HCM to Phuket and Phuket to Penang. That should be sufficient. I am slightly worried about using the TR visa when entering at the airport as I have been here on Visa exempt + covid visa and 2 visa exempts at land borders. About 600 days.

In 2019, your concern would have been justified. We have yet to see any airports refuse to honour actual tourist visas recently. If you do have trouble, please post your experiences.