A few noob questions I just want to confirm

[Heythereguys]

Hey guys, I have been to Thailand before but it was awhile ago. I will be returning soon and I promise I have tried to Google to get these answers, but if you have Google'd yourself recently you probably know how unreliable the responses have become

 

Anyways, I will start with a couple of quick noob questions, I will be staying for awhile but can someone confirm that if I am just arriving on a normal 30 day tourist visa that my outbound ticket must be within 30 days? It can't be after 60 right?

 

If anyone has any hacks on how to game this please let me know... on my last visits I knew some ways (go 95% of the way through booking a flight on certain airlines and you could get what appeared to be a full boarding pass before paying) but not sure if they will still work

 

Second noob question, if I fly out after 60 days can I fly back the same day? Probably would do Cambodia or another very short/cheap flight for this. If the world functioned as it should right now I'd prefer to stay a few nights in another country to see the world.... but my recent travels this year tell me that expecting to take flights, book hotels, and have things go smoothly isn't likely so I'd rather just get it all done in one crappy day than spread it out longer and risk more problems

 

Sorry for the noob questions, I will come back to contribute once I have arrived and am learning up to date info to share

[Red Phoenix]

When you enter Thailand by air on a 60-day Tourist Visa there is NO need for an onward flight.  But when you enter Thailand by air VisaExempt (without a Visa), which will provide you with a 30-day Permit to stay stamped by border-immigration in your passport on arrival, the airline at your departure often wants to see a booking for an onward-flight to an international destination on a date prior to the expiry of that 30-day Permit to stay. 

On sites like onwardflight.com or onwardticket.com you can buy a fully legit booking-reservation for as little as 12 to 15 US $, and the booking reservation is delivered on the spot.

As the companies that offer that service cancel those booking reservations within 2-3 days after issuance, you would need to order such a booking close to your departure date.

Note that for both the 60-day Tourist Visa and the 30-day VisaExempt entry, you can buy a 30-day extension of stay at any Thai Imm Office, which costs 1.900,- THB and is provided on the spot.  You do not need to wait till final days of your Permit to stay to apply for such 30-day extension as the days are simply added to the expiry date of your Permit to stay. 

Your 2nd question refers to what is called a 'border hop'.  In the final days of your (extended) Permit to stay, you can simply exit Thailand by air or by crossing a land-border.

You can decide to spend a couple of days in that country where you exited, or alternatively  immediately re-enter Thailand again, where you will be stamped in again for a 30-days Permit to stay, which can once again be extended with an additional 30 days at any Thai Imm office.

 

[patman30]

as RP says
but i would just buy cheap airasia flights to cambodia
and i would never just use photoshop to print one off as they are never checked....????

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Heythereguys said:

if I am just arriving on a normal 30 day tourist visa that my outbound ticket must be within 30 days? It can't be after 60 right?

1 hour ago, Heythereguys said:

Second noob question, if I fly out after 60 days can I fly back the same day?

1 hour ago, Heythereguys said:

If anyone has any hacks on how to game this please let me know

 

Get a 60 day Tourist Visa which can be extended in country (at immigration) for another 30 days. 

No need for proof of onward flight. 

 

 

[DrJack54]

OP, how long would you actually like to visit Thailand? 

You have good answers above.

 

As for second part of your question ...dont understand that at all. 

Flights are booked online.

Accommodation the same. 

Simple quick process.

 

If you have time to do a mini holiday, my suggestion would  be Saigon.

Depending on your passport nationality you may be entitled to visa exempt entry to Vietnam.

Very easy trip from the Airport to District 1. 

I did that trip in Feb and spent two weeks there. 

Return flight 3500baht. 

 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

One question you had has not been well answered. You ask if you could fly out and back the same day for a further visa exempt entry (after just staying 60 days on an earlier fully extended visa exemption). This would be unwise. Airport immigration officials are supposed to screen those requesting visa exemptions to verify that they are not being used to stay longer than is compatible with regular tourism. Usually, you would be OK, but the wrong official could decide to deny you entry. Either stay outside Thailand for a few days, or do a border bounce by land. (Check here before deciding on a border crossing for a same day border bounce.)

[Lemsta69]

3 hours ago, Heythereguys said:

but my recent travels this year tell me that expecting to take flights, book hotels, and have things go smoothly

I dunno what third-world hellhole that was in but here in South-East Asia things are working fine travel-wise ????

[geisha]

I add to Brit Tim’s advice, don’t fly back the same day ! A few days somewhere nice, good food,,change of air , and without  enquiring looks and even questions on why you are doing this ! 
Plus, you will still need a visa for Cambodia or Laos, go through immigration and then back again !! 
maybe not for Vietnam you can check.

 What on  earth is complicated about booking a hotel and cheap taxi ride into town , don’t understand that remark. 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, geisha said:

I add to Brit Tim’s advice, don’t fly back the same day ! A few days somewhere nice, good food,,change of air , and without  enquiring looks and even questions on why you are doing this ! 
Plus, you will still need a visa for Cambodia or Laos, go through immigration and then back again !! 
maybe not for Vietnam you can check.

 What on  earth is complicated about booking a hotel and cheap taxi ride into town , don’t understand that remark. 

+1 

Agree with your post.

There was a post in recent times where a fool flew his visiting very elderly mother to KL and back same day for another visa exempt entry. 

She was held up on arrival and had a difficult time and eventually allowed visa exempt entry.

 

Land border bounce step over and back is common.

Do that via air... foolish imo. 

[geisha]

I think Malaysia actually refuse in / out air passengers , or they did a while back., If it’s a money problem, take a travel agency same day border hop and spend stuffy boring hours hoping the driver slows down ! 

[DrJack54]

25 minutes ago, geisha said:

I think Malaysia actually refuse in / out air passengers , or they did a while back., If it’s a money problem, take a travel agency same day border hop and spend stuffy boring hours hoping the driver slows down ! 

Not for flights into and out of Malaysia.

That's an issue for Thai immigration on reentry to Thailand.

For land borders yes overnight stay required, however often a "charge" can sidestep that. 

[spicysalad]

12 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

When you enter Thailand by air on a 60-day Tourist Visa there is NO need for an onward flight.

That is incorrect. A 60 day tourist visa requires a return ticket within 60 days. Only Non-Immigrant visas don't require a return ticket.

 

Immigration in Thailand is unlikely to check this upon entry but the airline in your home country will often not let you board without one. At least this is the case with Air Canada.

[London Lowf]

1 hour ago, spicysalad said:

That is incorrect. A 60 day tourist visa requires a return ticket within 60 days.

Incorrect - my last trip was from 15th Jan to 29th Mar this year and that was the only ticket that I provided for my e-Visa. I had also done a similar long trip just as Thailand re-opened after Covid.

 

No problems boarding, arriving, obtaining extension or departing. I always travel Thai Aiorways and I suspect that Air Canada check-in do not understand how Thailand works?

 

 

[Lemsta69]

5 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

I suspect that Air Canada check-in do not understand how Thailand works?

From what I read on the internet, Air Canada doesn't understand how anything works! ????

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, spicysalad said:

That is incorrect. A 60 day tourist visa requires a return ticket within 60 days. Only Non-Immigrant visas don't require a return ticket.

That is not an Immigration rule, though some airlines might decide to enforce it if they think you might be denied entry for other reasons. The IATA guidelines, used by almost all international airlines, make clear that an onward flight booking is only mandatory when planning to enter visa exempt.

[Red Phoenix]

15 hours ago, BritTim said:

One question you had has not been well answered. You ask if you could fly out and back the same day for a further visa exempt entry (after just staying 60 days on an earlier fully extended visa exemption). This would be unwise. Airport immigration officials are supposed to screen those requesting visa exemptions to verify that they are not being used to stay longer than is compatible with regular tourism. Usually, you would be OK, but the wrong official could decide to deny you entry. Either stay outside Thailand for a few days, or do a border bounce by land. (Check here before deciding on a border crossing for a same day border bounce.)

Thanks for the relevant additional info.

Question > Can one still do a same-day border-hop at the Chong Sa Ngam border-crossing with Cambodia?

Last time I did a border-hop at that quiet and friendly crossing (when I was still on an METV), it was no problem at all.  The friendly Cambodian border official that put the Tourist Visa sticker in my Passport, even asked whether I would go back same day (no charge). 

But that was 3 years ago, and things can change so would be interested to know whether that's still the case.

 

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

Question > Can one still do a same-day border-hop at the Chong Sa Ngam border-crossing with Cambodia?

I would not anticipate any problems, except probably being asked for a present  (on the Cambodian side) to permit same day return. That said, I can recall no recent reports from there, so no guarantees.

[Heythereguys]

Funny, when you read online it says same day land border hops are no longer allowed (or have a higher chance of being blocked) and then I come here and get told the opposite... now you can see why I didn't just trust google

 

I won't go into detail here, but I have been traveling to different places this year, worst flight experience of my life on my first flight in 3 years (and I have been a digital nomad for over a decade and taken A LOT of flights) and all my Airbnb's have been deceiving at best (or cancelled on me last minute making me have to completely alter my plans and in 1 case making it so I couldnt even visit the city which I had planned to stay for a month)

 

This was supposed to be a year of travel after being cooped up cuz of covid... but a few months in and I am already so burnt out over the #&^& that I don't want to deal with anymore of it at the moment

 

I've been to Saigon, PP, KL, and around much of Southeast Asia, seeing them again would be nice I guess... but not at the risk of putting more variables in play that will just end up causing me stress and ruining what could have been nice relaxing days in Thailand

 

OP, how long would you actually like to visit Thailand? 

 

Don't really know, ideally I would like to be there for around a year.... but I might also try and stay forever or leave after 2 months and return to where I have previously been... just kinda depends

[BritTim]

20 minutes ago, Heythereguys said:

Funny, when you read online it says same day land border hops are no longer allowed (or have a higher chance of being blocked) and then I come here and get told the opposite... now you can see why I didn't just trust google

I can well understand your frustration. When doing an in/out by land for a same day visa exemption, the guidelines are

• Border bounces at Mae Sot and Mae Sai (Myanmar) allow same day return without the slightest difficulty. If you are close to either, this is what I recommend. I believe the same is true crossing from Ranong to the Andaman Casino and Resort, 
• Border bounces at crossings into Laos with same day return was fine in the past, and likely still to be allowed, but Thai immigration at some crossing points have begun questioning those doing it.
• Border bounces at Aranyaprathet/Poipet should be avoided. Do not ignore this warning.
• Border bounces at other land crossings to Cambodia typically require the payment of presents to Cambodian officials to allow same day return.
• At crossings to Malaysia, the default rule is that you must stay a couple of nights in Malaysia before returning to Thailand. However, usually, special fees can be paid to facilitate same day return.

If you are not already aware, you are limited to two visa exempt entries by land in any calendar year. Visa exempt entries by air are not subject to this limitation, but officials can deny you entry if, in their view, you are overusing visa exemptions to stay long periods in Thailand.

[spicysalad]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

That is not an Immigration rule, though some airlines might decide to enforce it if they think you might be denied entry for other reasons. The IATA guidelines, used by almost all international airlines, make clear that an onward flight booking is only mandatory when planning to enter visa exempt.

It's listed as one of the requirements to apply for a tourist visa on the evisa website.

 

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/tourist-visa

 

Required documents

• 1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months.
• 2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
• 3. Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full).
• 4. Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family).

[BritTim]

59 minutes ago, spicysalad said:

It's listed as one of the requirements to apply for a tourist visa on the evisa website.

That is true when applying for the visa, though some embassies do not enforce it. It is a consular rule and not an immigration rule. Airlines will usually not insist on an onward flight when you are flying with a valid Thai visa.

[Heythereguys]

12 hours ago, BritTim said:

I can well understand your frustration. When doing an in/out by land for a same day visa exemption, the guidelines are

Thanks, please dont take it as my frustration with you guys... its my frustration with how bad google has become over the past few years

 

Where is the right place to ask about finding apartments in bangkok on this forum? or is there not one?

[geisha]

Do whatever you did on your previous stays in Thailand concerning lodgings. It’s just probably a bit more expensive than 2019:.  Booking somewhere for one month will be double the price of a one year lease. I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, you can’t ask prices etc when you have no dates, high season, low season, just look at all the different options online.  Everyone has different likes and necessities. 

[Maestro]

OP, if you are currently in a country where you qualify for e-visa application, the multiple-entry tourist visa probably would serve you best.

[JayClay]

2 hours ago, Maestro said:

OP, if you are currently in a country where you qualify for e-visa application, the multiple-entry tourist visa probably would serve you best.

That would have to be his hime country. And by the sounds of things, he isn't in his home country right now.

[Heythereguys]

Correct, not in home country, to be honest I had initially planned to not do those visas before arrival because as mentioned previously I was looking forward to the visa runs and hitting up some places for a few days (little 3 day weed breaks every few months are nice for your tolerance hehe)

 

But now that I am so over the travel after my last few months I probably should look into it, any countries you guys recommend flying to to get one of those? I guess I would be hoping for the quickest/easiest ones you know of (I am a lazy F when it comes to travel despite having traveled for a long time)

 

 

As far as the apartments go, I have an Airbnb for my first month already but they have already told me I can't extend (which is annoying, wish I hadnt booked them)

 

I am more interested in any websites/real estate agents/buildings in Bangkok that are easy to rent from, I know I will pay more for monthly and that is fine

 

 

 

A lot of my recent travel frustrations have come from Airbnb (a host there cancelled my booking for Amsterdam in April which I booked 7 months in advance at the last minute, April is a popular month in Amsterdam as you may know so it was literally impossible for me to find another place.... so I had to completely change my full 3 month euro trip last minute and ya... hasnt gone well)

 

So anyways ya I would kinda like to find any non Airbnb option if possible (that wasnt the only way Airbnb screwed me on said trip)

 

 

 

[Heythereguys]

I am now thinking that doing the 60 + 30 tourist visa is my best option, but I am not sure if I can

 

Since I am not in my home country I cannot do the e visa right? If I am an American in a European country can I go to the Thai consulate in this city and apply in person? Or is it not possible here? Sorry to be annoying

 

And I guess this means there is nowhere to discuss renting apartments on this forum?

[richard_smith237]

On 5/11/2023 at 9:10 AM, Heythereguys said:

As far as the apartments go, I have an Airbnb for my first month already but they have already told me I can't extend (which is annoying, wish I hadnt booked them)

 

I am more interested in any websites/real estate agents/buildings in Bangkok that are easy to rent from, I know I will pay more for monthly and that is fine

Facebook Market Place....  

Bangkok Condo Rentals https://www.bangkokcondorentals.com

 

 

[Sheryl]

23 minutes ago, Heythereguys said:

I am now thinking that doing the 60 + 30 tourist visa is my best option, but I am not sure if I can

 

Since I am not in my home country I cannot do the e visa right? If I am an American in a European country can I go to the Thai consulate in this city and apply in person? Or is it not possible here? Sorry to be annoying

 

 

 

I don't think you need to be physically in your country to apply for an evisa.

 

And most European countries also use evisa

 

You can check eligibility for evisa here  (click on "am I eligible ot apply online?")

 

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

[KannikaP]

On 5/10/2023 at 12:29 PM, Heythereguys said:

now you can see why I didn't just trust google

That depends on which of the many sites Mr G comes up with, that YOU click on.