Entry on Visa Exemption (60 days), return ticket question

[Briggsy]

I was planning to enter Thailand on a Visa Exemption, get 60 days permission to stay and convert to a non-imm O as quickly as possible and then extend for a year. I have British nationality.

 

So, I was planning to buy a return ticket from the UK with a return flight perhaps 5 months in the future.

 

I know immigration at the border have the right to check to see if you have a ticket out within 60 days before stamping you in. Are they actually checking at Suwannaphum?

[Upnotover]

I have never been asked at immigration but have often been asked in the UK at check-in.  It's not a return that is needed, only an outbound ticket.  Probably with your return ticket you would be fine, but if you intend to extend and stay in Thailand a simple outbound ticket somewhere nearby (cheap) would suffice.  Or a rent-a-ticket if you can be bothered with that.

[Upnotover]

As a side note, it is very easy and quick to get the non-O in the UK before leaving.  That saves a trip to immigration and also avoids any onward ticket questions.

[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

So, I was planning to buy a return ticket from the UK with a return flight perhaps 5 months in the future.

Don't do that.

Flying visa exempt to Thailand the airline at departure may ask for onward flight within 60 days.

On arrival it's not common that Thai immigration would ask for onward flight.

You can purchase a throw away ticket or buy rent a ticket.

Sites such as "onward ticket.com"

BTW: Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only and which immigration office are you planning to obtain non O 

[Briggsy]

9 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

As a side note, it is very easy and quick to get the non-O in the UK before leaving.  That saves a trip to immigration and also avoids any onward ticket questions.

The London Embassy site states "Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with state pension who wishes to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)" I won't get my state pension till I'm 67. So, based on that, not appropriate for me.

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

The London Embassy site states "Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with state pension who wishes to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)" I won't get my state pension till I'm 67. So, based on that, not appropriate for me.

Yes it is.  Over 50 you can get it with 800k in the bank, Thailand or GBP equivalent in the UK.  I know for sure, I did it in February.

[Briggsy]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

BTW: Do you have a Thai bank account in your name only and which immigration office are you planning to obtain non O 

Yes, I have a bank account already from several years ago.

 

I was planning to use one of the two Chonburi offices, Pattaya or Sri Racha.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

The London Embassy site states "Retirement (pensioner aged 50 or above with state pension who wishes to stay in Thailand for no longer than 90 days)" I won't get my state pension till I'm 67. So, based on that, not appropriate for me.

Can't speak for UK non O based on retirement.

Fact is the non O is not based on retirement. The key is based on age 50+

[Briggsy]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Can't speak for UK non O based on retirement.

Fact is the non O is not based on retirement. The key is based on age 50+

So the London Embassy website stipulation about State Pension (which kicks in at 67 for me) is wrong, so it seems.

 

Maybe I will give it a try.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

I was planning to use one of the two Chonburi offices, Pattaya or Sri Racha.

The reason I asked for your immigration office is that Jomitien currently asking for 2 months seasoning of 800k.

Rogue office

[Upnotover]

1 minute ago, Briggsy said:

So the London Embassy website stipulation about State Pension (which kicks in at 67 for me) is wrong, so it seems.

 

Maybe I will give it a try.

Yes it is wrong, see my post above, i did it.

[Briggsy]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The reason I asked for your immigration office is that Jomitien currently asking for 2 months seasoning of 800k.

Rogue office

Thanks, I assume that is just for the initial conversion not the extension. Perhaps they would like applicants to use preferred agents. If so, it puts a slight obstacle in my plans.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Thanks, I assume that is just for the initial conversion not the extension. Perhaps they would like applicants to use preferred agents. If so, it puts a slight obstacle in my plans.

Exactly.

Since you have a Thai bank account you could transfer 800k now. 

Depends on your entry date.

Otherwise deal with "normal" immigration office eg CW and use TM87 to move from visa exempt to non O retirement 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1311886-visa-exempt-to-retirement-extension-process-and-cost/

[Upnotover]

.....or avoid all the buggering about here and get the non-O before you come.....can't see what the issue is (besides the incorrect information on the embassy site).

[oldcpu]

16 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I was planning to enter Thailand on a Visa Exemption, get 60 days permission to stay and convert to a non-imm O as quickly as possible and then extend for a year. I have British nationality.

 

So, I was planning to buy a return ticket from the UK with a return flight perhaps 5 months in the future.

 

I know immigration at the border have the right to check to see if you have a ticket out within 60 days before stamping you in. Are they actually checking at Suwannaphum?

 

My experience is normally, if there is a check for an onward ticket, it is done before boarding at one's place of origin, and not upon arrival at the airport in Thailand (although that is no guarantee).  I do know of Thai Airways warning on their web site that there may be checks being done in Frankfurt (by Thai Airways), before flying to Thailand from Germany.  I don't know about the UK.

 

For 'peace of mind' for an onward ticket, they can be obtained for an inexpensive amount of money.

 

As noted to you already, web sites such as "onward ticket.co" offer throw away tickets.

 

If that approach makes you uneasy, and if you wanted to spend a bit more buy a real ticket (with the intention never to use) you can find some pretty cheap ones.  I just looked, and I picked an mostly arbitrary date (20-Nov-2024) (being careful to avoid holidays) ... and here are some example cheap one way flights out of Thailand (which I believe include all taxes):

 

- DMK (Bangkok) to KUL (Kuala Lumpur) : 1,333 THB (Air Asia)

 

- Krabi to KUL (Kuala Lumpur) :  1,259 THB (Batik Air)

 

Of course, since the ticket is intended not to be used, the departure times may be rather ugly, and likely no check-in luggage in those prices.

 

Possibly if one researched more, they could find even cheaper prices.

Edited August 16 by oldcpu

[Rob Browder]

On 8/15/2024 at 8:39 PM, Briggsy said:

Thanks, I assume that is just for the initial conversion not the extension. Perhaps they would like applicants to use preferred agents. If so, it puts a slight obstacle in my plans.

Yes - was 15K Baht (no receipt) for years, to get a Non-O 90-day in Jomtien - knowing most applicants would not have a bank-account / seasoned-money yet.  I would try to get a Non-O before you come.  I got my first one in Vientiane, because of that office.