Arriving 2nd time this year on a 60 day visa exempt. Dont want to buy onward ticket yet because I dont know where or exactly when I want to leave Thailand. Will I typically have  a problem at the immigration on arrival?  UK Passport

If you have any issues it will be at your departing airport. The airline is supposed to check for your ongoing ticket. Whether they do or not can be a lottery.

 

There are also a number of "ticket rental" sites that will provide you with a real ticket to use at check-in for much less than you would pay for an actual flight.

 

19 minutes ago, Usnh said:

Arriving 2nd time this year on a 60 day visa exempt. Dont want to buy onward ticket yet because I dont know where or exactly when I want to leave Thailand. Will I typically have  a problem at the immigration on arrival?  UK Passport

 

Be prepared to be grilled on arrival.

I know of 4 people who arrived in the last 2 weeks, and were forced to get a year visa.

All of them come here 2 or 3 times a year

22 minutes ago, Usnh said:

Will I typically have  a problem at the immigration on arrival?  UK Passport

The problem won't be from immigration. 

The airline at departure may/will require onward flight. 

You could consider rent a ticket companies such as this one. Works fine.. 

https://onwardticket.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22186120239&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrojHBhDdARIsAJdEJ_dTe-7JhP5TJ_PHY-uuyhmOFZ7Bf9ifXHYqlZ78L9cVypaWp8fSsbYaAs7KEALw_wcB

4 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

I know of 4 people who arrived in the last 2 weeks, and were forced to get a year visa

If they arrived visa exempt how did they obtain "a year visa" 

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If they arrived visa exempt how did they obtain "a year visa" 

 

They didn't obtain year visa on the spot, they were told that this would be last time they are allowed on visa exempt, and that it is registered in the database.

They have to use agents to get a year visa.
 

1 minute ago, CallumWK said:

They have to use agents to get a year visa.

Why do they "have to use agents" 

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Why do they "have to use agents" 

 

Because how they gonna open a bank account on a visa exempt?

6 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Because how they gonna open a bank account on a visa exempt?

They don't need a Thai bank account to obtain some visas eg DTV, METV, SETV, etc. 

As for NON O they can obtain a Non O eVisa outside of Thailand. 

Once in Thailand they can open bank account with the Non O. 

 

Alternatively they could continue with visa exempt entry using "safe entry services" 

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

They don't need a Thai bank account to obtain some visas eg DTV, METV, SETV, etc. 

As for NON O they can obtain a Non O eVisa outside of Thailand. 

Once in Thailand they can open bank account with the Non O. 

 

Alternatively they could continue with visa exempt entry using "safe entry services" 

 

I only gave some info, you seem to be here only to argue with posters. Goodbye

56 minutes ago, Usnh said:

 UK Passport

 

   Its often cheaper to buy a return ticket than it is  one way flight .

Better to buy  a return flight with the free date change option 

41 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Be prepared to be grilled on arrival.

I know of 4 people who arrived in the last 2 weeks, and were forced to get a year visa.

All of them come here 2 or 3 times a year

Stop posting dumb s**t if you don’t know something. 

53 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

They didn't obtain year visa on the spot, they were told that this would be last time they are allowed on visa exempt, and that it is registered in the database.

They have to use agents to get a year visa.
 

 

"They were told."

 

Any reports of anyone actually being refused entry later because "they were told"?

How long have you been away from the land of Thais, after the first exemption (?+30 day ext)?

3 hours ago, Usnh said:

Will I typically have  a problem at the immigration on arrival?  UK Passport

 

As already said, more likely to be problematical at the UK airport from which you'll be departing, particularly if this is Heathrow or Gatwick as I can vouch for on the basis of personal experience in the case of both. Depending on the airline you'll be flying with, however, you may be offered the alternative of signing a waiver which absolves them from the cost of flying you back to the UK in the (unlikely) event of your being refused entry into Thailand. Not a good idea to bank on this in advance, however, which then leaves you with "rent-a-ticket", as already suggested, being the only safe option.

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

"They were told."

 

Any reports of anyone actually being refused entry later because "they were told"?

 

If anyone actually did any telling here, it was most likely the agents who stood to benefit financially from the allegedly necessary future visas, I think!

12 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Depending on the airline you'll be flying with, however, you may be offered the alternative of signing a waiver which absolves them from the cost of flying you back to the UK in the (unlikely) event of your being refused entry into Thailand. Not a good idea to bank on this in advance, however, which then leaves you with "rent-a-ticket", as already suggested, being the only safe option.

Agree. 

If I was in that situation... I would

#1. Ask to see supervisor. Suggest to him/her that happy to sign a waiver for payment of flight back to flight origin or 

#2. Step away from counter and book "rent a ticket" 

Obviously option 2 requires you to have internet connection.  

Rent a flight is issued very quickly. 

 

General note: seems low cost airlines more likely to require onward flight. 

Also the route. 

 

 

15 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

If anyone actually did any telling here, it was most likely the agents who stood to benefit financially from the allegedly necessary future visas, I think!

 

Seems to be a thing.  I've read plenty of posts over the years of someone claiming that an IO at an airport, or more often a land border crossing, told them they'd need a visa "next time."

 

Most of these threads ended with other members explaining the IO was just BS'ing and not to worry about it.  Never saw a thread where the poster came back later and said they were indeed refused entry.

4 hours ago, falangUK said:

How long have you been away from the land of Thais, after the first exemption (?+30 day ext)?

I was pulled aside and questioned last time. They asked " Do you have  a Thai girlfriend"....and generally made me feel unwanted. Even though I had  an onward ticket in 4 weeks. I think these IOs are just bored <deleted>less and need some entertainment sometimes.

I was i Thailand in March this year for  a month.

13 minutes ago, Usnh said:

I was i Thailand in March this year for  a month.

Zero issues. 

Ignore posts advising otherwise

7 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

"They were told."

 

Any reports of anyone actually being refused entry later because "they were told"?

Yes. Absolutely.  They're denying entry to hundreds of people per day at the Bangkok airports. But that's a percentage of a percent compared to the number of entries.

 

It's rare for them to deny entry to someone who hasn't already received a warning, but it happens.

9 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

Yes. Absolutely.  They're denying entry to hundreds of people per day at the Bangkok airports. But that's a percentage of a percent compared to the number of entries.

 

It's rare for them to deny entry to someone who hasn't already received a warning, but it happens.

hundreds of people a day!!! come on dude don't exaggerate

eg..lets say your perceived hundreds is 500-600  a day, .so 18,000 people a month being sent away🤪

48 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

hundreds of people a day!!! come on dude don't exaggerate

eg..lets say your perceived hundreds is 500-600  a day, .so 18,000 people a month being sent away🤪

Believe what you want.  But Tod Daniels has his pulse on this stuff more than anyone I know.  And that's exactly what he reported.  He deals with this stuff, and the people that are affected by it, every day.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1374954-vientiane-e-visa-after-9-months-in-thailand/#comment-20134251

 

What you "think" or "feel" has nothing to do with it. Immigration officers don't care. It's not their job to let people in to spend a few dollars.  It's their job to prevent abuse of the system.  And a LOT of people try to abuse visa exempt and tourist entries in Thailand.

18 hours ago, Usnh said:

I was pulled aside and questioned last time. They asked " Do you have  a Thai girlfriend"....and generally made me feel unwanted. Even though I had  an onward ticket in 4 weeks. I think these IOs are just bored <deleted>less and need some entertainment sometimes.

Was it at Chiang Mai? Pretty common. I think it's the lack of income to justify their existance... Will be jobless if they introduce egates like in Malaysia, Indonesia etc

 

 

Always be Prepared with

1. 20k THB

2. Onward flight within 30 days or less 

3. Hotel booking 

 

Seriously I would consider going somewhere else 😆 

 

14 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Believe what you want.  But Tod Daniels has his pulse on this stuff more than anyone I know.  And that's exactly what he reported.  He deals with this stuff, and the people that are affected by it, every day.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1374954-vientiane-e-visa-after-9-months-in-thailand/#comment-20134251

 

What you "think" or "feel" has nothing to do with it. Immigration officers don't care. It's not their job to let people in to spend a few dollars.  It's their job to prevent abuse of the system.  And a LOT of people try to abuse visa exempt and tourist entries in Thailand.

Absolutely 💯 they are some of the nicest and hard working people we've ever come across 

20 hours ago, falangUK said:

Absolutely 💯 they are some of the nicest and hard working people we've ever come across 

 

Whereas you have absolutely no problem with the self-entitled and arrogant foreigners who consider that they have a God-given right to waltz in and out of Thailand completely unimpeded at any time of their choosing, right?

 

6 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

Whereas you have absolutely no problem with the self-entitled and arrogant foreigners who consider that they have a God-given right to waltz in and out of Thailand completely unimpeded at any time of their choosing, right?

 

Absolutely! As long as they spend their money here they should be treated as customers not as an inconvenience but I guess that  they are too stupid to understand that!

6 hours ago, falangUK said:

Absolutely! As long as they spend their money here they should be treated as customers not as an inconvenience but I guess that  they are too stupid to understand that!

This is reason enough for them to crackdown on entitled foreigners who think they own the world because they have a couple dollars in their pocket.

On 10/5/2025 at 2:40 PM, CallumWK said:

 

Be prepared to be grilled on arrival.

I know of 4 people who arrived in the last 2 weeks, and were forced to get a year visa.

All of them come here 2 or 3 times a year

 

Your last srntence is why they were questioned. Frequent visa exempt artivals, edpecially with little time in between and/or 30 day extensions,  can lead an IO to suspect you are actually living in Thailand.

 

Doesn't alwsys hsppen, but can.  Luck of the draw.