Hi there I'm planning to come to thailand at the end of feb 08 for 60 days.

I believe I'll need a tourist visa for this ( I'm Australian btw) but I'll be going to

laos for about a week at the end of march but travelling by land. I'd much

rather just enter and re-enter on my passport on a thirty day stay than get a

tourist visa due to the cost, paperwork and re entry fees.

So my questions is how do I advoid this. Booking a flight out of the country

at the end of march? Then getting a refund, anyone have any ideas or experiences or

is there another way?

Cant see you having aproblem with what you sugest, they all seem to have a new lets ask for a onward flight ticket at the borders etc but i didnt have a problem recently.

youll get 30 days when you get here so fine

when you go laos on your return youll get thirty so when you say end of march just try make sure it isnt 31 day if ya can

good luck

chris

Hi there I'm planning to come to thailand at the end of feb 08 for 60 days.

I believe I'll need a tourist visa for this ( I'm Australian btw) but I'll be going to

laos for about a week at the end of march but travelling by land. I'd much

rather just enter and re-enter on my passport on a thirty day stay than get a

tourist visa due to the cost, paperwork and re entry fees.

So my questions is how do I advoid this. Booking a flight out of the country

at the end of march? Then getting a refund, anyone have any ideas or experiences or

is there another way?

Just get a tourist visa which costs AU$45. Without one, and in the absence of a confirmed outbound airticket within 30 days, the airline will not carry you to Thailand. Ignoring Mr funfun's advice is an excellent bit of extra information.

they all seem to have a new lets ask for a onward flight ticket at the borders etc

Which borders ask for this?

Most of them.

It's not Thai immigration, it's the airline that might give you troubles. I have entered Thailand from Laos many times, and not once an immigration officer was asking for proof of onward travel. But again you might not make it to Thailand without proof of onward travel. Now a tourist visa is about 1000 baht, maybe a little bit more back in Australia, so getting that visa is always going to be cheaper then getting an air ticket out of the country.

Also if you are really in doubt, plan your trip to Laos in such a way that you enter Thailand again 30 days before your flight home.

I have a return ticket for the end of april............so I guess the airline wouldn't have a problem

I'm worried about immigration not letting me in when I have a return flight 60 days after

my arrival.

Still you don't comply to the requirements for visa exempt, so your airline will not be statisfied, if you are denied entry, they have to transport you back to your destination. That you have a return ticket in april is irrelevant, as it's not within 30 days, and that IS the requirement for receiving a visa exempt stamp in Thailand.

Getting a tourist visa will make your doubts go away.

Been to Thailand many times for 35 days or more on the Visa Exempt stamp. I do a boarder crossing and return before the end of each 30 period to stay within the immigration laws. The only times I have been questioned about the lenght of stay without a visa was by a travel agent that did not want to issue the ticket without a valid visa for the duration of the stay. For that and the next few times to avoid any potential problems I got a 30 day return ticket and changed the date of return once there. (cheap). I soon found It wasnt worth the worry.

The other time was by thai immigration who told me I could only stay in Thailand for a max of 30 days but once told I was going to visit laos as well no problems.

I have never been queried by any airline about holding the correct visa. A friend was queried once with a one way ticket but told them he was traveling around Asia and not sure where or when he would be returning from.