Tourist Visa And Moving Between Countries

[midlifecrisis]

I am planning to come to Thailand in August on a tourist visa. Midway through the trip I want to fly to Saigon for a few days to visit a friend, then fly back to Bangkok to finish my trip and then catch my return flight home.

Upon entering the Kingdom I would be inbound with a roundtrip ticket from the USA and with a roundtrip ticket to Saigon.

My only concern is getting back into Thailand to catch my flight home.

Is this fairly routine? Should I declare my initial exit on my paperwork as Saigon and then re-enter from Saigon with exit to USA?

It seems immigration would not care so long as I am giving correct exit dates.

But they will see I was just in and out of the country just days before.

How does this work?

Should I apply for a multiple entry visa even as a two week tourist of the region?

I appreciate your feedback.

[wtk]

if you are not staying for more than 30 days in thailand at a time you dont need a tourist visa. When you arrive at the airport you will get a 30 day visa exempt stamp in your passport. If you decide to do this you might have to show ticket out of thailand within that 30 days you arrive (in this case your flight to saigon would do if it is within 30 days from your arrival). when you come back to thailand from saigon same thing. if you dont plan to stay here for more than 30 days you dont need a tourist visa and you will have a ticket to show (in case somebody asks) to leave thailand back to usa.

I am sure this is fairly standard as people come here for holiday and go spend a few days in vietnam, cambodia etc and then come back. if you have all the flights booked then you will have no problems.

you only need a tourist visa if you are going to stay in thailand for more than 30 days without leaving

[Mario2008]

Above advice is sound. If you go on holidat longer then 30 days, make sure you have a ticket to Vietnam already and forget about getting a visa for Thailand. If you travel without a visa to Thailand you need to show evidence that you will leave Thailand within 30 days.

[ubonjoe]

If you have a tourist visa (not visa exempt entry) with only one entry you can also get a re-entry permit to make a short side trip out of the country. You can even do this with a touist visa with more than one entry so that you don't use all your entries. With a re-entry permit you would not have to worry about a ticket out of the country.

Note: To the OP be sure you have a visa for Vietnam or an online application for a visa on arrival or you will not get on the flight.