Thai Visa And Ordination

[Diesel2011]

Hi, I have been reading posts on here for some time and have not been able to find the info I need. I apologize if I have missed past posts.

I am currently working in China and will be going to Thailand soon to research what Wat I will ordain at.

I am planning to go to Bangkok on December 14^th and stay until April 20^th, then go back home to Canada. While there, my plan is to stay at Wat Asokaram for most of the time, then travel to Wat Pah Nanachat for about a week.

What I am confused about is that I have read that I can get a 2 month tourist visa if I have proof of a return ticket; and I can apply for a one month extension when I arrive in Bangkok.

How can I purchase my return flight to Canada for April 20^th and get a visa? Is it possible? Why would they require you to have a return flight and then offer an extension....making the return flight that you’ve booked useless?

The only solution I can think of is staying in Thailand for 2 months, then fly to Rangoon, Burma for 28 days as permitted by their entry visa. (That would leave me with 40 days left, but I have read that I can safely over stay a short period and pay for the overstay)

Can I return and get a 30 day visa on arrive, then fly back home?

The purpose of my trip to Thailand is to find a suitable teacher and monastery for my ordination. I want to find a teacher who follows the tradition of Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Lee; and a Wat that is very quiet and suitable for long periods of meditation. I thought that Wat Pah Nanachat was suitable but apparently there is little guidance in meditation or Dhamma teachings. Any advice is hugely appreciated as I am a little unsure of how to go about this, and I intend to ordain for the rest of my life.

I will go home for a month and a half to visit my family and make the necessary preparations, then return.

Thank you very much

Metta

[Brucenkhamen]

So if I understand correctly you coming on a fact finding mission between December 14th and stay until April 20th then going back to sort out your affairs before returning.

I thought there were only one month Tourist Visas on arrival, are you planning to apply for a visa at an embassy before coming? if so I guess that's where the requirement for an onward ticket comes in. I think visa on arrival is probably easier, otherwise book your ticket but change the return flight date later.

No immigration officer has ever checked my onward ticket when I've arrived and wanted a tourist visa on arrival, so I think it's a non issue. You can always say you plan to leave overland to Malaysia or Laos etc as this will be an option to extend your stay anyway. However I understand if you return overland you'll only get a 2 week Visa nowadays.

I think spending some time in Burma to break up your trip is a good option.

[IMA_FARANG]

Let me clarify that about the 60 day tourist visa. It is not required for you to have a RETURN ticket (to your home country)...the requirement is that you have a ticket OUT OF THAILAND...or more specifically an ONWARD TICKET. A ticket to another country in Southeast Asia is all that's required. So a ticket to Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, etc. would be all that you needed. That's a lot cheaper to buy than a full return ticket.

Secondly, it is very rare for the immigration on arrival to check your Onward ticket. That is usually only done if you arive without a visa (using a "stamp on arrival" for a 30 day stay. If you arrive with a 60 day tourist visa, your chances of being asked to produce an onward ticket are practicaly nil.

As I count it you are looking for about 120 days in Thailand. I would recommend you get a 60 day tourist visa (currently tourist visas are free of charge...no fee...from a Thai consulate near your home. Either extend that for 30 days in Thailand (fee 1900 Baht) or leave just at the end of that 60 day...fly to a nearby country and get another 60 day tourist visa there. Vientianne, Laos or Kuala Lampur, Malaysia come to mind. It will take 2 days to get the visa (you turn in your passport on the morning of the first day, and pick up the visa on the afternoon of the second day, after 1 p.m.). Then back to Thailand on the new tourist visa. If you do it right that can give you about 180 days total (60 day tourist visa plus 30 day extension = 90 days) plus (60 day tourist visa plus 30 day extension = 90 days) for a total of 180 days.

If you go to Burma...or anywhere...you can only get 15 days when entering by a land border without a visa. So it is better to fly in and out of Thailand. However if you have a 60 day tourist visa you will get the full 60 days stamped in your passport, even if you enter by land.

[Mario2008]

With a visa, including a tourist visa, it is not required to have a ticket out of the country. Only when you don't have a visa do you need a ticket out of the country (within 30 days).

With 60 days + 30 day extension you can then get a 60 day tourist visa from a neighboring country or leave and come back again by air and get another 30 days. (By land you only get 15 days). A new tourist visa would be best, but maybe you can even get a double entry tourist visa in China.

[khaowong1]

With a visa, including a tourist visa, it is not required to have a ticket out of the country. Only when you don't have a visa do you need a ticket out of the country (within 30 days).

With 60 days + 30 day extension you can then get a 60 day tourist visa from a neighboring country or leave and come back again by air and get another 30 days. (By land you only get 15 days). A new tourist visa would be best, but maybe you can even get a double entry tourist visa in China.

quite a few airlines that fly to Thailand now are checking to see if you have an onward ticket. I was told by China Air the last time I flew from LA to Bangkok, that I needed an onward ticket. However, since I was in orange robes, and I already had a 1 year religious visa, they let me slide. I was never asked at immigration in Bangkok.