One Way Ticket To Bangkok

[Chizod]

I will be travelling from the US to Thailand in a few months on a one way ticket. Since I will be doing a TR 30 day visa I may need some documentation of outbound travel to satisfy the airline. I will be leaving Thailand shortly before the 30 days is complete and then returning back to Thailand within a few days with a new visa.

What form of transportation is acceptable to an airline to show I will be leaving - bus, train, airline) and what would be the most cost effective way of doing this (leaving/returning to Thailand). I am assuming that a one way ticket on it's own will not be acceptable and that I will need to book outbound travel? As I have not booked my ticket from the US to Thailand yet so I do not know what the policy will be for that airline.

I know this post perhaps should be in the travel forum but many of the members in this particular forum will have done border runs so they will have the knowledge on this subject.. Perhaps some of you will also have gone down this road before.

[chachachacha]

"by the time you have payed for a flight out it would cost more than just buying a double entry tv.

[ELCata]

I'd like some up to date information on this also. I'm planning to fly one way with Jet Airways, from Heathrow, for the princely sum of £300; a not inconsiderable saving on a return ticket! From reading the forum, I gather that if you have a 60 day tourist visa a return / onward ticket is not required.

Does anyone have any information on Jet Airways policy regarding one way tickets? I've scoured their website to no avail.

Chizod, the cheapest onward ticket I've found is 2000B all in with Air Asia, to Phnom Penh in Cambodia; I may book it for piece of mind.

BTW hello everyone.

[lopburi3]

As tourist visas are currently free do not understand why that would not be the logical solution. If you have a visa Thailand will not require onward flight travel and airline should know that and it not be an issue. That said airlines do not like one way tickets for security reasons since 9/11 and know London flights were very strict on that for awhile.

[chachachacha]

I'd like some up to date information on this also. I'm planning to fly one way with Jet Airways, from Heathrow, for the princely sum of £300; a not inconsiderable saving on a return ticket! From reading the forum, I gather that if you have a 60 day tourist visa a return / onward ticket is not required.

Does anyone have any information on Jet Airways policy regarding one way tickets? I've scoured their website to no avail.

Chizod, the cheapest onward ticket I've found is 2000B all in with Air Asia, to Phnom Penh in Cambodia; I may book it for piece of mind.

BTW hello everyone.

If you are on a TV you do not need a on going flight . You Don't mention how long you plan to be here Would a multi entry also be worth considering ? Just get a Visa of some sort & you need not bother with onward flight tickets.

[Lite Beer]

As said. Get a free Tourist Visa.

[Chizod]

No matter what visa I have there might still be a problem with an airline according to what policy they may have so I am just covering that base.

As for the visa situation, whether it be a 30, 60, 90 (including extension) I will still have to leave the country at some point. I am trying to kill 2 birds with one stone and the initial length of the first visa is not a primary concern.

After March tourist visa might not be free anyway (I will be traveling sometime between mid- June to mid-July) and I am not sure yet as to when I will book my ticket.

By the way ELCata, I had already checked out Air Asia. I could just book a o/w, discard it and just make a border run by land when necessary. Alternatively, I could book the R/T to Phnom Penh which would be $155 prior to the end of my visa.

The bottom line part of my question was the cost of leaving and returning by bus, train, minivan, airline and (apart from the airline) whether the booking of any other modes of transport when would be an acceptable form of onward travel when booking my one-way from the US.

I hope I haven't made the question so convoluted!!

[Mario2008]

IATA has a big database with entry requirements for all countries, for all nationalities which the airlines can and do check.

The airline will know the rule and let you fly with a visa, otherwise ask to speak with a supervisor. The only reason they demand a return ticket for people without a visa is that they will get fined if they take someone with them without a visa and immigration finds out.

It is an immigration policy, not an airline policy.

[Robby nz]

You may not get a tourist visa without an outward flight, depends on the embassy.

See my post on visa in Wgtn NZ.

Anyway why not plan a trip to say Laos or Cambodia? see something new.

Me I will fly to Pakse in Laos and look around the Bolaven plateau and the 4000 islands for a couple of weeks before doing my second entry.

Real tourist stuff, right.

[Chizod]

Thanks for all the info guys. (Wish I had gotten some feedback on the costs of border runs, though).

[lopburi3]

Airlines can only verify airline travel so are likely to require that. As for cost you do not provide any information on what border. It can vary from zero (Malaysia) to about $30 (Laos) for entry into other country - as for bus/train/van/car/place nobody can answer without a point of origin. Walking is free and you could be located on the border for all we know. What is cost effective for one person might not be for another from a different location.

[Chizod]

Sorry, Lopburi, I should have been more specific. It would be either from Bangkok or Pattaya. I could buy just a o/w to Bankok from US and a o/w to Phnom Penh, discard the Phnom Penh part. I would then take a land trip to Cambodia or Laos. What would be the regular mode of transport? Minivan? I was trying to figure out the cost including hotel. 2 day trip or 3 day trip? I just need an approximate trip cost..

Thanks!

[lopburi3]

Trips all inclusive to border (for those with visa or using visa exempt) are about 2k and 2.5k for those locations. Believe there is service to remain in Cambodia side of border to have visa obtained and delivered there but don't know the price and would not do myself. Most people travel to Vientiane to obtain visas where the Embassy is only a few minutes from the border. Cost wise it would be better to obtain visas in US and just make border trip for new entry and not have to throw away a flight.

[ELCata]

I'd like some up to date information on this also. I'm planning to fly one way with Jet Airways, from Heathrow, for the princely sum of £300; a not inconsiderable saving on a return ticket! From reading the forum, I gather that if you have a 60 day tourist visa a return / onward ticket is not required.

Does anyone have any information on Jet Airways policy regarding one way tickets? I've scoured their website to no avail.

Chizod, the cheapest onward ticket I've found is 2000B all in with Air Asia, to Phnom Penh in Cambodia; I may book it for piece of mind.

BTW hello everyone.

If you are on a TV you do not need a on going flight . You Don't mention how long you plan to be here Would a multi entry also be worth considering ? Just get a Visa of some sort & you need not bother with onward flight tickets.

I think I'll go the tourist visa route + extension. My TEFL course provider refused to sponsor my 'B', so that's the only option now anyway.

Also, I made a mistake about the flight, which is Air India, not Jet Airways. Given the bad reviews I decided to go for the 2nd cheapest option, Kingfisher @ £337. I emailed their helpline asking about their one way policy, but haven't received a response yet.

Cheers.

[XXpate48USA]

"by the time you have payed for a flight out it would cost more than just buying a double entry tv.

What I did on one of my trips was to buy a one way to Vietiene, laos towards the end of the 30 days at which you can get another visa if you prefer to stay longer.

A one way from bkk will cost you $111us(laos airlines) and a one way from the US depending, you can get one way to bkk for about 700Us or less.

Or you can send for a non imm O visa to the thai embassy and pay 2000baht(65US) and just go on a one way with no problems,

It is the airlines that will check and not so much immigrations at bkk when you arrive. But if you have time(about 2 weeks) you can just mail your passport and a copy of your bank statement to show income for a single entryor another expidited place faster). For a multiple entry you need more documentation though. One time I just purchased the cheapest I could find and didn't much care if I lost it or not and that was to yangon burma through bangkok air.....as long as you can show a departure within 30 days copy of confirmed ticket you will be ok. The non imm O visa is your best bet as it will be good for 90 days upon entry and you have 6 months to use it....good luck. I do know you can find some good RT tickets online for about 1100US from the west coast US and fly 23 hrs on korean airlines which is a great airlines and nice 777 if you are just going for 30 days.....I just use a non imm visa and fly one way and am good for 90 days. Also, you can get an extention at close to the end of the 90 days to stay up to a year right in thailand.....good luck!

[Chizod]

Thanks for all your help guys!