If a Thai buys a ticket through a tour group for a package tour to a normally hard-to-get-a-visa place, does the tour company help them get the visa before they go? My Thai friend seems to think it is easier to get a visa to certain countries if he buys a package tour...?

The travel agent through whom the package is bought quite often gives advice and assistance with the completion of the application, and may lodge a bundle of applications with the relevant embassy. However, and I'm writing here in terms of the British embassy, the visa section reserves the right to interview any individual applicant; i.e. if they spot a no-hoper trying to get through by masquerading as a package tourist, then he/she will be spoken to.

Scouse.

A guy sitting next to me on NRT-BKK flight was a head of family of 5. They were on a package tour, 3 days/4 nights, priced 39K baht per person.

Chemical engineer himself, well off, he had his own business and still had been grilled for 35 days before their tourist visa to Japan was granted.

House papers, bank reports for him and his wife, job history for both...He had been to Japan on business before.

Don't know what it would have looked like without the package tour.