Specific Tourist Visa Question

[Someguy000]

I'm planning on booking a return flight to Bangkok for which arrival and return are three months apart and entering the country on a tourist visa, then stay for a month, head to Tokyo for a month and return to Thailand for another month. This should be possible on a one month tourist visa as I can get another one upon returning from Tokyo. However, I'm worried that they are not even going to let me into the country on a tourist visa if my return flight is more than a month away, is this going to be a problem? If so, would it help to book the return flight to Tokyo in advance so I can prove to the people at the airport that I have the means of renewing my visa? I'm a EU resident, by the way.

[digitalchromakey]

Not a Tourist Visa - As you are European without any visa, you will automatically get a 30 Day Visa Exempt Entry; but you would be well advised to pre-book you exit flight to Tokyo, to fix any potential issues with the airline that will be carrying you into Thailand.

[Someguy000]

Not a Tourist Visa - As you are European without any visa, you will automatically get a 30 Day Visa Exempt Entry; but you would be well advised to pre-book you exit flight to Tokyo, to fix any potential issues with the airline that will be carrying you into Thailand.

Could you elaborate on this "Visa Exempt Entry" please? How is it different from a tourist visa, or are these just different terms for essentially the same thing? I've only been able to find this so far, but that just posed more questions than it answered:

"As of August 1, 2008 the nationals of 42 countries are able to enter the Kingdom of Thailand as tourists for 30-days using the visa exempt entry method. Nationals of these 42 countries are able to visit the kingdom for a maximum of 90-days in any six month period using the visa exempt entry method. The six month period is calculated from your first entry into Thailand using the visa exempt method. Note that 30-day visa exempt entry permits cannot be extended."

Umm, so which is it, 30 or 90 days? If the the 30 day visa cannot be extended, what do they mean by "maximum of 90 days"?Does this factor in leaving and re-entering the country? If so that means my plan would work, wouldn't it? But you reckon I have to check back with my airline to make sure they won't cause problems for me?

[digitalchromakey]

Not a Tourist Visa - As you are European without any visa, you will automatically get a 30 Day Visa Exempt Entry; but you would be well advised to pre-book you exit flight to Tokyo, to fix any potential issues with the airline that will be carrying you into Thailand.

Could you elaborate on this "Visa Exempt Entry" please? How is it different from a tourist visa, or are these just different terms for essentially the same thing? I've only been able to find this so far, but that just posed more questions than it answered:

"As of August 1, 2008 the nationals of 42 countries are able to enter the Kingdom of Thailand as tourists for 30-days using the visa exempt entry method. Nationals of these 42 countries are able to visit the kingdom for a maximum of 90-days in any six month period using the visa exempt entry method. The six month period is calculated from your first entry into Thailand using the visa exempt method. Note that 30-day visa exempt entry permits cannot be extended."

Umm, so which is it, 30 or 90 days? If the the 30 day visa cannot be extended, what do they mean by "maximum of 90 days"?Does this factor in leaving and re-entering the country? If so that means my plan would work, wouldn't it? But you reckon I have to check back with my airline to make sure they won't cause problems for me?

Tourist Visa is completely different, needing to be obtained at a Thai Consulate prior to your entry.

As regards Visa Exempt Entry, your quote is out of date, the Thai Immigration Regulations have changed; there is now no limit on the number of Visa Exempt Entries, you get 30 days on each entry by air, 15 days by land.

[Someguy000]

Ok right, so maybe I am worrying/overthinking about this too much, but my point was this: If try to enter Thailand on a 30 day excempt visa, but my return flight is more than 30 days away, will they make a fuss about this at the airport? Will holding another return ticket to Tokyo within 30 days of first entry help with this? Is there anything else to worry about? Digitalchromakey mentioned the airline might act funny, but I'm not sure why they would?

[jumpybongo]

Ok right, so maybe I am worrying/overthinking about this too much, but my point was this: If try to enter Thailand on a 30 day excempt visa, but my return flight is more than 30 days away, will they make a fuss about this at the airport? Will holding another return ticket to Tokyo within 30 days of first entry help with this? Is there anything else to worry about? Digitalchromakey mentioned the airline might act funny, but I'm not sure why they would?

your main problem is likely to be at your eu departure airport.

i was advised by agents that emirates wouldnt allow me on a plane from uk on a 6 month ticket without a 6 month visa.didnt risk it, got a double entry 90 day toursist visa from thai consulate first.this was june 11.

however i did enter in nov 08 without any visas and did exactly as u plan to do.

your risk, but can be easily sort before flying.

[lopburi3]

If you obtain a tourist visa from a Consulate there is no restrictions on travel and it can be one way as far as Thailand is concerned. But if you use visa exempt entry (30 days for your nationality) you should have exit flight within that period and airline may check that closely and not allow travel without. So either obtain a tourist visa or have that ticket to Tokyo for show to airline.