Tourist Visa Economics

[Michael W]

I need a little clarification on tourist visas, please. This is what I come up with for a six month stay travelling from Bangkok. Is this correct?

5 30-day visa runs: 5*1600 (thaivisaservice.com) or 5*2000 (jackgolf.com) = 8000 or 10000 baht

1 60-day double entry visa: 2000 (60 day double entry visa fee) + 1900 (first 30 day extension) +

1600 or 2000 (second entry visa run) + 1900 (second 30 day extension)

= 7400 or 7800 baht

However, for the 60 day visa, in addition to the above there's also an airline ticket out of Thailand (or tickets in this case?) that must be presented during the initial application. Is this strictly true in general for all Thai consulates in all countries, or in practice is, say, Penang different from Jakarta, or Phnom Penh from Hong Kong? If I should plan on consistency would I need to buy a throwaway oneway ticket to, say, Singapore on AirAsia or some other low cost carrier for a flight during the second month and then another ticket for a flight during the fourth month?

If this cannot be avoided then that's another 2000 baht roughly or only 200 to 600 baht cheaper than 5 Jack Golf visa runs. But 1400 to 1800 baht more expensive than 5 Thai Visa Service runs.

The other advantage of the extended 60 day visa is instead of the hassle of 5 essentially all day visa runs you instead have the hassle of the initial application and consulate visit, two visits to the immigration office for extensions, and only one all day visa run.

Do I have this basically right, or am I missing something. I've already considered making one of the airline tickets a round trip (for another 1000 baht) and using one of the flights to Singapore as a visa run but that means a round trip ticket that leaves and returns on the same day (if you want to avoid adding on Singapore transport and hotel costs) and since the ticket date would be at the end of the first planned 30 day exension, and be roundtrip, I'm not sure if a Thai consulate would accept it during the application.

Anyway, enough of this, how does it actually break down, in practice? Thanks.

[lopburi3]

1. You do not need a return ticket to obtain a visa to Thailand at most Consulates, including Penang.

2. You may not be allowed to board an airline to Thailand without a visa or an onward ticket out within 30 days.

3. You do not normally require an onward ticket at an immigration check point (especially if from a visa exempt country).

4. Crossing border you should always have the minimum cash requirement (10k baht no visa or 20k with visa for one person). Not often checked but could be.

[Michael W]

1. You do not need a return ticket to obtain a visa to Thailand at most Consulates, including Penang.

Thank you for your reply. My only data point on this (other than Web sites saying one was needed which I don't have the URLs handy for at the moment) is my own experience visiting the Thai consulate in Jakarta early last December. I presented my U.S. passport and asked for a visa application and, in giving me the form, the man asked if I had a return ticket out of Thailand. When I said I didn't but planned on purchasing one later in Bangkok, he said sorry I could not apply for a visa without a ticket beforehand. He was quite courteous and the place wasn't busy at all so I wasn't sure to what degree this policy was enforced at other consulates.