Hi there,

I have a doubt if anyone could help me out I would appreciate, I booked a flight from Portugal to Bangkok, but just one way, since I don't know when I want to be back and I will be traveling around.

I don't have any special visa, I will get 30 days visa when I arrive.

The question is, do I need to book a trip to other country before I catch the flight to bangkok, and show the reservation at the guys from the air company?

I make this question because in the last year I was in bangkok, and I booked a flight to Manilla with just one way, and when I was arriving the gate at Bangkok airport they didn't let me catch the flight because I did not had any trip booked from Philippines to other country.

Thanks for any reply,

Regards

Edited August 20, 201213 yr by no0ne

Sounds as if you've already experienced the joy of traveling one way with no visa.

The 30 day visa exempt stamp on arrival is not a visa, so you only have a booking for a flight.

Could be that's all you'll have - a booking. Likely the airline will refuse to board you for a one way flight if you've not got a visa, or ongoing travel.

You asked: "do I need to book a trip to other country before I catch the flight to bangkok, and show the reservation at the guys from the air company?"

Simple answer - Yes.

Sounds as if you've already experienced the joy of traveling one way with no visa.

The 30 day visa exempt stamp on arrival is not a visa, so you only have a booking for a flight.

Could be that's all you'll have - a booking. Likely the airline will refuse to board you for a one way flight if you've not got a visa, or ongoing travel.

You asked: "do I need to book a trip to other country before I catch the flight to bangkok, and show the reservation at the guys from the air company?"

Simple answer - Yes.

simple answer No based on the documents on the UK Thai Embassy webpage that a one way ticket to Thailand is allowed

Sorry to have to say this, wigantojapan, but you are wrong. For a start, you did not give a link to the web page of the website of the Thai embassy in the UK which you claim says "a one way ticket to Thailand is allowed" for a trip to Thailand without a visa. In addition, the IATA requirements, which are for the guidance of the airlines, clearly say that a traveller without a visa must have a confirmed onward flight out of Thailand. It is of course up to each individual airline whether and to what extent they enforce this and it is known from posts in this forum that some travellers without a visa have been allowed to board without this onward ticket, others have been refused.

Edited November 20, 201213 yr by Maestro
updated link

If it says onward ticket required get it, airlines will not accept you to board and yes the Philippines are very strict with onward travel. Even if an Embassy site says one thing airlines use Timatic (below link) and you don't stand a chance fighting a check in agent they simply wont take the risk of boarding you as they are fined.

http://www.staralliance.com/en/services/visa-and-health/

Hi noOne

As described the problem lies with the Airline carrying you to Thailand. Without a Visa (a 30 day exemption stamp on arrival is not a Visa) you may well be denied boarding at your point of departure.

Apart from the obvious solution of obtaining a Visa -- you could also purchase a cheap (AirAsia etc. ) ticket to anywhere ---- or an expensive (able to be cancelled) ticket on your credit card -- and cancel same when in Thailand.

Have a good trip.

The best way to avoid this is to buy a Nok Air ticket to Vientiane,

It's actually a plane to Udon, then a bus to Vientiane, but it satisfies the Airlines demands that you have a onward ticket out of the country.

The best way to avoid this is to buy a Nok Air ticket to Vientiane,

It's actually a plane to Udon, then a bus to Vientiane, but it satisfies the Airlines demands that you have a onward ticket out of the country.

How does that work? Does Nok Air bus you from Udon? Included in the flight price???

Info here on Nok website: http://www.nokair.com/contents/promotion/vientiane/en-US/index.html

Thanks for the answers, so just to make clear, if I don't get a VISA I have to book a trip to other country within the 30 days.

What if I do get a tourist VISA in thai embassy, do I still need to book a trip before the VISA ends?

No; a visa removes the need for onward travel proof.

Thanks to OP for asking this.... because I am in the same situation (almost)... will fly to LOS in January, but I had (wrongly) assumed that I need an onward ticket even if arriving with a visa..(yet to apply for this...). So it seems that I can now go to LOS a bit more easily too.

Thanks also to everyone who offered OP the advice....

Sounds as if you've already experienced the joy of traveling one way with no visa.

The 30 day visa exempt stamp on arrival is not a visa, so you only have a booking for a flight.

Could be that's all you'll have - a booking. Likely the airline will refuse to board you for a one way flight if you've not got a visa, or ongoing travel.

You asked: "do I need to book a trip to other country before I catch the flight to bangkok, and show the reservation at the guys from the air company?"

Simple answer - Yes.

simple answer No based on

the documents on the UK Thai Embassy webpage that a one way ticket to Thailand is allowed

Funnily enough on thaiairways.com.au (the Australian Thai Airways website) it says that a one way ticket is not permissible for entry if no visa is in a foreign citizen's passport. In reality, you could try to travel on a one way ticket if you at least have some means of purchasing one to show the airline (usually a credit card is what they'll be happy with). Personally, I don't see why you wouldn't just purchase a flexible date return ticket though since it does sound like you will eventually return to Portugal. In most cases, a one way ticket is like 80% the price of a return or round-trip ticket anyway. Few airlines have a 50% one way, 100% return price; airline pricing systems don't work like bus or train pricing systems do.