ok so Ive been offered a teaching job with a well known company in Bangkok, had the interview an all, great. They then ask me for an address to send the documentation (I'm in Japan at the moment) to in order to apply for a teaching/non-Immigrant B visa. So, of course I provided my address, then they inform me that for some reason I can't apply for such a visa at the Tokyo embassy, and applying back to the embassy in my home country of Ireland would take too long. But in the mean time I (regrettably) booked my one way flight to Bangkok (!) Anyway I'm then advised that I should get a tourist visa, which I wouldn't (so I've seen) need with an Irish passport, and then the company in Thailand said they would change it when I get set up in my school. But of course the condition of the tourist visa is that you have a return ticket or a flight out of Thailand to somewhere. So now I am considering getting a cheapo one way flight from Bangkok to Laos to solve the problem. I got back in touch with the travel agent in Tokyo that I booked my flight with, told them all about it and they actually provided (emailed) me with a 'dummy' itinerary-great but why would they do this?! Is there something I'm missing haha Anyway, when I arrive to Bangkok my choice is to show this fake 'itinerary' to let them think I'm returning, or show my ticket to Laos (that will be within the 29 days) What should I do?! Would a one way ticket to Laos require a visa or would ticket alone satisfy immigration? How concerned would Bangkok immigration be about whether someone has a visa for the next destination? This is my first time going to Thailand, so I haven't a clue how visas work there, anyway please advise! Cheers

Immigration does normally not want to see your ticket. They leave it to the airlines to check. There might be two moments when you could be asked for a ticket, the first moment is when you apply for a tourist visa and the second time is when you check-in with the airline and don't have a visa.

So, if you have a visa, only the Thai embassy might want to see a ticket out to issue the visa. if you don't have a visa the airline might want to see a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrval.

This company would have known the facts before asking for you to send the documentation if they are a good one.

Sorry but seen too many of these posts, the guys come here and don't get a WP or a Visa, and these have also been with well known companies.

Hi richjp - don't know if this will help you or not, but I moved from Japan (Tokyo) to Thailand three years ago, on the same basis as you - teaching job. I went to the Thai Embassy in Tokyo and got the Non-Imm B visa with no problems at all. You will need a letter of job offer from the company in Bangkok + copes of their company papers and (if I remember) the school's Education Licence. It took three days to get the visa, but it was only two trips - one to apply and one to pick up. Sounds like the school is looking for the easy route (i.e. less work for them!) by expecting you to do the worrying about entering Thailand. As I said, it was three years ago, so I don't know if there have been any changes since then...

If it was a legit company they would be sending you the paper work to get a Non-B visa in Tokyo. When these people start rasing excuses about why they cannot do something look the other way

OP does not say he is officially in Japan and do not believe Thai Consulates in Japan will issue visas to non-residents.

Thanks for the informative comments, I reckon they are a legit co though but think you might be right tokyoblond, maybe they're just too lazy to prep the paperwork-but then they shouldnt have asked for an address in the first place! Anyway I'm (reluctantly) going as a 'tourist' now, passport means I don't need tourist visa so got a one way flight out of Bangkok to Laos..still concerned as to whether this will be enough for immigration? Assuming I make it through immigration and out the door in one piece, can this stamp I get be easily changed to a tourist, then teaching visa by company? Cheers

With paperwork from the school you can use your flight to Laos to apply for a non-B visa there.

Whether or not you need a tourist visa depends on how long your employer will take to give you the necessary documentation for application for a non-B visa.