Im working as a seaman in offshore,work worldwide.I have arriving BKK about 55 times the past years,just holidays,not working there.Its a topic now in another forum about the neccecary of a return ticket when arriving BKK.I have never been asked for a return ticket in immigration,but i have experinced that in fligths from copenhagen or oslo with thai airways,some is refused to fligh to BKK before showing a return ticket.I was also asked for return ticket,but when i told them that i have a seamans ticket,and they checked that, and get it confirmed,it was not a problem.

As far as i know is that as a seaman u could stay in "transit"in thailand,because is not sure where u going to join the ship next time,but im not sure if this is correct.

So,is there anyone here who knows the rules about this topic,and does it shows in the IMM in the airport when they check the passport that ur arriving with a seamans ticket.When flying from work directly to BKK my company allways give a letter of garantee,that they pay all costs during my trip if something happend, and in this letter is the fligth route also posted.

Would be grateful if someone here knows what im asking about.

thanks in advance.

There is no problem is doing what you have been doing. You may be asked to show that you work outside thailand with e.g. your seaman book.

Take a look at yourself in the mirror..

Put yourself in the shoes of the immigration officer..

He'll look through your passport, see you are well travelled with no Back to Back entry stamps etc....

What would you do?

With all this Visa nonsense aimed at the P##stakers, would you consider yourself one?

OP,

Here is how I experience this, being a seaman for quite a while...

As you said, it isnt the Immigration that makes the problem with the one-way tickets, it is the airlines. Not Thai only, i had the same problem with others, unfortunately.

The problem is that you arent traveling to Thailand to join to a ship, that case a one-way ticket + letter of employment, + a letter to Immigration is sufficient.

I live here since 2002, and still found the only ways to to tackle this problem for sure is to:

A. have a visa from your home country, or in case of tourist visa any, really. This may delay your departure for few days.

B. buy a refundable ticket home, might cost a small fee to refund, but then airline satisfied.

Sadly, there is little flexibility in this matters, and due the lots of time abroad, I cant apply for the permanent residency neither, thus have to do with the 1 year multiple-entry Non-Imm. visa...not cheap at 140 euro, but then I can at least have the peace of mind flying on one-way tickets...only problem that it takes 4-6 days in my country, but whatever, I can visit there a few days once in a while too.

tingtong said it well.. but I would like to add one more option.

You could ask the company that booked your ticket to give you a "dummy" itinerary which shows you leaving the country on the date you want.

Regards,

Kurt

OP,

Here is how I experience this, being a seaman for quite a while...

As you said, it isnt the Immigration that makes the problem with the one-way tickets, it is the airlines. Not Thai only, i had the same problem with others, unfortunately.

The problem is that you arent traveling to Thailand to join to a ship, that case a one-way ticket + letter of employment, + a letter to Immigration is sufficient.

I live here since 2002, and still found the only ways to to tackle this problem for sure is to:

A. have a visa from your home country, or in case of tourist visa any, really. This may delay your departure for few days.

B. buy a refundable ticket home, might cost a small fee to refund, but then airline satisfied.

Sadly, there is little flexibility in this matters, and due the lots of time abroad, I cant apply for the permanent residency neither, thus have to do with the 1 year multiple-entry Non-Imm. visa...not cheap at 140 euro, but then I can at least have the peace of mind flying on one-way tickets...only problem that it takes 4-6 days in my country, but whatever, I can visit there a few days once in a while too.

As far as i know is that as a seaman u could stay in "transit"in thailand,because is not sure where u going to join the ship next time,but im not sure if this is correct

I think tingtong is 100% correct, in transit or having a transit visa/letter of gurantee infers you are joining a vessel in Thailand, which is what your not doing, having had many transit visa all over the world to join various vessels, typically these visa's etc only give you limited permission to stay in country before sailing out, eg Singapore's transit visa is only valid for 14 days, after which you need to get another one if the vessel hasnt sailed.

Tingtongs method seems to be the best way around any possible issues.

I always buy a one way air ticket. Delta Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and American Airlines have all accepted a Bus ticket I purchase online for about $9.00. I just buy a bus ticket from Hat Yai, Thailand to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia showing I am leaving Thailand and the airline is happy.

I travel in and out of Thailand on one way seamans tickets all the time. 99% of the time no problems during checkin. I usually have a dummy ticket out just in case though. Never had a problem at immigration, they have no idea what kind of ticket you are traveling on.

I always buy one way tickets from Copenhagen to bkk. Never been asked anything. Flew with sas. Thai. Finnair and aeroflot. 6times now in 1year

Buy a KTMB train ticket from Hat Yai to Malaysia online. 20 ringit minimum purchase. Print. It's a legit outbound ticket.

KTMB E-ticket System

I've been pulled up over this before but as soon as I show my seamans discharge book it's been fine. This is the airlines hassling me about coming in on a one way ticket and I have a non o visa mind.

I have been coming in on seamanship one way tickets for 12 years and only problem I ever had was Thai air fro Madrid 4 years ago and they refused to let me fly, and I had to buy a ticket to Singapore out of Thailand before they would let me board!

But remember all a seamans ticket is the cheapest flight you can buy it has no visa assistance, I'm fact I'm many countries arrive on a seamans documents and you are not allowed in unless with an agent to sign for you!

I arrived in don meung Friday first time ever immigration went through every stamp in my passport, and asked 4 times why I was coming to Thailand so many times!

Getting a visa next trip not worth the hassle!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Thanks for all the serious replys....i have send an email to IMM asking about this matter.As soon as they answer i will post it here.

Removed a troll post.