What type of proof of hotel booking would Thai immigration ask for?

[hermesalpha]

What type of proof of hotel booking would Thai immigration ask for if they suspect I'm not a tourist?

For example, if I already have paid the deposit by bank transfer for an apartment, is that no good alternative for showing a printout of (as they would argue this is not a hotel but an apartment, which points to that you are not a tourist)? Although tourists must also rent apartments, but I don't know how they think? Perhaps they think tourist=hotel, non-tourist=apartment.

I can't get any official document for my apartment booking as it's an European real-estate agent who helped me mediate an apartment booking. So she receives a small commission from the Thai landlord (who owns an apartment in a combined hotel/apartment building), and I paid to this European real estate agent (who I have already met in person last time I stayed in Phuket). All I have is a bank transfer receipt image from e-mail in Thai language (but not my name mentioned at all on it) and e-mails from this European real-estate agent.

Finally, would I be safe at the immigration when I arrive if I can show apartment booking, onward ticket and 20,000 THB (but in HKD, I exchange them after passing immigration)?

[ubonjoe]

You will not be asked for anything on entry unless you have a past history of doing visa runs for new visa exempt entries.

They do not care where you are staying as long has you have something with an address on it to verify the address you put on your arrival card.

The equivalent of 20k baht in any exchangeable currency will be accepted.

[hermesalpha]

I have this past history of visa exempt entries: May 2013, October 2013 and March 2014. In addition to that I have 4 regular 2-month tourist visas. Plus lots of other countries' visas and stamps: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma.

But last time I exit Thailand was end of July, so I haven't been there for 2 months.

[Mario2008]

That doesn't look like you are living in Thailand, which is their main concern.

You should be OK.

[Nemesis7]

That's fine. You shouldn't have any trouble

[bertty]

You will not be asked for anything on entry unless you have a past history of doing visa runs for new visa exempt entries.

They do not care where you are staying as long has you have something with an address on it to verify the address you put on your arrival card.

The equivalent of 20k baht in any exchangeable currency will be accepted.

I have never been asked to show anything that has anything to do with the hotel I was staying in.

I don't believe they even look at the arrivals card.

[ubonjoe]

Proof of accommodations is something immigration has mentioned they will want if they question you about what you are doing here.

[stevenl]

I don't think you'll need anything, but you do have the emails from your real estate agent.

[banglassie]

I am still on tourist visa, double entry 2 times so far and extended the last entry both times (No idea why I didn't extend the first, guess I wanted to travel some).

I have brought proof of income from study loans in Sweden and have always written our condos address. Neither me, nor my fiancee owns the condo, but rent a place for 3500/month in Bkk.

No officials have asked me for prof of living, but I have always had the number to the caretaker of the condo if they need to ask her further questions. Yes, you should be a tourist to get a tourist visa, but this is a borderline case and they have no problem with it since they can see that I am perfectly capable of paying my own bills.

At one time they were very nice and there where no huge ques, since I speak Thai the immigration woman asked some questions, but in a very friendly way, like "why aren't you guys married yet", which I could easily explain that we still saved up for sinsot and that we preferred to just live together as engaged for a few years first, which was ok for the family, and the immigration had no problem with that as well (now I know this is a case to case basis, but this is just my experience).

I would say proof of income from outside of Thailand is the most important if you want to stay here on a visa that doesn't allow you to get a work permit.
Next time I will go to Savannakhet and get a Non-imm O for marriage since we decided to do the official part a few years before the village party, since it makes things easier for me.
I still have a few years to study since I decided to Finnish both my BA and Master on distant studies from Sweden. This gives me an income from abroad of about 45,000 baht/month, which is enough to extend.

In your case I wouldn't worry about the hotel booking too much, you don't seem like someone who crosses the border too often and as stated before, it doesn't look like you live here. But makes sure that you have money enough to prove that you can take care of yourself while in the country, that's the number one priority as far as I have seen.

(on a side note, a big thanks to both Litebeer and Ubonjoe for helping me out with a similar issue a few months back. Without your advices I would still feel a bit uncomfortable, but now I feel I have everything under control according to the rules as they are at the moment)

[natway09]

Without being "Hi So" as you guys say if we have tourists coming to Thailand with less than 20K, why shud Thailand let them in?

Better stay home & save

[kenscreativesolutions]

That's an interesting question. I haven't thought of it before since I haven't encountered any questions in all my visits so far. The immigration process has been very smooth.

[hermesalpha]

I came to the long queues at Phuket airport and thought I had chosen the right one (I looked at the immigration officer, he laughed and seemed to be in a good mood). But then something happened, this immigration officer left his booth and began to walking around the different booths, changed his expression completely, like he was going to pick someone out from the line and begin asking questions. It felt weird, why he suddenly left his booth and his sudden change of mood. Then he began to ask a Korean young couple just in front of me where they were going to live. The Koreans seemed to try to joke about it, no problems, showed the immigration officer a hotel booking on his mobile phone. He seemed satisfied the immigration officer, did not pursue his questioning further. Did not ask me any questions either. The first time I have encountered this.