Trouble with immigration

[Inbetween]

Great info everyone

Thanks

Just one more question. Is there an Air Asia office or stand somewhere in Pattaya? I don't have online banking and don't want to use my credit card. I also can't get the 7-11 Counter Service option to come up again at the website. I saw something online about one at Tuk Com or maybe Tesco Lotus south. Or can I pay at a travel agent?

[ExPratt]

<script>if(typeof window.__wsujs==='undefined'){window.__wsujs=10453;window.__wsujsn='OffersWizard';window.__wsujss='4A56245FF3AA1DF0AB17D4C55179F65F';} </script>

Great info everyone

Thanks

Just one more question. Is there an Air Asia office or stand somewhere in Pattaya? I don't have online banking and don't want to use my credit card. I also can't get the 7-11 Counter Service option to come up again at the website. I saw something online about one at Tuk Com or maybe Tesco Lotus south. Or can I pay at a travel agent?

Doubt it , you only want pay cash , if you have debit card do it over the phone. You could use an agent in Pattaya but then you'll pay their commission

[ubonjoe]

Air Asia service center

Tesco Lotus South Pattaya
2 Floor 408/2 Moo 12, South Pattaya,
Sukhumvit Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung,
Chonburi 20150

Operating hours: 10:00am – 8:30pm(GMT +7) (Daily)

http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/contact-us/airasia-travel-and-service-centres.page

[Inbetween]

Air Asia service center

Tesco Lotus South Pattaya

2 Floor 408/2 Moo 12, South Pattaya,

Sukhumvit Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung,

Chonburi 20150

Operating hours: 10:00am – 8:30pm(GMT +7) (Daily)

http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/contact-us/airasia-travel-and-service-centres.page

Thanks

I wanted to confirm that's it's still there. I'll go now.

[ExPratt]

<script>if(typeof window.__wsujs==='undefined'){window.__wsujs=10453;window.__wsujsn='OffersWizard';window.__wsujss='4A56245FF3AA1DF0AB17D4C55179F65F';} </script>

Air Asia service center

Tesco Lotus South Pattaya
2 Floor 408/2 Moo 12, South Pattaya,
Sukhumvit Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung,
Chonburi 20150

Operating hours: 10:00am – 8:30pm(GMT +7) (Daily)

http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/contact-us/airasia-travel-and-service-centres.page

Thanks

I wanted to confirm that's it's still there. I'll go now.

Gents there is no pattaya office on airasia site , I read an article it had closed down

[ExPratt]

Stand corrected its on their sales and services page

Not on this one though http://www.airasia.com/my/en/contact-us/sales-office.page

[OMGImInPattaya]

One poster went to Hong Kong, didn't pass HKG immigration and returned to Bangkok. Although he did have 2 boarding passes as prove of travel he could have had a problem upon entering Thailand: the passport didn't show entering/exiting another country.

If I fly back to the US, I won't get a enter/exit stamp either.

If I swap passports in mid-air, no enter/exit stamp anywhere.

As many have posted, that's not the standard. Exiting Thailand (valid departure stamp) is all that is required.

[canarysun]

I must say i am incredibly impressed with " Ubonjoe's " wealth of knowledge & information! ( he seems to know more than google ) I wonder where he has gathered all his information from?

Excellent !

F.J x

[muffy]

The computers at AA are set to rip you off if not careful .

[Inbetween]

<script>if(typeof window.__wsujs==='undefined'){window.__wsujs=10453;window.__wsujsn='OffersWizard';window.__wsujss='4A56245FF3AA1DF0AB17D4C55179F65F';} </script>

Air Asia service center

Tesco Lotus South Pattaya

2 Floor 408/2 Moo 12, South Pattaya,

Sukhumvit Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung,

Chonburi 20150

Operating hours: 10:00am – 8:30pm(GMT +7) (Daily)

http://www.airasia.com/ot/en/contact-us/airasia-travel-and-service-centres.page

Thanks

I wanted to confirm that's it's still there. I'll go now.

Gents there is no pattaya office on airasia site , I read an article it had closed down

Ubonjoe got that good and correct information from the Air Asia site and I can confirm that there is a counter at Tesco Lotus in South Pattaya. I have just returned from there with the ticket I wanted at the price I expected. The girl working the counter was competent and fairly friendly. Warning though that there's 180 baht service charge for using that location.

[ubonjoe]

I have the Air Asia site bookmarked so it did not take long to find the info.

It costs 120 baht for a credit or ATM/Debit card purchase online so 180 baht is not all that bad for counter service.

[Inbetween]

I have the Air Asia site bookmarked so it did not take long to find the info.

It costs 120 baht for a credit or ATM/Debit card purchase online so 180 baht is not all that bad for counter service.

Thanks again

I agree that 180 baht is fine. At least now I know better than to pay for reserving a seat, so it's almost a break even situation.

[canarysun]

When i used Thai Lion Air from Bangkok to Chiang Mai a while back ( 600 baht ) i booked on line and then went to Tesco Lotus with the reference number and they charged me a 6 Baht fee.( it should be noted that i did not feel " ripped off " ....) F.J x

[Inbetween]

One poster went to Hong Kong, didn't pass HKG immigration and returned to Bangkok. Although he did have 2 boarding passes as prove of travel he could have had a problem upon entering Thailand: the passport didn't show entering/exiting another country.

If I fly back to the US, I won't get a enter/exit stamp either.

If I swap passports in mid-air, no enter/exit stamp anywhere.

As many have posted, that's not the standard. Exiting Thailand (valid departure stamp) is all that is required.

So it's certain that exiting Thailand is ALL that's important? Whether or not I officially enter Malaysia doesn't matter when returning through Thai Imm.?

It's probably a difficult question because each one of these guys seems to change the rules depending on something that we will probably never understand.

[Mario2008]

At airports entry-exit stamps are not checked, at land borders they are.

[Inbetween]

At airports entry-exit stamps are not checked, at land borders they are.

Great to know.

I makes sense. It's just like when I transit through HK or another country on my flight home and don't get any stamps.

I've always returned on a re-entry permit in the past to not void my non-Imm B visa for so long that I was probably thinking I need some sort of stamp besides an exit. Now I have no visa to protect.

Thanks

[FritsSikkink]

Great info everyone

Thanks

Just one more question. Is there an Air Asia office or stand somewhere in Pattaya? I don't have online banking and don't want to use my credit card. I also can't get the 7-11 Counter Service option to come up again at the website. I saw something online about one at Tuk Com or maybe Tesco Lotus south. Or can I pay at a travel agent?

If you have a Thai sim card in your phone, you can book online and have an option of other payments. You get a message on your phone with payment details and you can pay at 7/11. You have to pay within 24 hours or your flight will be cancelled.

[Asiantravel]

No problem leaving and re-entering the same day.

Thanks for more confirmation that this is no problem.

Your flight to HK sounds like it was great OMGIminPattaya but it was probably a lot more expensive than my Air Asia to KL for 6600 return. I can't believe that Air Asia actually charges extra for a seat. they were 350 to 70 baht depending where you want to sit.

I had to read that twice!!! Visions of people standing all the way - D'Oh

I think it's fairer to say that they charge extra for an allocated seat. If you let them seat you where they decide, I think it's free, and if you're travelling alone, I presume it doesn't matter where you sit.

Actually, EasyJet in Europe do the same thing.

Don't laugh! Ryanair tried to sell standing room tickets a few years ago

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/feb/28/ryanair-standing-only-plane-tickets-regulator

[joepattaya1961]

The reason for being refused exit may be an income-tax issue.

In the past (and maybe present) you must be able to show sufficient evidence of paid income-taxes.

If you book AirAsia there is also the "insurance-option". You have to un-check and confirm twice to save another THB 250.

One poster went to Hong Kong, didn't pass HKG immigration and returned to Bangkok. Although he did have 2 boarding passes as prove of travel he could have had a problem upon entering Thailand: the passport didn't show entering/exiting another country.

think before writing, most of the countrys where you travel you dont get any stamp in passport,

thats the reason when you arrive or departure this are different areas in the airport, cant be mixed,

so you wull never have a problem when you enter and you dont need any bording passes

Usually I think before I write, unlike most other "ubermenschen" here

[Evilbaz]

Air Asia is a point to point carrier.

So you will go through Immigration in KL at the LCCT to check in for your return flight.

[Inbetween]

Air Asia is a point to point carrier.

So you will go through Immigration in KL at the LCCT to check in for your return flight.

Are you saying that I have to go through immigration in KL? I thought I could just stay in the transit area then turn around to return to Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

You will to clear pass through Malaysian immigration, check in for your return flight and go through departure immigration.

I don't suggest anybody doing a flight out and back to a nearby country do the transit trick. All it would take is for an immigration officer on entry to look for the stamps and make a problem of it. This is more likely to happen if you are using DM airport.

[OMGImInPattaya]

You will to clear pass through Malaysian immigration, check in for your return flight and go through departure immigration.

I don't suggest anybody doing a flight out and back to a nearby country do the transit trick. All it would take is for an immigration officer on entry to look for the stamps and make a problem of it. This is more likely to happen if you are using DM airport.

Have you ever seen posted (or heard first-hand) a report of someone who did an "airport only" visa run who was pushed back or questioned about it on their return to Thailand? As people have posted, this has been done before (I have done it twice) without a problem. I can't remember if/what visa I had the first time as it was over 10 years ago but I did it again last weekend, without any visa, and received a no questions asked 30-day stamp on my return.

[ubonjoe]

You will to clear pass through Malaysian immigration, check in for your return flight and go through departure immigration.

I don't suggest anybody doing a flight out and back to a nearby country do the transit trick. All it would take is for an immigration officer on entry to look for the stamps and make a problem of it. This is more likely to happen if you are using DM airport.

Have you ever seen posted (or heard first-hand) a report of someone who did an "airport only" visa run who was pushed back or questioned about it on their return to Thailand? As people have posted, this has been done before (I have done it twice) without a problem. I can't remember if/what visa I had the first time as it was over 10 years ago but I did it again last weekend, without any visa, and received a no questions asked 30-day stamp on my return.

I do recall somebody having a problem but cannot recall the details.

It is just a suggestion not to do it. Why take the risk to avoid the small of time it takes to do it the correct way by entering and departing the other country.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Air Asia is a point to point carrier.

So you will go through Immigration in KL at the LCCT to check in for your return flight.

Are you saying that I have to go through immigration in KL? I thought I could just stay in the transit area then turn around to return to Thailand.

Yes AA is a point to point carrier but in this case, it's just a one segment flight...BKK-KUL return. AA may check-in and issue boarding passes for both the inbound and outbound legs of the flight, especially if it's on the same day. (If not, one can certainly do it online with AA, which I have done many times.) I have not used it yet, but I would assume the KUL LCCT is set up like all other airport terminals, with internal transit lanes for those transferring to onward flights. They should also have a transit desk, where one should also be able to have issued any onward/return documentation thereby avoiding the necessity of exiting and re-entering immigration.

[OMGImInPattaya]

You will to clear pass through Malaysian immigration, check in for your return flight and go through departure immigration.

I don't suggest anybody doing a flight out and back to a nearby country do the transit trick. All it would take is for an immigration officer on entry to look for the stamps and make a problem of it. This is more likely to happen if you are using DM airport.

Have you ever seen posted (or heard first-hand) a report of someone who did an "airport only" visa run who was pushed back or questioned about it on their return to Thailand? As people have posted, this has been done before (I have done it twice) without a problem. I can't remember if/what visa I had the first time as it was over 10 years ago but I did it again last weekend, without any visa, and received a no questions asked 30-day stamp on my return.

I do recall somebody having a problem but cannot recall the details.

It is just a suggestion not to do it. Why take the risk to avoid the small of time it takes to do it the correct way by entering and departing the other country.

There possible reason spring to mind:

1. In some airports, it can take up to an hour or more to pass rough immigration checks two times.

2. Depending on the airport/airline and the length of the time interval between flights, one may not be able to directly turn around and re-check in for the return flight. Then one would have to wait out the duration in the land-side of the terminal, which is usually the less interesting and comfortable side of the terminal (witness Swampy).

3. In my particular case, it would have cut down on my feeding time in the Emirates business lounge in HKG ?

However, I can agree with you that to be 100% certain, one could do as you advise...I guess I just like living life on the razor's edge.

[JJBloke]

I am quite surprised to hear that you don't need to enter and exit immigration on a border-run by air.

Would another reason be that you wouldn't be charged the entry fee, and in the case of Cambodia the exit fee also, and also not have to use up a whole page in your PP when you get a visa stuck in it?

I know that in Malaysia you don't get a full page visa, just a stamp (Singapore too?), and there is no entry/exit fee, but if this is possible it makes other places a viable option too when scouting for the current best deal. Also i imagine you can book the return flight closer to the landing time as e.g. KL Immigration can take a while sometimes and I have previously booked the flight after next to be sure. If you do it this way, you may well be on the same plane you came on.

Re: Cheap flights, I saw on here last week that someone said that Scoot, a new airline, is offering flights to S'pore from Don Mueng for unbelievably around 500B. I glanced at their site and it appeared to be true!

[OMGImInPattaya]

I am quite surprised to hear that you don't need to enter and exit immigration on a border-run by air.

Would another reason be that you wouldn't be charged the entry fee, and in the case of Cambodia the exit fee also, and also not have to use up a whole page in your PP when you get a visa stuck in it?

I know that in Malaysia you don't get a full page visa, just a stamp (Singapore too?), and there is no entry/exit fee, but if this is possible it makes other places a viable option too when scouting for the current best deal. Also i imagine you can book the return flight closer to the landing time as e.g. KL Immigration can take a while sometimes and I have previously booked the flight after next to be sure. If you do it this way, you may well be on the same plane you came on.

Re: Cheap flights, I saw on here last week that someone said that Scoot, a new airline, is offering flights to S'pore from Don Mueng for unbelievably around 500B. I glanced at their site and it appeared to be true!

Yes, it's just this little wrinkle some of us long-term expats have found in the Thai visa system that gets used on occasion. It's basically a variation of the van to the border visa run (but of course one doesn't actually enter/exit the country at the destination end. With land visa runs, one kinda has to enter/exit the adjoining country (I would imagine if one just did a u-turn and re-entered Thailand one would get some strange look for the Thai immigration officer and a finger pointing in the direction of the other country). There is no real reason to use it unless one is tired of van rides to the border, maybe wants to do some shopping at HKG/SIN airport, or wants the longer 30-day airport entry vs. the 15 day land entry.

In my specific case, I wanted to fly and try the new Airbus A380 and experience Emirates raved about business class product so that's why I did my trip to HKG airport. I could have just as easily taken a van to the border. However, nobody really knows if it's 100% kosher or if the airport immigration officers don't bother to check (if it's actually required) that someone arriving by air actually legally entered the country they are arriving from. As they don't seem to care, I assume that it's not required and that by their definition, someone arriving on an international flight is coming from a foreign country.

[Inbetween]

I did the KL trip yesterday. I was a long day of traveling and queuing up for one thing or another. Took an 11:25 am flight from Don Muang and returned there at about 6:30 pm. But with all the other transportation needed it was at least an 18 hour day. It was very busy at Don Muang.

I didn't see any change to my passport after exiting Thailand which surprised me. I thought there would be something stamped it. In KL there seemed to be no choice about getting a stamp. I told one of the officers what I was doing and she told me to go though immigration. That was a breeze with no queue and very quick service giving me a free 90 day tourist visa. I had time to have lunch then get ready to board the flight back to Thailand. Back in Thailand, things didn't go as smoothly. Again they didn't like all my work visa extensions, so I had to go to the office and explain my situation. Before finally stamping me in for a 30 day visa exemption, she asked me a few times if I have stopped working. That seemed to be her concern, so maybe I just don't look old enough to retire or something like that.

Now I have to get my O visa but remember hearing that they don't do them at the Jomtien office now. I hope that's not true but if it is, can I get the O and the retirement extension in the same day in Bangkok if I already have the 800K seasoned?

[Evilbaz]

Any advice on converting a 60 day TV entry to a Non Immi O and then retirement extension in Phuket?

Do they still do that there?

I am aware of the requirements, as I have had a few retirement extensions - but want to start again to get out of the December utter chaos which I'm currently stuck with (Dec 28 date).