Thai National To Malaysia: Proof Of Onward Travel?

[chanchao]

In the end I managed to get 2 tickets on Air Asia from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur. At one time during the VERY difficult booking & payment process, an Air Asia call center employee said he could not issue a one-way ticket to KL for a Thai National. (We're flying back from Had Yai after visiting Penang)

Like I said in the end I just went to the airport and got the ticket no problem, but now I wonder if there will be hassle at check-in in Bangkok.

Does anyone have some experience with this? I thought Thais just drove into Malaysia all day & all night by the truckload?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[MinutePigglet]

I was once given the same schpiel by a Thai airlines check in girl, having the last half of a return ticket to the States for my wife and I.

I smiled (don't forget to smile) and asked for her manager who looked down at me over her snooty nose. She's was the opposite of that lovely cardboard girl they usually have around.

Anyhow, the short of it is that it is not up to the airlines to enforce the immigration laws, and you can tell them that. Immigration however may require a proof of a return trip, which it seems that you can show. Immigration will prevent you from taking her if they have a suspicion that you intend to "sell your girlfriend" overseas. It's not an uncommon thing to do.

My wife and I had travelled several times to the States prior and it was a total non issue with immigration.

XXOO,

MP

PS: I didn't sell her.

[fox]

QUOTE:

Does anyone have some experience with this? I thought Thais just drove into Malaysia all day & all night by the truckload?

This statement made by you appears to be very misleading and mischievous.

You need a valid International Passport and you will be given a 30 days visa

on arrival at the Malaysian Immigration check point or less than 30 days as the case may be. The Malaysian/Thai border check points close in the evening and not all night long as you have thought so.

By the way, the Malaysian Immigration is very strict and they follow the rules/regulations by the book. For Thai nationals with border pass, you will be given a seven days visa on arrival....... only to border towns next to Thailand.

Please kindly check your facts before you make any more misleading comments.

Have a nice trip and have a nice day.

[chanchao]

> Immigration will prevent you from taking her if they have a suspicion

> that you intend to "sell your girlfriend" overseas. It's not an uncommon

> thing to do.

Really..! So... how much do you suppose I could get for a 26 year old Chiang Mai girl? She knows how to cook and trade at the stock exchange.

>> I thought Thais just drove into Malaysia all day & all night

>> by the truckload?

> Please kindly check your facts before you make any more

> misleading comments.

It's called "ending your post with an over-statement to induce people to hit the reply button." This makes people who are otherwise fairly indifferent to the issue answer the question because I provided the irresistable opportunity to lecture me.

Anyway she has a passport of course, but you're right that I should have mentioned that. As for nighttime: I distinctly remember taking a bus from Singers all the way to Had Yai (yes) which crossed the border at a VERY ungodly hour of the night. Probably not all border crossings are open all the time, but some are open a lot of the time. (Possibly this was the Sadao crossing, and it was the middle of the night)

Anyway, 7 days is all wel need. Just sightseeing in KL and visiting a friend in Penang.

My girlfriend called the Malay embassy since I posted this, and according to them it should be no problem at all, return ticket or not. Now lets hope that the airline also know this..

I do thank you for your answer Mr. Fox!!!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[fox]

Sawatdi Krap,

Glad to hear from you, Chanchao. I am very glad to supply you with more info on Malaysian Immigration rules/regulations.

For Thai passport holders, they will normally be given a 30 days visa on arrival at

Thai/Malaysia border checkpoint or at the Airport Immigration. However, there are certain exceptions to this policy.

Now I will tell one of these so called exceptions to this policy.

My close friend residing in Malaysia, has a young and pretty Thai girl friend from Songkhla. Just last week-end,

his Khun Thai girlfriend came over to Malaysia to visit him. I went to see them, and I was very

surprised to learn that she was given only seven days visa on her Thai passport. I personally

looked at her passport....... and sure enough, she was given a 7 days visa on arrival.

However, her elderly lady friend was given 14 days visa and somtimes 30 days.

No problem, she could extend her stay by going to the Malaysian Immigration department in town to extend her visa/stay.

Have a pleasant trip and have a nice day.

Choke di nah krap ! Sawatdi krap !

[MinutePigglet]

What am I, chopped liver?

[Schmeen]

Thai Airways refused to allow my wife onto a plane from Phuket to Penang. We were also returning by road to visit some friends in Trang. Made us buy 1st Class return tickets before allowing us onto the flight, as there were no more economy available.

Airlines do have a responsibility regarding this matter as airlines get fined for every person they bring into a country that is deported or refused entry. The Malaysian authorities obviously as Thai Airways to ensure Thai nationals have the correct tickets (as they see it). Thai Airways would also not allow anyone onto a flight to 'the west' without the correct visa.

Can't imagine who'd want to 'escape' to Malaysia anyway.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thai Airways refused to allow my wife onto a plane from Phuket to Penang. We were also returning by road to visit some friends in Trang. Made us buy 1st Class return tickets before allowing us onto the flight, as there were no more economy available.

Airlines do have a responsibility regarding this matter as airlines get fined for every person they bring into a country that is deported or refused entry. The Malaysian authorities obviously as Thai Airways to ensure Thai nationals have the correct tickets (as they see it). Thai Airways would also not allow anyone onto a flight to 'the west' without the correct visa.

Can't imagine who'd want to 'escape' to Malaysia anyway.

Absolutely correct, In addition to the fines, the airline has to remove any passenger that is denied entry.

[Felt 35]

I know this is a little on the side track, but I won two return tickets with Malaysian Airlines to Europe in a kind of charity lottery before Christmas and have planned long for could use this for our annual leave to Europe.

(The tickets had some restrictions so we could not go any day we want)

If its any hassle for a Thai to fly via Kuala Lumpur I better drop it.

If anyone have flied this way with their Thai wife I would like to know if it’s a pleasant trip or hassle in Kuala Lumpur.

Thanks & Regards

[fox]

We are wondering why the Malaysian authorities/immigration are keeping track on Thai visitors,

especially young girls.

I will give the following reasons to the best of my knowledge. The info I am giving you is just

for your reading/information and not to start a debate, like who is right or who is wrong.

Every day, hundreds and hundreds of illegal immigrants from Indonesia, Bangaldesh, India, Pakistan,

Thailand, Burma, China, Philippines, Nepal and other Asian countries are coming into Malaysia

to seek employment. Some went in legally and many went in illegally. Some overstayed their visas.

Legally or not legally, they were employed in factories, restaurants, plantations, housekeeping,

and particularly as construction workers and so on. Those caught working without work permits

were arrested and sent to jail, including those who overstayed their visas.

For your info, there were more than one million Indonesians workers/Immigrants, the majority

are illegal immigrants. Just not too long ago, the Malaysian authorities had to charter a few

ships to sent the illegal Indonesians back by giving them amnesty. Before one month, thousands

went in illegally again. This time, no more amnesty...... those who were caught were sent to jail

and after that, deported.

The young girls from mainland China and Thai girls were found working in the vice trade.

Many of them overstayed their visas...... and on top of that, working without work permits.

They were found guilty and sent to jail. Their Malaysian employers were also arrested and

were charged in court. At present there are about a few thousands China girls and Thai girls,

plying their trade in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Genting Highlands, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and other

major towns. Everyday, the law enforcement units will go after them. Now, the girls are very

smart...... they ply their trade in private houses.

Some China girls are also plying thier trade in Hatyai and Betong, Thailand. Most of their clients

are Malaysian tourists.

[Axel]

Just run the question through DELTA.com, here are the rules. (No doubt some officialls, both airlines and immigration might see it different, immigration has the right to decide contrarily) But one thing is clear, officially need a return- or onward ticket:

National THAILAND (TH) /Destination MALAYSIA (MY)

MALAYSIA (MY)

Passport required (must be valid at least 6 months beyond

period of stay).

Visa not required for a stay of max. 1 month.

If intending to stay longer than 1 month, passenger must obtain

permission on arrival.

Visitor must hold:

- return or onward ticket; and

- sufficient funds (at least USD 500.-).

In case necessary, passengers must be able to purchase a ticket

to the country for which they hold a valid entry document.

In all cases, if the passenger holds an APEC Business Travel

Card: visa not required provided the back of the card states

that it is valid for travel to Malaysia. On arrival a visit

pass will be issued.

Admission refused to:

- foreign ladies, who are in advanced state of pregnancy, i.e.

6 months or more;

- visitors, who do not comply with the requirements regarding

general appearance and clothing, e.g. "hippies".

Minors: up to/incl. 15 years may be included in accompanying

adult's passport.

Non-compliance with the entry regulations may result in

deportation of passenger to country of origin for account of

transporting carrier.

Timaticweb Version 1.3

04 April 2004

[Felt 35]

But do you think it’s a problem when my wife have an onward ticket to Europe with return and the stop in Kuala Lumpur only is Transit. I mean she is in transit because she has to change aircraft!

I really got sceptic when I see the above posts.

Thanks and Regards

[fox]

Hi,

No problem. She is a " bona fide " traveller and she is on transit.

Assuming that she is a Thai national and her valid passport is on order.....

she should be given a 30days visa or less (as the case maybe) on arrival if she wants to visit Malaysia. No problem at all.

Have a pleasant trip and have a nice day.

[Felt 35]

Thanks & regards

[Axel]

But do you think it’s a problem when my wife have an onward ticket to Europe with return and the stop in Kuala Lumpur only is Transit. I mean she is in transit because she has to change aircraft!

I really got sceptic when I see the above posts.

Thanks and Regards

Na Felt 35, transit is transit. Your wife would not even enter Malaysia.

But even if she wants to stay for a few days, she got an onward-ticket.

[Schmeen]

Once my wife got to Malaysia she was treated very well, they never even made her show them the return ticket that Thai Airways had made her buy.

A wife in transit is no problem at all.

[thaihome]

This is a question I can answer with some experience, as my wife has some 15 30 day Malaysian stamps in her passport (old one before we were married). We have done the return trips from KL to Hat Yai on bus, flying KL to Hat Yai and flying KL to BKK, We were only questioned in BKK. This happened to us twice in 4 times we flew from BKK. When questioned on onward ticket I showed them a credit (actually several) cards to assure them I could pay her ticket if refused entry and we were on our way. I should add I had a Malaysian work visa.

Other piece of advice is to go up to Immigration counter together and give the both passports at same time. If possible, pick a male officer, but not required. I don't think you will have a problem.

"I thought Thais just drove into Malaysia all day & all night by the truckload?"

Not the same as a Thai female flying into KL.

TH

[fox]

Hi,

" Other piece of advice is to go up to Immigration counter together and give the both passports at same time. "

That is a good advice. Let me tell you one interesting incident.

Not too long ago, I happened to meet a young married couple in a tuk-tuk (taxi cab) in Hatyai.

The husband is a Malaysian and his young wife, a Thai national. We started a conversation.

He comes over to visit his in-laws very often. There was one incident, when they returned back

to Malaysia. When they arrived at the Malaysian immigration...... the husband told his wife to

clear immigration first, as he had to do something nearby. After about some time, he came back

and saw that his wife had not cleared immigration. In fact they were asking her a lot of questions

which of course she could not understand. Naturally, the husband lost his temper and had some

heated arguments with them. To cut story short...... a senior officer told him this, " Next time,

to play safe, bring your marriage certificate and you will have no problem. When they reached home,

he went straight to the Immigration Headquaters (his relative works there) to screw them up.

What happens next.... I am also curious to know.