An off-topic post and replies to it have been removed.

My wife let her Thai ID card lapse and lost her passport in a house robbery. That required that we both get a non-o on our next trip back to Thailand. However, on subsequent trips after getting everything updated, she is able to enter on her Thai passport without additional cost. It must be an attempt at collecting more funds that they always try to get everyone to pay for the visa. My wife actually talked to the folks in DC about getting a new passport when hers was stolen and they told her not to apply. They said she should apply for US citizenship instead because she had been in the US for so long.

My wife let her Thai ID card lapse and lost her passport in a house robbery. That required that we both get a non-o on our next trip back to Thailand. However, on subsequent trips after getting everything updated, she is able to enter on her Thai passport without additional cost. It must be an attempt at collecting more funds that they always try to get everyone to pay for the visa. My wife actually talked to the folks in DC about getting a new passport when hers was stolen and they told her not to apply. They said she should apply for US citizenship instead because she had been in the US for so long.

It is so weird than an embassy can provide such consistently wrong information.

We know or have met other Thai married or widowed women who are not willing to use a Thai passport because they are afraid that their country men/women will attempt to extort and hassle them when they attempt to enter and return to Thailand.

We also met a Thai woman (a widow) who spends a portion of each year in Thailand via a U.S. passport and visa because she is afraid that if she used her Thai passport it could affect her U.S. Social Security payments.

Sad.

And, of course, she must also do the 90 reporting as well. Seems like a silly process for a Thai citizen.

Which is why we won't be doing it again, since ubonjoe and several others have confirmed that the information that was being given out by the embassy in Washington, and the consulate in Miami was wrong. That reminds me, her next 90 day report is due in a couple of weeks

You should buy your wife a ticket out and back to a nearby country to do a passport swap to get an entry as a Thai.

No need for an extension and 90 reports that way.

And, of course, she must also do the 90 reporting as well. Seems like a silly process for a Thai citizen.

Which is why we won't be doing it again, since ubonjoe and several others have confirmed that the information that was being given out by the embassy in Washington, and the consulate in Miami was wrong. That reminds me, her next 90 day report is due in a couple of weeks

You should buy your wife a ticket out and back to a nearby country to do a passport swap to get an entry as a Thai.

No need for an extension and 90 reports that way.

Very good advice, thanks ubonjoe.

In our case, we'll be leaving Thailand for a US visit soon (well before my wife's extension expires), so when we return to Thailand, she'll use her Thai passport for entry. No more extensions and 90 day reports for her, and unlike me, she won't need to buy a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand.

We're fortunate in that online 90 day reports are working for both of us, so no hassle there.

Why would a Thai citizen ever want to enter Thailand using any other passport than her Thai one? Spectacularly bad advice from the embassy, they should be ashamed.

She should book her ticket in the US using the details of her Thai passport. Check-in at the airport in the US using her Thai passport. If she is questioned by the airline about the legal basis for her being in the US she can show them her US passport (but she shouldn't show them her US passport unless she is asked and she won't be asked.) If there is immigration exit control in the US (which there usually isn't, but I've heard they may be doing it at some airports on a trial basis), she should show her US passport. When she arrives in Thailand she should use her Thai passport. She qualifies to use the automatic passport scanning gates so she could use those. If she goes to a gate manned by an immigration officer she need only show her Thai passport.

In general a dual national should show only one passport (the correct one as outlined above) to anyone. Showing two passports and letting the person figure it out for themselves is not only unnecessary but is a recipe for confusion and delay.

I guess it works both ways. Unlike you, I always book my wife's ticket with her U. S. passport details, show the U. S. Passport at the LAX departure and then she enters TH on her Thai Passport. Reverse the process going back to the U. S. but show both passports when leaving TH.

In our case, we both obtained Non-O visas from the honorary consulate in Miami. Further to what the embassy in Washington told us, the consulate in Miami told us, when we applied for our visas, that they weren't sure if she could re-enter the US easily if she entered Thailand on her Thai passport, which we now know is not the case.

In any event, we both got Non-O visas, made a couple of visa runs during the first 180 days, then my wife went to Phuket immigration to get a 1 year extension. Very easy - she only had to show proof of citizenship and was out the door within an hour or so with a new 1 year extension stamp in her US passport (no need to come back in the afternoon or the next day, as is the case with foreigners applying for an extension).

It was very wrong that you wife had to pay and stand in line in order to stay in her country. a right she has by birth. Would you do that in your own country ?

It's not atypical for many countries to sometimes treat you like a citizen of another country when you are a dual citizen although legally you are still a citizen of both countries, such as a person holding Thai and U.S. citizenship. It's kinda like "yea, we know you are still legally a citizen of both countries but since we know you are a citizen of another country we will try to treat you as a citizen of that other country."

Why would a Thai citizen ever want to enter Thailand using any other passport than her Thai one? Spectacularly bad advice from the embassy, they should be ashamed.

She should book her ticket in the US using the details of her Thai passport. Check-in at the airport in the US using her Thai passport. If she is questioned by the airline about the legal basis for her being in the US she can show them her US passport (but she shouldn't show them her US passport unless she is asked and she won't be asked.) If there is immigration exit control in the US (which there usually isn't, but I've heard they may be doing it at some airports on a trial basis), she should show her US passport. When she arrives in Thailand she should use her Thai passport. She qualifies to use the automatic passport scanning gates so she could use those. If she goes to a gate manned by an immigration officer she need only show her Thai passport.

In general a dual national should show only one passport (the correct one as outlined above) to anyone. Showing two passports and letting the person figure it out for themselves is not only unnecessary but is a recipe for confusion and delay.

I guess it works both ways. Unlike you, I always book my wife's ticket with her U. S. passport details, show the U. S. Passport at the LAX departure and then she enters TH on her Thai Passport. Reverse the process going back to the U. S. but show both passports when leaving TH.

This is the reason I recommend checking in with the Thai passport when entering Thailand with a Thai passport:

Chances are after you checked in with the airline they sent a list of everyone on the flight to the immigration authority of your destination country. It is therefore very important that when you present yourself at immigration that the document you present matches the airline manifest. (http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/step-step-guide-to-traveling-with-two-passports/)

You will have no problems if your documentation matches. You may not even have problems if your documentation doesn't match. However, I recommend doing it so that they do match. It's no more difficult to do that way, and it eliminates a potential problem. I have heard of someone who was a dual Thai-US national and traveled to Thailand on her US passport (that is, checked in at the US airport with her US passport) and when she got to Thailand the immigration officer insisted on stamping her in on her US passport. Discussion ensued. Immigration officer would not stamp her Thai passport because she was listed as having checked into the flight on a US passport. This traveler was understandably tired from the 18+ hour flight and at some point gave in and accepted getting the stamp in her US passport. I'm not saying this happens every time because I know it doesn't. But the fact that is happened once, or could happen even, would be enough for me to do it the way I recommended. I know I would personally dislike having to have such a discussion with immigration when arriving in Thailand. If it could be avoided, and it can, I would take the easy steps to avoid it.

In my wife's travels between Thailand and the U.S. as a dual Thai and U.S. citizen at the "airline check-in" on the Thai end even through initially handing them only the Thai passport the airline will frequently ask for the visa to enter the U.S...then you hand them the U.S. passport and they are happy...airline check-in completed

Once checking-in with the airline on the Thailand end, then tuck the U.S. passport away and us the Thai passport to go through the Thai immigration check point. Then tuck away the Thai passport upon arriving the U.S. and show the U.S. passport.

Now, when leaving the U.S., just show the Thai passport at airline check-in, any U.S. immigration checkpoint you might go through, and at the Thai immigration checkpoint. If by some chance like having a one way ticket to Thailand or an open return ticket then the airline may get concerned about meeting visa requirements for a stay longer than 30 days and ask for a visa...then you hand them the Thai passport and that makes them happy....airline check-in completed.

The only point where you may need to show both passports is at an airline check-in depending on the situation...and usually the only reason to do that is to show you can enter your destination country without need for a visa before arriving....remember, it's the airlines responsibility to ensure you meet any entry requirements...otherwise, they get stuck with flying you out of the country. But at the immigration checkpoints just show the passport applicable for that country....Thai passport in Thailand....U.S. passport in the U.S.

Simple question that is not clear. Is she a Dual citizen (US/thai) or just a US citizen. Does she have one or two current passports? It makes a difference.

Fair question. However, the OP states that she is a Thai national so she is and would have been eligible to get a Thai passport at some point. The OP also states that she came to the US prior to getting married to the OP. Since she is a Thai national and came to the US it is reasonable to assume that she had a Thai passport at that time, else how did she travel to the US. Also, the OP expresses surprise that the Thai Embassy advised that she enter Thailand on her US passport. Such surprise would be easy to understand if she were in possession of a Thai passport. So from the circumstantial evidence it would appear that she at least had a Thai passport at one time.

Here's why it doesn't really matter:

1) If she has a currently valid Thai passport, she should use it to enter Thailand.

2) If she has an expired Thai passport, she should use that to enter Thailand. (Thais can enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport.)

3) If she has lost her Thai passport, she could use evidence that she is Thai: certified copy of Thai passport, Thai ID Card, Thai House Registration (containing 13-digit personal number), etc., which she could use to enter Thailand. (Thais without a Thai passport must prove to immigration that they are Thai nationals.)

4) If she wishes to she could procure a Thai Passport in the US, which she should use to enter Thailand.

In any of those cases she is better off entering Thailand as a Thai than she is entering Thailand as a US citizen. Obviously 1 and 4 are the most straightforward and therefore recommended, but according to reports 2 works, and 3 work also with some additional hassle. If time permits, it is obviously more desirable to do 4 instead of 3, if she doesn't currently have a Thai passport. Getting a Thai passport outside of Thailand is possible in 5-7 working days by express mail.

3) will only work if she presents her US passport at the check-in counter for her flight to Thailand, then does an "in-air switch" and pulls out some other kind of evidence she is a Thai citizen, to present to immigration upon arrival. No way she can board an international flight, even to her home country without presenting a passport that will allow her entry.

So while it may work out for her to provide other evidence of being a Thai citizen to Thai immigration, it's an unnecessary hassle. What's so difficult about applying for a new Thai passport at a Thai consulate in the US? Foreign consulates are there to provide services for their citizens too, including the issuance of travel documents. A passport or equivalent is the only legal travel document.

Why would a Thai citizen ever want to enter Thailand using any other passport than her Thai one? Spectacularly bad advice from the embassy, they should be ashamed.

She should book her ticket in the US using the details of her Thai passport. Check-in at the airport in the US using her Thai passport. If she is questioned by the airline about the legal basis for her being in the US she can show them her US passport (but she shouldn't show them her US passport unless she is asked and she won't be asked.) If there is immigration exit control in the US (which there usually isn't, but I've heard they may be doing it at some airports on a trial basis), she should show her US passport. When she arrives in Thailand she should use her Thai passport. She qualifies to use the automatic passport scanning gates so she could use those. If she goes to a gate manned by an immigration officer she need only show her Thai passport.

In general a dual national should show only one passport (the correct one as outlined above) to anyone. Showing two passports and letting the person figure it out for themselves is not only unnecessary but is a recipe for confusion and delay.

I guess it works both ways. Unlike you, I always book my wife's ticket with her U. S. passport details, show the U. S. Passport at the LAX departure and then she enters TH on her Thai Passport. Reverse the process going back to the U. S. but show both passports when leaving TH.

This is the reason I recommend checking in with the Thai passport when entering Thailand with a Thai passport:

Chances are after you checked in with the airline they sent a list of everyone on the flight to the immigration authority of your destination country. It is therefore very important that when you present yourself at immigration that the document you present matches the airline manifest. (http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/step-step-guide-to-traveling-with-two-passports/)

You will have no problems if your documentation matches. You may not even have problems if your documentation doesn't match. However, I recommend doing it so that they do match. It's no more difficult to do that way, and it eliminates a potential problem. I have heard of someone who was a dual Thai-US national and traveled to Thailand on her US passport (that is, checked in at the US airport with her US passport) and when she got to Thailand the immigration officer insisted on stamping her in on her US passport. Discussion ensued. Immigration officer would not stamp her Thai passport because she was listed as having checked into the flight on a US passport. This traveler was understandably tired from the 18+ hour flight and at some point gave in and accepted getting the stamp in her US passport. I'm not saying this happens every time because I know it doesn't. But the fact that is happened once, or could happen even, would be enough for me to do it the way I recommended. I know I would personally dislike having to have such a discussion with immigration when arriving in Thailand. If it could be avoided, and it can, I would take the easy steps to avoid it.

That's very strange. Because my own personal experience as a dual national disputes this. Although I am not a Thai national, I do hold three passports and in the past, when I was simply entering Thailand on a visa waiver, I might show one passport to the check-in counter of the country I just departed and then another passport to Thai immigration upon arrival. Often the passport I would show at the check-in counter was the same one used to enter that country and I only did this because all three passports have the same visa requirements for Thailand so it doesn't matter which one I use. Since my name is consistent on all three travel documents, this has never been an issue and nobody has ever questioned this.

Simple question that is not clear. Is she a Dual citizen (US/thai) or just a US citizen. Does she have one or two current passports? It makes a difference.

Fair question. However, the OP states that she is a Thai national so she is and would have been eligible to get a Thai passport at some point. The OP also states that she came to the US prior to getting married to the OP. Since she is a Thai national and came to the US it is reasonable to assume that she had a Thai passport at that time, else how did she travel to the US. Also, the OP expresses surprise that the Thai Embassy advised that she enter Thailand on her US passport. Such surprise would be easy to understand if she were in possession of a Thai passport. So from the circumstantial evidence it would appear that she at least had a Thai passport at one time.

Here's why it doesn't really matter:

1) If she has a currently valid Thai passport, she should use it to enter Thailand.

2) If she has an expired Thai passport, she should use that to enter Thailand. (Thais can enter Thailand on an expired Thai passport.)

3) If she has lost her Thai passport, she could use evidence that she is Thai: certified copy of Thai passport, Thai ID Card, Thai House Registration (containing 13-digit personal number), etc., which she could use to enter Thailand. (Thais without a Thai passport must prove to immigration that they are Thai nationals.)

4) If she wishes to she could procure a Thai Passport in the US, which she should use to enter Thailand.

In any of those cases she is better off entering Thailand as a Thai than she is entering Thailand as a US citizen. Obviously 1 and 4 are the most straightforward and therefore recommended, but according to reports 2 works, and 3 work also with some additional hassle. If time permits, it is obviously more desirable to do 4 instead of 3, if she doesn't currently have a Thai passport. Getting a Thai passport outside of Thailand is possible in 5-7 working days by express mail.

3) will only work if she presents her US passport at the check-in counter for her flight to Thailand, then does an "in-air switch" and pulls out some other kind of evidence she is a Thai citizen, to present to immigration upon arrival. No way she can board an international flight, even to her home country without presenting a passport that will allow her entry.

So while it may work out for her to provide other evidence of being a Thai citizen to Thai immigration, it's an unnecessary hassle. What's so difficult about applying for a new Thai passport at a Thai consulate in the US? Foreign consulates are there to provide services for their citizens too, including the issuance of travel documents. A passport or equivalent is the only legal travel document.

I think we might be in agreement, which is why I said: "If time permits, it is obviously more desirable to do 4 instead of 3, if she doesn't currently have a Thai passport. Getting a Thai passport outside of Thailand is possible in 5-7 working days by express mail."

This is the reason I recommend checking in with the Thai passport when entering Thailand with a Thai passport:

Chances are after you checked in with the airline they sent a list of everyone on the flight to the immigration authority of your destination country. It is therefore very important that when you present yourself at immigration that the document you present matches the airline manifest. (http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/step-step-guide-to-traveling-with-two-passports/)

You will have no problems if your documentation matches. You may not even have problems if your documentation doesn't match. However, I recommend doing it so that they do match. It's no more difficult to do that way, and it eliminates a potential problem. I have heard of someone who was a dual Thai-US national and traveled to Thailand on her US passport (that is, checked in at the US airport with her US passport) and when she got to Thailand the immigration officer insisted on stamping her in on her US passport. Discussion ensued. Immigration officer would not stamp her Thai passport because she was listed as having checked into the flight on a US passport. This traveler was understandably tired from the 18+ hour flight and at some point gave in and accepted getting the stamp in her US passport. I'm not saying this happens every time because I know it doesn't. But the fact that is happened once, or could happen even, would be enough for me to do it the way I recommended. I know I would personally dislike having to have such a discussion with immigration when arriving in Thailand. If it could be avoided, and it can, I would take the easy steps to avoid it.

That's very strange. Because my own personal experience as a dual national disputes this. Although I am not a Thai national, I do hold three passports and in the past, when I was simply entering Thailand on a visa waiver, I might show one passport to the check-in counter of the country I just departed and then another passport to Thai immigration upon arrival. Often the passport I would show at the check-in counter was the same one used to enter that country and I only did this because all three passports have the same visa requirements for Thailand so it doesn't matter which one I use. Since my name is consistent on all three travel documents, this has never been an issue and nobody has ever questioned this.

I guess it depends on how you feel about avoiding a potential problem. As I said: "You will have no problems if your documentation matches. You may not even have problems if your documentation doesn't match. However, I recommend doing it so that they do match. It's no more difficult to do that way, and it eliminates a potential problem. " If you don't think the potential problem can possibly occur than you lose nothing by continuing to do what you've been doing in the past. However, that doesn't change my advice to people who would like to avoid a potential problem that they may not have been aware of.

A Thai national does not require a passport to board a flight to Thailand from the USA. All that is required is nationality documentation as below. This is clearly stated by IATA which is the source the airlines use.

/ 27JUL15 / 0748 UTC

National Thailand (TH) /Embarkation USA (US)
Destination Thailand (TH)


Thailand (TH)



Passport required.
- Nationals of Thailand are allowed to enter with an expired

passport.
- Nationals of Thailand traveling without a passport must have

a document accepted for entry, valid on arrival.
Passport Exemptions:

- Holders of a Certificate of Identity issued to nationals of

Thailand.
- Holders of emergency or temporary passports.

And, of course, she must also do the 90 reporting as well. Seems like a silly process for a Thai citizen.

Which is why we won't be doing it again, since ubonjoe and several others have confirmed that the information that was being given out by the embassy in Washington, and the consulate in Miami was wrong. That reminds me, her next 90 day report is due in a couple of weeks

You should buy your wife a ticket out and back to a nearby country to do a passport swap to get an entry as a Thai.

No need for an extension and 90 reports that way.

Dear ubonjoe, here comes an answer and a question. A few weeks ago, we had this discussion about Thais making extensions. I've made my 90-days-reports today (no problem for my wife, as i can do it myself). The extensions are still based on marriage, but 800k required because my wife also does extensions (the same for others in this thread doing it like this?) As said, doing it like this, just for now, me and my wife don't have a problem. Our daughter has done the same until now, but now she has grown up. Next year, we will move to the far south, but our daughter will stay here. To make it easier for her, i want her to swap passports. As i asked at the immigration office, they told me, that it would be illegal going (flying) to Malaysia to swap passports, she would need to go to Switzerland because of her Swiss passport. That's quiet unlogical for me. You write, that going to a nearby country will do it. Sorry, just asking, if you're sure about this, would be helpful. Much easier (and cheaper..) to get a retourn flight to Penang than to Zurich.

^^ I have a dual citizenship

Your daughter just flies down to singapore, turns around and comes back entering on her Thai passport.

She can just use the automatic gates to enter, and if she can't use the gates she just gets stamped in. That should be be end of it.

Sounds like she is ocerseas born anyway so there has to be a first time she enters the country.

If she received any hassle, let he know to ask for a senior officer to come and take care of the issue, and insist she only be stamped on her Thai passport.

When we called to the Thai Embassy in New York we were told that my wife was going to need to enter Thailand on her US passport and, like me, apply for an O visa.

We have the same situation as the OP. My wife is a dual Thai/US citizen, and we returned to Thailand last year for a long stay. She was told by the embassy in Washington that she should obtain a Non-O visa and use her US passport.

That both DC and NY are on the same sheet of music is more than curious. Maybe MFA doesn't want Yankee Thais masquerading as pure Thais......Thailand has had some discomfort in its past over dual citizenship, primarily, as I recall, vis-a-vis Malaysia.

But the advice given by both consulates is doubly wrong (unless there's some new guidance we haven't officially heard about) -- wrong about needing to enter on a US passport -- and wrong that you'd need a Non Imm O visa.

Thai nationals/citizens can obtain a one-year extension of stay in their US passport just off their 30-day Visa exempt entry stamp. No funds required, no Non Imm O visa required -- only their Thai ID (or passport). The wife, nervous about passport switching, early in the game did this -- all at Don Muang. Get the 30-day stamp, then turn right in Don Muang to some kind of Immigration counter resolving problems -- and issuing one-year permission of stay stamps. A waste of 1900 baht -- and she subsequently learned to use her Thai passport -- but nevertheless a one-year permission of stay for very little effort -- including not doing 90-day reporting, which was in error on her part -- but she believed being a Thai national precluded such. She never felt any adverse affects by this ommission. (How do they know, as you get stamped out of the country, whether or not you're delinquent on your 90 day reporting?)

When we called to the Thai Embassy in New York we were told that my wife was going to need to enter Thailand on her US passport and, like me, apply for an O visa.

We have the same situation as the OP. My wife is a dual Thai/US citizen, and we returned to Thailand last year for a long stay. She was told by the embassy in Washington that she should obtain a Non-O visa and use her US passport.

That both DC and NY are on the same sheet of music is more than curious. Maybe MFA doesn't want Yankee Thais masquerading as pure Thais......Thailand has had some discomfort in its past over dual citizenship, primarily, as I recall, vis-a-vis Malaysia.

But the advice given by both consulates is doubly wrong (unless there's some new guidance we haven't officially heard about) -- wrong about needing to enter on a US passport -- and wrong that you'd need a Non Imm O visa.

Thai nationals/citizens can obtain a one-year extension of stay in their US passport just off their 30-day Visa exempt entry stamp. No funds required, no Non Imm O visa required -- only their Thai ID (or passport). The wife, nervous about passport switching, early in the game did this -- all at Don Muang. Get the 30-day stamp, then turn right in Don Muang to some kind of Immigration counter resolving problems -- and issuing one-year permission of stay stamps. A waste of 1900 baht -- and she subsequently learned to use her Thai passport -- but nevertheless a one-year permission of stay for very little effort -- including not doing 90-day reporting, which was in error on her part -- but she believed being a Thai national precluded such. She never felt any adverse affects by this ommission. (How do they know, as you get stamped out of the country, whether or not you're delinquent on your 90 day reporting?)

Hey There, I'm the OP. Curious about your wife's surname on her passports? There has been some discussion about this. Any problems? My wife for example has my/our surname on her US passport and her family surname on her Thai passport ...

I have a good friend who is Thai, holds US citizenship and lives in the US with American husband. She uses Her Thai passport when entering Thailand for visits.

Interested to know what circumstances why a Thai would want to enter Thailand on foreign passport? Seems to be more trouble than it's worth.

They don't have a Thai passport.

They prefer to enter without need to explain themselves.

They are only visiting for short period so visa exempt entry is fine.

They prefer to just keep track of one document.

They are travelling to other countries where foreign passport is visa exempt entry.

They believe they have more status.

They can show friends there passport/stamps.

They are treated better.

All or none of the above may be valid but suspect there are some using for each reason and many others.

Ok I can understand not having a Thai passport. The other circumstances you listed are fanciful assumptions. Of course if they went to another country they would show US passport if that was convenient.

Maybe a Thai young man of draft age with US passport? I'm thinking he could be grabbed anyway.

Just wondering what circumstance would have a concrete benefit.

Ok I can understand not having a Thai passport. The other circumstances you listed are fanciful assumptions. Of course if they went to another country they would show US passport if that was convenient.

Maybe a Thai young man of draft age with US passport? I'm thinking he could be grabbed anyway.

Just wondering what circumstance would have a concrete benefit.

They aren't fanciful. 15 years of answering questions on this issue, they are all there.

I'll add another couple. Scaremongering and incorrect advice by Thai embassy's abroad.

I first entered thailand with a Thai passport in 1993. I didn't use it howver as I was advised by the embassy in Canberra to enter using my australian passport and then get my stamp transfered over to my Thai oassport at Suan Plu.

You reckoned it happened?

First proper entry into thailand on the Thai passport was at 6am one morning in 1996. No exit stamp. It took 30 minutes of arguing with officials before they would let me in.

I see.

Ok I can understand not having a Thai passport. The other circumstances you listed are fanciful assumptions. Of course if they went to another country they would show US passport if that was convenient.

Maybe a Thai young man of draft age with US passport? I'm thinking he could be grabbed anyway.

Just wondering what circumstance would have a concrete benefit.

They aren't fanciful. 15 years of answering questions on this issue, they are all there.

I'll add another couple. Scaremongering and incorrect advice by Thai embassy's abroad.

I first entered thailand with a Thai passport in 1993. I didn't use it howver as I was advised by the embassy in Canberra to enter using my australian passport and then get my stamp transfered over to my Thai oassport at Suan Plu.

You reckoned it happened?

First proper entry into thailand on the Thai passport was at 6am one morning in 1996. No exit stamp. It took 30 minutes of arguing with officials before they would let me in.

We have friends with Thai passports who travel back to Thailand periodically and were hassled so much when they attempted to enter Thailand with their Thai passport that they swore they would never go through that again. Now they use their U.S. passport.

Hey There, I'm the OP. Curious about your wife's surname on her passports? There has been some discussion about this. Any problems? My wife for example has my/our surname on her US passport and her family surname on her Thai passport ...

No, she kept her Thai surname -- a simple tick of the box on the wedding license application (Hawaii) -- thus no documents to retitle. Plus, when we married 35 years ago, she would have been prevented from owning land in Thailand by being married to me -- and she was already mentally planning her empire in Chiang Mai.

She interestingly has kept her "Miss" title on her Thai ID and Thai passport. (Not sure if there's a "Ms" option now -- years ago there wasn't.) Something about certain Thai actions by a wife required the husband's approval. I'm pretty sure that is ancient history, but if she wants to masquerade as a "Miss," I doubt she's violating any law. And I can't see any downside on my part -- certainly could prove we are married, if we had to (not sure what circumstance that would be....).

I'm sure your wife having two names could cause some problems. Buying a ticket, Thailand to US, using her US name and checking-in at the airline with her US passport -- should cause no problems, at least with the airline. However, at Immigration, ticket name not matching name on Thai passport could require some explaining (assuming she entered on her Thai passport, thus requiring she leave on it). Anyway, why not change her Thai passport and Thai ID names to her married/legal name? That would avoid any problems (and wouldn't prevent her from buying land, as that law changed several years ago.)

Of course, if she's on the "no fly list" with her US name, that Thai alias could come in handy:)

Hey There, I'm the OP. Curious about your wife's surname on her passports? There has been some discussion about this. Any problems? My wife for example has my/our surname on her US passport and her family surname on her Thai passport ...

No, she kept her Thai surname -- a simple tick of the box on the wedding license application (Hawaii) -- thus no documents to retitle. Plus, when we married 35 years ago, she would have been prevented from owning land in Thailand by being married to me -- and she was already mentally planning her empire in Chiang Mai.

She interestingly has kept her "Miss" title on her Thai ID and Thai passport. (Not sure if there's a "Ms" option now -- years ago there wasn't.) Something about certain Thai actions by a wife required the husband's approval. I'm pretty sure that is ancient history, but if she wants to masquerade as a "Miss," I doubt she's violating any law. And I can't see any downside on my part -- certainly could prove we are married, if we had to (not sure what circumstance that would be....).

I'm sure your wife having two names could cause some problems. Buying a ticket, Thailand to US, using her US name and checking-in at the airline with her US passport -- should cause no problems, at least with the airline. However, at Immigration, ticket name not matching name on Thai passport could require some explaining (assuming she entered on her Thai passport, thus requiring she leave on it). Anyway, why not change her Thai passport and Thai ID names to her married/legal name? That would avoid any problems (and wouldn't prevent her from buying land, as that law changed several years ago.)

Of course, if she's on the "no fly list" with her US name, that Thai alias could come in handy:)

If the OP's wife books her round-trip ticket to Thailand using her Thai passport, checks-in at the US airport using her Thai passport, and enters Thailand using her Thai passport, then there would be no problem, right? Who would need to see her US passport going in that direction? For the return trip, she would check-in at the Thai airport using her US passport, she would have to demonstrate that she is the same person who booked the ticket by showing her Thai passport. The passports would match in all respects (first name, date of birth, sex, picture) except for her last name, which I guess could be finessed by having an official document attesting to the marriage. Would that be enough to connect her US passport to her Thai passport in that circumstance? If she gets by checking-in at the Thai airport with her US passport, then she would use her Thai passport to exit Thai immigration, and use her US passport to enter the US.

On the other hand, if she were willing to book two one-way tickets rather than a roundtrip ticket, the problem would not even surface at all. On the way to Thailand, book ticket using Thai passport, check-in on Thai passport, enter Thailand on Thai passport. On the way back to the US, book ticket using US passport, check-in on US passport, exit Thai immigration using Thai passport, and enter the US on US passport. In this second scenario (two one-way tickets) no one would ever need to be shown two passports, just a single passport.

In any scenario some explaining on name difference will be needed.

Roundtrip ticket, on one of the ends, check-in passport won't match the name on the ticket. Hopefully, the airline CSR is a veteran, recognizes the situation, and deals with it. But, you never know what you'll get.

Two one-way tickets in different names, good-to-go at the airline counters -- and on the US side. But Thai Immigration might be curious as to why your Thai passport name doesn't match the name on the ticket. A veteran IO probably would deal with this without a problem. But, of course, you always get a newbie IO, whose supervisor is a doofus.

Hey There, I'm the OP. Curious about your wife's surname on her passports? There has been some discussion about this. Any problems? My wife for example has my/our surname on her US passport and her family surname on her Thai passport ...

No, she kept her Thai surname -- a simple tick of the box on the wedding license application (Hawaii) -- thus no documents to retitle. Plus, when we married 35 years ago, she would have been prevented from owning land in Thailand by being married to me -- and she was already mentally planning her empire in Chiang Mai.

She interestingly has kept her "Miss" title on her Thai ID and Thai passport. (Not sure if there's a "Ms" option now -- years ago there wasn't.) Something about certain Thai actions by a wife required the husband's approval. I'm pretty sure that is ancient history, but if she wants to masquerade as a "Miss," I doubt she's violating any law. And I can't see any downside on my part -- certainly could prove we are married, if we had to (not sure what circumstance that would be....).

I'm sure your wife having two names could cause some problems. Buying a ticket, Thailand to US, using her US name and checking-in at the airline with her US passport -- should cause no problems, at least with the airline. However, at Immigration, ticket name not matching name on Thai passport could require some explaining (assuming she entered on her Thai passport, thus requiring she leave on it). Anyway, why not change her Thai passport and Thai ID names to her married/legal name? That would avoid any problems (and wouldn't prevent her from buying land, as that law changed several years ago.)

Of course, if she's on the "no fly list" with her US name, that Thai alias could come in handy:)

Yea, not a problem,

My wife took my name when we married, but her Thai passport still has her maiden name, All you need to do is carry a copy of your marriage certificate, The airlines and immigration officials are familiar with that situation,

Even before my wife became a US citizen and her Green card was on her married name and her Thai Passport was on her maiden name , she did not have a problem, and we travel a lot, she goes to Thailand at least two times a year for the past seven years.

Never had a problem.