Outward Ticket Loophole?

[inasia]

(I did a search, but surprisingly didn't find this issue addressed - apologies if I missed the topic)

How do travellers get around the outward ticket requirement in Thailand?

In practice, are people asked to produce their outward tickets?

The rule is nonsensical, as travellers are likely to pass through Thailand on their way to Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia ,Malaysia, or even China by boat. (There are probably other places that can be reached overland/water too).

My situation is that I want to take advantage of cheap flights to Bangkok from Hanoi, then travel to Cambodia, leave visa Thailand again, then go to Laos and China.

What do other travellers do? Buy a flight ticket, then refund it?

Can you buy train tickets online? Can these be used as proof of onward travel?

What's the loophole around the Thai's idiotic rule?

[george]

Immigration rarely ask for ticket proof, but your airline will check that requirement.

Get a double entry Tourist visa in your country before arrival, and you don't need an onward ticket.

[lopburi3]

As said the requirement is for entry without visa - obtain a visa and there should be no problem from airlines (which is where it is most likely) or immigration.

[andy778]

Get a double entry Tourist visa in your country before arrival, and you don't need an onward ticket.

is this for sure?

anybody did this after oct 1st?

[lopburi3]

Yes it is for sure. And I suspect thousands have done it since Oct 1.

[rcys]

I've been in and out of Thailand 3 times in the past 4 months and have yet to be asked a single question, much less proof that I have an onward ticket, which I don't have. Most countries that I've been to in the past 9 months "require" proof of onward travel, but I have not been asked to show it. I'm traveling around on 1-way tickets and never have an onward ticket. I wouldn't worry about it. Just look presentable when you cross any borders or fly and you shouldn't have any problems.

[PREM-R]

"Just get a TR Tourist visa" is a wise quote but is it not necessary to be in posession of a ":paid-in-full, onward ticket" in order to procure the TR visa in the first place?

[lopburi3]

"Just get a TR Tourist visa" is a wise quote but is it not necessary to be in posession of a ":paid-in-full, onward ticket" in order to procure the TR visa in the first place?

Not at most places. Often Consulates will list it as an item but only require if for non local applications and do not believe many Consulates in the area even require it (other than perhaps Manila).

[rocky]

(I did a search, but surprisingly didn't find this issue addressed - apologies if I missed the topic)

How do travellers get around the outward ticket requirement in Thailand?

In practice, are people asked to produce their outward tickets?

The rule is nonsensical, as travellers are likely to pass through Thailand on their way to Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia ,Malaysia, or even China by boat. (There are probably other places that can be reached overland/water too).

My situation is that I want to take advantage of cheap flights to Bangkok from Hanoi, then travel to Cambodia, leave visa Thailand again, then go to Laos and China.

What do other travellers do? Buy a flight ticket, then refund it?

Can you buy train tickets online? Can these be used as proof of onward travel?

What's the loophole around the Thai's idiotic rule?

The biggest obstacle you will face is the check in desk in your home country. The airlines are instructed not to allow people to fly into Thailand if they do not have an outbound ticket.

The way to approach the airline check in desk

1) Explain to the check in staff“I Have an e ticket to forward you out of Thailand to another country i.e. Australia, Japan, Philippeens America etc… you do not have the ticket as one was not printed and only an e ticket”

2) Show proof of being able to leave Thailand via showing a credit card or cards to proof that you can also pay for the another air ticket.

Check in desks can be a pain in the ass with this ticket issue, I fly return trip from Bangkok to London, London to Bangkok, so I never have a return ticket when flying into Thailand from London, but the methods above work 100% i.e. I purchase my tickets in Thailand

One time I flew into Sydney from Bkk and on the return leg from Sydney to Bangkok, the check in staff would at first not let me check in as I didn’t have an outbound ticket to leave Thailand, I explained that I had left this ticket in a safe deposit box in Bangkok, then produced credit cards, then I was checked onto the plain.

edit as i hadnt made it clear about point 1

Edited November 8, 2006 by rocky

[lopburi3]

The no entry without ticket rule came up when you did not have a visa and it was shown as a requirement on the airline computers for 30 day entry (the requirement no longer appears on the IATA database used by Delta so it has probably been dropped by others also).