A Few Days Before I Leave

[Rogr]

Hi,

I'm flying to Thailand in 3 days time, and stupidly have left organising my visas too late. I'm dual Aus/UK citizen, flying out from Aus.

I have a one way ticket to Bangkok and thats all. I am planning on spending a few months around SE asia. I rang the Thai embassy here today and was told that I will need proof of exit from Thailand to be eligble for the 30day visa excemption program, otherwise I would need a visa. Due to processing time required for visas, this isn't possible to organise before I leave.

So this leaves me with one option that I can see.. organise travel out of Thailand online and print out itenarys. Is it safe to do so through Thai based travel companys? I'm just going to look for a cheap flight or bus trip out so I can cancel it if my plans change while i'm there, which is quite likely.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks

[robhudd]

Hi Rogr. They probably wont check when you arrive in Thailand but the airline will check when you checkin and if you do not have an onward ticket they wont let you board. Get a travel agent to prit you an itinerary for an onward ticket but dont pay for it.

Good luck and have fun on your travels.

[Rajah]

I (...) was told that I will need proof of exit from Thailand to be eligble for the 30day visa excemption program, otherwise I would need a visa.

The check in could become a problem. If you don't have a return ticket or a visa, there is a possibility, that you are not allowed to board the plane. Make sure, you can show another ticket at the check in.

[Axel]

Yes, you do need a ticket out of Thailand to satisfy the AIRLINE, who would have to pay a fine of Baht 20,000 and fly you out if immigration for whatever reason does not let you it.

No, bus ticket is not enough.

[Lite Beer]

www.airasia.com

Book a cheap flight online. If you dont use it just throw it away. Cheap

[Rogr]

Thanks heaps guys.

I went to a couple of travel agents and they said basically the same thing.. that getting into thailand once i'm there shouldn't be a problem.. but boarding the flight there might be. One of them even said it was too expensive to book through them, and that i should check out airasia.com

I rang Jetstar (airline i'm flying in with) and asked if i'll need to show visas or proof of onward flight while checking in. He said all i will be asked for is my passport and photo id, and they won't check for proof of onward travel. Do some airlines just have less strict restrictions or was he misinformed?

[Nakhon1]

Yes, you do need a ticket out of Thailand to satisfy the AIRLINE, who would have to pay a fine of Baht 20,000 and fly you out if immigration for whatever reason does not let you it.

No, bus ticket is not enough.

You need a ticket out of Thailand to satisfy IMMIGRATION rules which are not enforced by them by all accounts.

Whether the airline looks for a visa or not depends on the airline or the check in staff. I have no idea what appears on the screen when you check in. I can report that in the innumerable times I have checked in for a Thailand bound flight (albeit with a visa), on only 2 occasions did the check-in agent flick through the passport to find a visa or ask if I had one. Because of past reading on this forum I always look out of curiousity.

That said, my advice to anyone is don't chance it without a visa or onward ticket.

And to add confusion upon confusion.

Question: Where did I lift this from?

Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

Answer: From Ministry of foreign Affairs requirements for issue abroad of a TOURIST VISA.

So if Thailand wants to get really nasty with the waves of 30 day borders hoppers expected to converge on Penang in January they need only enforce this rule.

Incidentally the London Embassy website also specifies this as a requirement for issue of a tourist visa but I have no idea if it is enforced.

.

[Axel]

For holders of British passports checking in for Thailand following text will be shown on the airline - computers (similar for all other visa-exempt nationalities):

/ 01DEC06 / 0450 UTC

National UNITED KINGDOM (GREAT BRITAIN) (GB)

Destination THAILAND (TH)

THAILAND (TH)

Passport (must be in good condition) required.

1. If holding passport (must be laid at least 30 days)

endorsed:

- British Citizen ; or

- British National (Overseas) issued in Hong Kong:

visa not required for a max. stay of 30 days, provided

coming for touristic purposes. Extension up to 10 days is

possible. Fee THB 1900.- (1 photo required).

It is recommended to hold onward/return tickets.

2. In all other cases:

passport (must be valid 6 months beyond visa application and

in good condition) and visa required.

If holding APEC Business Travel Card together with passport:

visa not required.

Entry may be refused if of "hippy" appearance.

For more information see: For details, click here .

Visitor must hold all documents for next destination.

If being over 12 years old, visitor must also hold sufficient

funds (e.g. letter of credit, vouchers, MCO's or well-known

credit cards) to cover stay (not applicable if holding

re-entry visa).

Non-compliance with the visa regulations will result in:

- refusal and immediate deportation of passenger;

- fines for the airline of THB 20,000,-;

- overstay fine for passenger of THB 500,- per day (but not

exceeding in total THB 20,000.-).

In my own experience over the last ~200 flights to Thailand, always checking in with a passport or other travel document without a visa, I was queried about 50% for not having a visa and flying on a ticket ending in BKK. (OK, I got a visa, but in another p/port which I show than). It very much depends on the mood of the check-in staff.

If travelling without a visa, following rules apply for 40 countries plus Hong Kong:

TOURIST VISA EXEMPTION

- According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements dated 1 October B.E. 2545 (2002), 20 December B.E. 2545 (2002), 18 October B.E. 2547 (2004) and 6 May B.E. 2548 (2005), passport holders from 40 countries and 1 special administrative region – Hong Kong SAR – are not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days on each visit. Foreigners who enter the Kingdom under the Tourist Visa Exemption category may re-enter and stay in Thailand for a cumulative duration of stay of not exceeding 90 days within any 6-month period from the date of first entry.

- Please note that Tourist Visa Exemption does not apply to foreigners holding Travel Document for Aliens issued by these 40 countries.

- Foreigners entering Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category must possess adequate finances for the duration of stay in Thailand (i.e., cash 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family).

I still wonder how the airlines are going to check the 90 days in 6 months-rule, but I never experienced any airline-staff asking to show the cash.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Axel

[Nakhon1]

It is recommended to hold onward/return tickets.

And what exactly would that mean to a check in agent?

[lopburi3]

The wording previously was "required" so if they follow the new IATA directive there should not be a problem; but it is an airline decision of who boards and who does not so it would probably not be a good idea to count on anything and therefore I would, as the sign says, recommend an onward ticket.

[Axel]

Yes, the word "recommended" leaves a leeway with the check-in staff, who in turn follow internal company regulations.

We have had reports here in the forum from people having had to sign a form keeping the airline free of responsibility.

The problem now is, no more clear rule that one must have a ticket and the staff at check in should decide how to keep the passenger happy without putting the airline at risk.

Still, to avoid problems while checking in, either have a visa or, if going for visa-exempt-entry, an outbound ticket. And, as said, the airlines want to see either. The immigration-officer does not care usually for the ticket, although it is within his/her power to ask for whatever they want to see.

[Mahout Angrit]

Thanks heaps guys.

I rang Jetstar (airline i'm flying in with) and asked if i'll need to show visas or proof of onward flight while checking in. He said all i will be asked for is my passport and photo id, and they won't check for proof of onward travel. Do some airlines just have less strict restrictions or was he misinformed?

In practice its only the airline who could give you problems and as they have said you dont need an onward ticket then its OK but cant you get that in writing by sending an email so you have proof if they change the story at check in. Dont know what your plans are in Thailand but presumably you will be moving on or back so will need a ticket to somewhere sometime. If you were concerned get an eticket from AirAsia or similar cheap airline to a nearby country.

[Rogr]

Hi All,

Just thought i'd give an update incase there were any first timers in the same position.

After following the advice given here, I ended up buying a ticket through airasia.com to Penang pretty cheaply (1900 baht inc taxes). Checking in at Jetstar terminal I was asked if I had my itenary with me which i said i didn't (I did but wanted to check if they forced it) and was just asked where the next country i was going to was. I just said Malaysia and all was fine. The fact that she did ask for my itenary says to me that some check-in staff may be stricter if they are in the mood to be.

Going through Thai immigration was a breeze, I was literally in and out in 15secs without a word said to me. Customs was completely non-existant.. i even asked a customs guy if that was where customs was and he pointed me to the exit.

I ended up sleeping in and missing my flight to Penang, so i got a bus from Bangkok down to Hat Yai (i'm spending NYE down south) to do a border run. It was my first one obviously so I didn't know what to expect but it was fairly smooth.. here are the details to do one on your own for newcomers:

- VIP bus from Bangkok to Hat Yai (750 baht), switched from vip bus to mini-bus at Surat Thani

- Night at Cathay guesthouse with very friendly and helpful staff (200baht)

- mini-bus to pedang basar from across the street from Cathay's (50 baht). bus dropped me at the border.

- helpful motorcycle taxi had all forms for entry/exit from Malaysia and re-entry into Thailand, rode with him through all checkpoints and he dropped me back to mini-bus station (50 baht)

- mini-bus back to Hat Yai (50 baht)

It ended up taking about 4hrs from leaving till returning at the guesthouse, and the entire process was smooth.

Hope this helps someone else in a similar position.

Cheers