Thread: Please . What is it ?

I have been asked for my ticket a couple of times in the last few years by the airline check in

Never been asked at immigration when getting my 30 day permission to stay ticket

Originally Posted by Wasp

No plans to go to Laos Cambodia .

But the Immigration officer doesn't know that ....

The way I would do it:

Book the return flight for whatever date suits you.
Arrive with a smile and Visa Exemption.
In the very unlikely event that Immigration ask about length of stay, tell them three weeks. (I have never been asked, to the best of my recollection.) Keep smiling.
In the extremely unlikely event that you are asked to show a return ticket (never happened to me or anyone I know) then show them. If he says "It's over 30 days" just smile and say you and your Thai wife will go over the land border to visit Laos after 3 weeks, then come back to Thailand, then fly out.
Before 30 days, get a visa extension.
There must be a million backpackers who have arrived in Thailand with no ticket out. Whatever happens I am sure it can be discussed over tea and cakes and sorted.

The only thing I would say is that I was held up at London check-in last year when they wanted to know my return date and I told them 'never', just to be awkward. Really, she'd just thumbed slowly through my passport and ignored my Thailand re-entry permit. On balance, I'd rather deal with Thai Immigration who mostly know what they are doing rather than some contracted check-in woman who has a vague idea.

If it still bothers you then david44's post offers some insurance ideas.

Let us know when you are feet up with a cold one in Korat.

Troy : The standard way out of this dilemma for me is to buy a flex ticket with a return within 30 days. If I intend to stay longer I get a marriage visa extension and then change my return ticket to whenever I wish to return. The difference in price for a flex ticket is worth it for the reduced stress/worry.

That seems number one sensible idea . I had assumed a Flexible ticket would be almost Double price . I'll look .

Neverna : Has anybody ever been asked by Thai immigration how long they intend to stay in country? I don't recall ever being asked. And only once has the airline queried it at check-in.

You are of course right , Neverna . But if you're a bit of a worrier ( and I am ) you want to know that noone has any reason to block your travel . I do worry too much . Give myself headaches . But you get older and you miss your partner going away and so all the palava of visas comes up again . SHE meanwhile got one Indefinite Leave To Remain in the UK and flies without a worry . She can never get a UK Passport - though that's just stupid . There's an Exam to get the UK Passport . Here's a question from her Exam " How many Council Members are there in the Northern Ireland Parliament ? " !!!!!!
Ask anybody in Northern Ireland that question and they won't know . Meanwhile all the illegals just sail in .

You're right - as I said - but if there's any cause for difficulty for me I worry .

Thanks Neverna .


Wasp

I know a german woman, comes every year for 2 or 3 months on a tourist or non imm.visa.

last year she tried to get an e visa, but found the e-system too cumbersome and the documentation too onerous (a letter from the thai landlord confirming her rental agreement, the landlord did not want to provide this fearing a tax liability for the rent and all his other rents), so she came visa free, on a 90 day flight. she had no trouble getting on the plane, but immigration at suwannaphum delayed her for over 3 hours whilst they questioned her about her trip, why she did not get a visa, the reason for the trip ( a holiday for fucks sake!) and her intention to return as per her plane ticket.

she was eventually given a 30 day stamp, but missed her pre booked ride from the airport to her destination in hua hin.

maybe she was just unlucky and caught an immig.officer having a bad day, but it is never wise to fuck these immig. morons off and my advice would be to get yourself a 60 or 90 day e-visa.

prepare all your documents in advance, (proof of address in the uk or wherever, driving licence, relevent pages of passport, photo of yourself, photo of you holding the passport, photo of ticket, health insurance if asked for, bank statement and letter from wife inviting you to stay), photograph them as jpegs, or use pdf's, use chrome as your browser and prepare to spend a couple of hours on the website uploading and re uploading etc. the e visa should arrive by e mail after a few days, make sure you have a printed copy of it for the airline check in desk and the immigration at bkk in case they ask to see it.

never ever give a thai immigration officer any opportunity to find an omission or an error and therefore the chance to make their day by inconveniencing and playing around with you.

Sounds like flying to Cambodia then slipping over the border in the dead of night might be the easiest/best option at this stage.

Originally Posted by Edmond

Sounds like flying to Cambodia then slipping over the border in the dead of night might be the easiest/best option at this stage.

if you are rule breaker , or a khmer-rouge-repo-bandit type of maverick

Originally Posted by Wasp

Has anybody ever been asked by Thai immigration how long they intend to stay in country?

When I visited Bangkok earlier in the year I was asked, but I think it was kid showing off for his boss. My wife had gone thru before me and wasn't asked anything, even though she's had visa issues in the past.

Sound stuff taxexile .

Thank you .

W.

Originally Posted by Wasp

Don't give up malmomike .

Let me do that .

I appreciate your help .

apologies waso, it was wrong of me. The E Visa is more trouble, but will once cleared guarantee you 60 days which i thought was your main concern. No worries over IO questions on entry, no in country worries with getting extension but yes as TAX has pointed out some extra work online to obtain it - if you want worry free then do the visa before you fly, no issues with flight bookings etc - E Visa, as the ladies say Up to you

Accepted . And very graciously put . You do put time into your advice and I really appreciate it malmomike . Thanks .

Regards W.

taxexile :
wasp, as many on this forum will confirm, and as you probably already know, monkey brains is but a barely literate imbecile. a retarded pervert whose empty life revolves around this
forum and its repo system.
Most here ignore his infantile bleatings and wouldn't even give him the steam off their piss.


I haven't been here for a while and didn't know of this particularly sad example .
If people like DrWilly want to pull people apart its very easy to do . Just let them say anything at all and then insult them . Bullying .
But I dont know why people like this specimen actually WANT to behave in this way . I've swiftly learned the guy is exactly as you describe him .

Originally Posted by Wasp

That seems number one sensible idea . I had assumed a Flexible ticket would be almost Double price . I'll look .

I checked with some random dates, outside the Christmas period, and you should be able to buy a cheap "saver" outward journey with a full flex return journey, which is about €200 more expensive. However, you can also get a cheap deal return flight with €100 excess to change ticket. The former is more convenient because you can change the ticket online, whereas the excess charge ticket requires a trip to a travel agent.

It all depends where you are in Thailand. I have done both without any hassle. Just remember that you can only change to a later date and I think you can only do it once.

The school summer break (July/August) and Christmas are excessively expensive nowadays so we go early in November or late in February when it's off season and the prices are more reasonable for direct flights. I still fly Thai because of the baggage deal when flying domestic up to Udon within 24 hours.

Troy : I checked with some random dates, outside the Christmas period, and you should be able to buy a cheap "saver" outward journey with a full flex return journey, which is about €200 more expensive. However, you can also get a cheap deal return flight with €100 excess to change ticket. The former is more convenient because you can change the ticket online, whereas the excess charge ticket requires a trip to a travel agent.

I can only say 'Thank You' for the amount of information ( and Repu Points ! ) that a whole bunch of very decent people have sent on this question . I'll draw a Line here now because there's a lot to go through and plan from . If someone thinks I'm a bit of a wuss - well you're probably right . I don't like the Thailand heat but then I certainly don't like the freezing cold that we're going through right now . MINUS 12 Last night !!! It was bad enough when my Football team was finally getting its act together and then got 10 points taken away ! Anyway .... have a pleasant Christmas you guys .

Wasp

So, after all this. What's your plan of action now, Waspy?

Originally Posted by Troy

outward journey with a full flex return journey, which is about €200 more expensive. However, you can also get a cheap deal return flight with €100 excess to change ticket.

Last time I used onwardticket.com it was $20 for a verified return flight reservation.
Save some money and get an extra serving of som tum when you're in Thailand.

Edmond : So, after all this. What's your plan of action now, Waspy?


It's Sunday . And very cold . So I'm going to sit by my fire and work through all the helpfulness and come to a decision .

But while you are here ...... do you have a good agent for Visas in Korat ?
An agent you would happily recommend ?

Or if anyone else is looking here do YOU have a really good agent in Korat ?

Wasp

Originally Posted by Wasp

do you have a good agent for Visas in Korat ?

PM Mendip and ask if he has a Visa run coming up.

If not he might invent one.

Worth a try

Originally Posted by Troy

I checked with some random dates, outside the Christmas period, and you should be able to buy a cheap "saver" outward journey with a full flex return journey, which is about €200 more expensive. However, you can also get a cheap deal return flight with €100 excess to change ticket. The former is more convenient because you can change the ticket online, whereas the excess charge ticket requires a trip to a travel agent.

I think it depends on the airline, Troy. Earlier this year I changed dates on a return leg with Emirates. I did it online. It was very easy. Just took a few minutes.

Originally Posted by Wasp

But while you are here ...... do you have a good agent for Visas in Korat ?
An agent you would happily recommend ?

Or if anyone else is looking here do YOU have a really good agent in Korat ?

Wasp

Why do you need an agent, Wasp? If you want to extend your stay, just pop into the immigration office, fill out a form, wait to be served, pay your cash, and Robert's your mother's brother. An agent is an unnecessary expense, IMO.

I agree with Nev, an agent is unnecessary and expensive. I guess it depends on the immigration office, but my local one is very helpful and as long as you have the right paperwork all is done reasonably quickly.