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Keeping it open ? Thailand-Laos-Vietnam-Thailand

Keeping it open ? Thailand-Laos-Vietnam-Thailand

Old Aug 6th, 2022, 12:06 AM
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Keeping it open ? Thailand-Laos-Vietnam-Thailand

Hello
Hoping for some advice please
My husband & I plan to visit Thailand, Laos and Vietnam but really want to keep our plans loose. I have our international flights booked in and out of Bangkok 60 days apart - do we need some form of proof of leaving Thailand within this period or can we simply explain to immigration/border control at the airport we will be travelling around ?
I am worried I need to show a booking to leave Thailand during the 60 days but as we don’t have firm plans an reluctant to book internal travel yet.
Any current advice would be great thanks
Karyn
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Old Aug 6th, 2022, 01:38 AM
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Am I right in assuming you already have a 60 day tourist visa?


If you leave Thailand within that 60 period, you have a couple of options: -

Firstly if you just leave, your 60 day visa will be cancelled but on returning you probably will qualify for a visa-free re-entry for up to 30 days.
Visa waiver - A visa-less entry is available to citizens of bout 43 countries and can be extended for a further 30 days at an immigration office for about 1900 baht (pre-Covid figure).
Overland, your visa-free entries per year are limited to 2. By air, the limits aren't applied (it’s about 6 in one year).
​​​​​​​Each time you leave your visa/stamp is cancelled.


Another alternative is to buy a re-entry permit stamp – again, this used to cost (pre-Covid) 1000 baht. This will enable you to leave and re-enter (once) without cancelling your tourist visa. For about 3600 you can get a multiple re-entry stamp that allows you the freedom to come and go at will. These stamps ae commonly used by people with long-term Non-Immigrant visas, but I’m told are available on tourist visas too.

It is a fault of Thai tourist immigration policy that thy don’t really seem to consider that any visitors to Thailand like to stay for long-ish periods and use Thailand as a hub to visit other countries in the region. They make it very complicated to do this.

Another thing to bear in mind is any Covid based restrictions of entry to and from any neighbouring countries you decide to visit.
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Old Aug 6th, 2022, 02:11 AM
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No visa as yet

Hi Khunwilko
Thank you for your reply
We do not have visas as yet, I thought if we arrive in Thailand and stay less than 30 days as we travel to Laos and then Vietnam and then back to Thailand for again less than 30 days would we be good with the visa free 30 days option for Thailand and apply for visas for Laos and Vietnam at then border crossings - is this possible ?
On arrival in Thailand would we need some form of onward travel if we do it that way ?
Many thanks 🙏🏻
Karyn
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Old Aug 6th, 2022, 01:30 PM
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“Needing” onward travel assumes you’ll be asked. Never in all my travels, many to SE Asia including Thailand, have I been asked & my habit is to buy flights & overland options after arrival. Many of us do it that way, it’s routine. This was before Covid but I doubt that aspect will have changed.

You might compose yourself an itinerary that lays out your hypothetical plan, including mode of onward travel, proposed stops & accommodations to show intent on the remote chance someone asks. I think the official concern is that you have no firm plan to leave the country so since you’ll have a ticket departing BKK it’s a perfectly believable scenario. Also not looking like a bum may be useful.

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Old Aug 6th, 2022, 09:50 PM
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Thank you

Thank you MmePerdu
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Old Aug 7th, 2022, 12:57 AM
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Because my visas were mostly long term non- immigrant bias, I've eve unasked to show proof of onward travel.
I was one asked by the airline at Heathrow...they wouldn't have allowed me to board until I painted out I was on a B visa and work permit so I didn't need proof of onward flight.
It would seem if anyone is going to ask, it would be the airline at point of departure. so you could ring them?

As far as visa-less entry, assuming you're from one of the 43 countries you should get up to 30 days each time you enter Thailand.
Officially you are only allowed to do this twice overland, but the limit for air travel seems to be 6.

I've crossed into Thailand from Laos once on a tourist visa and wasn't; asked for proof of onward travel. This was a the Savannakhet Thai consulate crossing.
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Old Aug 8th, 2022, 02:03 AM
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One the yearsI have done many long trips around or through Asia often using Bangkok as a hub. Throughout that time there have been many changes in entry/visa requirements. Other than a loose outline, I rarely plan more than a few days ahead and have never had any issues. MmmePerdu's comment "Also not looking like a bum may be useful." Is spot on. Lost count of the number of times I have seen grungy backpackers getting a hard time at immigration. The last thing any country wants is foreigners arriving with no cash.

IME where you may have minor hassles is when crossing into neighbouring countries by land. Cambodia and Laos being the worst by far. Be prepared to be asked for "special admin fees, overtime fees, express fees" or to you and I, bribes. I have argued the point at times but it can be a fruitless exercise. If they ask for outrageous amounts then pretend you don't have enough cash or you just don't understand. I once negotiated a $200 spurious fine down to $5 in Laos.

If you are concerned, then print off the pages from the appropriate embassy/govt website and take them with you as proof.

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Old Aug 8th, 2022, 05:35 AM
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Yes, a new US$5 goes a long way is SE Asia. Police in T'land get very little pay and must buy own gear. But they do get a life job. The $5 keeps things moving. I assure you, compared to them, you are vastly wealthy.
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