Korean Job Discussion Forums

[widespread123]

My co-worker told me that I cannot fly into Bangkok and some other countries without having a return flight already book out of Thailand. I am planning on having my hagwon send me to Bangkok, taking the CELTA and then bummin around all of SE Asia for an undetermined amount of time. This would put a damper on things. I have never heard of this before.

::in jerry seinfeld voice::

Whats the deal with one-way tickets into SE Asia?

[Matman]

There are no general rules about "SE Asia" - it depends on the country. For Thailand if you plan staying for more than a month you need to apply for a visa in advance and they will want to see your outbound ticket. Even for a visa on arrival you need to fill in a form stating your departure date and flight number - although immigration has never asked to see my ticket so you could take a risk. I hear Thai immigration is getting stricter though - especially if you look like a backpacker.

I think with almost every country in the world you're supposed to have an outbound ticket to get a tourist visa.

[articulate_ink]

I've never been asked to show an onward ticket but I don't look like a backpacker. However, your landing card might ask for details of your outbound flight. (I don't remember; I've filled out a lot of those things in the last year or so.) Thailand has had a problem with illegal overstays for decades and has been clamping down. I think if you try to book a one-way ticket on Air Asia (for example), you'll get a warning window that you will have to have an outbound flight when you arrive in the country. Thai Immigration might accept a bank statement showing you have enough money to feed yourself, to pay for lodging, and to pay for your departure. Or they might not. Why risk it?

[While Away]

It is true that it is an immigration rule that you have on onward ticket within 30 days, but I have never had immigration check it. The one who will check it is the airline checkin agent in Seoul. Often, they wont let you board the plane without showing the onward ticket. If it is a round trip ticket, they won't ask, they can see it already in their hand.
If you have a Thai visa, you don't need the onward ticket. Seems like gettging a Thai visa (good for 60 days) in Seoul is your best bet. Then you are free to come into Bangkok one way. Since the Celta is four weeks (28 days) and the entry stamp with no visa is 30 days, getting a visa (good 60 days) should be good for you.
Price for Thai visa just went up. Think it is $30 now (maybe 25) up from 20 before. Ballpark figures, but not too expensive.

[sojourner1]

Is that 60 day Thai visa still good if you exit Thailand into Cambodia or other countries and then want to re-enter Thailand within that 60 day time period?

[While Away]

The 60 day Thai visa is finished when you leave the country at any border. It is usually a single entry visa. You can buy a double entry visa for double the money.
So when you leave, your visa is finished. When you want to come back, you will get a 30 day entry stamp. From my understanding of the current situaltion, the Cambodia border is asking to see an airplane ticket out of Thailand to cross back in. Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia are currently not asking to see this onward ticket. Even at Cambodia they are making some way of buying a 200 bt bus ticket as your "onward journey" and then letting you back in Thailand. For the lastest on these annoyances see the website "thaivisa.com" Note that this website is full of people thinking the sky is falling so take a lot with a grain of salt.

[Matman]

Here's what the Thai Embassy in London says for a 60 day visa:

[bucheon bum]

I flew into Bangkok a couple times one-way this year. No questions asked, had no problems whatsoever.

[silvertoes]

I'm very confused about how long it takes to get a 60-day visa at the embassy in Seoul. It's called 'on the spot' and yet I've read that it takes 2 days, which is hardly 'on the spot'. I really don't want to have to shell out time and money for trips to Seoul from Daegu and back twice in one week. Can anyone tell me whether it's possible to get a truly 'on the spot' visa in Seoul? (I can go into Thailand on the 30 day exemption but have a one way ticket as I'm planning to overland into Cambodia, and don't want any hassle).

[Matman]

Going overland to Cambodia is not worth the hassle. It might seem like a great adventure but in reality you just waste a couple of days on mud roads and are left wide open to scammers and thieves (not least Cambodian immigration officials). It would probably work out cheaper for you not to get the 60 day visa but instead to book a flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh online, print off the e-ticket and then get a visa on arrival in Bangkok. There are cheap flights to Phnom Penh then you can take the bus to Siem Reap or Sihanoukville (the only 2 paved roads in Cambodia) for about $4. Also Bangkok Airways goes direct to Siem Reap if that's the only place you want to see. Or you can do what I did and fly to Siem Reap, take the bus to Phnom Penh and then fly direct back to Bangkok.

[silvertoes]

Wicked, cheers. Souns like a better idea. Though when I look for flights on Opodo they cost $250 or more which seems a lot. When you say to get a visa 'on arrival' in Bangkok. do you mean I could apply for the 60 day there? In the airport?

[Matman]

Book directly on the Air Asia and Bangkok Airways websites. Air Asia in particular is the region's budget airline.

At Bangkok you just have to fill in a visitor visa form (usually handed out on the flight, otherwise available at the airport) and join the immigration queue. This gives you permission to stay for 30 days (depending on your nationality). On the form you have to fill in your outbound flight number and date. They very rarely ask to actually see your ticket.

[silvertoes]

Booked a flight online today, and it's partially refundable just in case I don't use it (I actually have a job in Thailand and my employers will be sorting something out for me in the longer term). Cheers for your help! And bye bye Korea.