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Spinnekop
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Hi Everyone
Just another stupid question from a poorly experienced traveler! I was in Thailand start of this year and only stayed 3 weeks, wow what a place!! So I'm planning going back in January 2010 for +/- 60 days this time but also to visit Cambodia and Vietnam.
I'm South African so I'm exempt for 30 days without needing a Visa. Here is the question: When I land at Bangkok international with my current plane ticket it says I will only leave Thailand in 60 days and not 30, what questions can I expect from the guys at the gates? I also want to visit Cambodia and Vietnam during this period. Do I simply tell them that I want to visit those countries as well so I will be leaving via air or land? Will they take this as a valid excuse for the 60 day stay? Or will I be needing a Visa for this?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks for a brilliant website Travelfish it is the best out there by far!
#1 Posted: 24/10/2009 - 14:34
DLuek
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It's highly unlikely that they will ask to see proof of onward travel. If they do, don't even show them the ticket out of Thailand 60 days later. Instead, just tell them you'll be going to Cambodia by land within 30 days of your arrival in Thailand. You won't need a visa as long as you leave Thailand before your 30 days are up.
Don't forget that if you enter back into Thailand by land you'll only get a free 15 days (they only give 30 if you're flying in now).
#2 Posted: 25/10/2009 - 02:23
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Spinnekop
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Thanks Dluek, it all makes sense, but I'd hate to fly into Thailand and the guys being difficult about travel details, the South African passport is not the most highly regarded passport in the world so I'd hate to have to spend time in a little office on the airport explaining myself! I've never traveled for a prolonged period so its all new to me.
I have taken note of the 15 days when returning via land, I will probably fly back into Thailand from Hanoi :)
Thanks again for the help much appreciated.
#3 Posted: 25/10/2009 - 12:55
kukuruza
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Instead, just tell them you'll be going to Cambodia by land within 30 days of your arrival in Thailand. You won't need a visa as long as you leave Thailand before your 30 days are up.
#4 Posted: 3/11/2009 - 20:57
daveglt
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Yeah i flew into thailand planning on leaving 60 days later, with trips outside the country. They didn't ask me, just stamped my passport and off i went. A word of warning on the visa front though, lonely planet says that the fee for overstaying the visa per day in thailand is 200baht, but i flew out two days ago, having overstayed the visa by a couple of days, and it's now 500 baht per day. So that was a nasty suprise.
#5 Posted: 4/11/2009 - 05:10
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greenman42
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Hey Spider, if you're still in the country and anywhere near Pretoria, the Royal Thai Embassy, in Hatfield, will grant you a tourist visa, at no charge until April. They are quite helpful and efficient. That might make things easier for you, or just uneccessarily complicate them, I don't know, you will have to decide.
As for the passport, I don't think the Thai's discriminate any more against us Safa's than anyone else, to them a farang is just a farang.
#6 Posted: 4/11/2009 - 11:08
Spinnekop
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Thanks for the info guys, its all very reassuring stuff. Greenman thanks for the local SA info, the hatfield tip is quite handy will check it out, though I'm not currently in the country.
#7 Posted: 4/11/2009 - 16:40
bass_ke
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I've made 4 Entries into Thailand and never been questioned about onwards tickets, I've only had them once as the other 3 times I've exited overland.
Explaining to the concept of Overland travel out of a country to Sri Lankan check in agents is another story though, that's after the battle of explaining to Sri Lankan travel agencies that Australians are exempt from obtaining Visa's for Thailand!
#8 Posted: 5/11/2009 - 18:28