I just had to do eye test and pic taken. No tests whatsoever. It's good for 1 year initially, then extended for 5 years. I had a license from home Canada, but don't think they cared either way?? Also, been stopped at random checks while driving at least 10 times, been asked for a license a total of zero times.

Where was this? also, did they stopped you at night?Here in Chiang Mai checkpoints during the day are for helmet/driver's license/tax and at night are for DUI/Drugs. But wouldn't be surprised if things work the completely opposite way elsewhere in the country.

I can't remember the last time I've been stopped in BKK. At least 6 years now but I'll rarely drive more than 5km and I don't live anywhere near suk/silom.

never been pulled over in the city anywhere. Always highway checkpoints where they're stopping every car. I know once it was for tax/registration sticker. All other times I assume it was drugs, few times it was near borders...I got buncha tickets for driving motorbike without helmet way back in the day, but even then they never asked for license

Got pulled over the first time in Nonthaburi for riding the wrong lane, I showed my EU car driving licence, then my Thai gf and the old cop yelled at each other for 3 minutes, then she said you just pay him 100 baht we go. Apparently he was not happy about the licence.

Then I got pulled over like once a month with the Thai one, no questions asked each time. You definitly need fluent Thai or a translator/agent tho, if you do it in bkk. I also used it for domestic flights and checking hotels, as I don't like to carry my passport everywhere.

Hey Guys! Wondering about moving to Thailand. Play 200nl - and study a lot.
Most likely going to move by myself - but would very much like to meet up with pokerplayers in Thailand.

Anyone staying atm - and where do you stay. I also enjoy golfing - if anyone is into that.

-Cheers!

Saw your other post. Grind houses aren't really a thing in Thailand afaik. You're probably about 10-15 years too late for those. I think there might be a Skype group, but I don't know what it is. Also, my guess is the biggest poker community is in Chiang Mai, although I wouldnt recommend it unless you enjoy inhaling smoke 2-3 months every year.

I hope I understood this correctly. If you enter Thailand under the visa exemption scheme, you can stay for a maximum of 30 days. This is allowed twice a year. So if I were to fly to Thailand in January, travel to Cambodia within 30 days, return to Thailand and finally fly back to Europe within 30 days there shouldn't be any issues.

However, I want to travel to Cambodia (and return to Thailand) by train, not by plane. So upon my first arrival in Thailand I won't be able to produce a return ticket to Immigration with a flight date less than 30 days later. So do I need to order train tickets online or something, or book a refundable flight to Cambodia? Or would it be enough to tell Immigration about my plans and show them my visa for Cambodia?

^ Aren't they no longer doing visa exemption during covid. That is correct though in terms of how it used to work so if it goes back to normal in January yeah you could do that. And normally they don't ask westerners for proof of onward travel, but for peace of mind you could show the train tickets. Any onward travel out of thailand is the same, whether to cambodia or to point of origin

If by visa exemption you mean Visa on Arrival, yes you can stay for 30 days. So your plan of one month in each of Thailand, Cambodia and back to Thailand will work.

I have never been checked for onward flights when going to Thailand in the 20 or so times I have come here, including last week. I asked the airline (Thai Air) in Manila directly if they wanted to see my onward flight out of Thailand, while waiting to check in last week and they were not interested. Needless to say I cancelled that onward flight immediately, as I had booked through Orbitz the day before and they had a 24-hour free cancellation policy. In all my time travelling, no Immigration from any country has ever asked me for an onward flight. It has always been the Airline demanding an onward flight at check-in (always when going to Philippines).

Okay, apparently 'visa exemption' and 'visa on arrival' are both used and they basically mean the same thing: I don't need to arrange any visa for Thailand beforehand. Thanks guys.

Visa exemption>>>>>>Visa on arrival

Yes. Also when in Thailand you could go the immigration and extend your tourist visa for one month.

Immigration doesn't ask. Airline staff at check-in do, rarely, ask. Sometimes it is fine if you simply tell you will go by bus/train, or they might insist on seeing a ticket. Politely arguing can work, like; "I have visa already, I've been there many times, never needed ticket" etc. I heard about people signing a waiver that says you are responsible of any costs arising if not permitted entry.
There are websites renting-out flight ticket reservations and cancelling it afterwards, only for this purpose. Google for onward ticket.

Personally, I just look up the flights beforehand and buy it only if I am forced during check-in. Obviously don't check-in last minute and be sure your credit card works.

Btw. I think Thailand-Cambodia land borders are still closed. Might open soon though.

There are 20 countries that get a physical visa on arrival in a separate queue in the airport when they land. The US and most of Europe get a small stamp, which is a visa exemption

They haven't announced they're going back to that yet though have they? If nothing changes by January you'll have to do all the covid paperwork, applying for a physical visa in your country of origin, then a thailand pass after that

Think I've been asked to see proof every time when checking in with the airline. Sample size of roughly 8 or 9 flights in but not since 2018. Always just had the "rented" ticket for 8 bucks or whatever it is and had no issues. Surprised Timogen hasn't had any issues in 20+ flights tbh. Variance or maybe airline dependent?

The majority of my flights to Thailand have been from Philippines (Cebu Pacific, Philippine Air and Air Asia), but I have also come in from HK, VN and Korea (twice), all 4 times with different airlines without once being asked for an onward flight.

When I flew here last week, I got the standard TM6 form we all know and love on the plane. There are all kinds of Visa on Arrival banners all over the place in BKK. I handed the pre-screeners all my Thailand pass crap plus the TM6, they checked it, gave it back and then waved me on to the usual Immigration officers (there were more officers than passengers, I have never seen less than 500 passengers in that hall way). The Immigration officers stamped my passport for one month and stamped my TM6. Off to the baggage carousel and then to the exit where you are greeted by dozens of hotel reps asking which SHA+ hotel you are going to.

I have already got my one month extension, by going to Immigration over the past two days. Pretty much the same as it was before covid, except it takes twice as long now. Make sure your hotel has checked you into the Immigration system because you will need to notify Immigration of your address, which they will check against what your hotel put in the system to make sure they match (5 hours of total time). They stapled the receipt of notification slip into my passport. Once that is completed you will be allowed to take your filled out extension application with attached picture along with a photocopy of your Passport ID page and a photocopy your stamp page with the TM6 form to the Visa Extension counter , where they will take your 1900 Baht and your picture and then provide you with a new stamp that expires 30 days after the expiry of your current stamp (90 minutes total time). At least this is what is happening in Chon Buri, it used to take 2-3 hours to do everything, now it is over 6 hours.

Visa exemption is available again since a few months (i just did it). If you're from a western country and stay less than 30 days, you just arrive, same as before.
Only difference is that you need to apply for Thailand Pass before hand (and get PCR test stuff, test & go scheme etc), but that's independent from the visa situation.

@OP: As long as you behave clearly as a tourist (=stay only a few weeks, then travel outside), you can come as many time as you want per year on visa exemption. It's only if they think that you abuse the visa exemption to stay long term in Thailand and work there, that they (can) make trouble.

Afaik the land borders are still closed between Cambodia and Thailand though, so the only option is to fly between both countries. I thought i read last week that they want to reopen the land border soon, but afaik that's not the case yet (but i might be wrong on that). But this means no trains, just plane travel possbile atm.

Much obliged. I had read conflicting information regarding tourist visas on several websites (some of them outdated, most likely), so it's nice to have this thread to fall back to.

I guess I'll be getting (refundable) flight tickets to Cambodia then.

My friend just got his Visa exemption extended in BKK yesterday.
Not more than 3hrs and also it was a 45 day extension instead of the normal 30day so the quoted hell seems to just be a Chonburi thing.
Also he said it doesn't look like he can get another extension, needs to leave the country.
Anyone know a way around this?

I'd say his best bet is go to a visa agency, most of the times they have a way to work around these things for the right kind of money.

My experience trying to get an extension and using an agency:

I had entered Thailand in February on a Special Tourist Visa that is good for 3 months plus two more 3-month extensions = 9 months total. I went to an agency to try to get a 1-year extension and I found out that I cannot extend a Special Tourist Visa. I wish I had known this before I got it! The agency told me that I had to leave Thailand and then return on a different visa or a visa exemption and then I could get the 1-year extension.

So I flew to Albania and back just to re-enter Thailand on a visa exemption. I chose Albania because they have no PCR test required to enter and no quarantine required so it was the fastest way to get out and back. I flew Emirates Bangkok to Dubai to Albania and back the same route. I did have to quarantine in Bangkok on arrival for the 2 weeks but this was better than 2 quarantines!

I entered Thailand on a visa exemption and then after quarantine, I went straight to the visa agency and had them do a 1 year extension for me. They first got me a 3 month "O" visa based on marriage and then a 1-year retirement visa, so I got a total of 15 months. It wasn't cheap but it was well worth it for the peace of mind as I didn't have to deal with the mountain of paperwork and bureaucracy...I went to their office once to sign all the papers and they did all the legwork. The price also includes 90 day reporting, I just drop my passport off at the agency every 3 months and they go to immigration and do the 90 day report for me.

If you're not married to a Thai or you're not old enough for the retirement visa then there are probably other options. But rest assured that the visa exemption is perfectly fine to get an extension in-country without having to leave.

Did you try another agency or go to the immigration by yourself ?
The agency lied to you, you can get the covid extention even on STV :

How much did you pay for them to do the paperwork for mariage and retirement visa ?


Also for those interrested a review on a border run to Cambodia (need to be vaxxed) :

They didn't lie. I couldn't get a 1-year marriage or retirement extension while I entered on an STV. They do this for a job and they stand to make a lot of money from me so they aren't going to lie to me. Also, I don't want covid extensions because I don't want to get thrown out of Thailand suddenly when they stop the covid extensions and not be able to return, so I am only interested in a 1-year extension where I can stay long-term and renew without leaving the country.

The Test & Go scheme has been suspended.