Hi all

I was hoping someone could give me some advice about a Thailand visa. I'm from the UK so we can use an automatic 30 day tourist visa. Which it seems that we will get once there. However, from the point we get there up to the point we leave we will be there for 30days 2hours and about 30minutes subject to delays in the flight times.

do you think this will be ok or should we get a 60 day visa from london. Thanks!!!

Jason

to the forum, Jason!

Personally I wouldn't run the risk, however small it might be. All it would take is a keen-eyed Thai immigration official on the lookout for a bribe fine to ruin the end of your holiday. Either get yourselves proper visas from your nearest Thai Embassy and forget about it or consider a border run sometime towards the end of your trip to "renew" your visas (I don't know the specifics, as they've changed a lot since I did my last border run, but someone here will be able to tell you the details if you take that option).

Would any of you risk it?

Jason, Would it not be a good idea to simply clear customs a few hours early or hang around in transit for an hour or so before you enter the country? Would that work?

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I love Thailand this much

Thanks for the quick reply guys

We have have booked flights direct from England then back again. I think that's a good idea shanek about just going through border control a few hours early on the way back but theirs two problems with that. It depends on what time the check-in desk opens and the Thai embassy website says that on arrival we must show proof of a departure flight within 30 days. I think i'll try phoning the Thai emabassy in London tomorrow lunch time if that is possible.

oh and just one more quick question. I've just realised there is a Thai consulate in Cardiff which is closer to me than london. Can i get a visa from here. I'm not really sure what a consulate does or is?

thanks

I agree with Shane, dont count the time when your plane leaves, it is from when you clear immigration, you have to be at the airport at least a couple of hours before your flight leaves so go through immigration a bit earlier and you will be fine.
Cathy

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http://www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com

No Thai immigration official is going to tally up your time in the country and take note of 2 hours overstay. When you fly in they never ask to see your departure ticket. And yes, as others have said here, just clear immigration a bit earlier and spend some time in the restaurant & shops past the immigration counter.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn

I have myself experienced that my return departure flight has been leaving at, say 00.50 the day after my visa actually ran out at midnight, and the immigration officer didn't lift an eyebrow at all.

So I think that you may also have another option, which is to pass immigration as you would be planning to, and if the immigration officer stops you for overstaying your visa, the rules are so that you will just have to pay 500 Baht cash on the spot as a fine for overstaying for "one day".

The real danger is if you are overstaying your visa with several days/weeks/months, and you get in trouble with police for some reason, and they want to see your passport and valid visa, which you obviously don't have in that case, that will put you in big trouble.

I would still get through immigration before the clock ticks over to another day, many of these regulations are left up to interpretation by the individual officer, so whereas one friendly official may smile and not care, another bad tempered pig may start getting nasty. Get through early and keep your 500Bt fine for a tom yum and a few beers in the restaurant.

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The Truly Wise Man Never Plays Leapfrog With A Unicorn

Thanks for everyone's advice.

We get there 7:10 30th December and leave 9:55 29th Jan. Maybe i'm working it out wrong. Maybe we are overstaying by 9 hours and 55 minutes instead of just the 2 and a half.

Before I was just thinking of the difference between 7:10 and 9:55. Does anyone know how they work it out.

Sorry for going on about this i'm just a bit anxious about it

Thanks