Our recent experience of Nong Khai (land border) immigration

I thought it might be helpful to summarise our experience when we entered by land border at NK 2 days ago. Posting anonymous as this is a public group and friends don’t need to see this!

We are a couple from Europe (in our 40s) who are currently in month 4 of our travels around SE Asia backpacking. We visited Thailand twice previously in the last year, always exiting back to the UK.

I was really concerned about this border crossing given previous comments on this page and on Google reviews. So much so that we didn’t take the international bus from Laos in case we had any issues and it left us! Do we did it DIY style.

On our current travels we have previously spent:-

- 6 weeks in Thailand (exited by flight)

- one month in Cambodia

- one month in Laos

We entered Thailand again. At NK immigration both of us were given a new 60 day visa exempt stamp, no questions asked. Not one. We had no onward flight booked but met the other criteria, if it was asked. The (male) IO was so unbothered that both of us had to ask him if that was it and we could leave 🤣

My partner never had any concerns, just me. He believes we are not the demographic they are concerned about and we don’t stay near the 60 day limit, or extend.

We will be going to Vietnam next in a couple of weeks before coming back into Thailand by air sometime in the next couple of months. I’ll be worried again for that I’m sure!

Anyway, might be useful information for someone ☺️

Be interested in anyone’s experiences on re-entry to Thailand recently on a DTV Soft Power, ie what sort of checks and questions by Immigration ?

Samui Airport DTV

Would like to ask if anyone can share their experience to land at Samui Airport with DTV? How’s the immigration there? Is there documents (proof of funds the 500k, accommodation book, return flight) ever asked? Appreciate it! I heard Samui Airport isn’t as strict as any other airports (like DMK or CNX) but would like to prepare. It’s the first time I’ll land in Samui.

Just putting in my experience with immigration. Just some context I’ve been to Thailand now 3 times once for a week on visa exempt, once with a tourist visa and then now on a visa exempt. So when entering most recently the Immigration officer looked at my passport and asked for onward flight or return flight. I had no phone data when landing so I had a screenshot of my onward flight, she looked at my onward ticket from my phone then thought about it for like 2 min then told me wait over there to the side. I knew I was going to be held back. Then another officer said follow me to the “back” room from there there were several of us waiting. The lady said I need to talk to the main immigration officer as soon as he’s finished with another person. Long story short, I waited 30 min then another lady came to me and said why are you here I said on Holiday. She said let me see your onward ticket and I showed her. Then she communicated to another lady and then she asked me why were you brought back here I said I have no idea and she was like who was the officer that told you to come back here and I said I can’t even pronounce your names. She said ok you are good then another officer came over and stamped my passport and I left from there. While I don’t blame the original officer cuz my passport photo and me now are a lot different with no beard and long hair and the onward ticket being from a screenshot I kind of wish the original officer at least asked me questions instead of just holding me back. I think they don’t have time for that since it was jammed packed and would rather have the back officers ask the deeper questions.

My personsl experience.

OK just flew in on 60 day visa exemption.

The landing card completed fine.

I was questions by the IO on how long I was staying.

They asked where I was going and I presented an invitation letter from my fiance detailing where i would stay and scans of her address book and her identity card. They gave a little nod and finally checked where I was staying that night before my flight to phangan in the morning. Then stamped it.

Overall about 3 minutes, but I believe facilitated by clear paperwork.

The adage better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Fir reference I spent 39 days in September to October 2024. And 30 days February to March 2025 before this trip on may 15th.

I have a 52 day trip planned for September but I am going to apply for a proper tourist visa as it may save hassle with visa exemptions

Interesting experience just had at immigration at BKK airport, flew in first class with China Airlines so they gave me a VFS fast track pass that I used, 6 IOs 4 of them female 2 male, was trying to walk slowly as the male IOs had one person each being processed, so got waved over, she looked at my passport and didn't like what she saw, I was coming in on a non immigrant business visa, however she called one of the supervisors over, then fun and games started, they asked me "you work?" I reply "yes on this visa I start working" but they were more interested in my past visas, as I have 5 metv back to back and about 7 visa exempt on my passport, they kept on asking "you work before? and I kept on saying "No! Non-work before, holiday!, But now start work as I have business visa, Anyway half an hour later they stamped me in, what a nightmare, I knew DMK was bad but BKK I think are cracking down or questioning people who have been here on tourist visas for extended periods of time, just thought I would share