Another example: at the Taipei airport they were insistinh that I have an onward ticket in order to board the plane to BKK. Then, upon arrival in BKK, I was told I needed nothing more than my passport. Consulate-airlines communication seems to be faulty again and again, exacerbated by the frequent difficulty of reaching the consulates by either phone or email. (Much like U.S. govt agencies...)
Previously I saw passengers left behind because of the confusion. The airlines were being very strict about defunct rules. Not really their fault maybe. MyQatar Airways flight into Bkk was cancelled, and they couldnt reach the embassy to change date of arrival on Certificate of Entry. And refused to let me on any flight! I lost tickets toralling $1300, spent two useless nights in JFK and then flew back to Florida.
John, I was groping around among consulate websites not just travel companies. The page you just posted is the first accurate one I've seen. It was posted by a government PR department. Much of the problem is one of clarity and explicitness. "Visa on arrival" implies things that the government does not intend to imply. Of course, if you happen to know the ropes, you're safe. But most travelers do not.
"Sounds like"??? The airlines back then were following instructions from the consulates, Brandon. It was a messaging problem from consulate to airline to local Immigration. Don't try to whitewash a serious problem that cost many travelers time, trauma and money. I'm not trying to calumniate Thailand. U.S. Immigration has its share of problems too. At any rate, you seem to have identified a better source than the consular websites I was consulting. Yet, even your source seems to be out of sink with local Immigration at BKK.
Brandon and Pui, the online rules at multie websites for visa on arrival say that you will get 30 days. The immigration officer told me that is now only 15 days. Common sense would dictate that getting permission to stay upon arrival, not in advance, is a form of "visa on arrival". Yes, I was mistaken, but my point is that there is chaos in the system. Lack of clarity and coordination. The same chaos existed with the app requirement for COVID monitoring. Airlines were refusing to allow passengers to fly without that app, but then upon arrival I was told it was no longer required because it wasn't working. Chop wood and chips fly!
