Bangkok Reports

Run Man is right! It's important! As far as I know it has always been somewhat of a unwritten rule. Twenty years ago, I wanted to enter China, couldn't get a Visa unless I went and got a new passport! Before they changed the procedure for renewal I ended up waiting nearly a whole day in S.F. at the office just to turn in the paperwork and paid the big dollars to get it back in 24 hours so that I could leave on my trip to China. Just go down to the office and let them know and pay whatever you need to get it right back.

LBM

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan]As far as I know it has always been somewhat of a unwritten rule. [/QUOTE]

It's not an unwritten rule, it is standard that you have 6 months on your passport to travel internationally and that is a rule for Thailand. There is some debate if they check and it's my experience they do check. I KNOW thai requires 6 months on your passport. However like everything else This is Thailand and strange things happen at times....

"“Usually, Immigration officers will not allow a person to enter Thailand if his passport will expire within six months of his or her arrival in Thailand.

However, the decision of whether to allow such a person into the country ultimately rests with the Immigration officers at the point of entry.

If you are allowed to enter Thailand, you will be allowed to stay in the Kingdom only until your passport expires."""

Some folks have slipped by however that was before and now in the past few years they have become more stringent in checking this.

[QUOTE=LittleBigMan]day in S.F. at the office just to turn in the paperwork and paid the big dollars to get it back in 24 hours so that I could leave on my trip to China. Just go down to the office and let them know and pay whatever you need to get it right back.[/QUOTE]

If you are lucky enough to live near a passport office. Only some locations can return a passport in 24 hours or issue emergency passports. Honolulu is one location can get you a new US passport in a few hours.

[QUOTE=StallionJr]We landed at the Bangkok airport and took a cab to Livingstone’s Lodge Hotel, which cost us about 300 baths. On arriving at LL we realized that our check in time was 12 noon but the staff at LL was extremely cordial and checked us in 4 hours early for a very nominal cost.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size][/QUOTE]300 baths. Thats a lot of bathing to do, showers are quicker.

Why oh why were you charged for early check in. That is appalling, I am always checking into hotels at 6am, 7am, 8am etc. And never get charged for early check in.

Quite awful that. If any hotel in Bangkok tries that then tell them where to stick their room, there are plenty of nice hotels with good prices who will not be so arrogant as to charge for early check IN.

[QUOTE=Big Bopperino]I was wondering if anybody else on this forum has had problems with passports expiring in less than 6 months.

I was planning on traveling to Thailand on 4/19/09 and returning 5/4/09. I thought I was fine with these dates since my passport does not expire until 5/20/09. But just now, I read on a hotel website that the passport must have at least 6 months of remaining validity. Then again, the U.S. Dept of State site does NOT mention this requirement.

So, which is it? Has anyone tried and succeeded in entering Thailand with a passport expiring in less than 6 months?

PLEASE HELP!!! My travel window is closing and I can't wait for a new passport!!![/QUOTE]

Usually if you have an American passort Thai will allow you in provided you show them your departure date proof. they know you can get a new Passport within a couple of days from the American embassy if necessary.

[QUOTE=Sammon]Usually if you have an American passort Thai will allow you in provided you show them your departure date proof. they know you can get a new Passport within a couple of days from the American embassy if necessary.[/QUOTE]Most countries, in fact a huge majority, across the world will not let you enter if your passport is not valid for more than six months at the time of entry. This has been a rule for many many years. In fact, airlines have been advised to check passport validity greater than six months before they either issue a ticket or allow you to board. This practice has been stringently followed for the past few months for reasons we all understand.

[QUOTE=Sammon]Usually if you have an American passort Thai will allow you in provided you show them your departure date proof. they know you can get a new Passport within a couple of days from the American embassy if necessary.[/QUOTE]

I went over with 2 months left on my passport, I did not know that the airlines checked. BUT, the airline had to call the Thai immigration before they would let me on the plane. They said as long as I had the return ticket they would let me in the country. Guess the airline did not want to have to find what to do with me until I could get a return flight. :) (I was flying from the USA)

If the airline lets you board without valid documents for entering the destination country, they are liable for 'shipping' you back to where you came from, should you be turned back at the destination.
This becomes even more important, if the port of embarkation is not in the country of you citizenship, since you might be refused entry [b]there[/b] and the airline would have to ship you further to your own country!
The airlines don't care about your passport, but they do care about money!

[QUOTE=Big Bopperino]................But just now, I read on a hotel website that the passport must have at least 6 months of remaining validity. Then again, the U.S. Dept of State site does NOT mention this requirement.

So, which is it? Has anyone tried and succeeded in entering Thailand with a passport expiring in less than 6 months?

PLEASE HELP!!! My travel window is closing and I can't wait for a new passport!!![/QUOTE]
The State Department has nothing to do with this issue. The country you are visiting does. Most countries have the 6 month rule. All main Passport issuing offices (not the post offices and such) can issue a same day passport. Land up there first thing in the morning and you get it in the afternoon. You can download the forms from the web site.

I definitely would not advise you to take a risk of being denied entry to the flight or to Thailand. It's not worth it.

Good luck.

[QUOTE=Lord Farquard]I went over with 2 months left on my passport, I did not know that the airlines checked. BUT, the airline had to call the Thai immigration before they would let me on the plane. They said as long as I had the return ticket they would let me in the country. Guess the airline did not want to have to find what to do with me until I could get a return flight. (I was flying from the USA)[/QUOTE]I had a similar experience except I only had a month left on my passport but my return flight to the US was a couple of weeks before my scheduled return. I assumed that it had to do with the trouble in Thailand at the time, or bureaucratic hassledom on the Thai side.

[QUOTE=Big Bopperino]I was wondering if anybody else on this forum has had problems with passports expiring in less than 6 months.

I was planning on traveling to Thailand on 4/19/09 and returning 5/4/09. I thought I was fine with these dates since my passport does not expire until 5/20/09. But just now, I read on a hotel website that the passport must have at least 6 months of remaining validity. Then again, the U.S. Dept of State site does NOT mention this requirement.

So, which is it? Has anyone tried and succeeded in entering Thailand with a passport expiring in less than 6 months?

PLEASE HELP!!! My travel window is closing and I can't wait for a new passport!!![/QUOTE]

If it is a US Passport - then you can forget it as the airline will not let you board. Goto US_DOS and there is info on the site that explains this. At my ofc, we have a rule that we get our PPs renewed at the 24-month mark...

N_R

One other thing, bring your airline ticket! You won't get anywhere without showing you really need the passport. I once traveled 150 miles to boston, because my passport was low on time, and I often travel with no notice. They said, mail the passport. "No ticket, no one day service, I don't care how far you traveled."

[QUOTE=StallionJr]The CBJ was my choice.[/QUOTE]Got it. Sounds like you had a good time.

[QUOTE=StallionJr]Face – 8 Body – 8 GFE – 9 Price – 2500 + 500 tip Room – [b]Good interiors[/b], spacious, lovely round bed and mirror’s everywhere.[/QUOTE]

Are you sure you went to Darling? their rooms stink and are pretty shitty

[QUOTE=Easy2007]Why oh why were you charged for early check in. That is appalling, I am always checking into hotels at 6am, 7am, 8am etc. And never get charged for early check in.

Quite awful that. If any hotel in Bangkok tries that then tell them where to stick their room, there are plenty of nice hotels with good prices who will not be so arrogant as to charge for early check IN.[/QUOTE]

Not at all. Policies clearly state that you are not supposed to Check-in Before 14:00 and are to Check-out no later than 12:00. Most hotels base their rates on a 22 hours rental for a night.

Then there are special cases like early Check-in, early check-out, late check-out, cancellations, no shows... all these special cases incur charges.

I am laughing when people play the big man and say: "tell them where to stick their room" but on the other hand, agree to pay a 200thb fee to their Airline just to change the spelling of their name, or a minor change.

Get real

[QUOTE=Easy2007]300 baths. Thats a lot of bathing to do, showers are quicker.

Why oh why were you charged for early check in. That is appalling, I am always checking into hotels at 6am, 7am, 8am etc. And never get charged for early check in.

Quite awful that. If any hotel in Bangkok tries that then tell them where to stick their room, there are plenty of nice hotels with good prices who will not be so arrogant as to charge for early check IN.[/QUOTE]Easy2007,

THB 300 was the taxi fee from the airport to Livingstones, you should read the original report again. Oh, and you forgot to mention that those guys got a free upgrade to a Jacuzzi room :) ...

NicFrenchy,

Easy2007 is on a [small] crusade against LL, because we disagree on some political issues here in Thailand - just forget it, its nothing of importance.

As for early check-in fees - to be honest, I have no idea how we handle that at the moment. I will talk to Auntie Guido and let you know.


Giotto
[URL]http://www.livingstones.co.th[/URL]