escape4

I am not referring to the new plan for special tourist visa, but for the standard (current) process to enter Thailand how do we go about booking a flight? Can we book the flight we want first, and then start the process to get CoE, etc. and inform them ahead of time when we want to travel? Or they will tell us what flight I must be on, therefore no flexibility?

transpac

Contact the nearest Thai Embassy.

Example: https://thaiembdc.org/visas/

I've seen various flow charts, believe flight procurement comes a bit later in the process. While you may have some choice of flights I think the timetable might force you to one or two, at least for the last segment into Thailand.

Assuming you qualify then maybe start to look at October?

escape4

Contacting the embassy did not work, because they were not even aware that Thailand Elite visa was eligible to fly to Thailand Then I contacted Thailand Elite, and they told me to ask the Embassy

I was hoping someone here had experience in the matter, I have seen the flow chart but it's not entirely clear if I can book my flight first and ask to be accepted on that flight, especially if I book a couple of months advance to avoid making the embassy think I am trying to cut the queue and force their hand to get me on a specific flight before others who might have priority over me (for example if I wanted to fly in the next few days).

About "last segment to Thailand": given that many countries are closed, it does not help if the first segment is flexible and the second is not because I would not be able to enter the country where I transit, essentially making both segments inflexible.

transpac

Elite patrons were added more recently, with perhaps some limitations?

I guess I would contact the Elite call-center again, tell them of your issue and ask for them to provide a contact at the embassy.

Which country?

Maybe read/post on some other FB/forum's threads?

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1179083-elite-visa/

The last segment reference was to existing repat flights, from ICN, TPE, NRT, DOH, et al.

transpac

I read through a few threads on FB and Thaivisa.

Assuming you're holding a valid ThaiElite visa, then it seems like you've got to apply for their TEM-Q Program. You probably received an email?


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tfu...l56GUP-PwzwOHw

It looks to me like flights are step ~ #6 ?

"Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate issues CoE and prioritize for flight quota."

So it looks to me like you'll take the flight recommendations, of which there may only be one option on those days when there are repat flights, from them unless you have a private jet, in which case you need to provide the itinerary (item #7 in the doc list).

transpac

STV Process...

goodeats21

I am very glad they are looking to establish some type of process to get tourism back into Thailand. I am wiling to jump through a lot of hoops, but I can't quite get my head around the actual transport part. The "news" I keep seeing refers to either Charter flights or private jets. Not sure either option is viable for the vast majority of people interested in coming back. And until they get it up to a measurable amount, it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

If they get the actual process down, with testing on arrival and safe transport to quarantine locations until safe to be released into Thailand "at large", they should be able to scale it up to justify some commercial flights coming in.
Even more so if they have some type of tracing app, etc. to monitor and notify even after release.

But probably wishful thinking at this point.

Kalboz

This is purely my experience - when you go through the online visa application process on the Thai Embassy website, at a certain point you will come to a page listing all available flights but for that current month. For instance, I went through the application process about 10 days ago as a dry run and the listed flights were for September only. No flights listed for October, November or December! Since our tentative plan is for December travel, I abandoned the process. The flights listed were all for major carriers, like Asiana, TG, JAL, etc. So I guess they list the flights as they go - and I don't think you can use miles or points even on the major carriers.

ft101

I can't believe someone actually made a graphic for this senseless policy (even if it's wrong in places).

transpac

Even Bureaucrats have their pron?

escape4

Thank you for sharing your experience.

What if you book a flight a couple of months in advance with miles, then when the date comes close and you have a listing of the current month flights from the embassy you pick the date for which you already have a booking. If that flight has not been cancelled by the airline then perhaps you could luck out because the embassy only cares that you are on the flight, and the airline cannot deny your booking made a couple months prior. Or wishful thinking?

transpac

Wishful thinking.

If you happened to choose a last segment XXX-BKK which matched an existing repat flight, then maybe. The odds of this might be quite small. Otherwise, you would be denied boarding.

Everything is geared towards processing known people on known flights at BKK; they have hundreds of medical and logistics personnel on hand.

Why not go through the process, and then when required get a ticket?

It may be challenging to get an airline to issue a ticket XXX-BKK-XXX, unless you're holding CoE or the TEM-Q equivalent.

The processes: TEM-Q, STV, CoE, are already overly complex. Why make it more complicated?

restlessinRNO

Last month I was able to navigate the repatriation process and return to Thailand, going through the USA Thai Embassy. (Actually the LA Consulate.) Approved flights USA-BKK are only made available a month in advance. For example, October flights were just published a few days ago. I flew OZ. You cannot use miles or points to pay. Only cash, for a one way flight to BKK. Good luck.

restlessinRNO

I agree with others, this is very unlikely to be successful. Returning to Thailand at this time is a very expensive process and fraught with difficulties.

Kalboz

Everything is possible ... and hopefully your scenario is doable! I booked 4 seats on March 11 before the lock downs using AA miles for December travel, as follows:

LAX-BOS - AA in F
BOS-NRT - JL in Biz
NRT-BKK - JL in Biz

Return flights in January using AS miles for 4 seats in Biz BKK-NRT-LAX

The seats are ticketed but from the looks of it I doubt that we will be able to use them!

Wife has a Thai passport - Kids have both & I only carry US passport.