Most Western citizens entering Thailand without a visa are granted a 30-day stay upon arrrival with proof of a confirmed onward ticket. You can extend your stay a maximum of 10 days. You can apply for a tourist visa beforehand, which costs $15 and allows you to stay 60 days. Tourist visas can be extended for 30 days. You cannot work on a tourist visa. Non-immigrant visas cost $20 and allow you to stay 90 days. You must provide a letter from your school or placement organization stating you are going to work for them. You can also obtain this visa if you intend to take classes or study meditation through a Buddhist retreat. There are no extensions for a non-immigrant visa. The best thing to do is apply for a non-immigrant visa beforehand, and ask your school for help with obtaining a work permit. Getting a work permit is a long and sometimes frustrating process, but commercial and government schools will help you. It is important to dress appropriately when you go to the Immigration Department. It took about 5 months before I was granted a year-long work permit, and I had to go to Immigration a few times. If you cannot get a work permit, you will have to leave the country every 3 months. Most people take the train to Penang, Malaysia to renew their non-immigrant visa.

Airfare depends on when you travel-June to August, Christmas, and New Year are peak times. Northwest and United fly to Bangkok from the US, and cost about $1200 round-trip. Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways fly out of LA. Korean Air is a little cheaper than most airlines-$900 to $1000 round-trip. Cheaper travel options are bucket shops, which buy consolidated fares for a lower price. You can also expect low service from these places. Many courier flights from LA and San Francisco cost one-half or two-thirds of the price of normal flights, but there are restrictions on luggage, length of stay, and departure dates. Some places to try are Polo Express in San Francisco, and Now Voyager in New York. Transitions Abroad advertises many courier flights.

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