Prior to traveling to a foreign country whether it is for travel, work, or vacation it is important to research the countries visa requirements. Different countries have different visa requirements based on the relationship that they have with the country that you are traveling from.
I will be traveling to Thailand and I am a U.S. citizen so I searched for “American Thai Embassy” to get the requirements for traveling. I am currently residing in Seattle, WA and found that the closest Thai Embassy is in Los Angeles.
In the most basic break-down, if you are a U.S. citizen and you want to travel to Thailand as a tourist for less than 30 days, you can fly to Thailand with proof of a return ticket and you DO NOT NEED a tourist visa. You need to verify that your passport has 6 months validity before it expires.
The fee must be paid in the form of MONEY ORDER or CASHIER’S CHECK only payable to “ROYAL THAI CONSULATE GENERAL LOS ANGELES”. Cash, Credit Card, Personal or company checks are NOT acceptable.
I was able to send my application and get it back (along with my passport) in 1 week! I mailed it USPS Priority with a USPS express envelope when they mailed it back. It cost me $30 to mail it but I waited till the last minute so I was willing to pay more to ensure that I got it in time for my departure.