Travelers should play it safe
The Thai Embassy in Moscow updated the publication on its website about the requirements for the validity of the Russian passport for visa-free travel travel. De jure, they are not recorded either in the kingdom's immigration act or in the agreement of the two countries on mutual visa-free entry, but de facto the immigration bureau allows entry for 30 days to those whose document is valid for more than a month. The publication does not mention that the visa-free entry for Russians was extended from 30 to 45 days back in August.
However, airlines may not let tourists whose ID cards expire earlier than six months later. “It depends on the decision and policy of each airline,” the embassy website says. In addition, Thai border guards have the right to refuse a visit to a foreigner, regardless of how long his passport is still valid.
Updated text appeared due to the fact that the mission “receives many questions” about validity of the Russian passport. They are asked not only at the embassy: many travel agents ask both airlines and tour operators about document requirements before booking tours. However, there is no consensus among them: some carriers adhere to the country's regulations, which are not the case with the kingdom, and many operators insist on a passport term of at least 6 months.