worldquester

Chiang Watanna offers an on-line application but you will have to visit them to collect.

Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, Lopburi3, but do you know if a messenger can collect it for the online application? I would assume so.

Of course the last convenient thing left is now closed. Sigh. I would usually do this once a year; it would be me, 2 or 3 backpackers, and a whole lotta Indians.

Too nervous to try and maybe fail at the airport, so I guess it will be as Gerald14 said and take a multiple along with the annual visa trip out towards the Pak Kret hinterlands.

1320285449[/url]' post='4817719']

could resist water pressure as great as one to two tonnes

You'd think that for a nuclear facility, they would have a more accurate estimate.

Tell us Khun Sirinat is it 1 tonne or 2 tonnes?

"Same, same!"

The reason why you cannot see ThaiVisa images, is that you probably use OpenDNS or Google DNS. TRUE has heavily f*cked up something about their DNS system and their corresponding proxy/censorship Software. Occasionally I have no access to Blogspot for the same reason.

Argh!! This solved my True internet problems.

I switched from OpenDNS to Google DNS back to OpenDNS over the last month and a half in some vain attempts amongst many to fix my problems with Facebook and other sites. I just now reset the DNS settings back to True's DNSes, and all problems vanished. These alternate DNSes worked fine before January. I see why there are problems with them now from filingaccount's post on page 1 of this thread. Frustrating.

Many thanks to you, 'GreenSnapper', and to 'filingaccount'.

The reason why you cannot see ThaiVisa images, is that you probably use OpenDNS or Google DNS. TRUE has heavily f*cked up something about their DNS system and their corresponding proxy/censorship Software. Occasionally I have no access to Blogspot for the same reason.

Argh!! This solved my True internet problems.

I switched from OpenDNS to Google DNS back to OpenDNS over the last month and a half in some vain attempts amongst many to fix my problems with Facebook and other sites. I just now reset the DNS settings back to True's DNSes, and all problems vanished. These alternate DNSes worked fine before January. I see why there are problems with them now from filingaccount's post on page 1 of this thread. Frustrating.

Many thanks to you, 'GreenSnapper', and to 'filingaccount'.

Boy, I sure wished somebody cared about the human species 1/10th this much.

Elephants are great, but evolution, change, adaptation, survival, etc. are things all creatures must deal with, it is after all exactly how we are all here!

Otherwise, I don't have enough personal knowledge of this issue to make more specific comments.

Our capacity to care beyond just ourselves, especially when it's we that's caused the effect, shows our potential (or lack thereof, depending upon our choices) for greatness.

We are a special and unique beast on this planet, indeed.

(perhaps the cockroaches'll take pity on us when it comes for their turn at the top!)

Asiatic elephants typically eat 400+/- pounds (about 200 kg) a day. The Bangkok begging elephants ain't getting that in street bananas.

After the begging's over, they've been seen being fed garbage by the mahouts and sleep under expressways. There are a few mahouts (some family-run rings) that do show some respect, but most typically treat the animals as just more street-flesh and abuse them. There seems to be no concern about putting the elephants to work when they're in mating season and are extremely dangerous (it sometimes sounds like Jurassic Park... from far away even).

Elephants are thought of as divine beasts here but aren't treated that way by the mahouts looking for the "easy" baht. I once saw a restaurant worker on a smoke break go into a shouting rant at a mahout.

I agree, elephants are symbolic of Thailand. Heck, there was even one on the last national flag.

I'm not sure about the organizations buying the elephants (even if they're hiring the mahouts, too). One group that does something like this ONLY hires the mahout along with the elephant, so the guys don't run off and find another elephant to bring to the streets. If they're paying for the elephant, the hired mahout might try to find another selling opportunity (through a substitute mahout). Regardless of the payment scheme, at least the groups will be collecting up the estimated 3000-4000 captured elephants and 1000-4000 wild elephants here. And, that's it in Thailand. No more after those guys' numbers are dwindled down.

Put the mahouts (read, beggars) out of that business and into another -- don't buy (or encourage your visiting family/friends to buy) their snacks to feed the elephants.

Posters really don't read the other posts here, do they? I still see people arguing that the woman (or others) shouldn't have gotten involved.

SHE DIDN'T GET INVOLVED. That was clarified in a follow-up post regarding the translation of the Swedish article. SHE WAS WALKING PAST AT THE WRONG TIME AND GOT SHOT IN THE BACK.

I always end up regretting reading the TV boards on the very rare occasions that I do. This thread is "another blow" to reading the TV forum.

..., and I always say (in my broken Thai) mee plastic paw uban, krap.

My 'mai au tung' (German transscription) is usually quite successful

"mai sai tung" or "mai au plastic" works also

Ah, other posters just beat me to the punch. Yes, LivinginKata, your Thai is too complicated there (actually, I don't know what "paw uban" means).

What the others wrote works everytime: "Mai ow toong" ("no want bag") or "Mai sai toong" or "Mai ow plaa-tic" (they don't actually say the "s" in plastic).

If you do get a funny look, you can follow-up with "Loohk lawn," which translates to "hot Earth" or "global warming." They get it then.

All the 7-Eleven girls make fun of me EVERYtime I buy something, usually everyday, about not wanting a bag before I can even say it. I have to interrupt the robotic-like reflex of new cashiers until they get to know me.

I wonder... any update on the organizers?

Mike's in Chiang Mai is really good, too.

You had to go and ruin all that hard work by mentioning Mike's, didn't you. If you've tried a burger for CM Saloon or The Duke's you'd realise the absurdity of your statement above.

Ah, but I've only been through CM twice as a tourist (mostly on the way to Pai/Mae Hong Son), so I haven't sampled those two places.

If I can remember this thread next time I go through, I'll try... (and then realize my absurdity! )

But, I had burgers from Mike's around Christmases '06 and '07, and they were good, so there you go.

Just read through the whole thread. My comments:

As an American, my favorite burger in BKK was/is Tony Roma's. I say "was" because it was a good value at the Tony Roma's Express in Emporium: huge (everyone we took had the same facial expression and question on how to eat it), nice bun, good meat (beef and added-on bacon), garlic french fries... all for something like 100 baht cheaper than the sit-down versions on Sukhumvit or Paragon.

BUT, that's gone, as Emporium re-imagined their card court. sigh.

We took my visiting mom to the Paragon one, looked at the prices on the menu and said we're not paying over $10 just for a burger. We went Piri Piri instead. Their burger is okay but marinated, and the bun falls apart if you order the double.

The best burger out of Bangkok, I think, is on Koh Samet at the stand outside of Silver Sands bar. Greasy and great and cheese and bun is good. Mmmm, delicious. Mike's in Chiang Mai is really good, too.

As for fast food burger here, it's Burger King or MOS Burger (but I agree, not American burger). Burger King in Malaysia or Singapore is much better than the Thailand version. I think A&W here is a sad, sad name-only version of the American one--blech.

I agree with the comments on Garage. They're all over the place. I like the environment in Central World and the bottomless refills on fizzy drinks. I've only had Bully's once (or twice) and was pretty good.

Fuddrucker's is one of, if not, the best chain in the U.S. But, can you imagine the quality and cost if they had one here? They're a bit pricey back there. They'd have to choose to go local or import, and it would be insanely priced.

From the reports, I'll have to try Big Mango on Suk Soi 4 and Euro-Gourmet on Ekkamai 23.

great news for thailand ,hopefully the damage done will have been minemal ,i for one is relieved....

I am one who is (am) also relieved -- and I can assure you that the damage done is far from being minimal - the ongoing offshoot to this will be felt for months to come and the effect on tourism is already being felt with hotel occupancy rates dropping by more the 30-40% in bkk alone and i just hate to think what the impact will be in the resorts in the south.. there were reports in the Australian press about tourists being assaulted as they tried to access Phuket airport to get their flights whilst trying to bypass the protesters - no way tourists are going to come here and cop this -= aside from the worry about whether there will be flights - cancellations are flooding in as i write for booking made for November thru jan - the peak tourist season - what sort of effect do you think this will have on the local economy - HUGE tourist are already thinking about heading for Vietnam and china

The Assh-ole who dreamed this situation up is sitting in a luxury residence in London.

sorry [flame deleted] I happen to be sitting in a nice condo in Bkk = have been for 10 years - u really do need to get out of your baan in Isan more often and get the whole picture of what is happening here in the city of angels - take a look at the Bkk Post comment on the impact on tourism - I know i am in the industry - 555 luxury residence in London, no thanks - don't like the weather there

Er, aussimike, Pushit didn't mean you. He meant ol' Squarehead...you know, that dude on the lam?

...not to be overly pedantic, but I thought Chiang Mai was "the second largest city in Thailand"...

Actually, for city cores, it's Hat Yai after Bangkok (which is then technically followed by Nonthaburi and Pak Kret before Hat Yai, but I'm lumping those two in with Bangkok). After that Chiang Mai in a virtual tie with Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat).

But, in outlying areas, who knows? Probably Korat, I think.

From the Department of Provincial Administration via Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_citie...d_by_population:

Bangkok, pop. 5,705,061

Nonthaburi, pop. 266,844

Pak Kret, pop. 167,887

Hat Yai, pop. 157,363

Chiang Mai, pop. 148,828

Nakhon Ratchasima, pop. 147,879

Lonely Planet Thailand, 2007, lists it Bangkok (7,500,000), Korat (215,000), Chiang Mai (204,000), and then Hat Yai (193,732).

When I did my Cambodia border run two weeks ago, I used Quick Thai Visa Run (www.thaivisarun.com) for the first time.

They had a sign posted on the bus advertising a Laos tourist visa run service for 5900 Baht that departs BKK on Sundays.

Check their site for the phone number to get more details.

Here's my review for their Cambodia visa run service:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=163535&st=0&p=1758085

Happy running!

To help others that need to choose a Bangkok visa run service, I thought I would give another new LONG border run field report to follow my May '07 report to Ban Laem (Thailand) / Daung (Cambodia).

For this border run, I used Quick Thai Visa Run for the first time.

After re-reading my old report, a lot of the Ban Laem border info seems to remain the same with the following additions from last year: if you are coming back in to get another 30-day stamp, for 200 baht, the visa run company will "buy" you a bus ticket as your continuing-on travel document that you must present upon re-entry to Thailand...but not necessary if you have a valid visa. Also new to me, I was told to bring a photocopy of my passport inside page, and that was taken from me upon re-entry to Thailand. Also, you can only buy one bottle of booze at the border (last year, it was two).

Brief history: I have a non-immigrant "B" visa that's running out this month, but I needed to run two weeks before expiration. Last time, I used Jack Golf after finding out that companies I had used in the past weren't doing visa runs anymore (East Meets West Travel and FineDay Tours). Seems that there are just four visa run companies left in BKK: Quick Thai Visa Run (QTVR), Thai Visa Run Service (TVR), Jack Golf (JG), and SM Silom (SM).

I was not impressed with my first try with Jack Golf (everything about our travel was late), so I checked out the websites for TVR and QTVR.

Considered TVR as I had seen the owner/operator at the border on my Jack Golf run, and he seemed professional and attentive to his customers.

But, I decided to go with QTVR for three reasons: big VIP bus, the latest departure time (9:30am) of all the services, and they give you a Thai lunch on the bus instead of the usual Cambodian casino buffet (which I absolutely dread).

Called their mobile and left my name with a European of some sort but not sure if that was necessary or not. I just wanted to confirm that they would indeed leave on the date I needed. They advertise that they run on Tues., Thurs., Sat. and Sun. Was told to arrive at Banrai Coffee at Ekkamai BTS at 9:00am and the bus would leave at 9:30am. Was also told to bring passport, two passport photos, a photocopy of the inside front page of my passport, and 2000 baht.

Arrived five minutes late at 9:05am. Most of the runners had already filled out paperwork and were headed to the bus--good sign about this crowd. Filled out my paperwork quickly and gave everything over to the Thai operator.

Got on the double-decker VIP bus and found it to be mostly full. By the time we left, it was full with 34 passengers.

Bus was clean and in good shape. Seat reclined properly and was comfortable. Bus had a posted sign about 60-day tourist visa run service to Laos on Sundays for 5900 baht--phone number is same as regular visa run but they don't advertise this service on their website(??).

A few more stragglers after me. A Thai man helping with the paperwork gets on the bus and gently tells a middle-aged foreigner that he needs to get off the bus as he won't be going with us. Guy drags his feet. Thai guy looks embarrassed that he has to confront this guy but is firm. Ooh, interesting.

Hear only a little bit of a confrontation outside with the Thai man saying something very emphatically like "they check every page now." Confrontation ends quickly. Good luck, dude...and, take out the very silly earring--I'd check you out throughly too with that in.

Wow! We leave exactly at 9:30am, as advertised. Already an improvement over my JG run last year.

They throw on a movie that will be coming to Bangkok movie theaters in two weeks, so I try to ignore it by reading but that's pretty difficult b/c there are speakers for every row of seats.

Bring ear plugs if you want to sleep or read. And bring something warm (I brought a sweatshirt) for the bus...the big ones get pretty cold.

Here are my biggest complaints about the whole day: the woman who operates the service is super-friendly and hard-working BUT she seems to be taking on too many tasks and/or is a bit disorganized. I think it's that she needs an assistant. First, I had to fill out all the paperwork myself which was a visa-run first for me. I'm not lazy and it's not a big deal, just used to the other services filling it all in. However, there was a lot of inefficiency and confusion going on with handing back passports and photocopies and bus tickets both on the bus and at the border...a big wad of passports, etc, put in our hands or dumped in front of us. It's not that much of a problem on the bus. At the border, sorting it all out was the one of the biggest things delaying our return to BKK, along with a few knucklehead runners.

Anyway, the woman operator returns our passports inefficiently on the bus and gives us a bottle of Singha water. Then, the operator went row by row with a menu and took everyone's lunch order. Five non-spicy fried rice dishes with various meat/vegetable choices or Ka-prow gai (chicken with basil and chili, slightly-moderately spicy) offered along with choice of Pepsi, water, or coffee or something like that.

We stop two hours into the ride for fifteen minute toilet break at a gas station...same one as last year but less flies now. I buy another bottle of water and a Pepsi.

Get back on the bus fifteen minutes later and find my lunch in a styrofoam container with a metal spoon waiting on a tray in my seat...along with my ordered Pepsi. Oops, didn't think about that. Plenty to drink now.

The lunch was pretty efficient, I have to give credit for that.

Big portion, good taste, good temperature, GOOD LUNCH. Yes, the biggest improvement over any other visa run service that offers the casino lunch.

Operator takes all 34 trays as they finish and stacks them up in the aisle. This seems to me to be yet another opportunity begging for a helper, but if she wants to knock herself out on the bus ride....

Another 1.5 hours, we're at Ban Laem/Daung border. Get off bus, throw away my trash, queue up at the empty Thai immigration station to stamp out. A runner has overstayed and doesn't quite get where to go though there's a window with big letters saying OVERSTAY. I stamp out quickly, go to the end of the station and am asked by the operator for my passport. Another complaint: no direction to anyone from the operator on what to do now. Sit down and chill? Go across the bridge to the Cambodian side? So most of us gather up and generally get in the way of things. A lot of people start smoking. I sit. A frantic, ridiculously-dressed (baseball cap askew, wife-beater t-shirt, baggy oversized shorts) young guy runner calls out: he has overstayed and not brought any money. What?! Woman has to go deal with that. I later saw him sheepishly bum a cigarette off of someone. Mm-hmm.

After most people have gone through, the woman seems to have disappeared, still without telling anyone what to do or where to go.

A Thai immigration officer walks up and shoos everyone away to the Cambodian side. Look out, here come the kids asking for money. I see one girl who makes me realize it was a mistake to throw out my Pepsi cans on Thai side. She collects them, and I support this instead of begging. Next time, little girl, I promise.

We all trudge over the bridge to the Cambodian side and find some stone picnic tables in front of their immigration. The BEST thing about Ban Laem/Daung is the lack of attitude projected by Cambodian immigration compared to Poi Pet. I just don't have that same feeling that I'm about to be pistol-whipped. I wonder if they still run all the same scams though.

Most everyone lights up again and talks that visa-run talk: 30 days, how many stamps, tourist visa, blahblahblah.

The operator comes back to us holding up a runner's photocopy (and all of our passports) and calls out many times over: "Who is this? They didn't give me a passport?" Heads turn looking for the fool holding us all up. Finally, after some time, he shows up having bought a bottle of whisky and hands over his passport and says "oh, you need this?"

We all wait some more.

Then, we realize (though no one has called it out) that it's time to walk back over to Thailand. Our passports are inefficiently handed back to some of us (people rummage through passports and then block the way of others whether they were or weren't in the bundles), and not all of the passports are there as some are still being processed. The operator repeatedly calls out for "U.K. guy. U.K. guy" that needs a bus ticket but no reply. She goes off to get the other passports. British guy was in the queue to get back in and then comes back a bit looking frantically for the woman b/c he needs his bus ticket but she's gone off. Oh, man.

I get my passport finally, get in the queue, and get everything ready to hand over to Thai immigration by having the page that has my non-imm B visa held open with my immigration card right next to it. I'm in-and-out within one minute, maybe thirty seconds. Not the guy at the window next to me. Why? Because he has everything he needs to hand over (immigration card, bus ticket, passport photocopy) in his messenger bag and acts surprised when asked for each item and then has to look for each one in his bag. And, he's wearing a baseball cap and big sunglasses that totally covers him up. Hmm.

We are at the virtually-empty border for well over an hour (maybe two?) unnecessarily because of some of the runners and--I'm sad to say--b/c of the inefficiency of the operator/service. For the last time, she needs an assistant that's as hard-working as she.

My point in talking in so much detail about these certain runners is some advice to make your life easier:

Dress--up to you however you want to dress. But, you're going to get through faster and without much hassle if you dress appropriately: button-down shirt (short sleeve is fine), pants (normal jeans okay), take off hat and sunglasses.

Overstay--if you know you have, then tell the service and be prepared with your money.

Money--bring some anyway just in case you need to pay for a bus ticket or overstay, snacks, import goods, or something unexpected.

Your items--know or find out what you need to be holding to hand over. Have all those items in order and ready to hand over. Passport, completely-filled immigration card, ongoing bus/air/train ticket if you're getting a 30-day entry stamp, copy of passport info page at Ban Laem. If you have a visa in your passport, hand passport over with that page open. Bring a pen.

Your brain--use it. I saw a window that's marked for overstay. That's the one you need to go to if you know or find out that you have overstayed. Your passport is needed at both sides of the border: Thai and Cambodia. Figure out what the operator is doing before you go run off and buy your booze/cigarettes/trinkets. So far for every visa run service, I have seen that they handle the Cambodian side of things with your passport and you take care of everything else on the Thai side in and out. Go run off to get goods or to the toilet (though I suggest you do that on Thai side after you've stamped back in), but do it quickly and get back to the group. Generally, you'll cause less problems and not slow everything down if you stick with the group.

By the way, as I said my visa expires in two weeks but my stamp is for another three months, so I am getting 15 months out of my 12 month visa.

After stamping out, I go to the toilet near the bus...well-worth the 3-baht toll as it's clean and they have soap. Get back on the bus. More typical visa run talk going on. Then, we take off and see two more movies with a punctual 15-minute only stop at the same gas station. We make it back to BKK at 7:00pm. Bus lets some people off near Ratchada (I'm guessing near MRT) and then somewhere along Soi 71 and then everyone else at the staircase to Ekkamai BTS. Done.

Before my recommendation, I have one last complaint. The operator--while super-sweet and polite--way overuses Thaiglish. So much so that it confuses a lot or most of the runners. Everything she says in English ends in "ka" or "na ka" which is not really the problem. It's that she will say some things in Thai as if everyone understands what she's saying. I understood the Thai she used; and some others could tell that I understood, so they'd ask me what she said. There are a lot of runners of different nationalities, mostly European, who need simple English. As her English seems competent, I believe that she needs to not say anything in Thai, including the polite feminine endings. Keep it simple. And, give direction to everyone.

Having mentioned all the downsides, this has been the best service I've tried after East Meets West Travel (they rocked on efficiency but went only to Poi Pet) stopped running.

The later-scheduled start time, the clean and comfortable big bus, the current Hollywood movies, the Thai lunch on the bus (hands-down, the best selling point for me), the drink offerings, and the punctuality (except at the border) all added up to a better experience.

I will most likely repeat with QTVR though I'm still curious about the service provided by TVR and SM (especially SM advertising that they leave at 4:30-5:00am and return at 1:00pm...this was similar to FineDay, another Korean outfit).

I know this is a book of a report, but I hope it helps at least one of you needing info on visa run services from Bangkok to Cambodia.

And, I have no interest or knowledge of any of the owners of the visa run companies that I've used. None have been perfect and some better and some worse, about half the ones I used have stopped running. I just present these reports as my opinions and observations only. Good luck, good runs!

--Worldquester

Visa run services:

http://www.thaivisarun.com

http://www.thaivisaservice.com

http://www.jackgolf.com

http://www.smsilom.com

Reviving a stale post, but I thought others might want to know two other possibilities, if they don't already:

In the Metro Mall for MRT Sukhumvit (subway) under the Asoke BTS is Boomerang which rents/sells DVDs only: 500 baht returnable deposit, 30 baht rentals for 1, 3, 5 or 7 days depending on how fresh the movie is.

Loads of English-language titles (w/Thai subtitles and audio options), Thai and other Asian titles, and music/concert DVDs--everything legal and authentic. A handful of US TV series box sets (24, Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, CSI, Grey's Anatomy), wish they would add more though. I'm often the only customer I see in there and with limited shelf space, they seem to be getting a little stingy with new selections put out.

Another option is Mangpong in MBK on 7th Floor (same as SF Cinema and restaurants): rent DVDs and VCDs--English-language film and TV titles (watched all of 24 and Alias from there). Look out for VCDs: yellow rectangle on back is native English audio/Thai subtitles, red rectangle on back is Thai-dubbed version with no subtitles. They often have both versions mixed on the shelves. Usually 30 baht for movies and 20 baht or less for TV VCDs (3 for 50 baht). I think the deposit was 100 baht. Mangpong next to Chokchai Steakhouse near Soi Cowboy is a no-go for rentals.

I once saw a Tsutaya VCD rental shop inside (actually inside the ticket gates) the Victory Monument BTS. I don't know if it's still there or if they have English audio VCDs or not.

Tsutaya in Lotus off of BTS On Nut (end of the Sukhumvit line, for now) has rentals...don't know details.

That English-language video sales/rental shop right next to BTS Asoke is way too pricey for me, and their DVDs are usually not Thai/SE Asia market, so no Thai subtitles or audio...thus not wife-friendly.

If any has any other Bangkok video rental shops, please pass them on!

International arrival and want meter cab. When you exit customs there are a bunch of high priced folks trying to sell you a limo ride etc. I always say want meter cab and they all turn as cold as ice. But as I wander around and try to find the METER TAXI STAND I always go several levels before I find it.

IS THE TAXI STAND ON SAME LEVEL AS ARRIVALS? IS THAT THE SECOND LEVEL?

thx

LLL

If I take a taxi, I go up to the Departures level and catch one that's just dropping off someone, saves 50 baht surcharge. Make sure they hit the meter in the first few moments or call 'em on it. That way you can bail if they try the flat-fee.

Can someone explain how to find this food center at Suvanapoom thanks

It's good food and a great deal...regular food-court prices that services mostly airline and airport employees...and the occasional lucky/thrifty/smart traveler!

It's a coupon food-court with many Thai food options, just like the shopping center ones. I suggest eating farang-food when you land back in Farangland (but I did notice the tongue-waggle). Enjoy!

Non-map directions:

Take an elevator near the airport entrances down to Level 1, but the closest elevator from the Departures level (4) is nearest Rows R/S.

The entrance is close to where they sell tickets (on the inside) for the Airport Express buses (on the inside) and embark those (on the outside).

You can enter the food court from inside the airport, or they have an outside entrance, but you have to leave trolleys outside.

OK great but what is the real cost saving ? Also price in inconvenience, getting sweaty dragging your luggage about etc. Changing buses, walking miles etc. Why not just call a cab from where you live and get to the sirport refreshed.

What is the cost saved over a door to door cab versus the total public transport cost, not just the Bt45 van.

Last question first: for me, total door-to-door cost is 65 baht because I live about 30 seconds walk from the Skytrain, and I have a 30-trip pass. My luggage is wheeled (so no sweat), and I feel fine when I arrive at the airport. The longest walk for me is about a 1-2 minute one to/from BTS at Victory Monument along the Skywalk. Besides being cheaper, the road travel is also less than 25 minutes in rush-hour traffic.

If it doesn't work for you or others--that's fine--a cab is a great idea and is, generally, the de facto option. It's obviously the easiest one with little wear-and-tear or adventure. I've only suggested another option that I thought I would throw out to the world for consideration rather than keep to myself. I've noticed other posts from those who suggest alternative options to taxi travel with replies from others that pooh-pooh their suggestions. Why is that? It's simply providing an idea to the community.

I think it's the thought of saving money that somehow offends people, even if it is just a couple hundred baht. But, for me, I choose to save money to use for other things, small or extravagant. Also, I don't mind walking the less-traveled path.

PS, here's a bonus money-saving tip that may be elsewhere on the forum: there's a cheap food-court on the ground floor of the airport, mostly used by airline and airport employees. Food tastes great for the same food-court prices as in Bangkok shopping centers. There's also a full-service convenience store with regular prices that's bigger than the Family Mart (which is also a good deal) on the ticket counter level. The only problem with that is the liquid-ban at security, so no taking drinks past security, but good for snacks, etc.

I'm glad that someone posted today because it reminded me to add some wrong information that I had posted.

I used the Victory Monument-to-airport van again a couple of weeks ago on an international trip.

Correction about where to find the van at Victory Monument:

From BTS Skytrain stop at Victory Monument, walk on the Skywalk around the big circle to the right and then take the third "exit" on the right. The first "exit" is a walkdown next to an escalator that goes down to where Phayathai and the circle join, skip that. Next "exit" is a path to a shopping center called "Center One" that's got the usual: Watson's, KFC, Pizza Company, Black Canyon etc. (forget that, too, unless you're hungry).

The third "exit" is right after that 2nd one and the Skywalk parallels the one that leads to Center One. After exiting the main Skywalk, walk down the stairs. This puts you at a corner of Ratchawithi and the Victory Monument circle (I think there's yet another Dunkin' Donuts there). Walk straight off the stairs past one or two bus benches, and this is where I saw the airport bus waiting, but it didn't have a sign in English. I just asked "Suvarnabhumi?" Threw the bag in back, paid 45 baht, waited about 5 more minutes for three more people to load in and then we were off. Dropped me off upon request at the right area of the International terminal.

Got to airport from Victory Monument in 23 minutes on a Tuesday at 6pm.

Hope this helps.

Since the service seems to be not so well known, although others have mentioned these mini-vans here before, who have you seen using the service? Is it other travelers? Workers at the airport?

A related story...http://www.bangkokpost.com/170707_News/17Jul2007_news02.php

Ah, I read thru the Post story. I've seen some of the tourist, hotel, and other vans they refer to. But, the service I use must have legit-status because they sell tickets for it at the Airport Transportation center that the airport shuttle bus takes you to from the terminal. At the end of the city buses, they have a bank of tables with people selling tickets to various parts of the city.

So far, I've only seen Thais taking it other than me and my friends/housemates. They appear to be middle-class travelers and also airport workers. I'm usually one of the only ones who gets out at the International terminal when riding to the airport.

Yeah, agreed on that, nice details, but whats the price for Jacks Visa runs, I'm figuring in the 1500 baht range?

2000 baht, all-inclusive (service, transport, Cambodian visa, bottle of water, and "lunch").

Lowest I've seen online is Jack Golf's 5:00am service (which I guess starts today) for a promotional price 1800 baht and ThaiVisaService for regular price 1900 baht.

BTW, I see now on SM Travel's site (which doesn't work well with Macs, don't know about PC) that they advertise it leaving at 4:30am from Silom Rd/Chong Nonsi BTS area and Asok BTS at 5:00am with a estimated return of 1:00pm.

Jack Golf's 5:00am service is estimating back by 12:00pm.

I'll believe that when I see it...it seems in general, you should expect a visa run through any of the companies to take about 9.5-10 hours turnaround.

Very misleading information by someone trying to create confusion - this has nothing to do with visas.

The TM.47 form is used for those on yearly extensions of stay to report there current address to Immigration every 90 days. The bottom part is removed and inserted into your passport with a date 90 days later for your next report that is stamped onto that paper. There is no stamp made in your passport and it has nothing to do with visas.

I just got back from my first 3-month border run on my 1-yr. Non-Imm. 'B' visa and saw this thread.

So, lopburi3, is there a way to do this in BKK, or must I always travel to a border every 3 months?

As someone else posted on the board, I would gladly give my 2000baht to Immigration here instead of Cambodia and visa run agent, in exchange for not having to make that journey.

We used to be able to do just that, until a certain person called Hamballie got caught doing that, and was wanted by the C.I.A! It all ended in Aug 2003.

Well, son-of-a-B! Excuse my use of harsh letters. (apologies to Dane Cook)

Wouldn't it be preferable for terrorists to try to go down to the Immigration office? I can't imagine guys like Hambali are hopping on a visa run minivan to the border.

Yeah, yeah, I know where I am.

on entering thailand (with the 30 day visa) you now have to show proof of a flight out of the country.

why a flight? is this coz they presume that everyone will fly home?

what if i plan to go to malaysia or singapore by bus?

can I (somehow) pre-book a bus to malaysia or singapore and show this as proof of departure from thailand?

> it would be interesting to get an accurate answer on this topic becasue it would save many hours wasted buying full priced air tickets and then cancelling them for a refund after I have cleared customs!!

The sign that I saw today at the Ban Laem border to Cambodia just said "air tickets or travel documents." I didn't have to worry about that, so I don't know specifics...but that's what the sign says.