Go and back immediately, Padang Besar

[anotherfarangishere]

Hello,

 

Last year I did two "go and back immediately" at Padang Besar. I'm planning to do it again in 2018. Something new about this ?

 

Since about six months I didn't use visa, just gone in Thailand with 30 days at Dong Muang airport. Last time was on January after three weeks outside Thailand.

 

Thanks!

[tgeezer]

I did that many years ago by train, we left Thailand and entered Malaysia from the railway platform.  There was no return train in the offing so we re-entered Thailand by a footbridge where locals enjoy free movement accross the border.  The problem was that we needed to take a taxi for quite a long drive to a border post to get a stamp back into Thailand.    

 

[ubonjoe]

Are you aware you can apply for a 30 day extension of your 30 day visa exempt entry at immigration unless it is from a bilateral agreement between Thailand and your home country.

You can only do 2 visa exempt entries at land border crossings per calendar year.

You should not have a problem doing a border hop to get a new 30 day visa exempt entry. But be beware immigration at the crossings to Malaysia may require you to stay overnight before re-entering the country.

[anotherfarangishere]

Thanks tgeezer and ubonjoe. As I have written, I have done it two times last year, so I know everything about it (extension 30 days, only 2 times) except some recent changes or some new "thai mood". So I'm looking for people who have experienced it recently, in January or February.

 

 

[DavidB4]

On 2/27/2018 at 8:32 AM, tgeezer said:

I did that many years ago by train, we left Thailand and entered Malaysia from the railway platform.  There was no return train in the offing so we re-entered Thailand by a footbridge where locals enjoy free movement accross the border.  The problem was that we needed to take a taxi for quite a long drive to a border post to get a stamp back into Thailand.    

 

So did you go through Thai immigration or just cross into Malaysia at the station?

 

[tgeezer]

I suppose that you asking about being in Thailand without a permission to stay stamp, and yes that was the case there was no restriction on the border because it divides communities there. It did cross my mind that a person might just carry on home to Bangkok, soon dismissed for obvious reasons. 

Edited February 28, 2018 by tgeezer

[recom273]

When you did this in January, they didn’t ask you to spend a night in Malaysia before returning?

 

That’s good!

 

Its my local border and has always a reputation as an easy place but last visited there in the middle of last year and was immediately referred to the supervisor for interrogation. There had been other posts in our local fb group from holders of ME visas, along with visa exempts being returned to MY to spend a night.

 

I don’t understand the other post, there is no reason to take a taxi, after stamping back in at the station you can walk back down the train tracks and pickup a motor taxi or walk to the mini van station for a bit of exercise. 

[Fatman666]

Returned 2 days ago from my 5th visa run in a row at PadangBesar. Never need to stay 1 night in Malaysia. Never any problems at immigration at train platform. Out and in in a couple of minutes. But this time i arrived with the train and go shopping in the duty free shop and after wanted to stamp in at the road instead the train immigration. And for my first time in 26years the IO want to see money 20.000THB in cash, wich i had. Also she told me some stupid questions Why i stay in Thailand.  Before i told her i married and support my wife. She asked which hotel or apartment i stay i had clearly the adress on the form. But she dont want accept this, so i gave her a copy of the house book, also copy of the ID card of my wife and told her we live under this adress in our house. Not in a condo or hotel.  My visa is Multi Non-O. But it was clear from the beginning, that the IO dont liked me. Before never any problems for me at PadangBesar. Next time i will only stamp out and in at trainstation again. So be prepared and take enough cash and some documents with you. 

[nofarang]

I go to Padang regularly. Last time I was there was February 17, 2018, ten days ago. Everything was as before. But: When you leaving Thailand you do not have to wait in the long queue with all the Malaysians. Go to the left to a small room. Go ahead of the queue there and enter the second door. You will be processed preferentially (nobody knows why but is is like that). Go down the hill to the Malaysian immigration. Get your in and out stamps with your fingerprints. All very smooth. Go up the hill to enter Thailand. Here again: Do not wait in the long queues with all the Malaysians. Go to the front desk and ask politely for the immigration card, fill it out and then go to the left into a room which says "Supervisor". Usually nobody is in the room exept the official behind a desk. Please be polite and and try to make a simple conversation (if you can) with the lady in charge. All is done without any hassle and I have never been asked for an overnight stay in Malaysia at this border crossing. Good luck!

[dotpoom]

I thought you were giving us a tip for a horse. I was just going to run out a get my hands on a copy of the Sporting Chronicle/Life

  A sudden rush of blood to the head.....alas....now back to my normal everyday boring life lazeing in the sun in a tropical land... eyeing up all the beautiful lassies?

Edited February 28, 2018 by dotpoom

[recom273]

Returned 2 days ago from my 5th visa run in a row at PadangBesar. Never need to stay 1 night in Malaysia. Never any problems at immigration at train platform. Out and in in a couple of minutes. But this time i arrived with the train and go shopping in the duty free shop and after wanted to stamp in at the road instead the train immigration. And for my first time in 26years the IO want to see money 20.000THB in cash, wich i had. Also she told me some stupid questions Why i stay in Thailand.  Before i told her i married and support my wife. She asked which hotel or apartment i stay i had clearly the adress on the form. But she dont want accept this, so i gave her a copy of the house book, also copy of the ID card of my wife and told her we live under this adress in our house. Not in a condo or hotel.  My visa is Multi Non-O. But it was clear from the beginning, that the IO dont liked me. Before never any problems for me at PadangBesar. Next time i will only stamp out and in at trainstation again. So be prepared and take enough cash and some documents with you. 

Yes!!

So, exactly the same for me.

I stood in the queue to stamp in and without even looking at my passport, i was sent to that room and told to take a seat while the female supervisor was summoned.

I am also on a ME-O, and she questioned me upon what i was doing here, then she questioned me upon why I have no extension of stay. Apparently, its easy to get 400,000B from my country. I pointed at my expensive motorbike through the glass, and described the house and pickup that my wife has bought and explained to her, that rather than keep the money sitting in a bank account, i would rather enjoy the benefits and take the 30 min run to the border every 3 months, like you say, pick up some Vodka from duty free.

All the time, I asked, am i doing anything illegal or wrong? Please tell me. Of course she couldn’t. They are just trying to bust our balls.

I never carry House book or ID but i have those in Dropbox, I could always access the 20,000B if requested, but, yes, the border has been like this for 6 months or more now. It’s not just you. The woman is obnoxious, I guess the whole process added another needless 30 mins.

Sadao is a better bet than this border now, but there is some confusion over spending a night out, so you may have to wait around for a while as the superintendent is called to clarify the current situation, “exemption - one night, ME - no problem”

I now use the Satun border, in the national park now .. It’s a nice run on the motorbike, never busy apart from the weekends and its pretty quiet.


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