30 Day Extension or Last Land Border for 2018?

[lopezkoa]

I am a US citizen and currently in Bangkok on a 60 day SETV tourist visa, it expires on Dec 15. I know I can extend this for 30 more days for 1900 Baht at immigration but also I read that I can go to the Burma border from Bangkok in 2 hours and stamp out and back in 2 times per year.  

 

Since it is December, is it just as easy to catch a ride to the Burma border and come back to Bangkok for less than 1900 and get 30 days?  So its like im paying 1900b for 30 more days at Immigrarion or a cheaper price for 30 days if I go to use a Land border.  Then I can extend that for another 30 days and be good until February and since it will be 2019, I'll have a fresh new 2 land borders I can do again?  What would you do? Is it easy going to Phu Nam Ron and back to Bkk?

 

How is this land border for US citizen? Do they give a difficult time when stamping in and should I bring 20k baht to be prepared if asked? 

[ubonjoe]

It is your decision for which one is easier for you to do.

I think you will find it is longer trip than 2 hours (3 hours according to Google maps). Also you may spend and hour or more to do the crossing.

Not sure what the cost for the trip to the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing would be. The trip across no mans land and back including the 500 baht for a Myanmar border pass will be 960 baht.

No reports of 20k being asked for at the crossing. It is the same for all nationalities.

 

 

[lopezkoa]

Yes I'm thinking it'll be a few hundred baht cheaper than 1900+taxi to changwattana and back which is why I was considering it and since I live near Mo Chit Bts where I would plan to take the bus to Kanchanaburi first for 150baht and then to Ban Phu Nam Ron. I just didn't know that I had to pay for a border pass, but even with that and transportation to stamp in/out of Burma will be total 960baht. Something new to try. I just look at it as how much is it gonna cost to pay for 30 more days. 

[DrJack54]

Is this a wind up. You going to all the trouble of getting to border crossing and back when you could just go extend at CW? For a few baht extra.

Edited November 27, 2018 by DrJack54
Error

[Caldera]

If your main objective is to save money, take the bus from BTS Morchid to immigration (Chaeng Watthana) instead of a taxi. You won't be able to save much, if anything, by doing a border run instead of getting an extension.

[lopezkoa]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Is this a wind up. You going to all the trouble of getting to border crossing and back when you could just go extend at CW? For a few baht extra.

 

I've been to Changwattana immigration before.  Seems like going here is a lot more trouble and hassle than a bus going to the Border. Not only to save money, but time as well. Both options take at least half a day-full day.

 

Last time I went to changwattana, there were easily 200 people in front of me and I was there from 11am - 5pm, they took an hour break from 12-1 so nobody was helped. Then the traffic from Changwattana to Mo Chit BTS in the afternoon took about 2 hours.... so what really is more of a hassle? It still took all day from 10am I left my place utill about 8pm arrived back home. So I'm weighing other options.

 

Sounds like going to the Border would be a lot less hassle (and cheaper) than going to changwattana for the extension yea?  Plus since this is timed right.. I can actually do a land border crossing 3 times if I do 1 now, and it resets to 0 in January i can do it 2 more times in 2019.

Edited November 27, 2018 by lopezkoa

[DrJack54]

OP, I take your point, but you mention mo chit. Take bus 52. Drops you at entrance to cw. Its cost 10 or 18 baht. Anyway go early get your ticket, you will be out before lunch break. The 200 you mention is not correct, but think you go there at 11?.

People go at that time to have lunch in the one hour break and get served arvo. Be organized, have all your 'stuff" ready, walk straight past desk at entry and get your ticket. You will be out before lunch break. I will love for you to report back on your return trip to border. 

[lopezkoa]

I am going to Ban Phu Nam Ron with my Thai girlfriend.  I need to know, does she also have to pay 460฿ for bus transfer to Burma across No mans land?  i know that I pay 500฿ for the border pass and stamp into burma, so 960฿ total for me. But for Thai citizen, she will pay 460฿ total since she doesn't need a Burma border pass? I only have SETV, so I will be doing this my 2nd Land Border for 2018.  I also plan on extending this land border for another 30 days at Immigration and do 1 of 2 Land Border in February 2019 and 2 of 2 Land border in April 2019.

 

BTW, yes I know I could just go to CW to extend my SETV which expires this month of December for 30 more days for 1,900 baht. But this is perfectly timed to do a Land border run.  I want to do the border run because I can use 2 of 2 Land Borders for 2018 and it resets back to 0 of 2 next month! So since it is timed right, I can actually stay in Thailand a month longer (Until June 2019 with extentions) if i do a border run now. Compared to if I extend my SETV now for 30 days at CW so then i have to do a border run in January anyways and only do 2 land borders from January with extentions that will end in May 2019.  So I'm sure you will agree with me on why it makes sense to do a Border Run now instead of extending the SETV for 30 day at Changwattana.

Edited December 3, 2018 by lopezkoa