Nakhon Pathom visa run routes.

[ExpatNP]

Newly arrived and wondering what my visa run options are from here.

 

Any local advice will be appreciated.

[BritTim]

Knowing more about your situation (nationality, age, marital status, current visa and permission to stay) might allow us to provide better advice, but some initial pointers:

• with Nakhon Phatom being close to Bangkok, many of the suggested visa run routes from Bangkok are worth considering;
• the closest border crossing is at Ban Phu Nam Ron, a small crossing only useful for a border bounce for a new entry from multiple entry visa, or possibly a visa exempt entry;
• if you want to apply for an actual visa at a consulate, your best routes will usually be through Bangkok.

[ExpatNP]

Thanks BritTim.

 

I'm a Brit, married to a Thai wife and currently have a non-immigrant O visa, multiple entry for one year.  I am 54.

 

Ban Phu Nam Ron seems to be a lot closer and about 3 hours drive, so it' seems preferable.

 

Can I do this myself?

 

 

[BritTim]

29 minutes ago, ExpatNP said:

Thanks BritTim.

 

I'm a Brit, married to a Thai wife and currently have a non-immigrant O visa, multiple entry for one year.  I am 54.

 

Ban Phu Nam Ron seems to be a lot closer and about 3 hours drive, so it' seems preferable.

 

Can I do this myself?

Ban Phu Nam Ron is a good solution for someone in Nakhon Pathom with a multiple entry Non O visa. There are several informative threads on this board. There is an annoying scam being run by Myanmar and Thai immigration at this crossing which you cannot avoid. In theory, a border bounce ought to be dirt cheap (US$10 for a Myanmar day pass, and inexpensive transport across no-mans land). In practice, you are forced to accept a package deal of 960 baht, combining the border pass and transport. Recent attempts to circumvent the scam have been unsuccessful. Accept that you will need to submit to it. It will still be your cheapest and most convenient option.

 

You can drive to the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing, or take public transport via Kanchanaburi. You cannot use your own vehicle to cross no-mans land between Thai and Myanmar immigration.

 

EDIT: If looking for a change sometime, and driving yourself, you could arrange a short holiday up to Mae Sot. At that crossing, you can pay the official US$10 for a day pass, and walk across the bridge between Thai and Myanmar immigration. If you have not been there, the Mae Sot area is quite interesting for a short holiday. Driving up one day, and back a couple of days later is not too stressful.

[ExpatNP]

Thanks Tim, do they accept Baht, or do I need to buy some USD?

 

Mae Sot is a 7 hour drive from here according to Google Maps and Ban Phu Nam Ron is 3.  I'd better ask the wife which she prefers.

 

Is there anything worth seeing/doing on the Myanmar side at Ban Phu Nam Ron?

[BritTim]

29 minutes ago, ExpatNP said:

Thanks Tim, do they accept Baht, or do I need to buy some USD?

 

Mae Sot is a 7 hour drive from here according to Google Maps and Ban Phu Nam Ron is 3.  I'd better ask the wife which she prefers.

 

Is there anything worth seeing/doing on the Myanmar side at Ban Phu Nam Ron?

At Ban Phu Nam Ron, you use only baht. At Mae Sot, if you want to pay for the border pass in baht, it will cost you 500 baht. It is better to get a nice clean US$10 bill less than 330 baht from the better foreign exchange places.

 

At Ban Phu Nam Ron, there is really nothing of interest on the Myanmar side.

 

I would expect you to use Ban Phu Nam Ron routinely when you just want an easy border bounce. However, at least one trip up to Mae Sot is worth considering, as I said, for a pleasant short break. There are various detours available en route. Sukhotai old city is not too far out of your way. The area around Mae Sot on the Thai side is beautiful, Tak province has many sights, and Myawaddy (the town across from Mae Sot on the Myanmar side) a possible couple of hours look see if curious.

[ratcatcher]

1 hour ago, ExpatNP said:

Thanks Tim, do they accept Baht, or do I need to buy some USD?

 

Mae Sot is a 7 hour drive from here according to Google Maps and Ban Phu Nam Ron is 3.  I'd better ask the wife which she prefers.

 

Is there anything worth seeing/doing on the Myanmar side at Ban Phu Nam Ron?

If you do choose the Mae Sot crossing, there is an extensive and interesting market selling many different things as well as locally made furniture, just north of the bridge over the Moei river. There are decent hotels in Mae Sot as well as a clean motel right  behind the market near Thai customs. It's worth a look and a couple days trip. The highway over the mountains from Tak is winding but improved. As one poster said, B500 or a clean US$10 bill. Not much to do in Myawaddy except a quick wander round. Your wife can get a day pass at Immigration, I believe. Good luck.

[unamazedloso]

phu nam ron is the best and its 960b. just walk to the first box with a window roadside. hand over your passport, pay the money and wait for a 1km ride by van or ute. the driver takes care of everything. you just enjoy the short trip to myanmar. all up its about 45min.

you dont need photos or photo copies or any of that garbage and there is no hagglers. pretty good!

[unamazedloso]

oh i forgot to add you can buy some alcohol, cigarettes and whatever but there is about 3tiny shops and nothing much else but you only wait for 5-10min while in myanmar so i wouldnt prepare for a day sightseeing... They are however doing major renovations myanmar side so maybe one day it will be a little more interesting.

[melvinmelvin]

52 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

phu nam ron is the best and its 960b. just walk to the first box with a window roadside. hand over your passport, pay the money and wait for a 1km ride by van or ute. the driver takes care of everything. you just enjoy the short trip to myanmar. all up its about 45min.

you dont need photos or photo copies or any of that garbage and there is no hagglers. pretty good!

1 km?

 

can easily walk then, 15 minutes or so

 

or are you forced to sit in a crappy bus?

 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, melvinmelvin said:

1 km?

 

can easily walk then, 15 minutes or so

 

or are you forced to sit in a crappy bus?

At Ban Phu Nam Ron, Thai immigration ensure that the only way you can do the border bounce is by using the 960 baht service that gives them a cut. These days, I believe you can choose to stay the whole time on the Thai side. Someone takes passports across to get the necessary stamps. You will still be charged for the round trip transport to and from Myanmar immigration.

[kiwikeith]

10 hours ago, BritTim said:

At Ban Phu Nam Ron, Thai immigration ensure that the only way you can do the border bounce is by using the 960 baht service that gives them a cut. These days, I believe you can choose to stay the whole time on the Thai side. Someone takes passports across to get the necessary stamps. You will still be charged for the round trip transport to and from Myanmar immigration.

Ban Phu Nam Ron, is a good run. Brit Tim is spot on.

You can not avoid the 960 BHT so I just handed in Passport sat down waited for the Van then went across , the van stops in Burma and the driver takes the passports and is back in about fifteen minutes and runs you back,  all done easy.

Buy some duty free when the van stops I grab 2 bottles of whisky and my expat friend in Thailand buys them off me.

I do this run from Hua Hin with my Thai wife, while we are there I sometimes stay a night in Kanchanaburi as it is a very neat place with a nice train ride available and nice around the train station.

We found a nice place to stay which was only 650BHT per night for a unit for both of us with nice rice soup breakfast and the place was brand new and spotless.

Cant remember the name but was on the main road close to train station and you just drive in and can park under carport at the unit.

[ExpatNP]

Thanks for these answers.

 

Ban Phu Nam Ron is looking good then.  No $10 needed if the 960 Baht requirement is the only way?