Wang Prachan - Malaysia Border Run, 30 Day on arrival question

[danpeter]

Hello all,

We are 3 people with a car that will be near Wang Prachan border and will need a visa run, 2 of the passports are on 60 Tourist day visas and the other 30 day visa Exemption, Canadian & Hungarian passports. Is it possible to get the 30 day visa exemption on arrival and not need to stay a night in Malaysia? I am getting conflicting information on this? Some say that returning the same day is not possible? 

Thanks for your help

[JackThompson]

As to the overnight-issue, I do not think the type of entry you have now would make any difference.  Hungarians and Canadians qualify for visa-exempt entries under the same general rule (not a specific bilateral agreement), so that should not be an issue.

 

There is no law or official published rule specifically stating you must stay out a night before returning to obtain a Visa-Exempt entry.  But, Visa-Exempts are granted by immigration, and they have published a set of limitations on their use:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=435513

 

Many have reported that some entry-points from Malaysia do enforce a "must stay out overnight" rule - likely justified by that document's wording. 

 

I do not recall a report from Wang Prachan - most we get are from Sadao or Pedang Besar.   Best to plan on needing to stay out the night, and be happy if you don't.

[danpeter]

8 hours ago, JackThompson said:

As to the overnight-issue, I do not think the type of entry you have now would make any difference.  Hungarians and Canadians qualify for visa-exempt entries under the same general rule (not a specific bilateral agreement), so that should not be an issue.

 

There is no law or official published rule specifically stating you must stay out a night before returning to obtain a Visa-Exempt entry.  But, Visa-Exempts are granted by immigration, and they have published a set of limitations on their use:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=435513

 

Many have reported that some entry-points from Malaysia do enforce a "must stay out overnight" rule - likely justified by that document's wording. 

 

I do not recall a report from Wang Prachan - most we get are from Sadao or Pedang Besar.   Best to plan on needing to stay out the night, and be happy if you don't.

Hello Jack,

 

Thanks for that, I appreciate your time.

 

 

[highfive]

To anyone who's interested in this - I tried to get a visa exempt 30 day stamp at Wang Prachan today. I asked about it before I got the actual exit stamp out of Thailand and I basically had to talk to four different officers about whether they would give me the 30-day stamp if I came back on the same day or not. The senior official who was making the final decision seemed very angry, especially when he looked at my passport, he really wanted to know when will I go back to Europe finally.. At the end they said that they will not give me the stamp unless I stay "at least a couple of nights (more than 1) in Malaysia. Didn't want any tea money either. He said it's so bad that I stay in Thailand so long and I have to go back to my own country or get visa in Penang. One of the younger officials was about to let me through, but the senior one quickly scolded him by saying "look at his passport, look how many entries" (mostly tourist visas) and that was the end of it.

 

btw. I have used this border in the past to get a 30-day stamp last year, but that was with an agency who was "friendly" with the officers there. 2000 baht per person for visa exempt stamps friendly to be exact