Phu Nam Ron DIY border hop by bus

[edwardandtubs]

There's a lot of misleading information on a few websites about this but I did it and it turned out to be very easy. There are buses from Kanchanaburi bus station to the border very regularly (every hour or so) throughout the day. The bus station staff and also the tourist police can give you information. I took the purple van provided by Sasanan transport for 50 baht at 11am. I was told the last one back is at 5pm so no rush. On my return to Kanchanaburi bus station I got a nice minibus (not van) back to BTS Mochit which was just leaving at 1540. Everyone was honest and polite. The only thing I would say is that legroom is very limited on some of these buses so I wouldn't recommend it if you're on the large side. I was offered a taxi there and back for 1200 baht but I'm sure this can be negotiated down and would be the best option if you're not travelling alone.

Edited November 20, 2019 by edwardandtubs

[captnhoy]

Good info. I did not know busses ran to the border. I negotiated 700 baht last May. He seemed unhappy but He did It. A bus would have been better than the back of a songtao

[zarak666]

Can I please ask, how you guys handled the stamp in / stamp out of Myanmar, after clearing the Thai immigration on your way out - and obviously before entering back in Thailand ?

[captnhoy]

3 hours ago, zarak666 said:

Can I please ask, how you guys handled the stamp in / stamp out of Myanmar, after clearing the Thai immigration on your way out - and obviously before entering back in Thailand ?

My experience was that if you approach the immigration window on your own they would turn you away and direct you to an agent. That person would collect your passport and arranged for you to be transported through no man's land get you Stamped Out get you stamp back in and you would pay that person a fee. I can't remember exactly I think it was 800 baht. No doubt this is shared upward appropriately, and I believe that accounts for why no one will be turned away if everything is in order. The part I didn't like was the wait for the transport across the border. I saw numerous Vans full of people going without a weight and I assume they paid a higher fee that included Transportation Etc. I traveled out of Hua hin to do this tip and I turn down a fully organized offer that was 3000 Baht for more again I don't remember exactly.

 

Edited November 21, 2019 by captnhoy

[zarak666]

Thanks CaptnHoy. Indeed I made that run a few times, with a visa-run organized trip from BKK: never went further than a few meters after clearing Thai immigration out, no idea what it's like on the Burmese side of the no man's land. All of the group's passports were handled by the driver after clearing out, and came back duly stamped for each group member to queue back into Thailand. Once, a co-traveler was refused clearing out since already had two visa exempt entries.

 

There is likely no way to make it entirely on your own.

[edwardandtubs]

@captnhoy price is 960 baht for the agent at the border but my experiences were exactly the same as yours. We shouldn't complain as this is still the cheapest and easiest border hop from Bangkok. There are visa runs from Bangkok for 2000 baht all-in and a visa run business in Kanchanaburi that advertises on Facebook for those who want the fast track service. Personally I'd rather spend the night in Kanchanaburi than get up at 4 in the morning.

 

Edited November 21, 2019 by edwardandtubs

[problemfarang]

A info to this post: Myanmar dont accept any muslim countries on that border. If you want to use it, you need a visa from BKK. They dont give any stamp visa on this border to muslim countries since... 2 years now

[visarunner]

3 hours ago, problemfarang said:

A info to this post: Myanmar dont accept any muslim countries on that border. If you want to use it, you need a visa from BKK. They dont give any stamp visa on this border to muslim countries since... 2 years now

totally wrong, Indonesian or Malaysia passport holder have no problem what so ever. They are charged the full fee, THB960 if they come to border.

[visarunner]

On 11/21/2019 at 1:43 PM, captnhoy said:

My experience was that if you approach the immigration window on your own they would turn you away and direct you to an agent. That person would collect your passport and arranged for you to be transported through no man's land get you Stamped Out get you stamp back in and you would pay that person a fee. I can't remember exactly I think it was 800 baht. No doubt this is shared upward appropriately, and I believe that accounts for why no one will be turned away if everything is in order. The part I didn't like was the wait for the transport across the border. I saw numerous Vans full of people going without a weight and I assume they paid a higher fee that included Transportation Etc. I traveled out of Hua hin to do this tip and I turn down a fully organized offer that was 3000 Baht for more again I don't remember exactly.

 

The vans you see are Thai gamblers on a day pass, they are prohibited to take visa runner across. BTW, the bat man group is working there under exclusivity... Fee for Western passport is THB960.- per person. It covers the service, trip to the other side, charges on Myanmar side. 

[problemfarang]

12 minutes ago, visarunner said:

totally wrong, Indonesian or Malaysia passport holder have no problem what so ever. They are charged the full fee, THB960 if they come to border.

 

No its correct. If this is the border to myanmar which i know (3 hours from my place), i have denied from entry without a proper TR visa from BKK embassy 2 years ago. Since then im not going there. Their decision is related to.. well i think everyone knows what they are doing to muslims in that country. im holding turkish passport

Edited November 22, 2019 by problemfarang

[parryhandy]

On 11/21/2019 at 3:38 AM, zarak666 said:

Can I please ask, how you guys handled the stamp in / stamp out of Myanmar, after clearing the Thai immigration on your way out - and obviously before entering back in Thailand ?

just ask around near Thai immigration on your way out and you will be directed to a little kiosk down a short alley to the left of immigration who sells you the visa run service. You check out of Thailand then wait in a little cafe just past immigration for the songtaew bus which takes you about 3kms inside Myanmar to a duty free shack (there's toilets there as well).

There you wait about 15mins while the driver takes the passports somewhere to be stamped and then he takes you back. 

Its a very good crossing if you don't want to use many pages on your passport as it only takes half a page (4 stamps).