Trip Report: Pattaya to Ban Pakard, Chanthaburi

[Hal65]

We met up for breakfast at 6am on a Saturday for a border run with First Class Visa Runs.

 

Meals: I had scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast. Mid trip the driver gave us chilled bottled water, a banana and wafers. For lunch before departing I had a burger and fries. There were 6 options for both breakfast and lunch.

 

Trip timings

 

Depart: 6:40am (5 minutes early)

Restroom / 7/11 break: 8:15am

Arrive at Ban Pakard border: 10:10am

Leave border: 11:10am (2 checkpoints hit on the way back, 2 and 10 minutes from the border).

Restroom: / 7/11 break: 12:30pm

Arrive at Queen Vic rear entrance: 2:55pm

Finish lunch: 3:40pm

 

Time spent in the van: 3.5 hours there, 3.75 hours back (15 minutes exta for Sukhumvit/Pattaya Nua traffic). Adding 1 hour for the border the total trip time was 8.25 hours. Extra time for breakfast and lunch.

 

Border crossing

 

- I was transitioning from ED to tourist visa. I was pulled aside and asked to pay 1,500 before let back into the line, preserving my place. According to the company it wouldn't have mattered if I cancelled my ED visa at the local office in advance, the border IOs do this as they know ED visa holders are staying long term and so they'll ask the money regardless.
    
- Getting back into Thailand is faster than my experience at Nong Khai. At NK there are real waits, I've waited an hour in line before. Here it is a 10 minute wait on both sides. The real time sink was in the middle, when our driver took our passports, disappeared for 40 minutes, and returned with those cards (TM6?) filled out for us.

 

- The whole border experience seemed much more casual. Besides our group there were maybe 5 other Westerners and only 100 people waiting around the general area. My other experiences were waiting to deal with a uniformed officer at Poipet or Nong khai. Here the IOs were just wearing casual clothing for the most part. I think I could have just walked into Cambodia acting like I was busy, passport and papers in hand, and probably not been stopped by anyone.

 

Misc. Trip Notes

 

- SUV spotted beat up and in the center median ditch on the way back. Lady driver got unluck as there were guardrails just 200m ahead.

 

- However my driver drove in a reasonable manner throughout the trip.

 

- VIP bus rides are incomparable to standard seating. A 2.3 hour bus ride to/from bangkok is uncomfortable for me whereas this 3.5 / 3.75 hour ride was not. Movies playing helped occupy the mind as well.

 

Review of the company

 

They take care of you for sure. Between the meals, visa filling and guidance I think it's worth the extra 500 baht or so. I was warned by my school not to attempt the border run myself for some reason so I didn't feel there was much choice other than to take a 9-10 seat van for 2,300 to 2,500 (I paid 2,800). Given you're in that van over 7 hours no thanks, tight seating is what makes a trip arduous.

 

I will take them again.

 

Open questions for the next trip

 

- What would happen if I cancelled my ED visa at Jomtien (local immigration office) and refused to pay the 1,500 when the lady pulls me aside? I don't mind the fee as it's only once per year but am I correct to fear refusal of an exit stamp or maybe them telegraphing to the IOs on the entry side not to play nice with me on the way back in?

 

- Ban Laem is 25km further. Does any company go there instead? I wonder if they have the same ED-cancellation-overcharge policy. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Hal65

[visarunner]

any Extension on Non B or Non ED have to be cancelled for a border run. 

The payment part is not true, if cancelled correctly before the trip there will no charges at any border. You would have been stopped trying to stroll around the area. You not see them, but they see you.  

[visarunner]

Pattaya Companies go to Pakkard due to convenience. Bangkok Companies (Bangkok Buddy and Meesuk go to Ban Pakkard. SWD or Thai Visa Service go to Ban Laem, but only on selected days. 

 

[Sterling]

I havent ever had to make a visa run so sorry if this sounds stupid. Is Ban Pakkard listed as Banpuggard on Google Maps?

[Hal65]

@Sterling Yes, Thai phoenetic spellings are common on Google. Even Thai signs will vary in how they write a place's name in English.

[flexomike]

20 minutes ago, Hal65 said:

@Sterling Yes, Thai phoenetic spellings are common on Google. Even Thai signs will vary in how they write a place's name in English.

so when you came back across the border did they give you a visa exempt stamp, didn't know they issued Tourist Visas there

[Hal65]

I have a Cambodian visa and a 30 day stamp. I've never been clear on the terminology for visa exempt vs tourist vs other cases, so it is probably whichever one you believe it probably is.