Best visa/border run from Bangkok in your opinion?

[BritTim]

11 hours ago, visabouncer said:

And the total price of the trip is very cheap 2500-3000baht including taxi and public transportation expenses.

Unless you are from a country that is entitled to visa exempt entry to Laos (very few countries) you need to add the cost of a Lao visa (either eVisa or visa on arrival).. Even without that, I think 3,000 baht is optimistic. Taxis from provincial airports tend to be expensive. If looking for a visa exempt entry or a new entry on a multiple entry visa, this still looks like a decent candidate.

[BritTim]

On 10/15/2022 at 8:45 PM, visabouncer said:

Is it easy to cross the border from this place? Are there any hourly buses to Laos and back? If you have any information it would be helpful.

I am almost sure there is an hourly international bus from Nakhon Phanom bus station that crosses the third Friendship Bridge (price around 80 baht each way). Of course, this still leaves you with the issue of getting from the airport to the bus station.

[visabouncer]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

I am almost sure there is an hourly international bus from Nakhon Phanom bus station that crosses the third Friendship Bridge (price around 80 baht each way). Of course, this still leaves you with the issue of getting from the airport to the bus station.

According to this - 
https://domesticflightsthailand.com/airports/nakhon-phanom-airport
"A shared van to the city center should cost approximately 80 baht." Not sure it is still available now or not.

[visabouncer]

Interesting, but nobody want to make a visa run to Myanmar. But this would be the fastest and cheapest visa run (2-3 hours by bus from Bangkok to get to the border).
Recently I have seen an advertising for a visa run ticket to Myanmar (Ranong) from Phuket for about 1800 baht (including insurance which is necessary to enter Myanmar). The seller offers such a visa-run for Multiple entry visa holders only.
I hope there should be the same opportunities in Bangkok. A foreigner could buy insurance online and pay about 500 baht for the Myanmar immigration officers to get stamped.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, visabouncer said:

Interesting, but nobody want to make a visa run to Myanmar. But this would be the fastest and cheapest visa run (2-3 hours by bus from Bangkok to get to the border).
Recently I have seen an advertising for a visa run ticket to Myanmar (Ranong) from Phuket for about 1800 baht (including insurance which is necessary to enter Myanmar). The seller offers such a visa-run for Multiple entry visa holders only.
I hope there should be the same opportunities in Bangkok. A foreigner could buy insurance online and pay about 500 baht for the Myanmar immigration officers to get stamped.

We have been assuming that "visa" runs to Myanmar are not possible. Officially, all the land crossings are closed to foreigners. I wonder how this service via Ranong is able to overcome the issue. I wonder if there is some special arrangement with the Andaman Club on Thahtay Kyun Island where the security concerns preventing normal opening of the border crossings might not apply. A quick Google search does not reveal whether the hotel and casino is open for business.

[ultramarine]

On 10/11/2022 at 2:56 PM, ubonjoe said:

Bangkok to a crossing to Cambodia would be ok but not at the Aran Poipet crossing. 

There are companies doing runs to to Ban Laem.

This company has a good reputation. https://www.thaivisaservice.com/

Would say that your chances of getting a second consecutive visa exempt entry are better using this type of service compared with just doing a border bounce by oneself? 

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, ultramarine said:

Would say that your chances of getting a second consecutive visa exempt entry are better using this type of service compared with just doing a border bounce by oneself? 

You could get another visa exempt entry at a border crossing as long as it you have already done 2 of them this year.

I suggested a border run service to make it easier transport wise to a crossing. But they do make it much easier to do the crossing and can help to insure your don't have problems getting your new entry.

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, ultramarine said:

Would say that your chances of getting a second consecutive visa exempt entry are better using this type of service compared with just doing a border bounce by oneself? 

Doing it yourself is fine, and may save you some money. However, getting to Cambodia border crossings (other than the dangerous Poipet/Aran crossing) by public transport from Bangkok is time consuming. Ask if you want advice on how to do it.

[ultramarine]

23 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You could get another visa exempt entry at a border crossing as long as it you have already done 2 of them this year.

I suggested a border run service to make it easier transport wise to a crossing. But they do make it much easier to do the crossing and can help to insure your don't have problems getting your new entry.

I agree the whole thing is easier with the service.  Actually I've used this service before and they were competent.  And then there is a possible x-factor of decreasing chances of bad things happening with an IO.  Not sure how much sway the visa service would have with the IO but a little bit at least I think. 

 

How would you assess the visa services (e.g. in Pattaya) that arrange another visa exempt entry without the person having to ever actually go to the border? 

 

Full disclosure, after failing to obtain a proper visa (mostly my fault), I'm going to have to do a second visa exempt entry at a border.   I'd like to fly to another SE Asian capital just for tourism and then fly back to BKK for a 2nd visa exempt entry but I gather there are greater risks of refused entry at airports compared with border crossings. 

 

[ultramarine]

15 hours ago, BritTim said:

Doing it yourself is fine, and may save you some money. However, getting to Cambodia border crossings (other than the dangerous Poipet/Aran crossing) by public transport from Bangkok is time consuming. Ask if you want advice on how to do it.

Thanks.  I've done Laos border bounces and found it was fairly straight foward at both Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom.  The international buses are easy to find and adhere to a regular schedule.  How does Cambodia compare? 

[aldriglikvid]

Coming from Pattaya, what are the preferred borders at Cambodia (in terms of ease of entry and proximity)? I'm able to access a car, and I was actually thinking of killing a couple of hours myself. 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

Coming from Pattaya, what are the preferred borders at Cambodia (in terms of ease of entry and proximity)? I'm able to access a car, and I was actually thinking of killing a couple of hours myself. 

Ban Pakard or Ban Laem crossings.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, aldriglikvid said:

Coming from Pattaya, what are the preferred borders at Cambodia (in terms of ease of entry and proximity)? I'm able to access a car, and I was actually thinking of killing a couple of hours myself. 

If driving yourself, Google Maps can advise you. Both Ban Pakard and Ban Laem are in Chantaburi province. For Ban Pakard, search for Pattaya to Ban Pakard Chantaburi. For directions to Ban Laem, search for Pattaya to Ban Laem Cambodia market. In either case, the journey time is about three hours, depending on traffic conditions.

[aldriglikvid]

7 minutes ago, BritTim said:

If driving yourself, Google Maps can advise you. Both Ban Pakard and Ban Laem are in Chantaburi province. For Ban Pakard, search for Pattaya to Ban Pakard Chantaburi. For directions to Ban Laem, search for Pattaya to Ban Laem Cambodia market. In either case, the journey time is about three hours, depending on traffic conditions.

 

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Ban Pakard or Ban Laem crossings.

Thanks guys! Last Qs. 

- What are the usual closing times i.e. when should I arrive at the latest to have sufficient time for an entry/re-entry (+margin of error)? 
- Purchasing an e-visa from https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ beforehand seems very convenient. Are there any reasons I not should apply for one of these? 

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

Purchasing an e-visa from https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ beforehand seems very convenient. Are there any reasons I not should apply for one of these? 

The crossings mentioned do not accept a e visa.

See this list. https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3

Only the Poi Pet and Cham Yeam (Koh Kong) crossing accept them.

[BritTim]

18 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

- Purchasing an e-visa from https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ beforehand seems very convenient. Are there any reasons I not should apply for one of these? 

Unfortunately, you cannot use an e-visa at either Ban Pakard or Ban Laem. There are limited entry points where they can be used. You will need to buy a visa on arrival (or a visa from the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok, which I assume will be too inconvenient).

 

21 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

What are the usual closing times i.e. when should I arrive at the latest to have sufficient time for an entry/re-entry (+margin of error)? 

Officially, it is 10:00 pm closing. However, you might not be able to buy the visa on arrival in the evening, and might face a higher charge for same day return. I would recommend arriving by about 4:00 pm.

 

[Melpomene]

On 10/22/2022 at 10:57 AM, ubonjoe said:

Ban Pakard or Ban Laem crossings.

Thinking of doing a border bounce at the one of these crossing next week as we're in Chantaburi for a few days.  I've got a multi entry Non-Imm O based upon marriage visa, my current permission to stay doesn't expire until December, but thinking of doing the bounce now as we're going to be close to the border anyway.

 

Has anyone done this recently who would mind talking through what's involved ?

 

Many thanks...

[Terry B]

On 10/22/2022 at 10:57 AM, ubonjoe said:

Ban Pakard or Ban Laem crossings.

I am going to have to do a border run to further process my based-on-retirement non-o visa. (It took longer than expected to get my funds transfers from home country).

 

The lady helping me does not speak English so well, so I don't understand specifically she said. But I think she is telling me that for 3200 THB, a mini-bus can come pick me up at my residence in Pattaya and drop me off at the Cambodian border (somewhere nearTrat), wherein I can: 1) stamp out of Thailand, 2) into Cambodia with Visa on Arrival, 3) stamp back out of Cambodia, 4) get a Thai Visa Exempt to get back into Thailand, and 5) they will drive me back to the same Pattaya location. All in the same day.

 

So I assume it is one of these borders crossings? I showed her the latter of the two "quoted" crossings on google maps, and she said yes that's the one. But she still seemed a little uncertain. It was still a little bit unclear what she was explaining.

 

So, I am just trying to confirm here. It is going to be possible to do this? Stamp out of Thailand, get Cambodia visa, then stamp back in on Thailand Visa Exempt (with passport that is on the official list able to get the Visa Exempts, and years of validity remaining on the passport.), and back to Pattaya on the same day? She seems so sure about it!

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, Terry B said:

The lady helping me does not speak English so well, so I don't understand specifically she said. But I think she is telling me that for 3500 THB, a mini-bus can come pick me up at my residence in Pattaya and drop me off at the Cambodian border (somewhere nearTrat), wherein I can: 1) stamp out of Thailand, 2) into Cambodia with Visa on Arrival, 3) stamp back out of Cambodia, 4) get a Thai Visa Exempt to get back into Thailand, and 5) they will drive me back to the same Pattaya location. All in the same day.

Both of the crossings I mentioned are in Chantaburi province.

The one in Trat is much farther from Pattaya. Not sure there are any companies doing a run to there. 

The companies making the runs from Pattaya are going to the Ban Pakard crossing.

[Terry B]

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

the crossings I mentioned are in Chantaburi province

Yes, I think she was trying to tell me THAT. I kept thinking she was telling me Chonburi.

So then, I showed her the Ban Laem crossing on google maps, to which she needed to see it in Thai words. And, after looking at it, tentatively said that was it.

But now, I see that is more likely the former, Ban Pakard crossing.

I will have to call the number she gave me to directly call the agent, tomorrow, to confirm.

[3421abc]

I have been going to the Ban Pakard crossing for 7+ years and I will go again this week.
Depending on how many stamps or visa (ed visa, bogus volunteer) you have in your passport it is safer to use an agent. 
I only have 3 entry stamps in my current passport but I prefer to just use an agent, and if things don't go smoothly they can get a deal done to fix things.

If you are alone you are basically on your own if something goes wrong.

I recommend you do it on your own if you don't have too many stamps, visas, extensions in your passport.

 

Please note if you arrive later than 11am it becomes more difficult to find a ride back to Bangkok because most minivan services go back to BKK before 11am.

 

I was there 3 months ago and arrived too late. I could only find a mini van going to Pattaya so I took it and had to get on another bus to BKK.

There are far fewer mini-vans compared to the pre-covid days. It will bounce back but not yet.

[Terry B]

23 minutes ago, 3421abc said:

do it on your own if you don't have too many stamps, visas, extensions in your passport

As I have been here in Thailand continually since less than one month before the pandemic shutdown happened in early 2020 (arrived from India), I think that is a lot of stamps, even if no border runs were ever required to get them all (all covid ones).

 

23 minutes ago, 3421abc said:

it becomes more difficult to find a ride back to Bangkok because most minivan services go back to BKK before 11am

I am planning to use some kind of van service that charges 3200 THB to pick me up at my residence, wait for me to stamp in-and-out, and drive my back to my residence again. And I think I would be back by 5 pm, I think that is what she is telling me. I will confirm tomorrow.

 

They are also somehow connected to the long-term visa i have been in-process of applying for too.

[3421abc]

3200 is a fair price. If you got many covid extensions then I would definately use the agent.
are you going from BKK or Pattaya?
I found a van service for 3500, so your price is better and they even pick you up.
Can you send me a private message with the contact? I will give them a call or LINE as I need to go this week.

[Terry B]

6 minutes ago, 3421abc said:

are you going from BKK or Pattaya?

Pattaya

 

6 minutes ago, 3421abc said:

Can you send me a private message with the contact?

Sure. I will send you tomorrow, after I call them directly to confirm that what I am understanding is correct. Okay?

I have that specific price written in English, and the phone number. And I think this is the same person I was talking to on the person-handling-my-visa's phone about the visa they are processing for her, for me.

They wanted me to go tomorrow. But informed them I need at least one day to prepare.

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, Terry B said:

So, I am just trying to confirm here. It is going to be possible to do this? Stamp out of Thailand, get Cambodia visa, then stamp back in on Thailand Visa Exempt (with passport that is on the official list able to get the Visa Exempts, and years of validity remaining on the passport.), and back to Pattaya on the same day? She seems so sure about it!

It absolutely is possible. However, (i) you may be asked to pay more than the official price for the Cambodian visa on arrival (a demand you may be able to resist); and (ii) you will probably be asked for fork over a penalty for same day return. (There is a Cambodian law that says you must stay at least one night unless in possession of a multiple entry Cambodian visa.) The fee for same day return tends to be negotiable (perhaps, 200 or 300 baht) and I have often been able to avoid it.