What are the cheapest places to fly and come back in for visa runs?

That would depend on where you are in the country.

Well there are other factors.  For instance does your intended destination allow easy entry?  In December there are few cheap options.  For instance the cheapest round trip from BKK to KUL with one a night stay is about $500.  I booked months ago for a border hop from CNX to SiN and it was almost $400.  

 

Good luck.

Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh is still decently priced for December. Most places are expensive in December as I have been looking for a cheap vacation. 

Since you say fly and come back (no mention of a visa application) i assume you are either (i) holding an unexpired multiple entry visa; or (ii) hoping to receive a visa exemption on your return.

 

If you have a multiple entry visa, a same day return from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur (around US$200 on Air Asia) is one option. From Chiang Mai, leaving Saturday to Hanoi and returning Sunday can be cheap (under US$200) if you are eligible for visa exempt entry to Vietnam.

 

If expecting a visa exempt entry, be careful! Depending on your immigration history, you risk a denied entry, and a border bounce by land could be more prudent. That does not necessarily mean a lot of overland travel. For instance, you could fly to Penang, take a taxi to Hat Yai airport, crossing back to Thailand by land, and fly onward domestically to your final destination.

Bangkok to Phnom Penh is under $120  r/t

Cambodian visa $30
even Phuket via Bangkok- PP is less than $200!!!
Phuket- Penang is cheap

 

Just look at Kayak.com

20 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

That would depend on where you are in the country.

Yes.
When I did it, (Had multiple entry NO-visa, 3 month allowed to stay) I took the bus from Mukdahan, and back, to get another 3 months. In all takes 1 hour to get the 3 months. Only stayed in Lao for 15 minuts.
(But then I live very close to Mukdahan.)

Round trip Bangkok to Penang is about $100 on Air Asia.

 

got a return to Vientiane for around $100 recently. bargain.

Why is everyone quoting prices in USD?

22 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Why is everyone quoting prices in USD?

World Standard since 1944.

42 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Why is everyone quoting prices in USD?

Maybe because it’s easier for them to measure their funds? Being that USD is the standard for many tourists here. 

1 hour ago, edwardandtubs said:

Why is everyone quoting prices in USD?

Although airline tickets fluctuate so much that it applies less when quoting their prices, it is reasonable to get in the habit of quoting any prices that are not fixed in another currency using US$. As currency rates fluctuate, the US$ price has a tendency to greater stability as US$ is the medium of international trade more often than any other currency. The only exception is when dealing with prices in Europe when quoting in euros can be better.

2 hours ago, novacova said:

Maybe because it’s easier for them to measure their funds? Being that USD is the standard for many tourists here. 

How is USD the standard for many tourists? Maybe for Americans and Middle East workers paid in USD linked currencies, but why would anyone else care about a USD price?

11 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

How is USD the standard for many tourists? Maybe for Americans and Middle East workers paid in USD linked currencies, but why would anyone else care about a USD price?

Simply because many tourists are Americans and the individuals quoting USD are Americans and probably don’t give a hoot about quoting other currencies. All I care about is USD & ฿. I don’t care about what others care or not care about ????

3 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Why is everyone quoting prices in USD?

This is the way.

On 12/2/2022 at 3:37 PM, sqwakvfr said:

Well there are other factors.  For instance does your intended destination allow easy entry?  In December there are few cheap options.  For instance the cheapest round trip from BKK to KUL with one a night stay is about $500.  I booked months ago for a border hop from CNX to SiN and it was almost $400.  

 

Good luck.

SIN City?  Way cool.  Didya have fun?

1 hour ago, connda said:

SIN City?  Way cool.  Didya have fun?

Not yet.  Going soon.  Decent hotel costs about $150 per night.  Definitely not Thai prices but SIN is on a different level.  Great place but one you burn a hole in your wallet really fast. 

2 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

How is USD the standard for many tourists? Maybe for Americans and Middle East workers paid in USD linked currencies, but why would anyone else care about a USD price?

If you only care about the prices on a specific date, it is more convenient to know the price in your home currency. Unfortunately, people on this forum use all kinds of different currencies, and you cannot please all of them. I suppose you could assume that everyone here is comfortable converting from Thai baht, but I am far from convinced that applies to the typical tourist. What I do know is that I have had a fair idea about the conversion rate from my home currency (UK pounds) to the US dollar continuously since I started travelling overseas at age 17.

 

For your benefit, you can get a good approximation of USD prices in AUD terms by adding half again to the USD price.

2 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

How is USD the standard for many tourists? Maybe for Americans and Middle East workers paid in USD linked currencies, but why would anyone else care about a USD price?

Nothing to do with caring. It's about understanding the prices quoted.  

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

If you only care about the prices on a specific date, it is more convenient to know the price in your home currency. Unfortunately, people on this forum use all kinds of different currencies, and you cannot please all of them. I suppose you could assume that everyone here is comfortable converting from Thai baht, but I am far from convinced that applies to the typical tourist. What I do know is that I have had a fair idea about the conversion rate from my home currency (UK pounds) to the US dollar continuously since I started travelling overseas at age 17.

 

For your benefit, you can get a good approximation of USD prices in AUD terms by adding half again to the USD price.

But the topic is visa runs so everyone interested would be staying in Thailand long term. Surely, then it would make more sense to quote in baht.

3 hours ago, novacova said:

Simply because many tourists are Americans and the individuals quoting USD are Americans and probably don’t give a hoot about quoting other currencies. All I care about is USD & ฿. I don’t care about what others care or not care about ????

Reminds me of a song by Green Day...

36 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

But the topic is visa runs so everyone interested would be staying in Thailand long term. Surely, then it would make more sense to quote in baht.

In my opinion, this is the kind of thread that people are likely to refer to in the future. That is why I believe quoting prices in USD makes sense. As I explained before, prices in USD will tend to be more stable compared to prices in other currencies. While not always true, more often than not, prices get set in the currencies of overseas trade (about 45% USD worldwide, but much more often in Asia, and 35% in EUR, but pricing in EUR is mostly within Europe). As currency exchange rates fluctuate, prices in other currencies tend to move up and down with them.

Just go to KL and back AA. If you can't afford that you shouldn't be here.

skyscanner.net. figure it oot.

55 minutes ago, BritTim said:

In my opinion, this is the kind of thread that people are likely to refer to in the future. That is why I believe quoting prices in USD makes sense. As I explained before, prices in USD will tend to be more stable compared to prices in other currencies. While not always true, more often than not, prices get set in the currencies of overseas trade (about 45% USD worldwide, but much more often in Asia, and 35% in EUR, but pricing in EUR is mostly within Europe). As currency exchange rates fluctuate, prices in other currencies tend to move up and down with them.

That doesn't make much sense. Nok Air and Thai Air Asia both set their prices in baht. A domestic flight under 1000 baht would be considered a good price while a flight to a nearby country under 2000 baht would be considered a bargain right now. Faffing about with foreign currencies just creates unnecessary confusion when we're talking about flights departing from and returning to Thailand.

13 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

That doesn't make much sense. Nok Air and Thai Air Asia both set their prices in baht. A domestic flight under 1000 baht would be considered a good price while a flight to a nearby country under 2000 baht would be considered a bargain right now. Faffing about with foreign currencies just creates unnecessary confusion when we're talking about flights departing from and returning to Thailand.

For those who are not confused could easily do the simple math in their head or use a calculator. Don’t know what to say for those who are confused. Anyways, seems a bit trivial to mention considering the the millions of international travelers over the decades that have been converting currencies in their heads 

25 minutes ago, novacova said:

For those who are not confused could easily do the simple math in their head or use a calculator. Don’t know what to say for those who are confused. Anyways, seems a bit trivial to mention considering the the millions of international travelers over the decades that have been converting currencies in their heads 

Obviously I'm not confused by the currency conversion process but by the logic of quoting in USD for flights that have nothing to do with America.

6 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Obviously I'm not confused by the currency conversion process but by the logic of quoting in USD for flights that have nothing to do with America.

Fine. To simplify things for those visiting Laos, a two star hotel room in Vientiane will tend to cost about 320,000 kip per night. A simple meal in a restaurant is about 50,000 kip and the shuttle bus across the Friendship Bridge from Vientiane to Nong Khai costs 10,000 kip.  If you wish to fly from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, as of today, this costs 900,000 kip. Happier?

8 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Nok Air and Thai Air Asia both set their prices in baht.

For Nok Air, you are actually correct. Thai Air Asia sets its canonical prices in USD (most likely, because its major costs must be paid in dollars) and does a currency conversion to quote you prices in other currencies.