A warning about Wang Prachan. 

I left a post last month about how easy it was to do a visa run from Hatyai to Wang Prachan. 

It appears to be too busy now with visa runs from Phuket and other tourist areas and people are being turned away. They can only process a certain number each day and priority is given to Phuket visa run vans. 

Border fees are increasing too and one friend was quoted 3,500.

Avoid 

That's a shame, i used this crossing in October, was a breeze - Shame how things change so quickly.

What do you mean with charge you 3500 baht? As the round way tours in minivans from most southern areas always been 3-3.5K.

7 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

That's a shame, i used this crossing in October, was a breeze - Shame how things change so quickly.

Not buying into the story, just had a friend there 2 days ago and it was a breeze. Just not for some Russians.

Border fee=Bri.be

5 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Not buying into the story, just had a friend there 2 days ago and it was a breeze. Just not for some Russians.

Not buying into your story.

I had a friend from Wales, UK there just over 48 hours ago. He got a ferry to Langkawi after giving up. 

 

By January that border will be chaotic. Hundreds of thousands of Russians in Thailand since mid October and they will all be needing visa runs by end of December, early January.

 

 

 

Why go there?

From Hat Yai, Pedang Bezaar is your best option.

 

15 hours ago, Leon1980 said:

I had a friend from Wales, UK there just over 48 hours ago. He got a ferry to Langkawi after giving up. 

 

 

Did your friend go from Tamalang pier, and did he need to stay a night or did he return the same day?

If so I may try this, thank you

2 hours ago, Dr. Zorg said:

Why go there?

From Hat Yai, Pedang Bezaar is your best option.

 

Pedang Besar land border made it clear that they don't allow same day visa runs. Although people have said the rail crossing immigration are more open. 

 

I think it is possible at Sadao but I have never tried. But they definitely want a "fee"

1 hour ago, BillyBobzTeeth said:

Did your friend go from Tamalang pier, and did he need to stay a night or did he return the same day?

If so I may try this, thank you

Yes Tamalang. There is one ferry each day at lunchtime. 

The only option is to stay one night as by the time you get to Langkawi there are no return ferries that day. 

 

Somebody told me that if you go to Wang Prachan after midday (the border closes at 5 or 6pm) when all the visa runs have left you will be fine. Also on Tuesdays and Thursdays when less vans. 

7 hours ago, Leon1980 said:

Pedang Besar land border made it clear that they don't allow same day visa runs. Although people have said the rail crossing immigration are more open. 

 

I think it is possible at Sadao but I have never tried. But they definitely want a "fee"

Trains between Haad Yai and Padang Besar have been cancelled due to bombing

21 hours ago, Leon1980 said:

Pedang Besar land border made it clear that they don't allow same day visa runs. Although people have said the rail crossing immigration are more open. 

 

I think it is possible at Sadao but I have never tried. But they definitely want a "fee"

Go through Pedang and come back through Sadao. Round trip is 165 km. I've crossed both multiple times by car and motorcycle over the past 18 years.

 

Wang Prachan Border Visit Today.

 

I got there in the morning at around 9:30 am, I was the only farang there at the time and it was pretty quiet.

 

I wanted to come back the same day so the imm guy directed me to a second window further down, the imm lady told me it would be 1500 baht so paid that and had to take my passport back to the first window to be stamped out.

 

I was given a bright orange sticker to show whoever that I'd paid. After stamping in and out in Malaysia I was stamped back into Thailand and the whole process took around 20 mins. 

 

As I was leaving, it started to get a lot busier so I would suggest to anyone going, get there early in the morning to avoid long queues.  

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Great report, thanks for sharing @BillyBobzTeeth. This is really informative.

 

Just wondering, the "fees" are only applicable for folks doing a same-day visa run and are paid before being stamped out of Thailand correct?

 

Reason I'm asking is I'm currently in Malaysia and am planning to take a coach to spend a few days in Hatyai end of year before heading to some other beach town for NYE. I've not been in Thailand for the past 2 months (although had an extensive stay there before thanks to the COVID extensions). I've also never done a border crossing this calendar year. Don't think I should prepare myself to pay that "fee" right?

32 minutes ago, 5ilver said:

I've also never done a border crossing this calendar year. Don't think I should prepare myself to pay that "fee" right?

Why do you have to pay anything coming from Malaysia?

20 hours ago, Dr. Zorg said:

Why do you have to pay anything coming from Malaysia?

Although I doubt @silverwill be asked to pay anything, the simple answer sometimes is (i) the officials want the money; (ii) people are willing to pay; and (iii) the officials' superiors have no objection to the scam, most likely because they are getting a cut.

 

There is nothing particularly unusual about this in Thailand (and some other Asian countries). For instance, when the border crossing at Ban Phu Nam Ron to Myanmar was open, people were happy to pay 960 baht for the US$10 border pass (with the Thai and Myanmar officials divvying up the profit). Most did not even know they were being scammed.

If anyone is going to this border try and skip Friday, it's very busy!

 

I was there today before 10am and lots of tourists. I was told by Imm staff this was normal for a Friday. 

 

As a bonus the fee for coming back the same day was lowered from 1500 to 1300 baht, which is nice.