Best choice to stay in Thailand 60 days more ?

[anotherfarangishere]

Hello,

So, I came in Thailand on visa exemption and extended 30 days.

My extension is about to end in two weeks. If I want to stay 60 days more - new visa exemption + new 30 days extension - what is my best chance for a visa run?

- mae sai?

- nong khai?

- aranyaprateph?

- padan besar

- ?
 

I used all of them by the past but didn't since many years now.

Thank you!

[DrJack54]

Friendship bridge . Nong Khai.

 

Depends where you are located in Thailand.

If located Bangkok , my route would be fly to Udon Thani and minivan to Nong Khai..

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by DrJack54

[BritTim]

Under no circumstances use Aranyaprathet/Poipet, however convenient it might seem from Bangkok.

 

The Mae Sai crossing to Myanmar is reported to be closed.

 

If you happen to be in the deep south, Padang Besar is possible, but you will likely need to pay a fee if you want to return the same day.

 

Of the ones you mention, the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai is the best.

 

A good option if you are not far away is crossing from Ranong to Myanmar.

 

There are visa run companies from Bangkok and Pattaya who will take you to border crossings with Cambodia (not Aran/Poipet). It is probably best to use these if you want to do a border bounce to Cambodia.

[anotherfarangishere]

33 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 

Many thanks for your help:
- I didn't know Mae Sai is closed
- what is the problem with Aranyaprathet/Poipet ? I used it three or four times by the past and except the tuk tuk racket from the bus station to the border it was ok... last time I slept in Aranyaprathet - ok, not a great experience - and went back to Bangkok by train, which was pleasant

- I know a very cheap chinese hotel in Nong Khai that I like and then I walk 30 minutes to the border but the problem is to pay - in $US - the Lao visa and even more annoying losing one page on my passport
- I'm very far away from Ranong... that I didn't know (I know Mae Sot that I've used one time, very few farangs seem to know it, that said it was so so...)
- I'm very far to Padang Besar too but there is a night train to Hat Yai (but some time it's late, you miss the train from Hat Yai to Padang Besar, you've to take the bus... anyway, could you tell me more about "you will likely need to pay a fee if you want to return the same day": it never happened to me that I paid a fee, what kind of "fee" ? A baksheesh ?

Thanks again for your advices.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

what is the problem with Aranyaprathet/Poipet ?

For several years now, it has been a rogue crossing: many horror stories about Thai immigration at this crossing.

 

2 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

I know Mae Sot that I've used one time, very few farangs seem to know it, that said it was so so...

Mae Sot (in my view a good choice when open) is also closed now.

 

2 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

I'm very far to Padang Besar

Ranong is preferable to Padang Besar which I would only consider if living in the South.

 

2 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

could you tell me more about "you will likely need to pay a fee if you want to return the same day": it never happened to me that I paid a fee, what kind of "fee" ? A baksheesh ?

Thailand and Malaysia have decided to enforce staying overnight in Malaysia at most border crossings when doing a border bounce as a tourist. A present to the officials is necessary to circumvent this policy. The amount varies.

 

In general, your experiences with doing border bounces years ago are not useful in understanding the challenges this involves today.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

9 minutes ago, BritTim said:

For several years now, it has been a rogue crossing: many horror stories about Thai immigration at this crossing.

 

Mae Sot (in my view a good choice when open) is also closed now.

 

Ranong is preferable to Padang Besar which I would only consider if living in the South.

 

Thailand and Malaysia have decided to enforce staying overnight in Malaysia at most border crossings when doing a border bounce as a tourist. A present to the officials is necessary to circumvent this policy. The amount varies.

 

In general, your experiences with doing border bounces years ago are not useful in understanding the challenges this involves today.

any place to keep updated with mae sai status as i will need to find a border in 2 weeks... tnx

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

any place to keep updated with mae sai status as i will need to find a border in 2 weeks... tnx

This visa run company should know: https://www.chiangmaivisarun.com/chiang-mai-to-mae-sai-border-run-service/

[Sticky Rice Balls]

22 minutes ago, BritTim said:

This visa run company should know: https://www.chiangmaivisarun.com/chiang-mai-to-mae-sai-border-run-service/

yep thats the one..kudos to you dedication good sir!

[anotherfarangishere]

53 minutes ago, BritTim said:

In general, your experiences with doing border bounces years ago are not useful in understanding the challenges this involves today.

It's also my opinion and the reason why I came on this forum for help! ????

So many manu thanks again, I'm going to think about the best for me.

[anotherfarangishere]

I found this paragraph on https://www.thaisolutions1502.com/thailand-border-run/

"In 2018, further restrictions were introduced: you can now only get the visa exemption stamp two times per calendar year."

Is it true? I already got 2 exemption visas this year - 1 at Suvarnabhumi, 1 in Chiang Mai airport. Or are exemption visas at airport and land border "amazingly" counted separately?

The article is emphasising about getting an education visa and what has surprised me a lot: "you can study any language, not just Thai". Does someone stays in Thailand studying Japanese, Korean or I don't know any language other than Thai?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, anotherfarangishere said:

Or are exemption visas at airport and land border "amazingly" counted separately?

Visa exempt entries via land are limited to 2 per calendar year.

 

Visa exempt entries via air are unlimited 

[anotherfarangishere]

I found this paragraph on https://www.thaisolutions1502.com/thailand-border-run/

"In 2018, further restrictions were introduced: you can now only get the visa exemption stamp two times per calendar year."

Is it true? I already got 2 exemption visas this year - 1 at Suvarnabhumi, 1 in Chiang Mai airport. Or are exemption visas at airport and land border "amazingly" counted separately?

The article is emphasising about getting an education visa and what has surprised me a lot: "you can study any language, not just Thai". Does someone stays in Thailand studying Japanese, Korean or I don't know any language other than Thai?

[anotherfarangishere]

As I'm right now in Pattaya, what do you think about Baan Laerm Cambodian border? Many visa run companies from Pattaya offer a trip to it.

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

As I'm right now in Pattaya, what do you think about Baan Laerm Cambodian border? Many visa run companies from Pattaya offer a trip to it.

That's a good choice. 

[GypsyT]

I don't get these "van" trips... Is it to save few $$ or time? I would suffer it for free.

 

Why not to enjoy few days in Vietnam? Fly in, use 15-day visa free entry and then fly back and get 30-days in Thailand.

Tickets are cheap. Same with hotels.

 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

Why not to enjoy few days in Vietnam? Fly in, use 15-day visa free entry and then fly back and get 30-days in Thailand.

Tickets are cheap. Same with hotels

Good suggestion.

Love the joint and quick travel to district 1 from airport.

 

Even for folk that need a visa not big deal. Recently did a 30 day eVisa $25usd for Vietnam

Very simple application and 5 day processing. 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, GypsyT said:

I don't get these "van" trips... Is it to save few $$ or time? I would suffer it for free.

 

Why not to enjoy few days in Vietnam? Fly in, use 15-day visa free entry and then fly back and get 30-days in Thailand.

Tickets are cheap. Same with hotels.

I kind of feel the same. However, people can have good reasons for wanting to avoid time away. Someone needing to be back at work in 10 days might not want to spend several days away from the girlfriend and kids, for instance. Also, Vietnam is cheap, but still costs more than a border bounce. Those who are really hard up might need to factor that into their decision making.