Border run from phuket

[SeanPhuket]

Hey

 

Posting in the phuket forum as I live here and will be driving from here. 

 

Does anybody know if the Myanmar border at Ranong is open? 

 

Thanks in advance 🙏

[In the jungle]

It was open in September; albeit with hefty price hikes from pre-covid times.

 

I recommend you use the Andaman Club as opposed to the port.  Price pre-covid was 1000 Baht.  When I crossed there in September 2600 Baht.

[zzzzz]

Ranong/Kwathoung is open, Crisp $10 bill,  50 baht/seat on boat or 500 baht for the whole boat ( he will wait for u to return)
6 hours by bus or 4 hours driving
Andaman club not open all the time 

[SeanPhuket]

Thanks mate. 

 

If you wouldn't mind... What's the process with the casino crossing? Anything needs to be done or just rock up to the pier? 

[SeanPhuket]

5 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Ranong/Kwathoung is open, Crisp $10 bill,  50 baht/seat on boat or 500 baht for the whole boat ( he will wait for u to return)
6 hours by bus or 4 hours driving
Andaman club not open all the time 

Thanks pal. Has been a while. 

[SeanPhuket]

6 hours ago, In the jungle said:

It was open in September; albeit with hefty price hikes from pre-covid times.

 

I recommend you use the Andaman Club as opposed to the port.  Price pre-covid was 1000 Baht.  When I crossed there in September 2600 Baht.

Thanks mate. 

 

 

 

If you wouldn't mind... What's the process with the casino crossing? Anything needs to be done or just rock up to the pier? 

[In the jungle]

1 hour ago, SeanPhuket said:

Thanks mate. 

 

 

 

If you wouldn't mind... What's the process with the casino crossing? Anything needs to be done or just rock up to the pier? 

 

As you drive in to the Andaman Club ignore a signpost directing you to a car park on the right.  Keep heading towards the waterfront.  There is another car park there and I have never had a problem getting a space.  The immigration/ticket building is adjacent to that car park.  First go to the immigration window which is straight ahead as you walk into the building.  The ticket people will not sell you a ticket unless immigration have given you the nod of approval.  The ticket desk is about five metres away to the right.  There is an ATM in the building.  The ferries are hourly but I do not know the time of the last ferry back.

 

The ferries are quite impressive with three 250 horsepower outboards and the crossing only takes about ten minutes each way.  There is nothing much of interest at the Andaman Club.  I don't gamble but there is a second rate duty free shop selling cigarettes with strange names.  Generally I skip the golf cart ride up the hill to the club and just wait at immigration for the next ferry back.

 

On the day I travelled in September I was the only farang there.  The others were mostly Andaman Club employees and perhaps the odd gambler.  

 

On arrival back at the Thai side you need a completed arrival card and after receiving a new stamp you are on the way back to Phuket.

 

I have a Non Imm O multiple entry visa.  I cannot speak to how they deal with other categories.

 

 

[SeanPhuket]

On 11/25/2023 at 5:28 PM, In the jungle said:

 

As you drive in to the Andaman Club ignore a signpost directing you to a car park on the right.  Keep heading towards the waterfront.  There is another car park there and I have never had a problem getting a space.  The immigration/ticket building is adjacent to that car park.  First go to the immigration window which is straight ahead as you walk into the building.  The ticket people will not sell you a ticket unless immigration have given you the nod of approval.  The ticket desk is about five metres away to the right.  There is an ATM in the building.  The ferries are hourly but I do not know the time of the last ferry back.

 

The ferries are quite impressive with three 250 horsepower outboards and the crossing only takes about ten minutes each way.  There is nothing much of interest at the Andaman Club.  I don't gamble but there is a second rate duty free shop selling cigarettes with strange names.  Generally I skip the golf cart ride up the hill to the club and just wait at immigration for the next ferry back.

 

On the day I travelled in September I was the only farang there.  The others were mostly Andaman Club employees and perhaps the odd gambler.  

 

On arrival back at the Thai side you need a completed arrival card and after receiving a new stamp you are on the way back to Phuket.

 

I have a Non Imm O multiple entry visa.  I cannot speak to how they deal with other categories.

 

 

Excellent information. Thanks a lot! 

 

I've the same visa as you. 

[LikeItHot]

I always liked the Andaman Club.  Hit the casino have a few drinks it's great till you come back.  The IO asked me why I didn't do my border run in Phuket.  I told him Phuket is an island and doesn't border any other countries.  When his head stopped spinning he stamped me in.

[SeanPhuket]

20 minutes ago, LikeItHot said:

I always liked the Andaman Club.  Hit the casino have a few drinks it's great till you come back.  The IO asked me why I didn't do my border run in Phuket.  I told him Phuket is an island and doesn't border any other countries.  When his head stopped spinning he stamped me in.

Lol

[SeanPhuket]

On 11/25/2023 at 9:53 AM, zzzzz said:

Ranong/Kwathoung is open, Crisp $10 bill,  50 baht/seat on boat or 500 baht for the whole boat ( he will wait for u to return)
6 hours by bus or 4 hours driving
Andaman club not open all the time 

 

On 11/25/2023 at 5:28 PM, In the jungle said:

 

As you drive in to the Andaman Club ignore a signpost directing you to a car park on the right.  Keep heading towards the waterfront.  There is another car park there and I have never had a problem getting a space.  The immigration/ticket building is adjacent to that car park.  First go to the immigration window which is straight ahead as you walk into the building.  The ticket people will not sell you a ticket unless immigration have given you the nod of approval.  The ticket desk is about five metres away to the right.  There is an ATM in the building.  The ferries are hourly but I do not know the time of the last ferry back.

 

The ferries are quite impressive with three 250 horsepower outboards and the crossing only takes about ten minutes each way.  There is nothing much of interest at the Andaman Club.  I don't gamble but there is a second rate duty free shop selling cigarettes with strange names.  Generally I skip the golf cart ride up the hill to the club and just wait at immigration for the next ferry back.

 

On the day I travelled in September I was the only farang there.  The others were mostly Andaman Club employees and perhaps the odd gambler.  

 

On arrival back at the Thai side you need a completed arrival card and after receiving a new stamp you are on the way back to Phuket.

 

I have a Non Imm O multiple entry visa.  I cannot speak to how they deal with other categories.

 

 

 

Did the run yesterday. 

 

Ended up doing Club Andaman. 2600 Baht, all smooth. Took ferry, got stamped, awaited the next ferry. Point of interest was the immigration giving people a hard time upon re-entry to Thai. Assuming they are tourist visas as me on a non-o had no questions at all. 

 

I did firstly go to the long-tail place but the immigration officer attempted to give me an 'intimidating' shake down, but I wasn't having any of it thus went to club andaman. Speaking Thai, non-o in hand and literally a passport full of visas, the bloke made himself look like a tit in front of a growing audience and his colleges. Hopefully he'll think twice before attempting it on somebody else. 

 

Anyway, to anybody reading this.. Head to club andaman to avoid any potentially uncomfortable situations. 

[LeungKen]

For about 4000 Baht you can fly to KL and back same day which I used to find more comfortable and less hassle.

[In the jungle]

14 minutes ago, SeanPhuket said:

 

 

Did the run yesterday. 

 

Ended up doing Club Andaman. 2600 Baht, all smooth. Took ferry, got stamped, awaited the next ferry. Point of interest was the immigration giving people a hard time upon re-entry to Thai. Assuming they are tourist visas as me on a non-o had no questions at all. 

 

I did firstly go to the long-tail place but the immigration officer attempted to give me an 'intimidating' shake down, but I wasn't having any of it thus went to club andaman. Speaking Thai, non-o in hand and literally a passport full of visas, the bloke made himself look like a tit in front of a growing audience and his colleges. Hopefully he'll think twice before attempting it on somebody else. 

 

Anyway, to anybody reading this.. Head to club andaman to avoid any potentially uncomfortable situations. 

 

Your experience at Ranong pier was broadly the same as mine.  I have used Andaman Club many times over the years without problems.

 

Ranong is about 120km from my home so going there is an easy day trip for me.

[SeanPhuket]

22 minutes ago, LeungKen said:

For about 4000 Baht you can fly to KL and back same day which I used to find more comfortable and less hassle.

Yea I normally head somewhere for a few days to enjoy things. This time I couldn't be naffed. Will go somewhere nice again next lol

[Adumbration]

I have done the casino run dozens of times.  I would suggest you make it a two or three day trip if you have the time.  You can get a nice hotel room in Ranong for under 500 baht, and there are many good Thai restaurants in the town.  The hotsprings are also worth a visit (although I heard the local government have screwed them up a bit with terrible concrete development).  The other thing that is worth doing is heading out to Koh Phayam for the day.  Lovely island, and especially now there are not millions of Chinese around.  If you head out to Phayam, don't take the speedboat, but rather the old timber two tier ferry.  Get yourself a plastic chair and sit on the roof of the ferry.  Cracker views of the mountaints (and waterfalls) along the coast as you putt out to the island.  You used to still be able to see wild hornbills in the forest on Phayam.  But the forest may well all be cut down by now.  I have some good photos somewhere of them....but not going to waste time trying to find them.

[Adumbration]

A million years ago I wrote an inexpensive but very successful guide for playing blackjack.  I had a good deal of success selling it online.  It is practical, straight to the point, and tightly summarised.  There is also a one page flash card with all the correct decisions to make that you can print and take into the casino in your pocket if you want.

 

It became redundant after most casinos introduced auto shufflers.

 

But the Andaman casino does not have auto shufflers and still uses a 6 deck shoe.

 

It is still a venue that if you play carefully, and use perfect strategy, you can win at the BJ tables.

 

Make sure however, that you watch the staff put the decks in the shoe.

 

I was upstairs in the BJ room very early (only staff there) one morning and I caught one dealer with all the cards from each deck fanned out on the table so he could pick out the some aces and picture cards.

 

PM me if you want to buy a copy of my guide.  

[Tim K]

On 11/30/2023 at 8:03 AM, SeanPhuket said:

I did firstly go to the long-tail place but the immigration officer attempted to give me an 'intimidating' shake down, but I wasn't having any of it thus went to club andaman.

Can you please elaborate on that?
Did he openly express his wish to receive specific amount of cash and got unpleasant after you politely rejected his offer?

[LivinginKata]

8 hours ago, Tim K said:

Can you please elaborate on that?
Did he openly express his wish to receive specific amount of cash and got unpleasant after you politely rejected his offer?

 

6  month old post.