15 minutes ago, Caldera said:

 

What does it say on your entry stamp? In the case of Ban Laem or Ban Pakkard, it would be "Pong Nam Ron".

Yep, Pong Nam Ron

This must be faulty !

 Todays You can not do it the same day !  Possible the next if Yuo pay !

 

 You did not pay same corruption ?

On 11/27/2023 at 1:35 PM, Pattaya57 said:

I needed another 30 days so I looked around for a van running to Cambodia and back. I found 9 seater vans for 3000 but went with a much more comfortable 6 seater van for 3700. Price was all inclusive so nothing else to pay (even lunch on way back was free)

 

Agent asked to only see passport. They said no need for onward travels or hotel booking in Thailand so that was cool. They took a photocopy of passport and had me sign the two blank TM6 departure/arrival cards. They then filled out all paperwork and sorted the Cambodia visa when at border.

 

Pick up was 05:40, arrived at border at 09:10 after 15 minute break half way. Took 2 hours to get through immigrations and then back to Pattaya by 2:40 (lunch half way)

 

I was a bit worried due to many reports of dangerous minivans but this was a pretty relaxed day with sleep easy in the reclined "business class" seats. Good safe driver and good roads. 

 

For background history, I just completed 90 days on Tourist visa (60 + 30 extension) so this will make 150 days straight with the 30 exempt + 30 extension. I also had 75 days earlier this year.

 

Another passenger did his 3rd visa exempt back to back (1 Air and 2 Land) so he will end up doing 180 days straight without staying 1 day out of Thailand 

On 11/27/2023 at 1:41 PM, vangrop said:

but he lost 1 day travelling

 

On 11/27/2023 at 2:27 PM, DrJack54 said:

Was a positive report.

Name company good idea. 

With things open to such cultural misinterpretation, normally I would hesitate to even proclaim positive reviews.

On 11/27/2023 at 2:54 PM, Pattaya57 said:

I wasn't sure if allowed. It was 1st Class Visa Runs that operate out of Queen Vic on soi 6

 

My mate told me about it as there's no advertising out front of Queen Vic that I could see and I had to ask bar staff. She has a desk in the back corner

 

I used to use this company regularly at one time, great service, but they seem to have gone a bit overboard with their prices. Before the Chinese virus I did not pay much more than 2000Bt.

On 11/27/2023 at 5:33 PM, impulse said:

Great to hear a positive review about the driving habits and skills. 

 

My experience with mini vans has been so bad that I avoid them like the plague.  But that's probably the difference between well run visa runs catering to foreigners (with fixed seating) and a mini van that caters to locals where they pack the van at the origin then stop along the way to pack it even tighter.  The first time I took one (Kanchanaburi to BKK) was so bad I thought it had to be a fluke.  My 2nd trip was the last time I ever set my butt into a kamikaze van.  It was as every bit as bad as the first.  Glad to hear there's a comfortable visa run option.

 

 

I have used a minivan to go from upcountry to Bangkok regularly over the years, get picked up and dropped of at my house. Never once have I had a dangerous driver, yet my opinion of Thai drivers is well known on this forum.

On 11/27/2023 at 5:03 PM, Pattaya57 said:

First not more comfortable when somone else is driving and I'm in a very comfortable leather reclined seat sleeping.

 

So, you mean that you sleep while having a Thai van driver by the wheel? And I though it was dangerous to walk over the road when green.

On 11/27/2023 at 5:20 PM, edwardandtubs said:

 

To each his own. Sharing a small van with 7 other people (6 customers + the driver and agent?) doesn't sound very comfortable to me, especially not at 5 am when no one has had time to empty their bowels and shower.

 

I got up at 3am, then left home just after 4am and drove myself to Penang from Bangkok. Got there around 10pm Malaysia time. Yes, on the same day. 

 

Made 2 stops for meals along the way (second breakfast and quick lunch - dinner had to wait until I arrived in Penang). No coffee stops. Also had to basically stop and wait out the rain just after the border, it was that heavy but fortunately, didn't last long. Also a couple of periods of heavy rain starting in Prachuab Khiri Khan, which slowed things down. 

 

I've also started quite early on other trips, such as from Bangkok to Siem Reap and from Bangkok to Vientiane, Tha Khaek, Luang Prabang or Savannakhet, but those were at the more sane hour of 530 or 6am and didn't involve the same marathon distances as the drive down to Penang did.

 

I do agree that when you're beholden to someone else's schedule, it's not so pleasant. In my case, I get up earlier, empty my bowels, have a shower, have breakfast and still (usually) manage to leave by around 6am, if I know I need to drive far and/or want to arrive at a fairly decent hour.

1 hour ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

I got up at 3am, then left home just after 4am and drove myself to Penang from Bangkok. Got there around 10pm Malaysia time. Yes, on the same day. 

 

Made 2 stops for meals along the way (second breakfast and quick lunch - dinner had to wait until I arrived in Penang). No coffee stops. Also had to basically stop and wait out the rain just after the border, it was that heavy but fortunately, didn't last long. Also a couple of periods of heavy rain starting in Prachuab Khiri Khan, which slowed things down. 

 

I've also started quite early on other trips, such as from Bangkok to Siem Reap and from Bangkok to Vientiane, Tha Khaek, Luang Prabang or Savannakhet, but those were at the more sane hour of 530 or 6am and didn't involve the same marathon distances as the drive down to Penang did.

 

I do agree that when you're beholden to someone else's schedule, it's not so pleasant. In my case, I get up earlier, empty my bowels, have a shower, have breakfast and still (usually) manage to leave by around 6am, if I know I need to drive far and/or want to arrive at a fairly decent hour.

i have to ask   
WHY?
it would be cheaper to fly if u were travelling alone 

Now if u were vacationing and stopping to see the sights it would make sense ( to me as i've done it form Phuket)  but straight thru????

On 8/12/2024 at 5:48 PM, zzzzz said:

i have to ask   
WHY?
it would be cheaper to fly if u were travelling alone 

Now if u were vacationing and stopping to see the sights it would make sense ( to me as i've done it form Phuket)  but straight thru????

 

It wasn't a border run. I was heading down to Kuala Lumpur for a business event. Thus, the day after arriving in Penang, I continued to Kuala Lumpur with the event taking place on days 3 and 4 of my stay. I then returned to Penang for a night and Krabi for another night on my way back to Bangkok.

 

Had places to stop off along the way and shopping to bring back. Can't do that by plane.

 

Also, I prefer driving. I'll drive as long as I am able to...anyone can get on a plane and fly and one day, when I'm way too old to drive thousands of Km, I'll probably do the same (unless there's a high speed train by then. For now, driving it is, unless I'm very short on time.