Krabi air border or land border visa run? What’s best?

[PA22]

Hey everyone. Got a little confused by one of my friends. And now I’m worried we won’t be able to go back in. 

2 people Russian & British arrived to Thailand from the UK on a tourist visa in November 2022. Extended by 30 days. Then Switched into an ED visa to study (1 year in total, which was 3 extensions). Now the course and subsequently ED visa is finished want to travel around Thailand a little to see different areas. 
 

Therefore we planned to fly out of Krabi to Kuala Lumpur to apply for a tourist visa for both (or just for the British as Russians can get 90 days stamp on arrival at the moment)

 

We thought it is an ok and completely transparent plan. However a few people scared us that it’s better to do a land border cross rather than by air and we should be expecting to be heavily questioned or worst case not even let back in. 
 

Got a little worried here as we leave a lot of our belongings here without anyone to actually collect them if needed. Also renting a car that we will be leaving at Krabi airport for 4 days whilst getting visas done. (Maybe link to similar recent topics as I couldn’t see anything relevant) 
 

Any chance we can know the latest news about air border control and/or has anybody got any experience of such situations as we are about to cancel everything:)))

[Nick Carter icp]

They might let you back in or they might not , no one can say for sure .

Don't fly back in to BKK or Phuket or  cross a Cambodian land border as they have been know to refuse people entry

[PA22]

53 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

They might let you back in or they might not , no one can say for sure .

Don't fly back in to BKK or Phuket or  cross a Cambodian land border as they have been know to refuse people entry

Noted, thanks. Did you see any reports of denied visas in KL? 

[Bazerino]

I always fly into Malaysia & get a minibus back to krabi (no visa) after my (2 month tourist visa & extend) expires, always get pulled up at the border on my return asking where I'm staying, why do I stay so long & ask when I'm going back home & asked to see proof of funds (bank statement) etc always have a return flight ticket booked too, I'll be doing this again next month & I'm expecting the same questions, obviously you have been been here a lot longer, so just make sure you have all the answers to there questions & yes it is much wiser to do a land border than flying back in.....

P.s I have also been stopped even with a valid visa from Penang........

Edited January 22 by Bazerino

[DrJack54]

Visa exempt entry via land. 

[mark5335]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Visa exempt entry via land. 

Agree, and at either Ranong (Grand Andaman pier checkpoint) or Padang Besar Malaysia. Personally, I would go with Ranong as significantly less busy, and slightly closer (<5 hours by bus).

[PaoloR]

Getting a visa at KL is a bitch!

They only see a limited number per day. Any (and I mean any) discrepancy or missing information and they will tell you to come back again with correct docs. You then have to hang around in KL waiting for the next appointment.

My daughter went through this process some months ago and I had to shell out for extra flights, extra hotel nights and suffer a lot of painful phone calls. She had every document in place and in order, but they made up new "rules" seemingly out of spite.