Ranong border run

[retayl]

I would appreciate any upto date info on the Ranong border run. Procedure, cost, timings etc.  I did it a few years ago and remember payment had to be in US$, is this still the case! Thanks.

[lookingfornofixbeingthefix]

I did it 2 mths ago.

I paid 2k for smooth proceedings or you can bring paperwork to avoid cost if they ask.

Hit and miss what they say.
 

 

[zzzzz]

1st< the casino is closed https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/five-star-casino-resort-on-myanmar-tropical-island-runs-out-of-luck.html

 

so its only the local long tail boat across to Kwathoung, 100 baht for a seat or apx 500 baht for the boat ( he will wait for you to return
 a crisp $10 bill for Burma stamp
trip across is apx 30 minutes 
your stamp allows you to stay up to 14 days in Burma but cant travel more than 15 kms from town.

[lookingfornofixbeingthefix]

10 hours ago, zzzzz said:

1st< the casino is closed https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/five-star-casino-resort-on-myanmar-tropical-island-runs-out-of-luck.html

 

so its only the local long tail boat across to Kwathoung, 100 baht for a seat or apx 500 baht for the boat ( he will wait for you to return
 a crisp $10 bill for Burma stamp
trip across is apx 30 minutes 
your stamp allows you to stay up to 14 days in Burma but cant travel more than 15 kms from town.

 

So you don't get quizzed when you go solo?

I always get hassled by the touts saying you'll need paperwork.
Getting on the boat everyone's passports are handled by someone which made me think all the people were part of group.

cheers

 

[CaptMiguel]

Ranong Border Visa Run Saturday Feb 24 noon, American Passport ,60 day se tourist visa and 30 day extension then a visa waiver from a border bounce in Nakhon Phanom to Laos.  The imo in Ranong at the regular pier wanted a receipt from the hotel,which luckily I had, an onward ticket w/in the 30 days from Feb 24, but my onward ticket was 4 days over the 30 days soo the top official a guy wouldn't accept it and wanted me to change the ticket  or get a new ticket, print it out and come back w/ the new reservation printed. I protested and he finally sed he would let me show him my new reservation on my mobile phone. sooo I went outa the office and booked a whole new ticket to Taipei on March 23. The woman imo sed she wanted it printed out, the top guy intervened and told her it was ok to just show my new reservation on my mobile phone. They stamped me out of Thailand after a frustrating hour of dickering w/ them. Then I did a trip over to Myanamar by boat w/ a Dutch guy who went thru exactly what I did w/ the Thai IMO's,ie book an onward ticket. We chartered 1 boat and skipper for what I thought we negotiated 400 thb there and back for 2 people. (btw don't forget ur crispy clean $10usd for the Mynamar Junta ) Everything went relatively smooth until we got back to the Ranong dock and I handed the boatman 400thb +200 thb tip, the boatman exclaimed 400thb each. I sed no it was 400 for us both. He reluctantly accepted w/ a wave of frustration and we checked back into Thailand and got our 30 day visa waivers. Beware other boat guys want 1000 thb /person. My Thai hotel owner sed he paid 400thb/boat w/4 farang the week before... I have been going to Ranong for visa runs for 19 years and this trip was the worst so far, but not the worst I ever had dealing w/ the Thai IMO's elsewhere. For many years I was doing solo trips over to Mynamar from the regular pier, then I started using the Andaman Casino boat w/o any problems but alas the Casino is closed. Chok di maak !

[thaiman]

23 hours ago, CaptMiguel said:

 The imo in Ranong at the regular pier wanted a receipt from the hotel,which luckily I had, an onward ticket w/in the 30 days from Feb 24, but my onward ticket was 4 days over the 30 days soo the top official a guy wouldn't accept it and wanted me to change the ticket  or get a new ticket, print it out and come back w/ the new reservation printed.

Thank you for your report.

 

The hotel receipt required was from the hotel in Ranong?  This receipt was for the nights you already spent at the hotel, or for future bookings on your way back into Ranong?

[Angus55]

Travel agent in Phuket telling me there is  a mandatory payment to Thai immigration of 2500 baht for the privilige of using the border....I guess its BS .

[Angus55]

On 2/24/2024 at 4:42 PM, CaptMiguel said:

Ranong Border Visa Run Saturday Feb 24 noon, American Passport ,60 day se tourist visa and 30 day extension then a visa waiver from a border bounce in Nakhon Phanom to Laos.  The imo in Ranong at the regular pier wanted a receipt from the hotel,which luckily I had, an onward ticket w/in the 30 days from Feb 24, but my onward ticket was 4 days over the 30 days soo the top official a guy wouldn't accept it and wanted me to change the ticket  or get a new ticket, print it out and come back w/ the new reservation printed. I protested and he finally sed he would let me show him my new reservation on my mobile phone. sooo I went outa the office and booked a whole new ticket to Taipei on March 23. The woman imo sed she wanted it printed out, the top guy intervened and told her it was ok to just show my new reservation on my mobile phone. They stamped me out of Thailand after a frustrating hour of dickering w/ them. Then I did a trip over to Myanamar by boat w/ a Dutch guy who went thru exactly what I did w/ the Thai IMO's,ie book an onward ticket. We chartered 1 boat and skipper for what I thought we negotiated 400 thb there and back for 2 people. (btw don't forget ur crispy clean $10usd for the Mynamar Junta ) Everything went relatively smooth until we got back to the Ranong dock and I handed the boatman 400thb +200 thb tip, the boatman exclaimed 400thb each. I sed no it was 400 for us both. He reluctantly accepted w/ a wave of frustration and we checked back into Thailand and got our 30 day visa waivers. Beware other boat guys want 1000 thb /person. My Thai hotel owner sed he paid 400thb/boat w/4 farang the week before... I have been going to Ranong for visa runs for 19 years and this trip was the worst so far, but not the worst I ever had dealing w/ the Thai IMO's elsewhere. For many years I was doing solo trips over to Mynamar from the regular pier, then I started using the Andaman Casino boat w/o any problems but alas the Casino is closed. Chok di maak !

Travel agent in Phuket telling me there is  a mandatory payment to Thai immigration of 2500 baht for the privilige of using the border....I guess its BS .

[zzzzz]

19 hours ago, Angus55 said:

Travel agent in Phuket telling me there is  a mandatory payment to Thai immigration of 2500 baht for the privilige of using the border....I guess its BS .

YES
BS

[BMW Overlander]

So this was 8 months ago. Are there any recent updates? What if I don't have a US$10 note, would they accept THB instead?

[DrJack54]

57 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

So this was 8 months ago. Are there any recent updates? What if I don't have a US$10 note, would they accept THB instead?

Did you consider eVisa 

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

 

Edit: incorrect link. 

 

[Phillip9]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Did you consider eVisa 

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

 

Wrong country.  

[Caldera]

44 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

So this was 8 months ago. Are there any recent updates? What if I don't have a US$10 note, would they accept THB instead?

 

If you don't have USD, they charge 500 baht. Which is quite a bit more, which is why it's often suggested to have crisp US dollars ready.