Border Run Do-it-yourself Info Needed

[Lodestone]

I need to do a border run and would like to take care of it on a couple of day's off I have coming up -- this Friday and the following Wednesday. Unfortunately, it seems JackGolf and the other visa run companies don't operate on those days (or only go to Poipet which requires an outbound air ticket which I don't feel like springing for). So I was wondering how easy would it be to make a run on public (or some other) transport from Bangkok to Ban Laem, what the cost would be, and any other details I need to be aware of? I'd also be willing to reconsider Poipet if anyone knows a still fairly reliable way around the ticket requirement, e.g. buying online from AirAsia the day before and canceling the day after (if that still works).

[mortenaa]

Buy a return trip to Singapore or KL with AirAsia. Morning flight is cheap. Spend a few hours in shopping malls. Go to IKEA. Buy electronics. Go back afternoon, or stay in Singapore one night if u want to pick up whatever visa from the thai embassy.

Have fun!

[tropo]

I need to do a border run and would like to take care of it on a couple of day's off I have coming up -- this Friday and the following Wednesday. Unfortunately, it seems JackGolf and the other visa run companies don't operate on those days (or only go to Poipet which requires an outbound air ticket which I don't feel like springing for). So I was wondering how easy would it be to make a run on public (or some other) transport from Bangkok to Ban Laem, what the cost would be, and any other details I need to be aware of? I'd also be willing to reconsider Poipet if anyone knows a still fairly reliable way around the ticket requirement, e.g. buying online from AirAsia the day before and canceling the day after (if that still works).

They'll be a heavy cancellation fee if you buy an online ticket with AirAsia.

Your best option maybe to take a bus to Pattaya (100 baht) and go with a local company there (Cambodia Inter charge 1,700). Then all you have to do is pay 200 baht for the bogus bus ticket at Ban Laem. Total cost about 2,000.

I'm just not sure if you can get buses to Pattaya that arrive before 7am.

[visarunner]

One company,thaivisaservice, is leaving Bangkok regulary on Wednesday and Friday to Ban Laem.

They depart from BTS ON NUT at 8am and return 5.15pm

Contact me by pm or check the classified section of the BKK Post for contact details.

Thanks

[jeebusjones]

I did a visa run in Poipet about three weeks ago. When I got to the counter, the guy just said that next month I should show him a plane ticket. Then he stamped me in with no problems. I actually had a printed reservation (not a paid-for ticket, just reservation) from Thai Airways, but since he never asked to see a ticket I didn't bother to show it.

Getting out was more of a problem... There was this demon lady with short, orangish hair that scanned my passport from front to back and then tried to tell me not to leave the country as I'd used up my visa exemption days... She was wrong, but it took 15 minutes to convince them.

[sweetchariot]

Last time I went to Daung (nearest to Pattaya), the 30 day runners were buying bus tickets to Phnom Phen (from Thailand - Pong Nam Ron I think), for 200 baht, to show their means of leaving the country. Do they not do this at all border crossings, sounds alot simpler than booking a flight and cancelling it.