Malaysia (dan-nok, Sadao) Visa Run

[Khun Jean]

I am currently renting a house about an hour north of Chumphon and needed to extend my Non 'o' visa.

Ranong is the shortest way but i already did that so i wanted to go somewhere else this time.

I took the sleeping train to Hay Yai (650 baht). I like traveling by train and this one had the best departure and arrival times.

It left around 00:30 and arrived around 09:00. Travel while you sleep.

In Hat Yai i first went to eat something and quickly found a noodle shop which served a great noodle soup. I avoided the taxi drivers at the station to have a relaxed breakfast first.

After that i took a songtheaw to 'Plazaa' where you have mini-vans going to the border. They leave when they are full. When i arrived there were already 6 people. Just waited around 5 minutes to have the full capacity off the van which is eleven passengers. Ticket to the border was 55 baht.

I was a little nervous how this mini van trip would be, as i had some very dangerous driving before. This time however the speedlimit was never crossed and it was a comfortable drive, no sudden moves, heavy breaking and fast accelerating. Just like i would drive myself.

Arriving in Dannok at the border crossing i took a motercycle taxi to do the 'visa run'. He asked 100 baht, and that was a reasonable amount to not have to negotiate. It included help with getting the forms to be even quicker.

So first we went to get the exit stamp. These are always easy and took less than a minute. Motorcy taxi guy already had the papers for Malyasia and the entry form for thailand. After filling in that, jumped on the motorbike again, this time with helmet as Malaysia is not that forgiving with the laws. There is a special motorbike lane. You follow that and stop before the window of the Malaysian border check. Just handed over my passport with the already completed form and got my Malaysian entry stamp. Not even had to get of the motorbike. The gate opened and we drove a little into Malaysia to the first possible u-turn. It was maybe 200 meters. Again the motorbike lane, handing over passport and the Malaysian exit stamp was stamped.

A little further i got off and walked 5 meter to the Thai border check. Here they checked my passport very carefully and even some double checking with a collegau and their computer system. Everything was in order so i got my 3 month stamp.

All in all it took maybe 10 minutes to do the whole round. Very efficient.

In Hat Yai when i arrived at the trainstation i bought a ticket back for the next day (500 baht). I stayed a while in Dannok which is small village with a few large hotels serving the Malaysian sex tourism. Karaoke after Karaoke. Massage after massage. Even in the hotels which i checked because i thought of staying there one night all had there own massage and karaoke. Thinking that would be a little to much noise to get a good night sleep i decided to go back to Hat Yai.

The same mini van service starts from the 7-11 on the main road. Same system. Ticket to Hat Yai also 55 baht and you can tell where you want to go. I went to the Lee Gardens Plaza hotel. It looked nice from the outside and was ok on the inside. 750 baht for one night.

As it is convenient to do some shopping and going to the trainstation i decided to stay there.

Next morning went to do some shopping and departured from the trainstation at 16:20 with the express. About 6 hours later back where i started.

All in all this was the most easy border run i ever did. No scams or hidden tricks, just straight forward and easy.

Traveling was a little longer but making it into a small 'holiday' makes it very pleasant.

Another option would be to take a taxi from Hat Yai to the border, it would cost around 500 baht. But driving in a beat up old taxi looks more risky than a minivan. And traveling in 'packs' is also more safe from dodgy deals and taxidrivers out to make some extra money.

I managed to see 1 westerner in Dannok and 2 in Hat Yai.

The rest are mainly Malaysians for shopping (Hat Yai) or ding-dong (Dannok).

[Thailand Tiger]

I'd be interested to know if anyone has had a problem using Malaysia for a border run (as opposed to a visa run which involves staying a little longer) being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

[Linosea]

Hello Khun Jean,

how did u managed to get 3 months stamp without visiting the Thai embassy? Usually they grant you 30 days stamp at the border if you not visit the Thai embassy/consulate... Do you have a Non-Imm Type B visa?

Thanks

Lino

[astral]

Obviously a Non Imm O or B visa holder, hence the three months.

Good to know how easy it is.

[tropo]

I'd be interested to know if anyone has had a problem using Malaysia for a border run (as opposed to a visa run which involves staying a little longer) being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

They don't ask you how long you want to stay. The OP stayed for 5 minutes and didn't have any problems.

[emmezeta]

I am currently renting a house about an hour north of Chumphon and needed to extend my Non 'o' visa.

Ranong is the shortest way but i already did that so i wanted to go somewhere else this time.

I took the sleeping train to Hay Yai (650 baht). I like traveling by train and this one had the best departure and arrival times.

It left around 00:30 and arrived around 09:00. Travel while you sleep.

A stupid question , why you did not stay on the train? The line will go to Malaysia on my map....

[astral]

...being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

Do you have a reference (link) to back up that statement?

[lopburi3]

Actually that is a regulation for stays of less than 72 hours for those traveling by air:

Air travellers on transit (not exceeding 72 hours) are eligible for a visa-free visit

[Thailand Tiger]

...being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

Do you have a reference (link) to back up that statement?

It's one of the conditions of entry written on the arrival card that you complete for Malaysian Immigration. Of course on entry they don't know how long you will stay, but repeated entries of less than 72 hours might flag you upon arrival in the future. Not sure if this would present a problem or if it's ignored by immigration.

[funfun]

...being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

Do you have a reference (link) to back up that statement?

7-Days Visa-Free Visit

Applicable to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kirghizstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Air travellers on transit (not exceeding 72 hours) are eligible for a visa-free visit.

Link

cap

[sbk]

I am currently renting a house about an hour north of Chumphon and needed to extend my Non 'o' visa.

Ranong is the shortest way but i already did that so i wanted to go somewhere else this time.

I took the sleeping train to Hay Yai (650 baht). I like traveling by train and this one had the best departure and arrival times.

It left around 00:30 and arrived around 09:00. Travel while you sleep.

A stupid question , why you did not stay on the train? The line will go to Malaysia on my map....

The Immigration queues on the train are generally long and slow.

[Fred Sanford]

I'd be interested to know if anyone has had a problem using Malaysia for a border run (as opposed to a visa run which involves staying a little longer) being that Malaysia supposedly only allows visa free entry for stays exceeding 72 hours.

I never had a problem popping in and out of Malaysia within a 24 hour period. This I have done twice by air

Edited November 28, 2007 by Fred Sanford

[emmezeta]

I am currently renting a house about an hour north of Chumphon and needed to extend my Non 'o' visa.

Ranong is the shortest way but i already did that so i wanted to go somewhere else this time.

I took the sleeping train to Hay Yai (650 baht). I like traveling by train and this one had the best departure and arrival times.

It left around 00:30 and arrived around 09:00. Travel while you sleep.

A stupid question , why you did not stay on the train? The line will go to Malaysia on my map....

The Immigration queues on the train are generally long and slow.

I see..but if I have just to do a border run i can stay on the train, pass immigration, and at the first station take the first traing that go back tu Surath Thani....

Is it really safe going around in local minivan on the south? Some month ago in a thread from Malay people I asked why they were discussing only about air travel to Thailand even for very short distance and everybody said that road and train along the border are not safe, avoid them at any cost.....

[lopburi3]

There is only one Thai train a day making the crossing that I know of. You could wait at Padang for the return of train and go back through the immigration. But there has not been any major problems on the roads in that area of Thailand. The problem area is the eastern three provinces.

[emmezeta]

There is only one Thai train a day making the crossing that I know of. You could wait at Padang for the return of train and go back through the immigration. But there has not been any major problems on the roads in that area of Thailand. The problem area is the eastern three provinces.

Thanxs.

Well, it seems that for just a border run, a bus trip from Samui is the best choise.

But for a Visa Run the situation is really getting bad or expensive....