Do It Yourself Visa Run

[spencerdharmagrafix]

Pay the 2100 baht it is so much hassle doing the run yourself

Agree 100% especially if it's your first (or even second or third)

I have always done the runs myself and never had any hassles. Always all smiles with immigration on both Thai and Cambo side, cracking jokes with them. I do not understand why so many people always seem to have problems. And I used to have overstays regularly .... (although in the last 2,5 years I have been totally clean!) .... but never any problem whatsoever, dress nicely ... wai ... smile ... say you are sorry ... make some jokes ... pay the fine (no extras ever demanded) ... and be on your way.

Waerth

You are a very lucky farang,no extras ever demanded.Don´t you have white skin?It does not matter how you dress or etc.The only thing they want from you is money,certainly at the Cambodian borders.Be reasonable man.As mansioned before book trip in an office no problem at all.By the way,last month I drove my truck to Mae Sot (Tak province) long drive from Pattaya (620 km) stayd one night in an airconditioned room (very nice),paid 350 baht.Next day went to get my stamps no cheating at the border,no touts.I paid 500 baht at Myanmar immigration,no photographs or paperwork,very friendly.Had to go back to Thailand before border closed at 6 PM.,Filled in the Thai arrrival departure card,got my 90 days without any problem?Then drove back to Pattaya.

I dont think he is lucky it is just he has the "Knack".

smile and wai say sorry if neeeded.

as to dress rules i am amazed at one thing...as i used to go dressed in slacks and shirt covering all my tattoos and look like a teacher they hassled me...now i say "they may hassle me anyway even if i dress well so screw it" and go in tshirt show fully tattooed sleeves and neck and wear jeanms with holes in..they have alkways been so polite to me since i dress like a ragamuffin! wierd.

ok my Thai is very fluent and use the same manner of speech as Thais, which isn't so over-polite as Farang seem to speak when using Thai language.

so maybe they just think i know the score.

If they think you dont really know the score then they will "Len" you (play with you).That is the favourite practise of the Thai Police, and the main reason why it is best not to get too involved with them...they are always looking for a mark.

[spencerdharmagrafix]

one last tip...if you get there real early (say, 9am) then the police are more friendly as later in the day they get all stressed after a whole day of putting up with the heat and their bosses cpmplaining and all thew tourists.

[ethnostudent]

I would like to offer a few tidbits on this thread about do-it-yourself runs to Poi Pet, Cambodia. I've done it quite a few times. I agree with those who have said it's better to have help the first time, but after that to me it is an adventure to make it through and do it all myself.

I take a casino bus with Thai people. I am American. It costs 300 baht round trip and there is breakfast on the way there and a film (in Thai) on the way back. I used to pick up the bus from Big C Bang Na. A lot of buses leave from there at 5:00 or 6:00 A.M. Now I found a bus that stops closer to me on Ladprao Rd, but it's earlier - 4:50 A.M. It also stops in Minburi and a few other places. I spend a while exploring the Cambodian side or relaxing at the Casinos before the return trip. There is an internet cafe, a wat where they enjoy to talk with foreigners, and a market where they enjoy to stare at foreigners all within walking distance of the border on the Cambodian side. And of course there's the market on the Thai side that can be fun as well.

As for the cost of the Cambodian visa, I have always paid just $20 US. I point to the sign that is above the window and insist nicely that is what I will pay. I find that going the nice but firm route works for me. If they are being difficult in asking for more money, I smile then sit down and read for about 10 minutes then come up to the window again. One time I had to do that twice before they relented, but usually it doesn't take very long.

So that's my bit of info from my experiences. Hope this helps someone. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

P.S. Just got back from Penang, used Banana Guesthouse on Chulia St to go the the embassy for me for RM 20 in addition to the RM 110 for the tourist visa. I brought lots of extra paperwork after reading about it on this forum, but they didn't ask for any papers - just the photos and application form and money. I have lots of stamps in my passport, but this is just my second time to Penang and the last time was a year ago. I really enjoy Penang as a visa run destination.