Visa Run From Samui. Different Options.

[hochiminh]

Hello everyone,

me and my family (wife and 1.5 year olв son) are going to spend 4 months in Thailand, on Samui. We're from Russia and are entering the country without visa (we're going to get a 30-day stamp on the border when we arrive). After 30 days we need to make a visa run. First, I though about visiting Kuala-Lumpur by Firefly and staying there for about 5 days or so (and get tourist visas in immigration office there). But its pretty costly (450$ for round trip tickets + hotel, taxi, shopping etc) and it'll be around 1 000$ total. I know there are plenty other options that are cheaper, but I would like to hear people opinions on visa runs from Samui that are more convenient for a family with a little child. The other great concern is how do I get a 30 day stamp on the border when we arrive to Thailand, if I don't have a ticket to show that I'll leave Thailand in 30 days? Is it possible to book a train ticket from Thai to Malaysia on the internet to show them on the border?

[Lite Beer]

If you are arriving by plane you might not be allowed on the flight without a Visa.

If you are arriving by land you should be ok. The entry stamp at land borders is now 15 days, but as a Russian you should still get 30 days under an existing bilateral agreement.

Plenty of companies do Visa Runs from Samui to Malaysia or Burma. Or you can do it yourself by bus or fly to Penang by Firefly.

There is no need to take your son on a border run as there is no overstay fine for kids. So you can leave him with someone on Samui if you wanted to.

Would it not be a lot easier to get a Visa before you come?

Thai Embassy in Moscow.

http://en.thaiembassymoscow.com/info/?sect...d6&artid=53

[mattias33]

If you are arriving by plane you might not be allowed on the flight without a Visa.

If you are arriving by land you should be ok. The entry stamp at land borders is now 15 days, but as a Russian you should still get 30 days under an existing bilateral agreement.

Plenty of companies do Visa Runs from Samui to Malaysia or Burma. Or you can do it yourself by bus or fly to Penang by Firefly.

There is no need to take your son on a border run as there is no overstay fine for kids. So you can leave him with someone on Samui if you wanted to.

Would it not be a lot easier to get a Visa before you come?

Thai Embassy in Moscow.

http://en.thaiembassymoscow.com/info/?sect...d6&artid=53

I agree. If going with the organized visa-stressers, there is definately NO reason to take the 1,5 year child on it. That would be a terrible experience the boy dont need so early in life. However, if you do it by firefly to K.L as a 5 day holiday, it will be fun for the whole family. Much better option. Or rent a car and do a family roatrip. Many stops on the way and a few hotelnights.

I also agree with lite beer that the easiest way nowadays is to fix the visa while in your homecountry. Around here the embassies and consulates are tigtening up the rules.

[hochiminh]

> If you are arriving by plane you might not be allowed on the flight without a Visa.

You mean the flight from Moscow to Bangkok? But the vast majority of russian tourists go to Thailand without visa by plane... The other thing that in some cases the bordermen ask a return ticket that should not exceed 30 days from the date of arrival. That's why I was wondering is there any way to book a ticket by train from Thailand to Malaysia to show it to bordermen when we arrive if they ask.

> I also agree with lite beer that the easiest way nowadays is to fix the visa while in your homecountry. Around here the embassies and consulates are tigtening up the rules.

Unfortunately Thai embassy in Moscow has tightened up recently to an extent that it reminds a concentration camp. They request a pile of papers, from work, from the bank, etc. which should be translated notarially in english (1 page of translation = $50). Many people collect all the documents they request and still get turned down. It's much much cheaper to make border runs for everybody.

[Lite Beer]

I have moved this to the Visa Forum. Hopefully you will get a few more opinions.