Visa Run To Ranong

[somchai jones]

Hi folks

I have a 12 month multiple entry non immigrant O type visa.

Usually, I get my re-entry stamp at the airport (Bangkok) as I travel overseas more regularly than every 3 months, however, my wife's 90 day stay period will soon be up (she has the same visa as me, we are both British nationals) and we're planning to drive to Ranong from Koh Samui.

My question is, once we get to the border crossing there, what do we do (sorry if this is a silly question!), do we simply park the car and cross the border get an exit stamp and then turn around and re-enter immediately? Must we stay overnight? Can we do this any day (we are planning to go on a Saturday), is the immigration post open at certain times only?

Any help much appreciated.

[Lite Beer]

Park the car. Visit Thai Immigration and get stamped out of Thailand.

Get on a boat and cross the river. Pay your $10 note to enter Burma.

Turn round and get stamped out of Burma.

Boat across the river.

Go to Thai Immigration and get stamped back in.

[LeungKen]

Immigration is at the wharf or pier, there you'll be approached by several long-tail boat operators. Negotiate your price.

Carry an umbrella if you don't like hot sun or rain.

$10 note must be American and clean with no nicks or tears.

If going in monsoon season don't forget the travel sickness pills ! It can get a tad rough sometimes.........

Occasionally a long-tail boat breaks down, (It's happened to me twice) No problem, They just sit and wait for a friend to get a tow back.

You only have to get stamped in & out at Burma immigration and don't have to stay over night.

At the pier in Burma you'll be approached by lots of young men trying to sell you copies of whisky, cigarettes, viagra.

"You may be stopped on the return at a small island for a quick frisk by customs and then get your copy viagra confiscated........

Good Luck

If you'd really like to show your appreciation you could send Lite-Beer a "Slab" of his favourite beverage.........

[Lite Beer]

If you'd really like to show your appreciation you could send Lite-Beer a "Slab" of his favourite beverage.........

Unfortunately it is Beer Lao Dark.

[LeungKen]

If you'd really like to show your appreciation you could send Lite-Beer a "Slab" of his favourite beverage.........

Unfortunately it is Beer Lao Dark.

Shame I'm still getting over Hepatitis A, so unfortunately won't be able to come up from Phuket to sink my percent..............

[TCA]

Another option is the Andaman Club. It's located on a Burmese island with a casino and its own immigration. It costs a few extra bucks (800 baht I think) but is so easy and painless. Large parking area, never any real queues, regular comfortable boats to and from the island and you don't need to go up to the casino (just pass in and out of immigration and get back on the same boat returning to the mainland if you wish). No hawkers and you don't need Burmese currency or crisp dollars, just plain old Thai baht. It's a few kilometres north of Ranong itself, so you don't even need to go into Ranong if you don't want to. Dead easy.

Try googling it and search on this forum for more info.

[Mosha]

If it is monsoon season, I'd suggest the Club Andaman route. No need for a 10 $ bill, a decent boat trip, and once stamped you can come straight back. I know someone who got stuck for several hours going from the immigration pier, due to winds and rain.

[somchai jones]

If it is monsoon season, I'd suggest the Club Andaman route. No need for a 10 $ bill, a decent boat trip, and once stamped you can come straight back. I know someone who got stuck for several hours going from the immigration pier, due to winds and rain.

Thanks for the info guys, excellent advice.

If I'm not mistaken Litebeer, you live in Samui, if you're ever around the Khao Leam Yai area, you're welcome to a beer or two (though probably not a 'slab'!

[Lite Beer]

Thanks for the info guys, excellent advice.

If I'm not mistaken Litebeer, you live in Samui, if you're ever around the Khao Leam Yai area, you're welcome to a beer or two (though probably not a 'slab'!

I did a few years ago. Now in the wilds of Isaan.

[nam-thip]

Do the Andaman club route, its more expensive but an hour or two around the hotel is great fun and the boats much safer than the long tailed species that cross the river.

Hers a link for information: http://www.phuket-info.com/casino.htm

Go into youtube and key in 'visa trip to Ranong' or 'Ranong immigration' and see what comes up.

[H2oDunc]

The Andam club route is the far better way.It is just outside the town of Ranong and is sign posted as you drive into town. If you are planning to stop the night then book into a Hotel and they will organize it all for you no problem. There are some nice hotels there and some have hot natural spas in them. Very relaxing. Have a steady drive there stopping for lunch around Koh Lak. Book into a hotel. Have a wonder round the town and a meal. Get up and do your visa run first thing, check out and head back to Samui. Very easy and a nice way to do a visa run.

[burmesedays]

Does anyone know if I can enter Burma, not for a visa run but for a 28 day Burma tourist visa through the Ranong border crossing?

[ALFREDO]

As far as I know, for a long stay=more than some days, you need to apply for a Visa at a Myanmar Consular section.

And for the Visarun, I would also go for the ANDAMAN Casino Island solution.

You can also sleep on the Island and in the Casino Hotel. Bargain and you can get a much better price.

If you like to use the Casino facilitys once, you have to change a higher amount of money, (some years ago, that was 10.000.-) change to special chips, which you have to use, or could give, sale to somebody who plays there, but after that you are a member and have always a good room price in the future.

Andaman Casino Hotel offers now also trips to beaches nearby-Day and Halfdaytours free of charge for Hotelguests and for a small fee visits to Kauw Thung, the small city-village in Myanmar.

So, if your Budget is not to tight, you can blow the Visarun to a nice holyday.

The Swimmingpool and Sauna facilitys in the Adaman Casino Hotel are good and usualy deserted. You can have many times the big Pool all alone!

Or sleep at the Tinitee or Trinitee Hotel, renamed, Ex Princess Hotel in Ranong, offers bathing in Hot spring water.