Myanmar Visa Run Question

[drummer]

Anyone over go to Ranong or somewhere by themselves for a visa run? I will need to renew my visa and will be going down south for a bit. I wondered what the costs were, and what about for my Thai wife? Thanks!

[Gazza]

Only done the run a couple of times.

For a Thai I think it was 30 baht plus one photo for a one day pass.

Hiring a boat was 300 baht. Burmese immigration wanted 10 US dollars that must be in immaculate condition. Mine were but they reckoned something was phoney about the serial numbers and wanted 400 baht instead.

The trip in and out takes about one and a half hours.

Take headwear as the sun may burn you up on the crossing (even when it's partly cloudy).

Also tell your wife/gf not to wear high heels or dress shoes as it makes it very awkward getting in and out of the boat.

[sua yai]

The fee on the Burmese side is 5 dollars. Your Thai wife shouldn't have to pay. The place to get the day pass for a Thai national is at the pier and it dosn't open until 9.30 am. You can get the dollars from plenty of Thais at the pier, but they'll charge you 300 Baht.

I would reckon waterproofs would be in order at this time of year. You'll be about 99% certain to get drenched.

[JustAnotherFarang]

If you are coming to Ranong then go to immigration on the main road to Saa Paan Pla, get your stamp out and avoid the touts who will try to charge you a small fortune of 400 bht for the trip there and back.

You have many other choices, the cheapest is to go to the public pier which is behind the only petrol station toward Saa Paan Pla (the main pier) and you can get in a shared boat for 50 bht each way. Of course you need 5 dollars for the Burmese immigration and you might find yourself sharing a boat with upto 20 other burmese people........ thai people dont normally venture into Kawtheung which is the name of the Burmese port you have to visit......... it has something (read everything) to do with the racist and disgusting way they treat the Burmese people in Ranong and the fear that they will be treated like sh!t too in retaliation.

If you really want to take your wife with you (but why), then consider the Visa Run guys who advertise on the same road as Saa Paan Pla, its about 350 bht in a far bigger, faster and safer boat and you will be with other farang as well so there is no messing around. Chances are you will not even have to step onto Burmese soil unless you want to buy cheap nasty cigarettes and even nastier alcohol.

The most expensive option is to go to the Andaman Club which is a beautiful hotel complex between Thailand and Burma. you travel in a Catamaran which is fully covered, extremely fast and perfectly safe. You must have 5 days left on your visa to qualify for the lower price of 650 baht (250 baht for Thai) or you have to pay nearly 2000 bht if you have less than 5 days left on your visa but these prices include your 5 dollar fee to Burma and your wife would enjoy the complex there as it is quite stunning with swimming pool, casino, duty free shops etc etc

As for the rain this season, there is not much at the moment but take heed that if it windy then its gonna be a rough crossing in the cheapest boats full of burmese people and you may regret trying to save a few baht. Better go with the Visa Run guys as it is all done and dusted in less than an hour.

Once you return back to (thai)land, go back to immigration, fill out the form and they will stamp your passport and away you go

pleasant journey, dont buy the cheap cigs or local gut rot and be polite/respectful at all times as everyone knows everyone else in Ranong.

[drummer]

Well, we're likely to be travelling South, and Ranong is almost "on the way". It would be nice to walk around Myanmar for a little while. My wife has never been there and would like to do more travelling - even if it is just a technicality.

[drummer]

So lets see ... the fee is 50THB for a Thai, and $5 USD for a farang. The boat options are 50thb (per person) for the cheap burmese boat and 350 (per person) for the visa run guys.

Is that right? any fees I'm missing? (trying to weigh border crossing places)

[MickeyC]

So lets see ...  the fee is 50THB for a Thai,  and $5 USD for a farang.  The boat options are 50thb (per person) for the cheap burmese boat and 350 (per person) for the visa run guys. 

Is that right?  any fees I'm missing?  (trying to weigh border crossing places)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

JustAnotherFarang knows exactly what he's talking about so go by what's written in his post. Get a songthaew from the central market in Ranong to Saphaan Plaa (about 30 . DON'T FORGET TO STAMP OUT OF THAILAND AT THE THAI IMMIGRATION OFFICE just down the road from Saphaan Plaa before you get a boat. When we (4 of us) were there, we got a boat for 350 B total.

Kaw Sawng (as the Thais call it) is of little interest and you may not like the hordes of people following you. But Ranong is full of lovely scenery and friendly people.

[drummer]

The fee on the Burmese side is 5 dollars. Your Thai wife shouldn't have to pay. The place to get the day pass for a Thai national is at the pier and it dosn't open until 9.30 am. You can get the dollars from plenty of Thais at the pier, but they'll charge you 300 Baht.

I would reckon waterproofs would be in order at this time of year. You'll be about 99% certain to get drenched.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They charged my wife and kid...

[sua yai]

That's interesting Drummer. When my wife came with me last year, she paid either 30 or 50 Baht to the Thai side for photo and travel document. Nothing on the Burmese side.

[taxout]

I'd strengthen the cautions given above about the weather.

I would not do this trip in heavy rain or rough seas, when splurging on the shorter Andaman Club route would be very wise.

[drummer]

I handed the cash to the Burmese immigration myself...

The weatehr was fine, BTW....