Is "Chong Mek " A Good Place For Visa Border Run ?

[ubonjoe]

I just did a reply on your topic with the same question.

[redroo]

Thanks mate.

a big thanks to every one for replying

as i know now what i needed to know. which is YES!

Wich saves me from traveling long distantses.

Edited September 7, 2012 by redroo

[sabai-dee-man]

Sorry to bump this one, but the info started to go off on a tangent, and with people's varying use of terms it's all as clear as mud now!

Can someone clearly answer the following for me please:

I already have a double entry tourist visa, and wish to do a plain and simple "border run" as the first entry will expire next week. (60 days in Thailand already.)

Can I get an early morning bus from Ubon bus station to Chong Mek, stamp out of Thailand, walk across to Laos, stamp in and out again, walk back to Thailand, stamp in for another 60 days, and get the bus back to Ubon... and be home in time for cornflakes?

Sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but I can read a map, so I don't need to know how far it is or how long it will take, I need to go next week, irrespective of whether it's high season or not, I don't want to go to Mukdahan and gamble, I don't care about taxis and the airport etc., etc., etc.

Someone living in or around the Ubon area, please give me (and anyone else who searches the forum for similar info on Chong Mek!) a couple minutes of your time and give a simple answer to a simple question.

Thank you in advance.

Sabai Dee Man!

Edited February 21, 2013 by sabai-dee-man

[MeMock]

Yes you can.

But you will not be home in time for cornflakes unless you like them for lunch!

[AliasJohn]

The international bus leaves Ubon at 9.30am and another at 3.30pm. Another option are the vans which leave every hour from the same bus station. The process at the border takes under a hour and you get the afternoon bus back again. Make sure you take US currency for your visa as its a little expensive at the border. Cheers

[jamescollister]

, Did my run on the 6th of Feb, less than an hour and was back on my bike headed home.

There is a bank there now and the old money change place [western union] rates seem normal. Jim

[AliasJohn]

, Did my run on the 6th of Feb, less than an hour and was back on my bike headed home.

There is a bank there now and the old money change place [western union] rates seem normal. Jim

Thanks for the Western Union tip James.......Cheers

[transam]

, Did my run on the 6th of Feb, less than an hour and was back on my bike headed home.

There is a bank there now and the old money change place [western union] rates seem normal. Jim

Thanks for the Western Union tip James.......Cheers

Believe l got a better rate at the new bank, directly opposite the Lao immigration office.

[MeMock]

I went to use that bank but was closed ( I was early) but the other place as mentioned here offers very good rates.

[sabai-dee-man]

Brilliant, thanks guys. I think I will probably go in the morning (Saturday).

Er Indoors went to the bus station this morning to get times and prices, and the minivan is ฿100 e/w and approximately 1.5hrs journey time. I've attached a photo of the timetable for anyone interested. No telling if I will survive two Thai minivan rides in a day, but in for a penny, in for a pound!

I won't have time to get US$ before I go, so I'll buy some at the border I think. To be honest, a little extra doesn't really matter if I do have to pay in Baht. All that's really important to me is how easy and "pleasant" the whole experience is. If I can get there, get it done, and get home again for my soggy cornflakes at lunchtime-ish (not likely now, as someone's eyes lit up at the thought of wandering round the market struck home!), then I will be happy.

Cheers,

Sabai Dee Man!

Edited February 22, 2013 by sabai-dee-man

[DILLIGAD]

By the way I saw the following on the frontpage of the official Thai Immigration Bureau website:

Is this still up-to-date? Someone with firsthand experience?

I'd rather go to Phibun Mangshahn Immigration when living near Ubon, or Phusing Immigration for people in Sisaket area. Phusing Immigration come to Sisaket on Mondays and Fridays. Some other members might have a different experience with Chong SangNgam (Phusing/Cambodia) or Chong Mek/ Laos

Now Mondays and Tuesdays weekly

Edited February 23, 2013 by DILLIGAD

[sabai-dee-man]

So, I did my run today, and all's well in the (my) world again!

For those interested, here's how it went.

We caught the mini van at the bus station in north Ubon (฿100 each, each way), and less than 1.5hrs later we arrived safely at Chong Mek bus station. We walked a couple hundred metres to the border exit point, and the Ball & Chain quickly disappeared off looking round the market.

As you leave Thai immigration you walk through a tunnel and pop up about 300 metres away from the Laos immigration entry point. Just keep walking pretty much in a straight line from the tunnel exit (just look for the big red signs pointing you in which direction to go) and you end up at "window #5" of the immigration building directly facing you. They handed me an immigration form and a visa on arrival form, which I dutifully filled out (take a pen, as the immigration officer looked most disgruntled when the South African guy in front of me asked to borrow one!), and handed him my passport, the two forms, a photo, and 1300 Baht. There's a board showing the visa fees in US$ on the wall next to the immigration window. Most western countries were US$30 + $5 processing fee (about ฿1000, but as someone stated earlier in the thread, they surcharge you if you pay in Thai Baht). The immigration officer said "another ฿500", which I guess may have been their processing charge for paying in Baht... or maybe he just played on my naivety?! Anyway, I didn't have ฿500, so I gave him ฿1000, and he gave me back ฿800! So, the long and the short of it was I lashed out ฿1500 in total. He then directed me to window #6 around the right hand side of the building, to await the return of my passport with the newly installed visa. (The Laos immigration officers [today] all spoke exceptionally good English.)

Once you've collected your passport (about a 5 minute wait -- but keep an eye on the window, as they just flash the passports/photos at the window for a moment for you to step up and collect them!), you are then free to continue in to Laos should you wish. Of course, I was just there to activate the second entry of my double-entry tourist visa, so it was back round the other side of the building for me, to window #4 (declaration of intention to depart Laos), where I handed back my passport. I was given a pink ticket, and told to go to window #2, where I had to pay 40 Baht and was handed a blue ticked as a receipt. The blue ticket is then taken back to window #4, and they hand your passport back, and off you trot back to the tunnel to Thailand.

All-in-all it's a quick and painless operation, and there were even some smiles from time-to-time. I would actually go as far as to say it's probably the best visa run experience I've ever had in my 12 years, and if you fancy a couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of somewhere like BKK, Pattaya, or Phuket, pop to the relative peace and quiet of Ubon for a few days and incorporate a quick and easy visa run/extension during your stay! You could even do a run while the better half is still sleeping off last night's somtam, and she'd never even know! Or, even better, may be to stop off at "Pattaya Noi" on the way back, and spend the afternoon lazing about next to the Sirindhorn dam/lake.

When I got back into Thailand, the missus was taking shelter in the comfort of the air conditioned tourist police office, sipping a cup of coffee, and the two guys in there were most friendly and talkative... it was the best we could do to get out in about 15 minutes! They wanted to take some photos with us, and talk to me all about where I'm from, and about how I like Thailand etc., and I think just generally practice a bit of English. Truth be told, I don't think they get many visitors to their little office, and it was a bit novel for them to interact with us! A couple of very friendly and polite guys worth dropping in to just say hello to, if you fancy a bit of good Karma if you do your border run there one day.

We walked back to the bus station along the opposite side of the road, where there are more market-style shops, but it's a lot quieter and cleaner, buying a couple of ice cream cones on the way, and jumped on the next mini van to Ubon.

I would say, if you get the timings perfect (the mini vans are surprisingly busy, so we had to wait 30 mins for the next van each way) you could probably do the whole trip in under 4 hours, but allow 5 ~ 5 1/2 hours really. You could probably do it all in 3 hours if you drive yourself.

Sabai Dee Man!

Edited February 23, 2013 by sabai-dee-man

[MeMock]

Nice report sabai-dee-man. The last few years I have always driven myself across to Loas through Chong Mek so reading about the new tunnel was interesting. I have never heard or paid a $5 processing charge. It has always been $30 for the visa and that is it or 1,500 baht. It is worth saving 600 baht by spending a couple of minutes at the exchange place first.

[transam]

Yep, on the board it states $35 for UK folk, $36 at weekends or 1500 bht, so buying the dollars near pays for my diesel. .

[jamescollister]

This pink and blue ticket thing is new to me, sounds like a way of making the tea money look like is part of the process.

The Lao guys can't seem to settle on one tea money system, sometimes you pay on entry when you get your passport back, last time 50 Baht on exit, 2 times before that, no tea money. No hassle either way.

Anyway hoping to get some money in the bank for one day this year and change to an extension of stay for supporting children. Fingers crossed that rubber prices get up. Jim

[transam]

This pink and blue ticket thing is new to me, sounds like a way of making the tea money look like is part of the process.

The Lao guys can't seem to settle on one tea money system, sometimes you pay on entry when you get your passport back, last time 50 Baht on exit, 2 times before that, no tea money. No hassle either way.

Anyway hoping to get some money in the bank for one day this year and change to an extension of stay for supporting children. Fingers crossed that rubber prices get up. Jim

That 50 bht when they ask l don't pay, just walk away.

[sabai-dee-man]

This pink and blue ticket thing is new to me, sounds like a way of making the tea money look like is part of the process.

The Lao guys can't seem to settle on one tea money system, sometimes you pay on entry when you get your passport back, last time 50 Baht on exit, 2 times before that, no tea money. No hassle either way.

Anyway hoping to get some money in the bank for one day this year and change to an extension of stay for supporting children. Fingers crossed that rubber prices get up. Jim

That 50 bht when they ask l don't pay, just walk away.

In my opinion, that's a foolish thing to do when foreign immigration hold your passport. It's not even the cost of a beer (if you drink that rubbish!), and is it really worth upsetting someone who may already be in a bad mood, have a hangover, or just not like foreigners for the sake of it? Anyway, they take your ticket, ask for 50 Baht, and then give you the return ticket after you've handed the money over. No ticket, no passport!

Personally I just look at it as part of the cost. I accept that I could've saved a little by getting US Dollars at an exchange, and will do next time, but my sole aim was to get in and get out with the minimum of fuss this time. If it cost me an extra "tenner", it isn't the end of the world, and if anyone really needs to save that to stay in Thailand, they have issues that far exceed the need for cheap and simple border runs!

Sabai Dee Man!

[transam]

This pink and blue ticket thing is new to me, sounds like a way of making the tea money look like is part of the process.

The Lao guys can't seem to settle on one tea money system, sometimes you pay on entry when you get your passport back, last time 50 Baht on exit, 2 times before that, no tea money. No hassle either way.

Anyway hoping to get some money in the bank for one day this year and change to an extension of stay for supporting children. Fingers crossed that rubber prices get up. Jim

That 50 bht when they ask l don't pay, just walk away.

In my opinion, that's a foolish thing to do when foreign immigration hold your passport. It's not even the cost of a beer (if you drink that rubbish!), and is it really worth upsetting someone who may already be in a bad mood, have a hangover, or just not like foreigners for the sake of it? Anyway, they take your ticket, ask for 50 Baht, and then give you the return ticket after you've handed the money over. No ticket, no passport!

Personally I just look at it as part of the cost. I accept that I could've saved a little by getting US Dollars at an exchange, and will do next time, but my sole aim was to get in and get out with the minimum of fuss this time. If it cost me an extra "tenner", it isn't the end of the world, and if anyone really needs to save that to stay in Thailand, they have issues that far exceed the need for cheap and simple border runs!

Sabai Dee Man!

Sorry, but it is a rip off, there is no charge to get your passport back. What they going to do, lock me up for not paying beer money. Don't think so, but you carry on.

[sabai-dee-man]

This pink and blue ticket thing is new to me, sounds like a way of making the tea money look like is part of the process.

The Lao guys can't seem to settle on one tea money system, sometimes you pay on entry when you get your passport back, last time 50 Baht on exit, 2 times before that, no tea money. No hassle either way.

Anyway hoping to get some money in the bank for one day this year and change to an extension of stay for supporting children. Fingers crossed that rubber prices get up. Jim

That 50 bht when they ask l don't pay, just walk away.

In my opinion, that's a foolish thing to do when foreign immigration hold your passport. It's not even the cost of a beer (if you drink that rubbish!), and is it really worth upsetting someone who may already be in a bad mood, have a hangover, or just not like foreigners for the sake of it? Anyway, they take your ticket, ask for 50 Baht, and then give you the return ticket after you've handed the money over. No ticket, no passport!

Personally I just look at it as part of the cost. I accept that I could've saved a little by getting US Dollars at an exchange, and will do next time, but my sole aim was to get in and get out with the minimum of fuss this time. If it cost me an extra "tenner", it isn't the end of the world, and if anyone really needs to save that to stay in Thailand, they have issues that far exceed the need for cheap and simple border runs!

Sabai Dee Man!

Sorry, but it is a rip off, there is no charge to get your passport back. What they going to do, lock me up for not paying beer money. Don't think so, but you carry on.

No... they'll just refuse to give you your passport back, or at best delay you a few hours! (Or maybe the official "24 hours/1 day" stay that you are supposed to make.) So, more to the point, what are you going to do... break into the immigration office and demand it back? I'd like to see where that gets you!

Feel free to stand there next time and refuse to pay your 40 Baht and wait for them to give your passport back. Best of luck with that!

Sabai Dee Man.

[transam]

Sorry but have done it for many years, if they want to make a problem then of course l will assess the situation, but no problem so far, but l am a hansum man.

PS. Once l went there, handed over $40 for the $35 fee, they said not have $5 to give me,

A scam, l took the money back and got it changed up.

Edited March 4, 2013 by transam

[hazman]

Is it safe to leave your vehicle unattended while you cross the boarder into Laos at chom mek ?

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[Martyjustice]

Hazman

3 blocks back on the left side (near the place that does the crossing docs for thais is covered parking. 20 baht all day. Alway been safe.

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[hazman]

Hazman3 blocks back on the left side (near the place that does the crossing docs for thais is covered parking. 20 baht all day. Alway been safe. Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for the info Marty

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[Martyjustice]

Went there 2 weeks ago. Fees were the 35 US and the 50 baht. Laws were changed this year. 30 days given for land crossings when coming back to Thailand. Stop a pataya noy for lunch. Makes a nice day. 1 hr and 15 min if you are driving the speed limit from Warin.

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[ubonjoe]

Went there 2 weeks ago. Fees were the 35 US and the 50 baht. Laws were changed this year. 30 days given for land crossings when coming back to Thailand. Stop a pataya noy for lunch. Makes a nice day. 1 hr and 15 min if you are driving the speed limit from Warin. Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The only people that get 30 day entries are those from one of the G7 countries. Rule changed the 1st on Nov. last year.