Visa Run From Pattaya: Need Advice

[mike111]

I'm currently on a 30 day "visa on arrival" stamped in my passport at Suv. airport.

I'm thinking of extending my stay, and as I understand the options are:

visa run through a land border: obtain a 15 day visa

visa run through an airport (international flight): obtain another 30 day visa

Would appreciate advice on the fastest & cheapest way to do either. I'm assuming there are companies doing these visa runs? costs and time involved?

Are there international flights from the U-tapao airport near pattaya?

TIA

[gk10002000]

Key Visa on Soi LK metro. Door to door pickup and drop off. Cute little Cambodian casino on the border town for lunch. Decent drive through the country. Pick up in the AM and home well before sunset.

For 30 day visa, I think a BKK to Cambodia flight and back from Phenom Phen is pretty easy. My friend has done that a lot but I never had.

[saengsureeya]

AFAIK the only flights from Utapao are to Samui and Phuket, so you would have to leave from and return to Suvarnabuhmi.

Taking a flight out and back on the same day means: leaving early in the morning from Pattaya and return rather late.

There's transport to the airport (min THB 850) and back to Pattaya (min THB 1000). There's the flight outbound and inbound (min THB 3,500). There's the visa to whatever country (min THB 0 up to THB 750-1000). This will give you 30 days.

Taking a minivan with e.g. 5-star visaruns will cost you THB 2500 all in. You'll leave at 6:30 a.m. and return around 4:30 p.m. and this will give you 15 days.

So, time-wise: it will cost you more time to fly out and in.

Money wise: border-run THB 2,500 x 2 = THB 5000 for 30 days. and flying is approx. THB 5500 for 30 days.

Take your pick.

[mike111]

saengsureeya:

bell/public buses pattaya-BKK return: 400 THB

no need to get a visa if you're not passing immigration at the arrival country. one can just wait at the transit area for the return flight to Thailand: 0 THB

[PattayaParent]

If you're going to fly then look at Penang or KL, no visas required.

[ChangFai]

I use The Visa Shop on Soi Buakhao, as I want to get there and back as quick as possible.

Leave at 6am, and back in Pattaya by 2pm.

6 people to a minibus, so never packed in like sardines.

2200 baht all in.