Isaan Visa Run

[Bicko]

I work in Indonesia and am home in Buri Ram for Xmas / New Year. I am on a 30 day stamp on arrival. I had planned to leave this coming Friday but unexpectedly need some urgent medical attention so I need a 30 day extension.

I guess most people who live up this way would be aware of the facility that exists for visa renewal but just in case you don't here is my experience today. I have my own car but there are mini buses from Surin and Buri Ram.

Drive south from Surin through Prasat on highway 214. 10kms before the Cambodian border at Kap Choeng there is an immigration office where visas can normally be issued or extended. As today is a public holiday the office was closed but the resident immigration officer there was very helpful and explained the process at the border at Chong Chom. It is very simple. Fill out the form at the tent on the left hand side at the border gate and then go to the left hand queue where the guy will stamp you out. Then walk about 100 metres across the border to the Cambodian office on the left hand side again. Fill out the form and pay Bt1,000 (MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ONE PASSPORT PHOTO WITH YOU) then if you intend to leave straight away (The option is to take a tuk tuk into the town market about 1 km away) walk across the road and pay Bt300 and get stamped out of Cambodia, then back to the Thailand side and get stamped in and it's done. All in all it took less than 30 minutes and there was virtually no one there. I saw one other Farang.

I took my wife with me to translate and they did not charge her the Bt30 when she explained that she was just helping me out.

Altogether a pleasant experience - a good days driving and we used back roads as the traffic on the main road was crazy and no hassles whatsoever.

Hope this helps someone. Cheers and happy New year.