Andaman Club Hates Border Runners

[Lannatyne]

I can't understand why you would put yourself through the torture of bumping along on an all day excursion when you can fly Airasia to KL which leaves at 8 and returns at 1. 5 hours total vs an all day affair on sketchy roads. What's your time worth?

My time is worth an extra 3500 baht in my own pocket, not the pocket of Tony Fernandes.

[F1fanatic]

Off topic I know, and apologise in advance -but I had to do a few 'border runs' when I first came here, before I qualified for the retirement visa. God they were awful!

The first time I booked for a trip to the Andaman Club (it had been recommended) only to end up at the normal Burmese port... Needless to say I never used that 'visa run' company again.

I'm not unsympathetic as it is annoying when facilities are withdrawn - but at least you got there!

[Hostile17]

I can't understand why you would put yourself through the torture of bumping along on an all day excursion when you can fly Airasia to KL which leaves at 8 and returns at 1. 5 hours total vs an all day affair on sketchy roads. What's your time worth?

Thousand of people drive to ranong every month and spend a day or 2 there on the hotsprings

Far more convenient than getting stuck at the airport for 6-8hours

Edited June 16, 2012 by Hostile17

[Ping]

When I had to do the runs, I far preferred the KL option. And I was never 'stuck at the airport for 6-8 hours'; quite painless, actually...

[Hostile17]

When I had to do the runs, I far preferred the KL option. And I was never 'stuck at the airport for 6-8 hours'; quite painless, actually...

KL run 5k baht

ranong drive + hotel + hot springs+ food + fees -> 5k baht

Edited June 16, 2012 by Hostile17

[simon43]

only to end up at the normal Burmese port... Needless to say I never used that 'visa run' company again.

Kawthaung (Victory Point) is not that bad if you spend a little time to wander around the town. Nice temples, friendly but shy locals, cheap cigarettes and alcohol, cheap tanakha for my wife..

I've been doing weekly (!) runs over to Kawthaung from Phuket for a few months now, (I work as a volunteer English teacher at the community school). To cut down on the costs I take the bus from north Phuket up to Ranong, then a motorbike taxi to the port, then a ferry boat over to Kawthaung.

The return cost works out at 260 baht (bus) + 100 baht (taxi) + 100 baht (boat) + $10 (visa) + 100 baht (boat) + 100 baht (taxi) + 260 baht (bus) = 920 baht + $10 = 1,220 baht approx

Unfortunately, I have not yet located the swimming pool in Kawthaung - although Google Earth does show some tennis courts... And my passport is rather full with visa stamps

Simon

Edited June 16, 2012 by simon43

[FritsSikkink]

only to end up at the normal Burmese port... Needless to say I never used that 'visa run' company again.

Kawthaung (Victory Point) is not that bad if you spend a little time to wander around the town. Nice temples, friendly but shy locals, cheap cigarettes and alcohol, cheap tanakha for my wife..

I've been doing weekly (!) runs over to Kawthaung from Phuket for a few months now, (I work as a volunteer English teacher at the community school). To cut down on the costs I take the bus from north Phuket up to Ranong, then a motorbike taxi to the port, then a ferry boat over to Kawthaung.

The return cost works out at 260 baht (bus) + 100 baht (taxi) + 100 baht (boat) + $10 (visa) + 100 baht (boat) + 100 baht (taxi) + 260 baht (bus) = 920 baht + $10 = 1,220 baht approx

Unfortunately, I have not yet located the swimming pool in Kawthaung - although Google Earth does show some tennis courts... And my passport is rather full with visa stamps

Simon

Why are you doing weekly runs ? You should have a proper visa when you work.

[Lannatyne]

When I had to do the runs, I far preferred the KL option. And I was never 'stuck at the airport for 6-8 hours'; quite painless, actually...

KL run 5k baht

ranong drive + hotel + hot springs+ food + fees -> 5k baht

Try telling members what 'like-for-like' is:

KL run + taxi + hotel + some leisure (instead of springs) + food = how much?

[sportsman69]

Did any one take the hint I posted on another topic, for a one day visa excursion, cant remember on which one about a month ago but

I noted that there was a fare with Tiger Air + free city tour if you want or relax and watch a movie. I now refuse to use the mini buses and that's coming from the person who first commercialised the package visa run to Kawthong. F....something V Run... we called it but sold it on many years ago but I believe is still going in the old location. Drivers name was Pot, some might remember him. Your real typical friendly Thai, " Safe and Slow was His Motto ". Never an accident in all of 1,000,000 + km when he worked for us, but times have changed. His focus is to now run a larger bus from Patong solely for Vietnamese hotel workers and now only drives his kids to school. I hope my memoirs are of interest. Sorry I digress now back to the topic.

HKT dep 09.15 to Sing return 19. 00 on Sat 23 June, total 4,125 b + 400 b Visa Card fee ( Robbers ). About 100 baht dearer Sing over KL for 6 hrs, no brainer for around the same day and times. Stupid me, didn't book. On 6. 6. 2012 after recovering from a bout of alzheimer's, woke up said schitt before having time to have one, jumped on line to find same flights, same plane, same day now 3,500 B + the mandatory 400. Gr8 mate, Iv'e just saved 625 b through complete negligence on my part. Maybe a bit more as yesterday I was passing on the good news to a regular patron so dialled up the links again WoW !! 9,155 B + the 400 B.. Last year I flew HKT to BNE for less than that one way.The hard thing for me to figure out now is do I have 625 B or 5655b to spend on the blackjack table ?? Was anyone else subject to the same luck ???

​Oh dear, just remembered will have to borrow some shoes and long pants, for those that know my dress style, any helpers ?

[simon43]

Why are you doing weekly runs ? You should have a proper visa when you work.

You misunderstand me! I work in Myanmar at the school, not in Thailand. I'm effectively doing visa runs to Thailand from Myanmar, not the other way round.

Simon

Edited June 16, 2012 by simon43

[snamos]

Did any one take the hint I posted on another topic, for a one day visa excursion, cant remember on which one about a month ago but

I noted that there was a fare with Tiger Air + free city tour if you want or relax and watch a movie. I now refuse to use the mini buses and that's coming from the person who first commercialised the package visa run to Kawthong. F....something V Run... we called it but sold it on many years ago but I believe is still going in the old location. Drivers name was Pot, some might remember him. Your real typical friendly Thai, " Safe and Slow was His Motto ". Never an accident in all of 1,000,000 + km when he worked for us, but times have changed. His focus is to now run a larger bus from Patong solely for Vietnamese hotel workers and now only drives his kids to school. I hope my memoirs are of interest. Sorry I digress now back to the topic.

HKT dep 09.15 to Sing return 19. 00 on Sat 23 June, total 4,125 b + 400 b Visa Card fee ( Robbers ). About 100 baht dearer Sing over KL for 6 hrs, no brainer for around the same day and times. Stupid me, didn't book. On 6. 6. 2012 after recovering from a bout of alzheimer's, woke up said schitt before having time to have one, jumped on line to find same flights, same plane, same day now 3,500 B + the mandatory 400. Gr8 mate, Iv'e just saved 625 b through complete negligence on my part. Maybe a bit more as yesterday I was passing on the good news to a regular patron so dialled up the links again WoW !! 9,155 B + the 400 B.. Last year I flew HKT to BNE for less than that one way.The hard thing for me to figure out now is do I have 625 B or 5655b to spend on the blackjack table ?? Was anyone else subject to the same luck ???

​Oh dear, just remembered will have to borrow some shoes and long pants, for those that know my dress style, any helpers ?

Mine might be a bit big for you mate haha.

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[sportsman69]

snamos

Mine might be a bit big for you mate haha.

Thanks for the offer, gone a bit sideways but not vertically. Shoes might work tho, # 46. They reckoned I was going to grow into my feet like a German Shepard but it never happened.

BTW what's this GT-I9100 thing your'e using, is it an updated version of those useless bomb detectors the Govt. paid millions for a few years ago. Looked a bit like a Shoe Phone with bunny ears but was basically an empty box with a credit card slot. Buy a card for dope, a card for smack, a card for explosives, I'm still pissin myself laughing about it right now. what a great con. To the totally ignorant and as I'm off to Sing, Saturday is it worth looking into. Can an idiot like myself use it as a normal phone, ie; to talk to people. PM me with any help you can give. Ta.

[Hostile17]

this has to be an irish man as i still cant grasp the meaning of any sentence after re-reading it twice

[snamos]

snamos

Mine might be a bit big for you mate haha.

Thanks for the offer, gone a bit sideways but not vertically. Shoes might work tho, # 46. They reckoned I was going to grow into my feet like a German Shepard but it never happened.

BTW what's this GT-I9100 thing your'e using, is it an updated version of those useless bomb detectors the Govt. paid millions for a few years ago. Looked a bit like a Shoe Phone with bunny ears but was basically an empty box with a credit card slot. Buy a card for dope, a card for smack, a card for explosives, I'm still pissin myself laughing about it right now. what a great con. To the totally ignorant and as I'm off to Sing, Saturday is it worth looking into. Can an idiot like myself use it as a normal phone, ie; to talk to people. PM me with any help you can give. Ta.

Samsung Galaxy s2. It pisses me off on occasion andhad to reformat it the other day...I eased into it from a blackberry (1 year trial) after using 900 baht nokias for many years. Are you doing a Visa run to Singa's? let us know if they charge the visa runners 300 baht to use their swimming pools there...hahahaha

[MikeThaison]

New policy means they hate their best customers.

dumb replies. This hotel has always let people on visa run use their pools for 300baht(extremely overpriced).

Many hotels don't like outside guests using their pool, even against payment.

Sometimes it helps to ask nicely and politely.

Exactly. They don't have any problem with visa runners but prefer they do just that, visa run. I can fully understand why they wouldn't let visa runners use the facilities as if they were guests, makes perfect sense.

The visa runners are most of their $. Hundreds per day. They use to let them use the pool for the one hour they are on the hotel's ground for 300baht

New policy means they hate their best customers.

Best customers? you have no clue. This is a casino, where people drop 300,000 THB on one hand (45 secs), so **** your 1 hour for 300 thb. . .

Obviously your a poorly chap or else you would have paid for a real visa like everyone else. Nobody cares about you or what you bring to the table, its scraps. Laughable really 300THB! ! Even multiplied by hundreds does not equal what one punter spends in minutes . . .

Get off your high horse, go drink Lao Khao, and play checkers with the motorbike taxi guys, you**** it up for the rest of us.

Edited June 17, 2012 by LivinginKata
The insults and profanities removed

[Hostile17]

I have used their casinos, it's cheap, there's nothing to play and people in there are poor. rich thais hit macau

But if spending your 30k baht pension makes you feel richer than me, then enjoy my friend.

[snamos]

You have no idea...go upstairs and see what they punt on the tables....ill tell you what. If you and all the other soap dodgers were never to set foot on that island again it will still be there in 100 years. There is a golf course on there which is in constant use. They have hundreds of rooms. A private ship to go cruising and punting. Its not only Thais that punt there. Plenty of Burmese too. Ive seen a lot of Russians there that want a bit more privacy than Macau or Singapore would offer.

[snamos]

As i said go on the weekend and stay the night...the chinese restaurant upstairs isnt cheap. The only reason the back packers would be tolerated is so the Burmese immigration can cop a sling

[Pushit]

Swimming pool maintenance costs $

Accident insurance cover for non registered guests probably additional $

[hansgruber]

Swimming pool maintenance costs $

Accident insurance cover for non registered guests probably additional $

Pool maintenance is a bit of a stretch, labor and chemicals are a pittance in the grand scheme of things.

Not sure about insurance in Burma or their accountability. It's not under Thai law out there so its a grey area.

Don't know if I'd like to win big and try landing in ranong with my winnings and try and drive out of there safely.

[sportsman69]

They possibly have that chemical in the water that makes it turn red if you take a piss. = Blacklist,

[PattayaPhom]

dumb replies. This hotel has always let people on visa run use their pools for 300baht(extremely overpriced).

Many hotels don't like outside guests using their pool, even against payment.

Sometimes it helps to ask nicely and politely.

Exactly. They don't have any problem with visa runners but prefer they do just that, visa run. I can fully understand why they wouldn't let visa runners use the facilities as if they were guests, makes perfect sense.

The visa runners are most of their $. Hundreds per day. They use to let them use the pool for the one hour they are on the hotel's ground for 300baht

New policy means they hate their best customers.

I dont think paying 300Baht to use their pool makes you a best customer, compared to people paying 2,500 a night and spending in the restauarnt and casino you are nothing.

[Hostile17]

dumb replies. This hotel has always let people on visa run use their pools for 300baht(extremely overpriced).

Many hotels don't like outside guests using their pool, even against payment.

Sometimes it helps to ask nicely and politely.

Exactly. They don't have any problem with visa runners but prefer they do just that, visa run. I can fully understand why they wouldn't let visa runners use the facilities as if they were guests, makes perfect sense.

The visa runners are most of their $. Hundreds per day. They use to let them use the pool for the one hour they are on the hotel's ground for 300baht

New policy means they hate their best customers.

I dont think paying 300Baht to use their pool makes you a best customer, compared to people paying 2,500 a night and spending in the restauarnt and casino you are nothing.

What about all the people who stop 2-3hrs pay 300+300 for the pool and a few 200 in drinks and a few k baht at the casino?

anyways the point of this thread was to warn regular visa runners. No point in going there now, Not finding out about some english 'winners' spending $ at the casino thinking it makes them the most interesting people in this world. Chavs and their favorite word punter are not entertaining.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Hostile17

[Shot]

They possibly have that chemical in the water that makes it turn red if you take a piss. = Blacklist,

Or worse. The brown list.

[Hostile17]

They possibly have that chemical in the water that makes it turn red if you take a piss. = Blacklist,

usualy you're suposed to understand that its a myth when you turn about 10 and learn about basic human anatomy.

[snamos]

Im Australian. And 300 baht or $9 isnt much to pay for a swim in their pool. And then you say you buy a couple of beers there. Thats 2 spins on 'The Queen of the Nile' slot machine. And mate your expert cheapskating abilities arent that interesting. Go swim at the wharf off Kawthaung. Or find another cheaper pool in the area and let us know all about it

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Edited June 17, 2012 by snamos

[hansgruber]

The whole visa run thing is so pathetic.

Get a real visa, the cost is probably the same but without all the travel so you can't use money as an excuse.

I noticed that hostile17 hasn't had any input in the tipping thread. Can't say that I'm surprised.

[snamos]

Its so true..get a proper visa and no dramas....you can even get a 12 month education visa. Its only 2 hours a week of Thai lessons. You might not learn anything but you can sit at the back of the class and flick rubber bands at other students.....they might even help you get access to a cheap swimming pool. From memory La Merdian is 200 baht so you are already in front there

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[FritsSikkink]

Its so true..get a proper visa and no dramas....you can even get a 12 month education visa. Its only 2 hours a week of Thai lessons. You might not learn anything but you can sit at the back of the class and flick rubber bands at other students.....they might even help you get access to a cheap swimming pool. From memory La Merdian is 200 baht so you are already in front there

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4 hours a week

[snamos]

Its so true..get a proper visa and no dramas....you can even get a 12 month education visa. Its only 2 hours a week of Thai lessons. You might not learn anything but you can sit at the back of the class and flick rubber bands at other students.....they might even help you get access to a cheap swimming pool. From memory La Merdian is 200 baht so you are already in front there

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4 hours a week

I was never a good student

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