The Cheapest Way To Do Visa Run ?

[bangkokburning]

You can take a minivan to Aran for b230.

There is ZERO HASSLE IN OBTAINING A CAMBO VISA.

If you are out of your element and incapable of doing it yourself that is one thing.

Please stop informing people that this is difficult or a hassle or that thete are scams because even a titty baby traveler can diy this one.

If you want to take the slob on the bus option for b2000 up to you. The visa run diy by minivan is b1225 incl.visa, minibus,, lunch and MRT in BKK. Jim Beam +b250.

You gain nothing by having your hand held. There is no pick up service in BKK and you cannot have you pp shuttled across the border, you diy anyway.

Stop it!

PS I totally agree that ehen you travel with a pack, you travel with a pack of problems. You are the dope that cant figure it iut after living here 6mos or 6yrs? There will be a bus full of these same jokers and many will have visa issues or simply not have their act together in processing or go wandering off for booze or women or just to have a look.

Oh and that stupid sticker they all give you really singlez you out for beggars and other scamsters. Sticker = loser.

Edited October 25, 2012 by bangkokburning

[heatwaving]

Yes, I'm finishing a 30-day extension on a 60-day tourist visa. My understanding is that, yes, a real extension is off the tables but that you still get the 7 days to leave "extension" when you request an extension.

[BuckBee]

If you only need 2days & don't really have time to waste at immigration or border run & are flying out then 2 day overstay may be worth a thought. You will simply pay 1000Baht (500baht a day) at the overstay desk at the airport & be on your way.

Not a keen fan on overstay but for 2 days & convenience/cost it is useful option at times & scenarios like this ...

[noob7]

If you only need 2days & don't really have time to waste at immigration or border run & are flying out then 2 day overstay may be worth a thought. You will simply pay 1000Baht (500baht a day) at the overstay desk at the airport & be on your way.

Not a keen fan on overstay but for 2 days & convenience/cost it is useful option at times & scenarios like this ...

I was thinking the same, as soon OP posted the Air ticket

[heatwaving]

Thanks, I would normally do the overstay, but during the 2 overstayed days I'll be checking into hotels etc. with my family toward the beginning of a two week trip with them visiting the area. I just don't want to risk the overstay problem with my family here visiting and with people regularly looking at my passport during those days. If I was just staying home basically those days, I'd probably go that route.

I may just go to immigration about 8 days before I fly out and hope they add the 7 days to the end of my current visa time, or at least they'll tell me that's not how it works before they get my money. And if that fails, I'll do a visa run.

[NoshowJones]

Hi, I worked in BKK as a teacher for 2 years. It depends where in BKK you are but in my experience its not worth the hassle You save about 1000BH and you are more likely to have a problem at both ends. Better off sticking with Jacks Golf or The one that leaves From Ekkamai on a sunday Morning.

Kind Regards.

The one that runs from Ekkamai is good apart from one thing, if you are getting off the bus at Ekkamai after returning home, be prepared to spend about 2 hours going round Bangkok to drop people off, and sitting in traffic jams.

[phuketrichard]

Thanks. I actually only need 2 days after my current "90-day" tourist visa runs out, before i fly out. But I have family visiting the 6 days before I fly out of the country, and I won't be able to do a border run or spend a day at immigration when they are here. So I'm cutting it close. That's why I'm curious on the exact dates of the extension.

if u only need 2 days overstay an pay the 1,000 baht overstay at departure.

usually they will give ya one day free ( sometimes)

Let them register at the hotels

Edited October 28, 2012 by phuketrichard

[Mario2008]

Checking into hotels with an overstay is not advisable, although one could let others sign in to the hotel. Hotels must report their guesst to immigration.

A 1 day overstay at the airport is not fined, but if you overestay longer you also pay the overstay fine for the first day.

[fxe1200]

No, I don't have a multiple entry visa. I just need a less-than-15-day extension after my current visa until I fly out of bkk to another country.

So does the 2100 baht charged by Jackgolf include the price of the cambodia visa?

Even from Bangkok you can do it for less: Take the 169 afternoon train from Hualampong to Hat Yai, it will get there in the morning. Price for a sleeper, fan, upper berth 555 THB, Take the regular Bus to Pedang Bezar 45 THB. Get off at the border. Then walk from the Thai Border into Malaysia (about 500m). Check in and out, walk back to the Thai border take the bus back, and take the 172 sleeper train in the afternoon to back to BKK. So you can do the trip for 1200 THB complete. If you want to save the costs for your trip completely, you buy yourself the minimum of three bottles of booze, as you save about 400THB/bottle (i.e. Bombay Gin 1Litre). The customs in Pedang Bezar do not care how many you carry, they live on the commission of the Duty-Free-Komplex. If you opt for the "booze solution", you can have a free motorcycle ride from the Thai border and back. The rider will also take your booze and will hand it out to you after you have finished the immigration process. Have fun!

[BuckBee]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

[ignis]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

I would have thought the main downside was the likelihood of being shot or blown up... Thai friend that lives in Hat Yai say the train is often shot at.

[fxe1200]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

I would have thought the main downside was the likelihood of being shot or blown up... Thai friend that lives in Hat Yai say the train is often shot at.

...your friend confuses Pedang Bezar with Pattani, or the trains to Sungai Kolok, but nowadays they are protected by the military.

[fxe1200]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

I would have thought the main downside was the likelihood of being shot or blown up... Thai friend that lives in Hat Yai say the train is often shot at.

The 36 and 37 trains are express trains and take you to Pedang Bezar, but they are much more expensive. Besides you hang around the station for half a day, as the train gets there at 8.50 and leaves at 17.15.

[BuckBee]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

I would have thought the main downside was the likelihood of being shot or blown up... Thai friend that lives in Hat Yai say the train is often shot at.

The 36 and 37 trains are express trains and take you to Pedang Bezar, but they are much more expensive. Besides you hang around the station for half a day, as the train gets there at 8.50 and leaves at 17.15.

No more expensive, I paid less than 600B & spent a pleasant afternoon in Hat Yai.

Either way is ok but to me if you can work with the trains going through the border things are simpler & cheaper as only need catch bus from outside border crossing back to Hat Yai then walk or bike it to train station & organise return if not done in advance.

[fxe1200]

I would suggest taking train to Pedang Bezar & when everyone gets off for exit/entry stamp you simply walk over bridge for re-entry to Hat yai, quicker & cheaper than getting off at Hat Yai ...

Main downside to Pedang Bezar/Hat Yai is travel distance besides that it is as easy/cheap as border crossings can get.

I would have thought the main downside was the likelihood of being shot or blown up... Thai friend that lives in Hat Yai say the train is often shot at.

The 36 and 37 trains are express trains and take you to Pedang Bezar, but they are much more expensive. Besides you hang around the station for half a day, as the train gets there at 8.50 and leaves at 17.15.

No more expensive, I paid less than 600B & spent a pleasant afternoon in Hat Yai.

Either way is ok but to me if you can work with the trains going through the border things are simpler & cheaper as only need catch bus from outside border crossing back to Hat Yai then walk or bike it to train station & organise return if not done in advance.

The Rapid is 555 or 605 THB(upper lower) to/from HDY, The Special Express does not have coaches with fan, it is Aircon only for 855/945THB (upper/ lower). All prices to BKK to HDY or vice versa. And only the Special Express goes up and from Pedang Bezar.

Besides you are advised to organize your train tickets in advance, the earlier the better, as the best places are always in the middle of the coach, as far as possible from the noisy doors on either end.

[notmyself]

I get picked up at home by a minibus around 5-5:30 then mosty they pick some more people along the way and get to Nathon an hour later. Then or sometimes earlier you are given a breakfast box and a bottle of water. I take the water and decline the breakfast which looks like it consists of a quater triangle of some kind of sandwich, a cake and a sweet. Do the boat over and a clearly marked minibus is on the other side waiting by which time a nice cold bottle of water would be nice if the one given to us earlier had not got warm on the ferry over.

Driver usually pushes it for a while toward Nakhon Si Thammarat but the road is good and not too much traffic around. Depending on the traffic so far the driver will either stop at a gas station with 7/11 for max 10 minutes or just carry on. If you carry on then the driver will stop at a friend's place hour and a half which just happens to be on the road down south but it's a choice of maybe 10 dishes prepared with rice and an overfried egg if you want, it's included in the visa ticket, and a bottle of cold water. I turn it down except for the water even though I have not touched my last one. Before leaving the minibus the driver will 'usually' offer Thai immigration cards to everyone but if not this just remind the driver. 20 minutes or so later, off to Padang.

With a completed Thai immigration form in hand I leave the minibus parked 20m away from immigration to the departure desk. Never more than a few minutes wait then off down the road (100-100m) to Malaysian arrivals where 2 things can happen. You have to queue for a malaysian arrivals card, then you have to go fill it in then you have to join the same queue again to hand it in or if you already had a Malaysian arrivals card and filled it in earlier then you queue once and go to departures which is on the other side of the hut. Leave Malaysia, walk back 100-150m on the other side of the road and present arms when you get to the other side of the 'Thai' hut you left Thailand from.

At this point, if the driver did bot stop at his friend's place you will be offered a container with yellow rice and a fried chicken drumstick. No thanks. Journey back includes a stop about 3/5s the way then boat and a lift home.

1900 Baht all up.

[BuckBee]

The Rapid is 555 or 605 THB(upper lower) to/from HDY, The Special Express does not have coaches with fan, it is Aircon only for 855/945THB (upper/ lower). All prices to BKK to HDY or vice versa. And only the Special Express goes up and from Pedang Bezar.

Besides you are advised to organize your train tickets in advance, the earlier the better, as the best places are always in the middle of the coach, as far as possible from the noisy doors on either end.

I done it 3 times once air & twice fan upper bunk & all 3 times went through to Penang Bezar, was a while ago. I will be passing through Hua Lampong MRT tomorrow so will check out all current options .

Booking in advance can be wiser if fusy on seating or travelling at busy periods.

[fxe1200]

The Rapid is 555 or 605 THB(upper lower) to/from HDY, The Special Express does not have coaches with fan, it is Aircon only for 855/945THB (upper/ lower). All prices to BKK to HDY or vice versa. And only the Special Express goes up and from Pedang Bezar.

Besides you are advised to organize your train tickets in advance, the earlier the better, as the best places are always in the middle of the coach, as far as possible from the noisy doors on either end.

I done it 3 times once air & twice fan upper bunk & all 3 times went through to Penang Bezar, was a while ago. I will be passing through Hua Lampong MRT tomorrow so will check out all current options .

Booking in advance can be wiser if fusy on seating or travelling at busy periods.

Great, let me know, if they have changed again, as I cannot hate the aircon in trains.