Visa Run From Pattaya..

[3stan]

i'm sure this question has been asked (too) many times..I haven't got around going to penang yet to get myself a 3 months visa so i have to make those visa run every month..

i use to do it from bkk to aranya pratet/poipet, and then to a new border (don't remember the name, near aranya pratet) which was a lot better because less crowded. I used Jackgolfvisa tour from bkk, cost me 2000 baht. How about from Pattaya? Where is the closest border? Better to do it on my own or is it worth using a 'visa run tour' service. From bkk, it saved me quiet some time to use jack golf, compare todoing it with local bus..

Thanks

[the scouser]

There are loads of such visa run operators in Pattaya but the one I've used in the past was Sea Air Land Tours on Soi Post Office. The cost was about 2000 and they used to go to Aranyaprathet. Overall, the journey time was about 10 hours.

Scouse.

[banchang]

Land sea & air now go to the crossing south of Aranyaprathet . I think it leaves about 6am and gets back about 3pm there number is 038 71 08 29. I drove there my self a couple of times ,Its a long drive and I must have spent more than the 2000 baht they charge at land sea air.

[visarunner]

There are a couple of operators from Pattaya , they can be found along Soi Buakao and in Soi Post Office.

Most operators from Pattaya and Bangkok go now to Ban Laem /Daung which is near Soi Dao , between Sakaew/Aran and Chantaburi.

So hussle as not many people , one casino in operation.

Going rate in Pattaya is THB 2000.- to 2400.- , in BKK from THB 1800 to 2000.-, lunch , Visa and formalities included.

Better to go with a tour .

The way to Ban Laem is not easy to find and no public transport available.

[Kerryd]

There are a couple of operators from Pattaya , they can be found along Soi Buakao and in Soi Post Office.

Most operators from Pattaya and Bangkok go now to Ban Laem /Daung which is near Soi Dao , between Sakaew/Aran and Chantaburi.

So hussle as not many people , one casino in operation.

Going rate in Pattaya is THB 2000.- to 2400.- , in BKK from THB 1800 to 2000.-, lunch , Visa and formalities included.

Better to go with a tour .

The way to Ban Laem is not easy to find and no public transport available.

I agree. I've done the Pattaya-Ban Laem trip 4 times now. I've heard that most of the visa-run groups switched border crossings because Poi Pet was getting too crowded (with runners), too many beggars and the immigration police were starting to hassle the 30 day runners that repeatedly show up at the same place every month (they figure the 30 day runners aren't legitimate tourists when they show up at Poi Pet 3/4/5+ times in a row).

Ban Laem is getting crowded with runners as well. 5 Star Visa runs (Soi 13) started leaving earlier in the mornings to beat the rush. Those Jack's Golf people show up in double-decker buses and really put a crimp on a speedy turn around.

Air-Land-Sea tours caused a small problem on one trip, as they never gave their runners the new arrival/departure cards beforehand (and never filled them out). As a result, everyone of their runners got to the immigration window, and then had to fill out the whole card

Should have sent them to the back of the line, like they do at Don Muang.

I've been trying to memorise the route to Ban Laem, but it's hardly worth going there on my own. The tour group does all the paperwork, especially on the Cambodian side. Most have smoking/non-smoking buses, provide meals and movies and generally make the trip pretty easy.

5 Star now has discount cards (500 baht discount on your 3rd run, 1,000 off your 5th run, and the 10th run free). Sheesh, people actually stay long enough on 30 day visas to do 10 runs !

They also give you a free draft beer on your return (big deal I know ! I don't even drink beer, so I'm out of luck there !)

Sure would be nice if we could just go to the local office, plop 2,000 or so baht on the table, and get a new 30 day stamp (it would hurt those visa run groups, and the Cambodian Immigration people, but give the Thai immigration a big revenue boost !)

[3stan]

ok, thanks a lot guys for the info. Yes, bam laem is the new border i was talking about. Poipet can get really crowded these days and i want to avoid it. Even by using Jackgolf's tour, i had to wait for 90 minutes last time..i am not big on those minivans, does any of these companies operating in pattaya have big buses?

Thanks

[Kerryd]

ok, thanks a lot guys for the info. Yes, bam laem is the new border i was talking about. Poipet can get really crowded these days and i want to avoid it. Even by using Jackgolf's tour, i had to wait for 90 minutes last time..i am not big on those minivans, does any of these companies operating in pattaya have big buses?

Thanks

Not sure. I thought the Jack's Golf buses were from Pattaya until I read this thread. Most of the groups I know of use mini-vans.

One advantage is that you don't suddenly have 50-60 people stampeding towards the immigration checkpoint at one time (on top of the people that are probably already there).

I HATE standing in lines ! I'm almost tempted to overstay so I can go in through the side door.

On my last trip, a young fellow had to do just that. He ended up finished and on the Cambodian side before me, because I was stuck in the 3 lines of people "departing".

[visarunner]

JackGolf and Fineday use Doubledecker busses from BKK.

One operator in Pattaya use 3-4 times a week a normal Bus. Forgot the name,but asked around. The rest from Pattaya use MiniVan .

Most of these operators , BKK n Pattaya , arrive the border at the same time, around 10.30 to 11.00 , that's why it's crowded.

Otherwise the place is deserted.

[3stan]

..it's just that i found those mini van a little cramped, no 'personal space'..

[Tolley]

I hired my own car last time i did a run.....worth it.....get to tour around at your own pace.....avoid Poipet too busy....

[Merlin]

Sea Air Land have a big bus one day a week - Wednesdays, IIRC. Khun Wanchai is a good bloke.

[Mister Doom]

Sure would be nice if we could just go to the local office, plop 2,000 or so baht on the table, and get a new 30 day stamp (it would hurt those visa run groups, and the Cambodian Immigration people, but give the Thai immigration a big revenue boost !)

I've been thinking the same thing for years. It would be an excellent source of extra revenue, and think of all the fuel costs/pollution it would save the country. I reckon they could charge 3,000 baht a time and most farangs would be only too happy to pay. Doubt there's too much love lost between Cambodian customs, Thai visa-run companies and immigration police.

Maybe we should suggest it to the new ministry of interior - after the next election.

[Kerryd]

Maybe we should suggest it to the new ministry of interior - after the next election.

You mean the election that comes after the next election

(as it seems that the 2 April election probably will be deemed invalid, and require another election, next time with the participation of the opposition parties)

[Mister Doom]

Maybe we should suggest it to the new ministry of interior - after the next election.

You mean the election that comes after the next election

(as it seems that the 2 April election probably will be deemed invalid, and require another election, next time with the participation of the opposition parties)

Even after the next coup after the next election......

Anyway, your idea is too sensible, it'll never happen. TIT

[Stravaig]

We went recently using 5 Star smokers' bus to Ban Laem - only six passengers in the back and one in the front. It was well-organised and as quick as you could hope for. If I had to do another visa run (as opposed to going on holiday somewhere to get the exit/entry stamps) I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Totally agree with the idea to pay 3000 baht and cut out all the hassle.

[h5n1]

there are other ways to make visa runs now. from pattaya you can go all the way to padang bessar and back for about 1200 all transport. then there is ranong as well. ...and for day tripppers, other places more dodgy into cambo can be x'd as well (2-3 are open). i just fin a cool visa run to place not to be stated - a hassle, hot but bit of adventure for jaded old asia hand! what are you guys here for?

i would never go in a stupid mini-van, pay 2500 and risk my life and get stopped many times for passport hassles and cigarette shakedowns. just anothe rinsult in life of 'falang'

if you get out into thailand and behave yourself you might even find that the thails treat you really well, esp if you can speak a bit of thai. id love to live in the provs, its just a little TOO dull.

last visa run i paid less than b400 + us20 for visa because unlike many of you who have 20 cambo visas cannot even count to ten in thai let alone khmer.

if the govt were smart it would liberalize visa situation and make o visas x ever 4 mos and tourist visa every 3 mos and disallow more than 3 30 day visas in a row. even better, it would allow you to renew simply by showing up and presenting your documents along with b15000 in cash and a bank card - maybe a few atm slips???

all of you that want to cut the line and simply pay more, im especially glad you have to stand in line, in hot sun, not drink booze and smoke in the bus. i say this becasue in many ways you dont belong here. you neeed to go on meditation retreat for two months i think.

when i think of the hardship the poor and the local thai people endure and i hear this whinging it makes me ill. half of you wouldnt be here for the visa run buses, a/c in room, private swimming pools, waitstaff, pizza and asstd farang food. this place will sour like costa rica and thais will start to dislike foreigners in a big way becasue of the lavish, soft lifestyle they demand.

it also puts huge demands on petrol, power and water.

maybe good way for thais to decide who can have retirement visas is you have to live in the provinces without a/c for a year. :-))

so while you pay 3000 to jump queue - we have to stand in line longer. sounds 'fair' to me. just dont complain when someone with 300000 screws you out of your position in line for residence visa or whatever...

Edited March 31, 2006 by h5n1

[Mister Doom]

there are other ways to make visa runs now. from pattaya you can go all the way to padang bessar and back for about 1200 all transport. then there is ranong as well. ...and for day tripppers, other places more dodgy into cambo can be x'd as well (2-3 are open). i just fin a cool visa run to place not to be stated - a hassle, hot but bit of adventure for jaded old asia hand! what are you guys here for?

i would never go in a stupid mini-van, pay 2500 and risk my life and get stopped many times for passport hassles and cigarette shakedowns. just anothe rinsult in life of 'falang'

if you get out into thailand and behave yourself you might even find that the thails treat you really well, esp if you can speak a bit of thai. id love to live in the provs, its just a little TOO dull.

last visa run i paid less than b400 + us20 for visa because unlike many of you who have 20 cambo visas cannot even count to ten in thai let alone khmer.

if the govt were smart it would liberalize visa situation and make o visas x ever 4 mos and tourist visa every 3 mos and disallow more than 3 30 day visas in a row. even better, it would allow you to renew simply by showing up and presenting your documents along with b15000 in cash and a bank card - maybe a few atm slips???

all of you that want to cut the line and simply pay more, im especially glad you have to stand in line, in hot sun, not drink booze and smoke in the bus. i say this becasue in many ways you dont belong here. you neeed to go on meditation retreat for two months i think.

when i think of the hardship the poor and the local thai people endure and i hear this whinging it makes me ill. half of you wouldnt be here for the visa run buses, a/c in room, private swimming pools, waitstaff, pizza and asstd farang food. this place will sour like costa rica and thais will start to dislike foreigners in a big way becasue of the lavish, soft lifestyle they demand.

it also puts huge demands on petrol, power and water.

maybe good way for thais to decide who can have retirement visas is you have to live in the provinces without a/c for a year. :-))

so while you pay 3000 to jump queue - we have to stand in line longer. sounds 'fair' to me. just dont complain when someone with 300000 screws you out of your position in line for residence visa or whatever...

My God, what a tirade! Against who? I'm not sure. And you even edited it.

You seem to be having a go at 'cheap charlie farangs' who don't speak Thai - is that your hang up?

Or is it the farangs who like a bit of airconditioning and prefer pizzas to Kow mun gai?

Or do you want us all to stay up country for two months? No, that can't be right, it's too boring (according to you).

You want us to rough it in the hot sun because that's what Thais have to do.

It's fair to pay 3000 baht to 'jump the queue' but you hope some rich farnag comes along and jumps our queue.

Very confusing stuff.

Of course, there aren't any rich Thais, who live in the lap of luxury, stay forever in airconditioning, and continually rob and pillage the pooor of this land; are there? Its all the fault of those miserable impecunious foreigners, who contribute their bit by bringing in a bit of foreign currency, and help provide some employment.

God bless Thailand, and all who sail in it.

[Stravaig]

I also don't understand the tirade. We bring in hard currency to pay our rent and utility bills. We use local services, buy food locally (yeah OK, and the occasional import - but hey! the Thais are making on that too, which is no problem for me) and pay local Thai people to help us if we need it. I can't see that we're doing anything other than bringing money into the local economy.

Have we done something wrong because we obey the law and, in doing so, took a minibus to comply with the visa regulations rather than trying to do it for 400 baht + US$20?

I wasn't aware that retiring to Thailand would involve a competition about who could be most intrepid. I've had my adventures. Now I'm happy to have a quiet (boring?) life without hassles. <deleted> is wrong with that?

As for a/cs I couldn't give a stuff whether I have one or not. If I wanted to live in a fridge I'd have gone to Canada or somewhere. I like living in LoS - which is why I'll do the necessary to stay here.