Had Yai to Kota Bharu for visa - any info please?

[robsamui]

Hi all.

I'm on Samui and usually make my 12 month Non Im B visa in Penang.

Due to transport schedule changes at the Samui end, now I'm thinking of going down to the border at or near Sungao Kolok and heading for Kota Bharu.

I've not tried this before, so any info/advice/help on both the travel side of it, or the aspect of getting a visa in Kota Bharu will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Rob

[harrry]

Just consider whether the warning issued by your country for travel in those provinces invalidates your travel insurance etc. Probably safe but you never know. I used to do that train trip regularly many years ago.

Remember that the eastern provinces apply Muslim Holidays to the consulate strictly.

[robsamui]

Just consider whether the warning issued by your country for travel in those provinces invalidates your travel insurance etc. Probably safe but you never know. I used to do that train trip regularly many years ago.

Remember that the eastern provinces apply Muslim Holidays to the consulate strictly.

err . . . travel insurance?

And what train trip might that be . . .?

R

[harrry]

Just consider whether the warning issued by your country for travel in those provinces invalidates your travel insurance etc. Probably safe but you never know. I used to do that train trip regularly many years ago.

Remember that the eastern provinces apply Muslim Holidays to the consulate strictly.

err . . . travel insurance?

And what train trip might that be . . .?

R

http://www.thairailways.com/img/south.gif

Surathani to SungeiKolok.

then walk across border.bus to Kota Baru..

[robsamui]

Just consider whether the warning issued by your country for travel in those provinces invalidates your travel insurance etc. Probably safe but you never know. I used to do that train trip regularly many years ago.

Remember that the eastern provinces apply Muslim Holidays to the consulate strictly.

err . . . travel insurance?

And what train trip might that be . . .?

R

http://www.thairailways.com/img/south.gif

Surathani to SungeiKolok.

then walk across border.bus to Kota Baru..

Thanks.

I didn't know about the train or that you could get a bus from the other side of the border. This is the sort of info I'm hoping to find.

R

[samuijimmy]

Why not get public bus or VIP bus to Had Yai, then mini bus to Penang ? ....Easy... Even book the whole trip... good place on Soi Maenam resort road that can do at reasonable prices, might be worth going to ask...

I have done the other crossing at Kota Bharu, on bike, it's probably about same distance and you have to weave through the road blocks.... not much a big deal... as long as no bombs!

Edited October 16, 2013 by samuijimmy

[schondie]

Go to Hat Yai bus station and buy a minibus ticket to Sungai Kolok, it's around 300 baht. Walk through to Malaysia and you have the choice of a share taxi for 10 RM or the number 29 bus for 5.10RM.

Both drop you off at the bus station and from there you can choose a guest house or hotel. Basic hotel with aircon and wifi is the Politan Hotel - 65RM or so a night. Clean with hot shower but nothing much more.

If you enjoy Indian food there's the Sri Shan Devi restaurant for a decent banana leaf lunch.

[robsamui]

Hmmm.

Seeing I'll be stuck there for two days minimum I think I'll give it a miss.

The comments here from bjhabal has made my mind up . . .

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/188881-tourist-visa-in-kota-bharu/

Thanks for you input folks, most informative.

R

[soon2bexpat]

I work in Kota Bharu and whilst it is "boring", the visa process is very straight forward and simple. I get my Non Imm "O" done here every year. I take my yellow house book, bank book updated, marriage certificates, recent pay statements, copies of my wifes ID card, house book and she'll write a short letter. I think the consul is closed Friday and Saturday. I try to go on a Monday or Tuesday and my new visa is always ready the following morning.

There is a renascence hotel and a couple of other cheaper reasonable ones, the small China town sells good food, the Indian restaurant is good, there is a Irish Pub which has draught guinness as well, a few places will sell beer its just not widely advertised. Visa application is easier in KB than the main embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

[recom273]

I would avoid K. Baru at all costs.

Most boring and unfriendly place I've been so far.

Budget accomodation more expensive than Penang.

I haven't seen a single Indian resto....or any Indians for that matter.

Yeah .. Keep away from K.B

I mean, the muslim insurgents, lack of beer, the crap hotels. I got to say, its a boring - grey place, but its no worse than sitting on Chula drinking away the time.

It's all good for me, means less traffic at the consulate.

Yeah, book a visa tour in Samui, I bet they are great fun !! ( i met this guy, HD-Samui.com, who seems to offer a pretty slick service .. at a price )

2 days+ .. I dont think so, check with them before hand, I think you will get back quicker than 48 hours. You could also make a holiday of it, drop you passport off, take a taxi to the port and spend two days exploring the Perenthian Islands.

There are so many pro's to using K.B consulate, over Penang, but as everyone has made their mind up, i will keep them to myself.

Indian restaurants ?? I know of 2.

[recom273]

not to mention standing in a line of 100 malaysians at Sadao immigration, the run around town for an hour and a half before refusing to drop you at your desired hotel, the rude visa agency staff, the unnecessary waiting around, for the passport to be returned at 4.00 PM .. etc

Its horses for courses .. Im going to collect a visa. KB offers a 3 month non-O visa without any questions ( not availalble in Penang ), on a 24 hour turn around. There is never a queue in the afternoon, after i pickup the visa at 2.00 PM, i can be back at home in HY with a cup of tea in my hand at 6.30 PM.

The consulate staff at KB were the first Thai officials to actually talk to me and offer advise, rather than reaching for the red rubber stamp ( Penang ) or making you stand in line on the street in the mid day heat ( a la Vientienne )

No one can deny, there is F-all in KB but I never feel pressured on the KB trip, people actually are friendly, they are just reserved, lots speak Thai and are keen to practice with the wife and they are surprised i can communicate in Indonesian, everything seems locally priced, everywhere is walkable, its relaxed.

[rajyindee]

I went from Hat Yai to KB recently and much prefer it over Penang. Got the 3rd class train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok (cheap as chips and not squashed into some minibus with a load of smelly backpackers), walked over the border and a bus to KB. I stayed at the Tune hotel for around 1k Baht a night (booked through Agoda with aircon, towels etc included). Next door to the hotel is the KB Mall with various restaurants incl McD's and Secret Recipe. As has been said, the service at the Consulate was great - morning drop-off, 2 p.m. pick-up. All-in-all, a hassle-free experience.

[phuketsub]

The last time I did one there (about 10 years ago) the consulate was closed of Friday and Saturday, then open on Sunday. I expect the situation is still the same.

[recom273]

No it's not same day pickup .. its 24 hour pickup, which means if you get it to them before they close at 12.00, then you can pick it up at 9.00 am the next day.

If you dont make it in to drop off your passport for the morning, its still fine to drop it in during the afternoon. When you pick the passport up in the afternoon, chances are you will be the only one waiting for the door to open, and be out within 30 seconds.

Its still way better than waiting around for 4.00 PM in a guest house in Penang.

The consulate is open from 9.00 AM - 12.00 & 2.00 PM - 3.30 PM, Sunday - Thursday. Its closed on Friday and Saturday.

Security-wise, last week, I saw armoured personnel carriers with gun turrets at roadblocks which arent normally present ( maybe a coincidence ), the army stopped the van once in both directions for a look-see, which is pretty standard procedure.

The mini-van station from SG > HY has relocated from the road to the border to the bus station, which is 50B on bike from immigration. I waited for almost 2 hours at the bus station as there was very little foot traffic coming over the border from Malaysia which meant the van filled up way slower than previous trips.

[rajyindee]

No it's not same day pickup .. its 24 hour pickup, which means if you get it to them before they close at 12.00, then you can pick it up at 9.00 am the next day.

That may be the case for whatever Visa you were seeking ... when i visited, I dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon.

[recom273]

3 month non-O

2 years back, I applied for a tourist visa, which was the same, 24 hours.

The visa agents from Samui do a round trip which includes an overnight stay.

When did you get this one day service and for what visa ?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[rajyindee]

3 month non-O

2 years back, I applied for a tourist visa, which was the same, 24 hours.

The visa agents from Samui do a round trip which includes an overnight stay.

When did you get this one day service and for what visa ?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Single-entry tourist visa last May. I didn't use any visa agents, simply caught the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Golok and then the bus to KB. Went to the Consulate first thing the following morning and picked up at 2 pm.

[recom273]

3 month non-O

2 years back, I applied for a tourist visa, which was the same, 24 hours.

The visa agents from Samui do a round trip which includes an overnight stay.

When did you get this one day service and for what visa ?

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Single-entry tourist visa last May. I didn't use any visa agents, simply caught the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Golok and then the bus to KB. Went to the Consulate first thing the following morning and picked up at 2 pm.

Thats great service, why do people go to Penang with such a fast turn around like that. ( Why did my one tourist visa take the same time as my non-O tho' ? )

Strange about the Samui visa runs, i spoke with some guys in KB, they applied for tourist visas on Monday morning and picked them up Tuesday morning, staying the night in one of the new hotels by tesco lotus.

[rajyindee]

Thats great service, why do people go to Penang with such a fast turn around like that. ( Why did my one tourist visa take the same time as my non-O tho' ? )

Strange about the Samui visa runs, i spoke with some guys in KB, they applied for tourist visas on Monday morning and picked them up Tuesday morning, staying the night in one of the new hotels by tesco lotus.

I actually stayed two nights in KB at the Tune Hotel because I had read that it was a 24 hour service. I travelled down by train/bus on day 1, done the visa on day 2 and headed back to Sungai Golok on the morning of day 3. There isn't an awful lot to do in KB but, on the other hand, it doesn't have the stress that I associate with my one and only trip to Penang.

[Davemcdavidjnr]

Does anybody know if I can park my truck at the border in Sungai Kolok, or any safe places to park in the town itself.

Thanks.

[recom273]

Does anybody know if I can park my truck at the border in Sungai Kolok, or any safe places to park in the town itself.

Thanks.

This is a coincidence .. I woke up early today, intent on riding down to Golok in search of secure parking, by the time i got to Pattani i was soaked to the skin and rode back.

Last time i was there a moto-taxi said yes, there are places, but when i asked where, he didnt know.

I noticed next to the train station there is a secure compound which is connected to the small offices that sell motor insurance ( im guessing for Malays or departing Thai's ) .. This would be the first place to check.

Im also thinking, the carpark at the border is huge, its open 24-7 and there are army at the gate now, could this be safe enough ? im always a little worried its a little too close to the border.

I will try to make it this weekend, but if anyone can save me the trip, please post.