Non Imm O border run to Andaman Club, Ranong

[pinkpanther99]

Hi there

Yesterday I went on a 'border run' (if that's the correct term) for my Non-Imm O Multiple based on Marriage.

Living in Hua Hin and now that Kanchanaburi isn't an option I chose the Andaman Club as my destination to do quick hop trip over the border to Myanmar in order to activate my next 90 days.

I work here, have a work permit and decided to take my WP along with me in order to prove that I don't work here illegally in case Immigration started to ask any questions.

I arrived at the pier for the Andaman Club and showed my passport to Immigration. The girl working there inspected my visa very closely and called her superior over who said he also wanted to see my marriage certificate, which I didn't have. Maybe this was an error on my part and maybe I've missed some info that I should have taken it with me but I've never been asked for this before. I showed him my WP permit too as it was the only other document I had but he said he wasn't interested in that and he wanted to see that I was actually married.

Anyway, my Mrs came with me on the trip and whilst all this was going on she was in the toilet (for what seemed liked an absolute age). When she returned she walked over to the immigration desk and asked the Thai superior what was going on. He explained that he needed to see our marriage certificate. Finally, after a bit of chit chat in Thai, my Mrs showed her Thai ID card, which displays her married name (my surname) and the immigration official reluctantly accepted.

Before we went on our way, the Immigration guy told us in a mixture of broken English and Thai that things are changing in Thailand with Immigration and that they "will update new" (his exact words in English) the visa rules to make life easier for farangs (which he said to my Mrs in Thai, but I picked up the word farang) but first they have to make sure every farang has the right visa. He also said "Immigration want to help farang".

In the end, the Immigration guy was very friendly and helpful and advised me not to bother with Non-O Imm M and instead to get a marriage extension at my local office - which of course makes sense and is much easier, I'll probably do this. Although, I do wonder what would have happened had my Mrs not been there to help out.

The only other farang there with me was a Swedish woman (mid 20's, scuba diving type, even carrying one of those fold up waterproof bags you see on the islands) who was going to activate the second part of her double entry tourist visa (i guess). Anyway, another immigration guy was giving her quite a hard time. He made her write and then write again the full address of the resort she said she was staying at in Surat Thani, and I think, although I couldn't see for sure, that he actually googled the resort. He also made her go to the ATM machine to get a statement to prove she had funds!

As for the boat across the water to the Andaman Club, it cost 900 THB for me (150THB for the Mrs), took about 20 mins, if that. Once on the Myanmar side, we didn't leave the pier, just got my passport stamped by Myanmar Immigration then headed straight back to the boat before heading back to the Thailand side.

[ubonjoe]

Ranong and the Andaman club crossing have been reported several times for enforcing rules that don't exist.

I guess that they haven't got the message yet that the new rules are only for exempt entries.

[mataleo]

Is it that u show marriage certificat when u apply for visa? So what the point and logic asking for it on the border?

[ikbenhet]

Hi,

I thought that you can get a WP only on a Non-B Visa but you have None-O.

So it is possible to have none O with WP?

[pinkpanther99]

Hi,

I thought that you can get a WP only on a Non-B Visa but you have None-O.

So it is possible to have none O with WP?

I'm no expert but yes you can get a WP on a Non-Imm based on marriage. I have an additional stamp in the back of my passport from the Labour office (or whoever it is who issues work permits).

[Mister T]

Hi,

I thought that you can get a WP only on a Non-B Visa but you have None-O.

So it is possible to have none O with WP?

I have been on a non imm O extensions for the last 8 years, have had a work permit each year as well. Was on a non B for 4 years before that, no different except that the employer has no control over your O visa, unlike the B extension which is tied to employment.

[Baghdad]

I was at the immigration office in Rayong a couple of days ago to do and extension based on single entry Non o visa.

Had most of the paper work with me except the MT30 form and no bank statement and when it was my turn to go to the window the lady ask me to please come inside the office. As i went in i was ask to sit down at the table where there was a immigration officer and he was a Major. I gave him the paper work and my passport and after he went through all the paper work and my passport he look up at me and said where is your MT30 form and your bank statement. I had my wife with me which was a blessing and she took over and started to speak to him in Thai. He than said to my wife he will investigate and went over to another computer and than come back and said make sure you transfer 400 thousand baht into a Thai bank as soon as possible and get the MT 30 form filled out and signed by the owner and a copy of her Blue book. He than gave me my passport which had a piece of paper folded and stapled to my Departure card and on that was a stamp that said( THIS IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF STAY PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR ADDRESS AGAIN ON THIS DATE)

He gave me the 60 days extension but can some please tell me what that piece of paper is all about that was stapled to my Departure Card?

Thanks!

Regards,

Baghdad

[ubonjoe]

That is a 90 day report receipt. It also has a date you will need to report if you stay in the country for the full 90 days when it is due.

[camsouth]

well i just went to phuket im today to transfer my 60 day to a n o i visa for retirement had all that i was told to bring pensions from 2 different companys embassy stamp bank account showing the deposits, well over the monthly amount of needed for the month and for a year had copy of my thai bank card and book ect.

everything i was told by a lawyer and im agent. but i was told i need a house book ? i live in a hotel for the last 2 months they never register my stay so i have no idea how to get that ? gave me a form to cover visa which they never gave me before it was a wast of a whole day just to convert a tr to an no o for retirement im here is a joke if they just made it simple but i guess the hate farangs. so i have to have hotel manager fill it out and i have to go back and wait 6 hrs its all bs i just want to retire here with my wife ( who is not thai)

[BobbyBoy]

Well I had a similar experience on 13th but not at the Andaman Club , at the other cheapo xing where you get a longtail boat for 300 to 400 baht a person depending on how many travelling on the boat.

On arrival at Immigration at 8.30 am , I was taken away by a female immigration officer , I have a non imm. B visa which I was advised by the Australian Royal Thai Embassy was the appropriate one , I have previously had both IB and B non. multi entry as I have an interest in a business but have never worked in Thailand.

The officer asked me for my work permit which I replied I do not have as I am currently not working and have never worked in Thailand , although in the future I may start to work if I start a business and at that time I will get the appropriate work permit . I also advised the officer that I postphoned starting a business as a direct result of the termoil in Thailand and that you would have to be crazy to start a business at present but maybe by the end of the year things may pick up at the beginning of the high season to do so.

I argued for the best part of 40 minutes until a male immigration officer intervened and listened to my reasoning and accepted the explaination, and my passport was stamped and duly got on the long tail boat to Burma. On route the tout I was travelling with who organised the boat and other passengers was pushing the sale of cheap booze , fags , and of course viagora etc.I advised I was not interested as I do not use any of the above.

I got the Burma stamp , paid the $10 US and returned to the boat with a 200 baht bottle of genuine Burma Malt Whisky haha. All good at that stage then the boat was filled with a dozen 12 other passengers , on the way there only 4 , I was sitting at the very rear , I made sure life jacket on and done up , this boat was way overloaded and not safe..

Did about 4 stops check points on way back , after the second stop the tout said you have any viagora etc. I replied no , why , you need to hide on boat as security army check and if have on you . monkey house for you ! Well he was trying to sell me this shit then he tells me later illegal if you get caught with it.

We pulled in to Army check point and Officer asked to inspect my bag , I was the only falang on board and I was the only one who had their bag inspected , nothing found of course thank god !

Arrived back at Immigration and got the same female officer who once again started to give me a hard time and I feared I was not going to be let into Thailand , I really think she thought I had been working without a work permit and wanted to get me for something.She asked me if I had a flight out the country booked I relpied no but intended to go back to Australia mid Sept. and return in Oct,/Nov. once I had finished business in Australia.It was obvious to me she was reluctant to approve my reentry for 90 days.as she thought I was illegally working . Fortunately for me , I was carrying my Thai bank passbook in my bag with a reasonable amount of money in credit , I also pointed out to her that I had paid in a large sum of money into this account while I was in Australia in April and that there had only been withdraws from the account since and no deposits. This information of the Bank book got me across the line proved I had sufficient funds and had not been working in Thailand , like I said , thank god , Passport stamp 90 days good bye for ever Ranong !

The moral to this story avoid , Ranong , do not buy things from touts as you could end up in the monkey house , carry Bank book with you on visa run , only do visa run by air ,the cost of flight to Singapore 3,000 baht return from Phuket and it cost roughly the same to drive and catch boat etc. at Ranong but your life in danger in small boat , get hasseled by touts etc., I did not see any other falang at Ranong doing a visa run definately my last time !

[ALFREDO]

And RANONG Andaman Pier was once the easy way out and in and extend your stay.

Times and attitude really change in a wrong direction!