Border Run Alternatives

[Chelseafan]

13 minutes ago, sead said:

So im a Swedish citizen but currently in Denmark. Is there any way i can enter Thailand directly or indirectly from either Sweden or Denmark. I havent been with my gf 3 months now and i do have some free time as from now so i would like to use it.

Nope, the Thai border is closed I would think at least until the end of the month. Also when the border does open except to have to jump through hoops to get in, valid insurance, health certificate from doctor and possible quarantine.

 

 

[madmen]

16 minutes ago, sead said:

So im a Swedish citizen but currently in Denmark. Is there any way i can enter Thailand directly or indirectly from either Sweden or Denmark. I havent been with my gf 3 months now and i do have some free time as from now so i would like to use it.

No way sorry 

[sead]

25 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Nope, the Thai border is closed I would think at least until the end of the month. Also when the border does open except to have to jump through hoops to get in, valid insurance, health certificate from doctor and possible quarantine.

 

 

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[fondue zoo]

Not too keen on the idea of Covid in a Can Van, if re-entry is made possible with the usual paperwork can a person drive to a nearby border and make use of a land crossing exemption?

When the borders reopen of course.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

Not too keen on the idea of Covid in a Can Van, if re-entry is made possible with the usual paperwork can a person drive to a nearby border and make use of a land crossing exemption?

When the borders reopen of course.

If the coronavirus suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth like a miracle, and countries decided there was no longer any need to control the virus, then borders could reopen under the same rules that applied before the virus arrived on the scene. My own view is that there is about a 0.000001% chance of that happening, and a similar chance that Thailand and neighbouring countries would suddenly decide to remove restrictions in spite of this sentencing many of their own citizens to death.

 

In the 99.9999999% chance that the coronavirus remains a threat, and countries continue attempts to contain it, we will need to wait to see what controls are imposed. If you are hoping to make border runs for visa exempt entry I think you will be waiting quite a while.

[Smithson]

On 5/4/2020 at 11:48 PM, BritTim said:

If the coronavirus suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth like a miracle, and countries decided there was no longer any need to control the virus, then borders could reopen under the same rules that applied before the virus arrived on the scene. My own view is that there is about a 0.000001% chance of that happening, and a similar chance that Thailand and neighbouring countries would suddenly decide to remove restrictions in spite of this sentencing many of their own citizens to death.

 

In the 99.9999999% chance that the coronavirus remains a threat, and countries continue attempts to contain it, we will need to wait to see what controls are imposed. If you are hoping to make border runs for visa exempt entry I think you will be waiting quite a while.

Maybe, maybe not. There's a heap of trade across the land borders, which includes people crossing for economic activity. Bordering countries all have low covid cases and crossing by land doesn't have nearly the exposure that air travels does. What are the current rules for those with WPs who's visas expire?

[cubism001]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed & working as hard as I can ($).

[audaciousnomad]

 

On 4/30/2020 at 12:20 PM, BritTim said:

If Thailand wants to enforce strict quarantine on arrival, they may restrict entry by foreigners to a couple of major airports in the first instance. Also, they are likely to want to limit the numbers arriving. However, it is all guesswork.

I'm wondering whether they will waive quarantine for border bounces. I mean for heaven's sake, you were just in-country...shouldn't be any need to quarantine you if you're just a stamp-out-in case.

[transam]

1 minute ago, audaciousnomad said:

 

I'm wondering whether they will waive quarantine for border bounces. I mean for heaven's sake, you were just in-country...shouldn't be any need to quarantine you if you're just a stamp-out-in case.

I think folk crammed like sardines in an aluminium tube (plane) probably does require more thought, but border runs, I cannot see a problem.. 

[drbeach]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:48 AM, RedReding said:

Could land borders between Laos and Thailand open before the air routes ? What do you guys think it's the most likely ?

Yes. It's possible...but chances are, during the first month of re-opening they might have some restrictions in place. These could be:

 

1) only allowing business visa holders to cross (and other types such as marriage visas, retirement visas) no visa exempt or tourist visas

2) some tracking requirements - TM8 form or equivalent filled out (both sides of the border), phone number and itinerary must be provided

3) covid testing though this is unlikely. I don't see that happening...

4) thermal screening (you pass through a thermal screening area...as China has been doing for the past 17 years since SARS)

[transam]

1 minute ago, drbeach said:

Yes. It's possible...but chances are, during the first month of re-opening they might have some restrictions in place. These could be:

 

1) only allowing business visa holders to cross (and other types such as marriage visas, retirement visas) no visa exempt or tourist visas

2) some tracking requirements - TM8 form or equivalent filled out (both sides of the border), phone number and itinerary must be provided

3) covid testing though this is unlikely. I don't see that happening...

4) thermal screening (you pass through a thermal screening area...as China has been doing for the past 17 years since SARS)

I crossed into Laos a couple of months back, was heat tested, came back into LOS, nothing.....????

[drbeach]

21 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

 

I'm wondering whether they will waive quarantine for border bounces. I mean for heaven's sake, you were just in-country...shouldn't be any need to quarantine you if you're just a stamp-out-in case.

Quarantines will likely end as soon as the borders are opened. Think logically here - who will come with a quarantine requirement in place? And where will they be quarantined? The state doesn't have the resources in terms of personnel or facilities to quarantine potentially hundreds of thousands of people. They barely have the resources just for their own citizens...this is why foreigners are currently banned from entering and locals are heavily restricted too.

[drbeach]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

I crossed into Laos a couple of months back, was heat tested, came back into LOS, nothing.....????

I crossed into Laos and back in March. There were no temperature tests done either on the Lao or Thai side. At first I was expecting something to happen on both sides, and once I passed the Thai exit control thought OK maybe only incoming. But there was nothing in Laos either.

[transam]

1 minute ago, drbeach said:

I crossed into Laos and back in March. There were no temperature tests done either on the Lao or Thai side. At first I was expecting something to happen on both sides, and once I passed the Thai exit control thought OK maybe only incoming. But there was nothing in Laos either.

Chong Mek had it...

[drbeach]

On 5/4/2020 at 12:22 AM, Chelseafan said:

Nope, the Thai border is closed I would think at least until the end of the month. Also when the border does open except to have to jump through hoops to get in, valid insurance, health certificate from doctor and possible quarantine.

 

 

Don't make assumptions. Quarantines won't be happening - that's ridiculous. The state doesn't have the resources or personnel and no one would come except for essential travelers like returning expats IF such a requirement were to remain in place.

I don't see the covid or health certificate from a doctor happening either. Health insurance - maybe.

 

I see the border as possibly opening next month but possibly only to business travelers and existing visa holders - by July it should open to all and all restrictions eased. July is also the time when most flights will resume. Although there will initially be fewer flights than before the crisis, several airlines plan to bring back most of their flights over a few months - Emirates plans to bring back 5 flights to Bangkok by September 1 (they'll start with 2 daily flights on July 1). There is simply no way the entry requirements can be too erroneous, if travel restrictions remain in place once flights resume. Otherwise, these flights won't be happening. It's common sense really.

[drbeach]

18 minutes ago, transam said:

Chong Mek had it...

I left from Vang Tao into Chong Mek. Nothing...this was end of first week of March.

[transam]

1 minute ago, drbeach said:

I left from Vang Tao into Chong Mek. Nothing...this was end of first week of March.

13th March had temp check...

[NanLaew]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

5 minutes ago, drbeach said:

I left from Vang Tao into Chong Mek. Nothing...this was end of first week of March.

13th March had temp check...

On 18th March, there was a health (temperature) check on departure from Mukdahan and on arrival in Savannakhet. On the 19th March, there was no departing health check at Savannakhet but there was one on arrival in Mukdahan that involved giving them name, destination and contact info.

[RaduAlex]

I know it's a guessing game but don't you all think border runs are unlikely to be possible for the remainder of this year? Given that Thailand repatriates its own citizens under such strict conditions (300 people a day, under supervised quarantine for 14 days at the state's expense), I don't see why they should cut foreigners some slack (like checking your passport at the border to verify you haven't been in a danger zone). It seems more likely to me that all tourist travel will have to be by air, as you can more easily implement control measures that way. Opinions?

[ubonjoe]

31 minutes ago, RaduAlex said:

I don't see why they should cut foreigners some slack (like checking your passport at the border to verify you haven't been in a danger zone). It seems more likely to me that all tourist travel will have to be by air, as you can more easily implement control measures that way.

They will eventually open up the borders for departure and entries. Not hard to check at border crossings since most people would of already been here for a period of time before leaving.

By air they would be checking to see where people have been before before arriving here.

[audaciousnomad]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

They will eventually open up the borders for departure and entries. Not hard to check at border crossings since most people would of already been here for a period of time before leaving.

By air they would be checking to see where people have been before before arriving here.

Venture a guess on what are the chances of the usual border bounces being permitted? For 2020, I have only used ONE of my two allowed.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, audaciousnomad said:

Venture a guess on what are the chances of the usual border bounces being permitted? For 2020, I have only used ONE of my two allowed.

Logic would suggest that it would make more sense to allow people an automatic extension than a border bounce for a visa exempt entry. In the foreseeable future, Thailand (and neighbouring countries) are going to be cautious about allowing a free for all at their borders. Long stay tourists are going to be encouraged to leave (when feasible) and not return until conditions change.

[Inderpland]

Has anyone used the fairly new border crossing in Khlong Hat district in Sakaeo province for an out/in? Not even sure of it's name. In Google maps it says Phnomdei border but that's probably the Cambodian name.

 

PS. I mean of course during normal times.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Inderpland

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

Has anyone used the fairly new border crossing in Khlong Hat district in Sakaeo province for an out/in?

No

I think it is only for local Thais and Cambodians.

[Inderpland]

According to people who live in the district it's open to all nationalities but I suppose they might be wrong then since no one has used it.

 

PS. Just talked to my source (sister-in-law) who claims to have seen "farangs" crossing the border with her own eyes. She lives just a few km's from the border.

 

PPS. Not relevant but FYI on the Thai side there's a bustling market with two names; Khao Din and See Phen

Edited May 19, 2020 by Inderpland

[ubonjoe]

45 minutes ago, Inderpland said:

According to people who live in the district it's open to all nationalities but I suppose they might be wrong then since no one has used it.

It is not listed as a crossing on the evisa website (https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3) or on travel websites (https://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/overland.htm).

 

[audaciousnomad]

On 5/12/2020 at 4:19 PM, drbeach said:

Quarantines will likely end as soon as the borders are opened. Think logically here - who will come with a quarantine requirement in place? And where will they be quarantined? The state doesn't have the resources in terms of personnel or facilities to quarantine potentially hundreds of thousands of people. They barely have the resources just for their own citizens...this is why foreigners are currently banned from entering and locals are heavily restricted too.

So for those who have been in-country for the past 5 months, basically if amnesty is not extended we will not be permitted to do a border bounce.  This article seems to confirm that.
https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2020/05/25/new-normal-access-to-thailand-even-after-flights-resume-if-virus-persists/?fbclid=IwAR21irQCvydLnDEZAcqnSrDzal7Dx1I0kPYiJRN1rGYNKpY19T0A7uCs3jU

[acenase]

What do you guys predict will happen if the emergency decree doesn’t extend after 31 July? So far we know that the amnesty is good until 31 July, but do you honestly believe they will restrict a Visa Run to Laos/Savannakhet? 
 

Ideally I would hope I could do that and then extend that fresh new stamp for 1900 Baht at Immigration and be good until September.
 

That would be the best case scenario for me. Or... the amnesty extending to 30 August, but since everything is slowly starting to re-open, I predict the international flight ban will stick to their re-open date of 1 July.
 

It just gets my anxiety going crazy not knowing if I will be able to do a Visa/Border run or I need to figure out a flight to fly out/fly back in before 31 July.

Edited May 27, 2020 by acenase

[steve187]

11 minutes ago, acenase said:

What do you guys predict will happen if the emergency decree doesn’t extend after 31 July?

People here on amnesty will have their stamps good until 31 July, but do you honestly believe a Visa Run to Laos/Savannakhet will be possible just to get another month - and then extend that for 1900 Baht at Immigration and be good until September?  That, would be the best case scenario for me. Or... the amnesty extending to 30 August, but since everything is slowly starting to re-open, I predict the international flight ban will stick to their re-open date of 1 July.
 

It just gets my anxiety going crazy not knowing if I will be able to fo a Visa/Border run or I need to figure out a flight to fly out/fly back in before 31 July.

 i think its difficult to predict what will happen with land borders and regulations for people entering Thailand and surrounding countries in relation to quarantine/ insurance, but i feel that anyone that has been in Thailand on short term methods ie visa exempt and 30 day tourists visas, need to reevaluate their method and reasons for being in Thailand long term.

 

I think it would be unreasonable for someone that has been granted auto virus extensions, having arrived on one of the above options to be allowed to continue along that same vein, i feel that if the emergency measure in relations to extensions were to stop on the 31st July, a short period of time would be allowed to book flights and leave

I have always been and advocate that persons arriving should get the correct visa for their planned stay and not fly close to the wind on border runs/ short term visas / extensions to enable long term stay

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, audaciousnomad said:

So for those who have been in-country for the past 5 months, basically if amnesty is not extended we will not be permitted to do a border bounce.  This article seems to confirm that.

I cannot see where it says that. Most of what that article is describing is current policy.