Easiest/cheapest way to exit and re-enter for 30 day waiver

[gerryBScot]

About to leave my job so currently on Non-b. Work being rather unhelpful so unlikely to be able to take Work Permit to Labour Office and apply for 7 day extension. So to stay legal I want to leave and get my non-B cancelled and then re-enter on 30 day waiver. What's currently the cheapest/easiest way to do this? Your thoughts would be most welcome - thanks.

[ubonjoe]

It depends upon where you are located.

The Myanmar border crossings are not a choice unless near Ranong. No problem to Cambodia. Laos or Malaysia.

You also can fly out and back.

[novanova]

It really does help to give your location.

 

There are very cheap flights out from U Tapao, BKK etc with Air Asia and Scoot

[gerryBScot]

Ratchaburi/Nakhon Pathom, sorry chaps - so I could head to Ranong and on re-entry get 30 days? I thought it was 15 days on  a border crossing entry but I am out of date!

[novanova]

There are 1,200b return flights, Phuket - KL with Air Asia... dunno if that suits you.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, gerryBScot said:

Ratchaburi/Nakhon Pathom, sorry chaps - so I could head to Ranong and on re-entry get 30 days? I thought it was 15 days on  a border crossing entry but I am out of date!

You will get 30 days if you are from a G7 country otherwise it will only be 15 days. But you can extend either one for 30 days at an immigration office.

Cambodia for a crossing might be closer than Ranong.

You could fly out and back from Don Mueang (DMK) to a nearby country. Check Air Asia for flights to Kuala Lumpur. 

[nofarang]

From Ratchaburi hop on a night train to Hat Yai (take train 171 or 169, return train ticket (sleeper) roughly 1000 Baht), arrive next morning. Moped taxi to bus station (50 Baht), from there minibus to Padang Besar border (1 hour, 50 Baht), at the border walk out of thailand, into Malaysia, out of Malaysia and back into Thailand (takes half an hour, or Moped taxi 50 Baht), moped taxi to Padang minibus station (50 Baht), Minibus back to Hat Yai Bus station (50 Baht), Moped taxi back to Train station (50 Baht), Train back to Ratchaburi at 3 pm, arriving Ratchaburi next morning.

 

All in all: 2 nights on the train, 1300 Baht, quick and cheap. Did it so many times from Hua Hin. But book return train ticket (sleeper) before you start (train 170, 172). Showers (20 Baht) at Hat Yai train station or relax for 2 or 3 hours at Laem Thong hotel (5 min walk from train station for 200 Baht half day).

Edited August 11, 2016 by nofarang

[gerryBScot]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You will get 30 days if you are from a G7 country otherwise it will only be 15 days. But you can extend either one for 30 days at an immigration office.

Cambodia for a crossing might be closer than Ranong.

You could fly out and back from Don Mueang (DMK) to a nearby country. Check Air Asia for flights to Kuala Lumpur. 

 

THx Joe but I would need a Cambodia VOA wouldn't I?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, gerryBScot said:

 

THx Joe but I would need a Cambodia VOA wouldn't I?

Yes

The fee is $30. 

[gerryBScot]

I think the train to Malaysia looks favourite right now. Many thanks

 

[ericthai]

Are you on an extension of stay for you B visa??

If not then your visa wont be cancelled and you can stay until your permit to stay date. 

 

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, gerryBScot said:

I think the train to Malaysia looks favourite right now. Many thanks

 

I would agree. If you don't want the hassle of getting from Hat Yai to the border, look at trains 35/36. You can get on at Nakhon Pathom and it will take you to the border at Padang Besar. Means about 8 hours at the border to catch the 36 back up but very straightforward.

[nofarang]

Thanks sandyf for the additional input.

Train 35 runs straight to the Padang border as this trains commences to Butterworth in Malaysia. But this train is  somewhat more expensive as it is an International Express Train (fully airconditioned!!!). You arrive at the border at anything between 8 and 10 am (depending on delay). But do not wait at the border for return train 36, as this train leaves around 6 pm!! Get your passport stamped out of Thailand and into malaysia within the train station. Then go to the first floor and leave the train station by an overfly (it might not be signed, so you have to ask, say you want to go to Padang and Hat Yai. There are two ways out to leave the station on top, to the right and to the left, take the one to the left, if you are standing in front of the only restaurant). When you come down from the pedestrian overfly always walk straight alongside the road to the Malaysian border. Get you passport stamped out of Malaysia and walk the slight uphilly road to the Thai border (This is exactly the same way you walk as I described in my first post). Moped taxis waiting behind the Thai border, take one to the Padang minibus station as described before. Go to Hat Yai as described before and board either train  170 (leaving 14.45) or train 172 (leaving 15.40).

 

And again: make sure you have all your bookings done before you start from Ratachburi as sometimes all beds are booked out, and it is no pleasure spending the night jammed in a reclining seat

[recom273]

3 hours ago, gerryBScot said:

I think the train to Malaysia looks favourite right now. Many thanks

 

 

If if we are talking thriftiness - Look at flights to HY .. 800B - 1000B+

 

Songthaew to the bus station, van to the border and back as mentioned. You could take the first flight out and the last one out. 

 

You may pay a little more for the flight, but spend a day or two recovering from the train journey, plus the beers and munchies to keep you sustained on the 15+ hour train journey ( the train is always delayed outside HY without fail ) .. 30 hours on a train within 2 days wouldn't be my cup of tea.

[sandyf]

9 hours ago, nofarang said:

Thanks sandyf for the additional input.

Train 35 runs straight to the Padang border as this trains commences to Butterworth in Malaysia. But this train is  somewhat more expensive as it is an International Express Train (fully airconditioned!!!). You arrive at the border at anything between 8 and 10 am (depending on delay). But do not wait at the border for return train 36, as this train leaves around 6 pm!! Get your passport stamped out of Thailand and into malaysia within the train station. Then go to the first floor and leave the train station by an overfly (it might not be signed, so you have to ask, say you want to go to Padang and Hat Yai. There are two ways out to leave the station on top, to the right and to the left, take the one to the left, if you are standing in front of the only restaurant). When you come down from the pedestrian overfly always walk straight alongside the road to the Malaysian border. Get you passport stamped out of Malaysia and walk the slight uphilly road to the Thai border (This is exactly the same way you walk as I described in my first post). Moped taxis waiting behind the Thai border, take one to the Padang minibus station as described before. Go to Hat Yai as described before and board either train  170 (leaving 14.45) or train 172 (leaving 15.40).

 

And again: make sure you have all your bookings done before you start from Ratachburi as sometimes all beds are booked out, and it is no pleasure spending the night jammed in a reclining seat

The 35 no longer runs to Butterworth, it terminates at the border and I suspect on the Thai side, little point going through the border to turn round. It would be down to personal choice. The Hat Yai train gets back to NP about an hour and a half before the 36, which now starts at the border.

[BritTim]

I think your thriftiest solution is to Ranong via bus. As I recall, you can get the boat across for 100 baht return, and the Myanmar side only charges you US$10. Against this, the cheap boats I mention are not totally safe, and you will very likely get rained on.

[Enoon]

VIP Bus from Mochit Bus Station to Mukdahan Bus Station, 800baht/10hrs.

Friendship Bridge bus from Mukdahan Bus Station over bridge/border, 50 baht return, 1/2 hour out -1/2 hour back.

VIP Bus from Mukdahan Bus Station to Mochit Bus station, 800baht/10hrs.

 +$35 VOA into Laos if you are British, free if you are Russian. Various prices in between.

 

Mochit to Poipet (Cambodia) by bus/taxi is about 800baht/7hrs each way

 

Edited August 11, 2016 by Enoon

[BritTim]

53 minutes ago, Enoon said:

VIP Bus from Mochit Bus Station to Mukdahan Bus Station, 800baht/10hrs.

Friendship Bridge bus from Mukdahan Bus Station over bridge/border, 50 baht return, 1/2 hour out -1/2 hour back.

VIP Bus from Mukdahan Bus Station to Mochit Bus station, 800baht/10hrs.

 +$35 VOA into Laos if you are British, free if you are Russian. Various prices in between.

 

Mochit to Poipet (Cambodia) by bus/taxi is about 800baht/7hrs each way

 

I avoided covering the Poi Pet option, as it entails the OP traveling into Bangkok first. However, I feel it important to correct misinformation in your post. If traveling from Bangkok, there are direct casino buses to the border for 200 baht each way. As an alternative, there are (dangerous) minibuses that do the trip from Victory Monument or Bang Na for around 230 baht each way. Expect the journey there to be about 3 hours. The return usually takes longer (about 4 hours). There are bus options from both Morchit (via Aranyaprathet) and Ekamai (some direct to the border, some via Sa Kaeo) bus stations in Bangkok. Journey times are 4-5 hours. They cost about 250-300 baht each way. The Cambodian visa costs US$30, though you have the option of paying more if you wish.

[gerryBScot]

Thanks for all the advice, options and comments.My school is starting to be little more co-operative so may not need to break for the border. Still useful to have tis info cos things usually change.