Alternative to Sadao?

[simon43]

 I need to do a visa 'turnaround' on my Thailand Elite visa in a few days, and Sadao is always slow due to the number of people crossing over.

 

My plan is (as on previous occasions), to drive down from Phuket in the early morning to the Malaysian border, park my car, exit Thailand, enter Malaysia, drink a coffee and re-enter Thailand to 'activate' the next 365 days on my visa.  So a 'quiet' border crossing is preferred to save myself queueing at Sadao.  

 

Perhaps Pedang Besar or some 'minor' border crossing?

[ubonjoe]

Perhaps Pedang Besar  is better than Sadao.

How about Ranong or the Andaman club to Myanmar.

[Ronuk]

Ranong is an easy drive from Phuket. There are also a couple of nice hotels in Ranong if you want to stop the night and cheap. Around 800bht a night for 4 star accommodation. Worth staying the night for the night market.

[simon43]

Quote

 

How about Ranong or the Andaman club to Myanmar.
 

 

 

Ranong would be my first choice.  But Thailand Elite would not guarantee to me that Ranong immigration would actually allow me to do and 'out and back' on this type of visa, (I seem to recall that Ranong stopped/restricted visa-runners last year or so).

 

So I don't want to waste time driving up to Ranong, only to have the immigration guys say 'no can do'

[Ronuk]

4 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

Ranong would be my first choice.  But Thailand Elite would not guarantee to me that Ranong immigration would actually allow me to do and 'out and back' on this type of visa, (I seem to recall that Ranong stopped/restricted visa-runners last year or so).

 

So I don't want to waste time driving up to Ranong, only to have the immigration guys say 'no can do'

You have a PE multiple entry visa. You can come and go as you please. You will get a 12 month stamp on your reentry to Thailand.

The people at TE are very good but sometimes the newer staff get confused.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

Ranong would be my first choice.  But Thailand Elite would not guarantee to me that Ranong immigration would actually allow me to do and 'out and back' on this type of visa, (I seem to recall that Ranong stopped/restricted visa-runners last year or so).

 

So I don't want to waste time driving up to Ranong, only to have the immigration guys say 'no can do'

Ranong is open for border hops.

Your PE visa is no different than any other multiple entry visa other than the length of its validity. I can see no reason for you to have a problem.

[simon43]

OK, I'll give Ranong a try.  

 

Hold that roulette wheel!

[Ronuk]

I regularly fish in Myanmar using immigration at kawthaung. There is no problem using your PE visa there. I too have a TE visa. There is some great shopping to be had 50 yards from immigration. Cigarettes and alcohol amongst other things are very cheap. Cigarettes can be bought for 200bht a carton. They will take all currencies. They are not fussy 

[elviajero]

There is no need to leave the country. You can contact TE and organise a 1 year extension of stay for 1,900 baht.

[Ronuk]

If you or anybody are staying a night in Ranong, I can recommend a hotel called The 'b' Ranong. Nice food, around 800bt a night for a very nice double  room inc breakfast and has a superb roof top infinity pool. It also has loads of parking.

You will need to call them direct because although the hotel booking sites such as expedia were listing them, it also shows as not available as I believe the b is no longer using them due to the rates expedia etc are paying them.

[daveAustin]

if you do go down south, give Sadao a wide birth. Really busy and immigration aren't the best. P. Besar is the same distance and is a lot quieter/friendly.

[ukrules]

You absolutely 100% don't need to leave the country after 1 year. I've been here for over 2 years on my TE visa without leaving once so I've extended it by 1 year twice since it was issued to me, the third extension for me will be next June.

 

Just go to your normal local immigration office and fill out the regular extension of stay form, in the part of the form which asks how many days put 365.

 

Take your membership card with you, they will probably ask to see it.

 

If they give you any hassle at all don't stand up and walk away, phone the number on the back of the membership card in the top right hand corner, explain the situation to them and then ask them to fix the issue.

 

I queried doing the yearly extension of stay last year when I did my first one and they told me that there is no problem using a provincial office to do a full year extension but once you have extended it at a provincial office you need to continue using the same immigration office for subsequent extensions if you don't leave.

 

With this visa you can stay for the full 5 years without leaving.

[Ronuk]

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

You absolutely 100% don't need to leave the country after 1 year. I've been here for over 2 years on my TE visa without leaving once so I've extended it by 1 year twice since it was issued to me, the third extension for me will be next June.

 

Just go to your normal local immigration office and fill out the regular extension of stay form, in the part of the form which asks how many days put 365.

 

Take your membership card with you, they will probably ask to see it.

 

If they give you any hassle at all don't stand up and walk away, phone the number on the back of the membership card in the top right hand corner, explain the situation to them and then ask them to fix the issue.

 

I queried doing the yearly extension of stay last year when I did my first one and they told me that there is no problem using a provincial office to do a full year extension but once you have extended it at a provincial office you need to continue using the same immigration office for subsequent extensions if you don't leave.

 

With this visa you can stay for the full 5 years without leaving.

I was under the impression he wanted a few days or so away. Your absolutely right though and TE have an office in Phuket who could probably do it for him mostly. I've never done an extension as I am always in and out of the country so not sure how much of the leg work TE could do for you. I suspect he could go to there office, pay the 1900 bht and get a stamp in less than 5 minutes.