Hi

Does anyone have any recent experience of getting a Thai tourist visa from Penang, Malaysia? Is it a relatively painless exercise? I plan to go there once the last entry of my METV expires - this next tourist visa will see me through until I go back home to the UK.

 

Especially if you use an agent, getting an SETV in Penang is very easy. Give your passport plus visa photo to the agent with 150 MYR plus 30 MYR agent fee early morning (or the previous evening) receive back your passport with visa early the following afternoon. If you do not want to use an agent, it is a little less painless, mainly because the consulate is inconveniently located. Two return taxi trips to the consulate cost quite a bit more than an agent fee, and the alternative is bus and 15-minute walk. This is without pointing out that you may need to queue in the hot sun if unlucky about the timing of your application.

You don't need to loose money by using an agent or taking a taxi : take the bus 101 from Komtar hub and from the bus station Jalan Cantonment you have to walk about 10/15 minutes. Last time I have gone (2 months ago), in the morning it was open between 9h and 11h30, not 12h, to ask for the visa, and you collect it the following day in the afternoon. So, just plan to go for 9h, not for 11h as if you make a mistake with the bus or the walk direction, you could arrive too late.

Have a look here and you could see it's easy:

http://www.travel-penang-malaysia.com/thai-embassy-penang.html

 

In front of the thai ambassy there is a mini van to make photocopies : the guy is nice but it's charging a lot for a simple copy (around 10 baht if I remember). By the way, you'll have to pay the Thai Visa (140 MR) in ringits, not in baht.