My Visa Run To Penang

[dksharron]

I just returned from Penang with my 2 month tourist visa after making visa runs for three years.

My schedule:

Monday

Asia Air flight leaving Bkk Airport at 2:15PM ( left at 3:20PM)

R/T 4750 includeds the extra 600 for getting the ticket paper from the agent.

I did not want to risk the request not going through and being at the airport without a ticket.

Arrived in Penang about 6:30PM

Taxi to town 38 Ringgit (Airport taxi)

Arrived at NJ BookCentre at 425 Chulia Street

Paid 120 Ringgit for the tourist visa and NJ fee

There are many offices on this street that will handle this for you, including one internet shop.

Went to the Oriental Hotel two blocks away.

83 Ringgit / night for two nights.

TV 6 channels (2 English movies and shows)

Good a/c, firm bed, lots of hot water, bathtub

Wandered around the Prangin Mall (three blocks away) for a few hours

Went to bed

Tuesday:

Back to the Prangin Mall and Komart

Wandered around one hour and had breakfast.

There is a movie theater on the 5th Floor

5 Ringgit for Casino Royale at 11:30 Worth the money and more

Burned some more time for lunch and wandered around, as the malls have a/c and it was hot and humid outside.

There is food on the streets in the evenings and also lots of little restaurants open all over the place.

There are some clubs in the neighborhood, but I am not a clubber, so I cannot provide any information on them.

Dinner and back to bed.

Wednesday morning:

Late wake up, check out, off to the internet, dropped off my bag at tNJ BokCentre,

Off to Komart and Pangin Mall for breakfast and simply burning time in the city until 2:30PM for my passport pickup.

SPECIAL RECIPE, located in Prangin mall, Ground floor is the best bakery in SE Asia. Forget the Oriental in Bkk. This place has it down. And, the portions are huge!!!! 5 ringgit for a giant piece of great cake or a heavy brownie wih cream cheese inside.

Used more time at the internet cafes of Chulia Street near NJ Book Centre until it was time for my passport pickup.

After three years of visa runs, I was concerned that my visa would be denied, but my passport had a wonderful new tourist visa in it.

Shared a cab to the airport for 20 Ringgit each (2 passengers). A 30 - 40 minute trip in the rain.

Arrived for the Air Asia 5:25 flight which had been changed to 6:30.

Arrived in Bkk at 7:50? and learned that the last bus had already left for Pattaya.

Took a cab to Pattaya from the upper floors of the airport. 1000 baht

The "Airport Cab Center desks" wanted 1300 saying it was the standard airport price.... whatever that meant.

For those worried about not getting your visa after years of 30-day visa runs to Cambodia, as long as you have no overstays, I think that you should have no problems. I was not the only one there who had been making visa runs for a long time, and the others got their visas as well.

[alh]

Thanks for that. I have to go there as well and did not know how long it takes or what to do there.

So very nice and informative.

It takes 1 day to get the visa done, right? If you give it to them in the early morning you get it back the next day? Because in some page of thaivisa.com it says that it takes 3 days!!!

That would be a relief.

Does anybody know the requirements for a non-b? In terms of papers I only have the invitation from the company, is that enough?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I just returned from Penang with my 2 month tourist visa after making visa runs for three years.

My schedule:

Monday

Asia Air flight leaving Bkk Airport at 2:15PM ( left at 3:20PM)

R/T 4750 includeds the extra 600 for getting the ticket paper from the agent.

I did not want to risk the request not going through and being at the airport without a ticket.

Arrived in Penang about 6:30PM

Taxi to town 38 Ringgit (Airport taxi)

Arrived at NJ BookCentre at 425 Chulia Street

Paid 120 Ringgit for the tourist visa and NJ fee

There are many offices on this street that will handle this for you, including one internet shop.

Went to the Oriental Hotel two blocks away.

83 Ringgit / night for two nights.

TV 6 channels (2 English movies and shows)

Good a/c, firm bed, lots of hot water, bathtub

Wandered around the Prangin Mall (three blocks away) for a few hours

Went to bed

Tuesday:

Back to the Prangin Mall and Komart

Wandered around one hour and had breakfast.

There is a movie theater on the 5th Floor

5 Ringgit for Casino Royale at 11:30 Worth the money and more

Burned some more time for lunch and wandered around, as the malls have a/c and it was hot and humid outside.

There is food on the streets in the evenings and also lots of little restaurants open all over the place.

There are some clubs in the neighborhood, but I am not a clubber, so I cannot provide any information on them.

Dinner and back to bed.

Wednesday morning:

Late wake up, check out, off to the internet, dropped off my bag at tNJ BokCentre,

Off to Komart and Pangin Mall for breakfast and simply burning time in the city until 2:30PM for my passport pickup.

SPECIAL RECIPE, located in Prangin mall, Ground floor is the best bakery in SE Asia. Forget the Oriental in Bkk. This place has it down. And, the portions are huge!!!! 5 ringgit for a giant piece of great cake or a heavy brownie wih cream cheese inside.

Used more time at the internet cafes of Chulia Street near NJ Book Centre until it was time for my passport pickup.

After three years of visa runs, I was concerned that my visa would be denied, but my passport had a wonderful new tourist visa in it.

Shared a cab to the airport for 20 Ringgit each (2 passengers). A 30 - 40 minute trip in the rain.

Arrived for the Air Asia 5:25 flight which had been changed to 6:30.

Arrived in Bkk at 7:50? and learned that the last bus had already left for Pattaya.

Took a cab to Pattaya from the upper floors of the airport. 1000 baht

The "Airport Cab Center desks" wanted 1300 saying it was the standard airport price.... whatever that meant.

For those worried about not getting your visa after years of 30-day visa runs to Cambodia, as long as you have no overstays, I think that you should have no problems. I was not the only one there who had been making visa runs for a long time, and the others got their visas as well.

Ditto.. Thanks for posting that!!!!.... wish more people would share their experiences for the other regional consulates like Vietnam, China, Brunei, Indonesia

[alh]

Thanks for that. I have to go there as well and did not know how long it takes or what to do there.

So very nice and informative.

It takes 1 day to get the visa done, right? If you give it to them in the early morning you get it back the next day? Because in some page of thaivisa.com it says that it takes 3 days!!!

That would be a relief.

Does anybody know the requirements for a non-b? In terms of papers I only have the invitation from the company, is that enough?

I'll answer my own questions:

I found this:

For Business proposes

1. Copy of passport and 2 recent photos

2. Letter of invitation/recommendation of applicant’s company indicating the reason of visit.

3. If self-employed , please present financial standing of applicant

4. Documents required from the company inviting in Thailand (same as for employment purposes item 4 , 5 ,8 & 9)

5. 5. The WP.3 form issued by the Department of Employment is a MUST for those applying for Non Immigrant "B" visa

So, it's not that easy.

Comes from http://www.hotelmingood.com/visa.html very good info

[rafval]

Im being a bit lazy here, but can you give an idea of the total basic cost in baht? thanks

[eljeque]

Estimated Price:

150 Bus to Airport

500 Thai Airport tax

4750 Ticket (You can save 600 by picking up the ticket at the airport)

380 Taxi from Airport to Chulia Street

1200 Visa and fee for the runner

Walked to hotel (Many are in the area)

1660 Hotel (830 x 2 Nights. You can spend 450 x 2 nights at other hotels)

220 Steak, milo and a milkshake at a backpacker place on Chulia Street

120 Cake and tea at Secret Recipes in Prangin Mall

50 Casion Royale at Prangin Mall

150 Pizza Hut Dinner

100 Spicy Beef Wrap at McDonald's with Ice Tea

200 assorted ice tea for 25 baht at McDonald's, chocolate brownie, etc. in Prangin Mall

200 shared taxi to the Penang airport

200 Internet Service for the trip (I use it a lot) 30 baht / hour

1000 Taxi from Airport to Pattaya

10,880 TOTAL

[quadricorrelator]

Estimated Price:

150 Bus to Airport

500 Thai Airport tax

4750 Ticket (You can save 600 by picking up the ticket at the airport)

380 Taxi from Airport to Chulia Street

1200 Visa and fee for the runner

Walked to hotel (Many are in the area)

1660 Hotel (830 x 2 Nights. You can spend 450 x 2 nights at other hotels)

220 Steak, milo and a milkshake at a backpacker place on Chulia Street

120 Cake and tea at Secret Recipes in Prangin Mall

50 Casion Royale at Prangin Mall

150 Pizza Hut Dinner

100 Spicy Beef Wrap at McDonald's with Ice Tea

200 assorted ice tea for 25 baht at McDonald's, chocolate brownie, etc. in Prangin Mall

200 shared taxi to the Penang airport

200 Internet Service for the trip (I use it a lot) 30 baht / hour

1000 Taxi from Airport to Pattaya

10,880 TOTAL

Excellent report.

Do you think that you will be able to count on getting back to back visas indefinitely? Did you ask about this or get any information about it?

If I understand your expenses correctly, at four visa runs per year, and 4 1900 baht extensions, it will cost 51120 baht per year to keep the visa valid.

Edited December 2, 2006 by quadricorrelator

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Excellent report.

Do you think that you will be able to count on getting back to back visas indefinitely? Did you ask about this or get any information about it?

If I understand your expenses correctly, at four visa runs per year, and 4 1900 baht extensions, it will cost 51120 baht per year to keep the visa valid.

There hasn't been any statement about denying successive tourist visa's from the Thai Govt to my knowledge. i think they are just trying to raise the bar a bit and clean out some of the less financially strong longterm residents using VOA's. Also they have claimed they want people to get Visa's so they are checked and entered into their computer system.

Time will tell if they start denying serial TV's. I am keeping my fingers crossed they don't.

[eljeque]

Excellent report.

Do you think that you will be able to count on getting back to back visas indefinitely? Did you ask about this or get any information about it?

If I understand your expenses correctly, at four visa runs per year, and 4 1900 baht extensions, it will cost 51120 baht per year to keep the visa valid.

10,880 + 1900 = 12780.... x 4 = 51120

Yes, that is not cheap by any means.

Being under 50, it is not easy to be here, but I will look to get a business visa next trip. I just wanted to be ahead of the masses, so that any anger the consulates had would be taken out on the late arrivals. I will get my next visa in late February. I think that a lot of information will become available by then.

[rcys]

You said that you got a 60 Visa correct? There is a post above that says that Penang is now issuing 90 tourist visa instead of the 60 day variety. I just got back from Hong Kong and they gave me only one 60 day visa. I had originally asked for 2 or 3. They said that they could only give me one when I got there, but when I emailed them they said they could issue a max of 2, but I had already been in Thailand for 31 days already on VOA. If they can give 90 day tourists visa for real, that would definately be the place to go.

[lopburi3]

The Penang tourist visa is the same as any other tourist visa.

A tourist visa provides an entry of 60 or 30 days depending on your passport. They can normally be extended up to 90 days upon payment to immigration and submission of TM.7 form.

The validity of such a visa is 90 days (time allowed to enter country) but you do not get a 90 day permitted to stay stamp.