Just Did Visa Run

[Doza]

Ok, since I finished my contract April/May this year and my work permit expired I have been holidaying in Thailand and the region doeen doing some travel and whatever. I have been getting 30 day visa exempt stamps at the borders when I come in. I now have a new passport (old one full) which shows entry on visa exempt x 1 before October.

Since October, I have come in twice on visa exempt, and each time given 30 days and a '1' and '2' written above the stamps (first around 5 October - then around 3 November). 30 days was running out so went this time to Penang and applied for a 2 month tourist visa. No problems. Got it and came in yesterday and was stamped to 31 January.

So it seems possible to stay longer than 90 days on a combination of visa exempt stamps and tourist visas. This might answer some questions for many.

Got the Air Asia morning flight down, on time, landed bang on 10 am and used an agent to collect me. Went straight to agents office, filled in form, they got it in on time and I picked visa up next day. Stayed a few extra days and got the Air Asia afternoon flight out which was also on time.

No complaints and a nice stay in Georgetown and Batu Feringgi.

[BigSnake]

Ok, since I finished my contract April/May this year and my work permit expired I have been holidaying in Thailand and the region doeen doing some travel and whatever. I have been getting 30 day visa exempt stamps at the borders when I come in. I now have a new passport (old one full) which shows entry on visa exempt x 1 before October.

Since October, I have come in twice on visa exempt, and each time given 30 days and a '1' and '2' written above the stamps (first around 5 October - then around 3 November). 30 days was running out so went this time to Penang and applied for a 2 month tourist visa. No problems. Got it and came in yesterday and was stamped to 31 January.

So it seems possible to stay longer than 90 days on a combination of visa exempt stamps and tourist visas. This might answer some questions for many.

Got the Air Asia morning flight down, on time, landed bang on 10 am and used an agent to collect me. Went straight to agents office, filled in form, they got it in on time and I picked visa up next day. Stayed a few extra days and got the Air Asia afternoon flight out which was also on time.

No complaints and a nice stay in Georgetown and Batu Feringgi.

Hmmm!! lucky you. Will it work for others???? Over to others

[Ned]

The question is what will you do when your Tourist Visa runs out. Will you go back to a 30 day visa run or head back down to Penang for another Tourist Visa?

[Nam Kao]

Thanks for the report

-nam

[Doza]

I will be either in a new job here with another work permit and non-imm visa or working elsewhere.

At least now we know that it is possible to stay 60 days in a row with tourist visas and 30 day stamps for tourists. It is still unclear if I would be granted another tourist visa or 30 day stamp if I was to try again. This is the old 'time will tell' scenario eveyone has been talking about.

[h5n1]

good report although it raises one issue i think important. you came in by plane - i dont think persons will be as scrutinized returning by plane as by land .

doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior.

[tropo]

doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior.

There's never been any question of this regardless of having a string of 30s prior or not.

The questions will start after Dec 29, the 90th day from Oct 1.

[rainman]

the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again.

[Doza]

Just trying to be helpful. Many people have helped me so thought I should dothe same.

[Digitalbanana]

the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again.

Well isn't that the point of a web site like this? I do not understand what you are suggesting? Censorship?

My thanks to the OP for the update.

[Roger Dodger]

Thanks for that report Doza, old buddy.

I can say pretty much the same thing... after a couple nice border runs - the last of which ended in a pair of soiled trousers and minor scuffle on the bus - i took the show down to Penang for one of them TVs and i gotta say i say i had a great time... Lovely guest Houses there in Georgetown, friendly faces, i got wrecked on that nice beer down there and had a terrific two days walking around the Komtar.

Anyhoo, they welcomed me back with a big Sawasdeekrap. Which i returned with a thoughtful Wai. Now i'm good for another 2 months! I say we've got NOTHING to worry about. We'll all be right as rain. Alot of you are sweating over nothing.

[thaigene2]

doza - 2 stamps = 60 was never in question unless you have a string of 30s prior.

There's never been any question of this regardless of having a string of 30s prior or not.

The questions will start after Dec 29, the 90th day from Oct 1.

Yup - that's my understanding too. Don't think this is blowing over guys. In fact, it hasn't actually started yet. Wonder what the vacancy rates will be like in Pattaya come January? Still hi-season too!

[Roger Dodger]

"The end is nigh! The END is NIGH!!!!"

That's frog droppings! Decent folks will always be welcome in the Land of Smile.

[Maestro]

...to Penang for one of them TVs ...good for another 2 months! ...

And in case you don't know it yet -- but you probably do -- you can get a 30-day extension at any immigration office in Thailand for 1,900 Baht.

--

Maestro

[Roger Dodger]

...to Penang for one of them TVs ...good for another 2 months! ...

And in case you don't know it yet -- but you probably do -- you can get a 30-day extension at any immigration office in Thailand for 1,900 Baht.

--

Maestro

Well, YEE-HAW!!

At this rate I'm NEVER gonna leave!

[tropo]

the thing is, now that you told everybody, more and more people will start doing it and they will end up clamping down again.

Rainman, in case you haven't been keeping up of late, the Penang visa run is the most touted, talked about tourist visa run bar none. An extra story or two will make no difference at all.

I would seriously recommend anyone that requires a TV in early January to go right now, a month early.

It might be impossible to get a cheap flight to Penang in January, and the occupancy rates at the hotels there will be through the roof as even without visa runners it's peak season.

[lsglsg51]

Nice to hear about Penang, one question, the cost abot the trip?

fly

visa

hotel

taxi

thanks a lot

[Doza]

Flights were a bit over 3K, airport p/u, visa and agents services were 150RM in total, hotel was about 1600 baht, taxis depend on where you goin.

All prices can vary depending on your won arrangements, except the visa cost and p/u with NJ Bookstore on Chulia st whihc is 150RM.

[k1w1]

It cost me about B9000 to do the trip last month.

Does anyone know if it works the other way around. ie after a 3 month TV you do a daytrip to the border for a VOA and...