Good  afternoon,

I have a visa run planned for this weekend. I am already in possession of a multiple entry Non-O visa that I obtained from Savannakhet last December, but still have to leave the country every 90 days. I usually use the tour companies to ferry me to and from the Cambodian border but frankly do not like using them, for the simple reason it's a long day. 4 hours there, 4 hours back, 2 hours over the border and have to wake up at the crack of dawn. So a 10 hour day, which I can fly to Europe in that time if I wanted to (which I don't want to, naturally). I was thinking of breaking up the trip, so going by myself. I'm aware I can get a bus to Aranyaprathet, from Ekkamai but just wondered about doing it alone minus the tour company. Is it usually hassle-free crossing over into Cambodia and back into Thailand on your own? Or is advisable to use the tour companies. Was hoping to spend a night in either Poi Pet or Aranyaprathet, to break the journey up and get out of Bangkok for a night. So, is it easy and pain free on one's lonesome or not? Please advise, thank you.

There have been reports that Poi Pet have warned people that they cannot do their crossings there with a multiple entry non-o visa.. At least one person was turned away from doing the crossing. 

Ban Laem would be a better crossing to try.

You could also do the crossing at the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing in Kanchanaburi to Myanmar. Transport across no mans land and the Myanmar border pass costs 960 baht.

Cheers Ubonjoe...can one get to Ban Laem by bus from Ekkamai?

 

Also, as far as Ban Phu Nam Ron goes, which bus station gets me there and how long is the travel period? 

 

Thanks in advance.

To get to Ban Laem you'd have to get Ekkamai bus to Chantaburi and then a minvan or taxi from there and probably have to overnightin Chantaburi first. The Myanmar option will be quicker but I don't know anything about getting there. Maybe Ubonjoe will.

Do you need a Myanmar visa to do the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing? They're expensive these days.

Thanks Sheryl, looks like Ban Laem it is then.

2 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Do you need a Myanmar visa to do the Ban Phu Nam Ron crossing? They're expensive these days.

You get a border pass for Myanmar. The 500 baht fee for it is included in the 960 baht charge to do their crossing.

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You get a border pass for Myanmar. The 500 baht fee for it is included in the 960 baht charge to do their crossing.

So the following warning is no longer valid?

 

 

1 hour ago, John <deleted> said:

Also, as far as Ban Phu Nam Ron goes, which bus station gets me there and how long is the travel period?

You can take a bus to Kanchanaburi (southern bus terminal I assume) and then a van or other local transport to Ban Phu Nam Ron.

Never done the trip myself but Google maps says it is a 3 hour trip from Bangkok.

17 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

So the following warning is no longer valid?

It is no longer valid. It has been possible for 3 or 4 months now according to recent reports.

Edit: Report in this topic.

 

Edited March 23, 20179 yr by ubonjoe

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can take a bus to Kanchanaburi (southern bus terminal I assume) and then a van or other local transport to Ban Phu Nam Ron.

Never done the trip myself but Google maps says it is a 3 hour trip from Bangkok.

Cheers, think I'll go with the Ban Laem option. Solo, minus a tour company. Will let you know upon my return how it all went.

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is no longer valid. It has been possible for 3 or 4 months now according to recent reports.

Is it still not possible to obtain a visa exempt entry to Thailand here?

1 minute ago, edwardandtubs said:

Is it still not possible to obtain a visa exempt entry to Thailand here?

As far as I know they still do not allow crossings unless you have a valid visa for re-entry. 

See the edit I did to my last post.