Sungai Kolok Border Crossing on 6mth multi-entry Tourist Visa

[ja99]

A few points on the Sungai Kolok border crossing between June 16-18..

 

-Travel to the border by 3rd class train from Hat Yai is 42baht, certainly cheap but be prepared to be outside your comfort zone. I was the only farang in my carriage and near Pattani the train was packed out with locals. You could say I was getting some looks, some not very friendly. Take the Aircon 'Express' train instead which seemed to have more armed soldiers on board packing M16s and bullet proof vests..

 

-In Sungai Kolok straight off the train, I was 'targeted' by a seemingly friendly local with backpack  and black baseball cap who followed me into the 711 after I strenuously avoided engaging in any dialog. He then went to the bottled water section and when I turned around to check he held a bottle up to me asking if I wanted Water? The obvious answer to this is NO and I sense that he has a bottle already loaded with a drug to knock a person out after which he can relieve you of your wallet/possessions.  This is a cunning operator and my guess is I am not the only one he has tried this on. I got in his face at the counter and told him where to go,  he then followed me over 100meters to the border on foot (dont do that at night) till I turned around and eyeballed him, then he thankfully disappeared. Take a motorcycle to the border instead.

 

- Re-entering Thailand after 2 days in K Baru on a 6mth tourist visa with 2mths remaining, I was admitted without any questioning or demands to see 20,000baht/onward airfare as is the custom at Sadao and P. Besar. I am told that Satun makes for a painfree crossing, tho  haven't tried that as yet.

 

So it seems the best way around all this would be to grab a cheap return  airfare to KL ex-Krabi /Phuket or Hat Yai , book ahead during the promos offered,

 

Cheers

Edited June 28, 2017 by ja99
spelling..

[phuketjock]

Some years ago I was a regular user of the border crossing at Sungai Golok and never ever

had anything like the experience you seem to have had, I also used the train from/to Hatyai

often.

I think most of what you think you experienced is in your head as I was never treated with any

thing other than friendship both on the train, in any class, and in Sungai Golok, I certainly was

never " targeted " by anyone, you are over thinking it, the guy was just being helpful, that's what

Thais do, you must have looked pretty spaced out eyeing everyone up suspiciously?

Unless it has changed you cannot cross at night the border closes at 6pm.

Edited June 28, 2017 by phuketjock
correction

[ja99]

43 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

Some years ago I was a regular user of the border crossing at Sungai Golok and never ever

had anything like the experience you seem to have had, I also used the train from/to Hatyai

often.

I think most of what you think you experienced is in your head as I was never treated with any

thing other than friendship both on the train, in any class, and in Sungai Golok, I certainly was

never " targeted " by anyone, you are over thinking it, the guy was just being helpful, that's what

Thais do, you must have looked pretty spaced out eyeing everyone up suspiciously?

Unless it has changed you cannot cross at night the border closes at 6pm.

I have been travelling for decades, never had an incident like this, definitely not in my head. There are other alerts about travelling through this town. As for everyone being friendly in the south, dream on.. Take a look at the security at Pattani station amd the armed soldiers on board for starters. There is a good reason for that. Trains on this line have been attacked in the past, maybe you havent heard about that. True enough, the Chinese lady sat opposite me was pleasant .

[lemonjelly]

"Only farang in the carriage... packed out with locals.... getting looks, some not friendly"...... traveller?...not really, more a high mileage tourist.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[sawadeeken]

Maybe 20-25 years ago I took a train to many stops in the south. Not sure i remember correctly but I think it was Hatyai or Songkla where i got off the train and was greeted by a local who offered to show me to a hotel......... I gave it a try and booked in to the hotel.... that time not carrying much cash but Traveler Checks which I stored in my carry-on bag left in the room.......... During my first several hours I got in my bag for a TC and thought some were missing........ the next day they all disappeared.............

Thank goodness I was able to get them replaced by American Express at a local bank......... I contacted Tourist Police who weren't much interested to help......

[swissbie]

Sawadeeken, there is no train connection and has never been to songkhla, ja99, as phuketjock wrote, crossing the border is and has never been possible at night. OP, you may have had a bad feeling or impression, but that doesn't mean that it's generally bad. I have crossed this border many times and am living now between Hat Yei and Pattanti, the only problem are ordinary criminals and traffic as everywhere in Thailand.

[recom273]

This is an strange tale. 

 

You got in a guys face in 7-11? WT

 

I don't find Golok a dangerous place at night, travelers always seem to hype up this military presence on the train. I live in Hat Yai, travel all the 4 provinces and don't particularly think that I am need particular protection as I'm in the aircon carriage.

 

The train is so slow, it takes forever - you are better to take the van, and get dropped at the border.

 

Also, why even go to Golok? Padang has gotten to be a little bit of a chore recently, but I came through Sadao the other day and they were really nice. I went to Malaysia for a weekend camping, and came back on my ME-O visa, no 20,000B was asked of, just a smile and a stamp.

 

Let me think about this, 1 hour in a van to Sadao and show 20,000B or sit on a train for a 10 hour return trip to Sungai Golok because I dont have to show 20,000B ... 

 

 

[amnicoll]

I agree with phuketjock I have been many time on the trains and in Golok and yes there are armed soldiers on the trains and the stations they are there for your security. Never met in Golok the type of person you met and never worried about going out in the night in the city.

 

Not sure either why you chose Golok instead of Sadao but you could have flown to Narathiwat got a van/songthaew  to Tak Bai and crossed there if your destination was Kota Baru

[sawadeeken]

19 hours ago, swissbie said:

Sawadeeken, there is no train connection and has never been to songkhla, ja99, as phuketjock wrote, crossing the border is and has never been possible at night. OP, you may have had a bad feeling or impression, but that doesn't mean that it's generally bad. I have crossed this border many times and am living now between Hat Yei and Pattanti, the only problem are ordinary criminals and traffic as everywhere in Thailand.

Then maybe it was Hatyai...... LOL..........

Long ago.......... But the part about the guy leading me to the hotel and then entering my room to steal my TC's was the meat of my story....... Probably worked together with the desk clerk........

[dabhand]

I crossed the border at Golok on numerous occasions during the 90's whilst working in Kelantan. Travelled up to Hat Yai a number of times by train, minibus and taxi with no untoward events. The border crossing was always a breeze and luckily was way before the introduction of the 'two strikes' rule currently in place. Never experienced any individuals wishing to assist with ulterior motives - quite the opposite. Including a positive experience with the Tourist police in Hat Yai who helped me out when I foolishly left my passport at a bank and were able to gain access on a Saturday to retrieve it for me.

Golok, though, always had an undercurrent of violence which occasionally reared it's head. We had a few expats who were robbed whilst in their hotel rooms - Genting and Marina Hotels come to mind. They were carried out by a team of locals carrying guns and machetes with our guys tied up but given clear indication that any resistance would not end well. Both the hotel and local police were just not interested in finding the perpetrators nor offered any compensation. Ironically, the level of security nowadays may well have reduced this type of crime although the possibility of a terror related incident is always there.

I sometimes wonder how my UK company would have viewed trips over the border to Thailand if the problems in the South had been at the level of the last decade or so. Trying to keep in excess of 100 expats away from the 'delights' of Golok, given what Kelantan had to offer in comparison, would have been a mighty task. 

[Stocky]

On 2017-7-1 at 3:04 PM, dabhand said:

Marina Hotel

Stayed at the Marina many a time back in the 90s when working in Malaysia, I have some fond memories of Sungai Golok.