Visa Ride - Andaman Club in Ranong.

[Rider]

Quick guide on the visa run using the Andaman Club in Ranong...

The Andaman Club originated as a Hotel Complex in Phuket. While this still thrives on the island it has branched out to include the lucrative Visa Run market in Ranong.

Located just outside Ranong City to the north-west it operates two Catamaran's that ferry passengers, Farang, Thai and Burmese to and from the Burmese Border.

Instead of going to Victoria Point like most services do at Sangla Pier in Ranong City, Andaman Club operate their own pier that goes to an island (Andaman Island?) in Burmese Waters.

The Island is not just for getting your visa stamped but also hosts a casino and hotel. The procedure for the Andaman Club Visa Run is as follows:

On arriving at the Andaman Club you'll find there's plenty of car parking. If you're on a bike there's bike spaces near the main entrance, alternatively just use a car-space.

Andaman Club Lobby.JPG (105.92 KiB) Viewed 2972 times

Once inside you'll see a reception on your right and two immigration booths at the end of the lobby with two queuing alleys. As you've just arrived you want the right-hand booth which is departures.

Hint: It's handy if you've already filled out your departure card prior to arriving. That way you don't have to be filling it out at the last minute...

Hand over your passport with completed departure card to the right-hand booth official. Assuming all is well you'll be stamped out of Thailand and told when the next boat to Burma is. The Andaman Club charges 850 baht. This is all inclusive and covers the return boat-trip to Burma and any fee's you'd normally pay in US $. You pay the service fee at the Reception area you passed at the entrance.
Once you do this you'll get a double-ticket. You hand one of these in to the ticket-collector just before you get on board the boat.

Andaman Club Pier Ranong.JPG (99.55 KiB) Viewed 2972 times

It can take up to an hour between boats to get on the next one so you've usually plenty of time to get to the pier, which is sheltered with water-machines and observation windows.

The boat you'll be going on is a far cry from the rough and tumble longtail's of Sangla Pier. The Andaman Club really has it's act together for transport. Two coastal catamaran's run the circuit between Andaman Pier and the Casino Island. Once it arrives you'll have to wait for the passengers on board to disembark. Then, if you are a farang, you may have to wait until the casino personnel board (assuming it's shift change). Then it's your turn. Hand in your ticket and show your passport. You ought to tell the boat captain / attendant who takes your ticket if you are going to the casino or if you are coming straight back.
In the case of the former the boat may well depart as soon as you leave on the Burmese side. Returning only an hour later with more passengers.

Full Source Here:

http://www.ontheroadthailand.com/Andama ... anong.html

Andaman Club Catamaran.JPG (159.31 KiB) Viewed 2972 times

[TimandT]

Thanks for the informative post Rider - it seems to be an easy way to do the run once you can get down there.
Tim

[sandman67]

Does anyone wknow whether the roads to the Andaman are open or not yet?

Sods Law....need to do my final visa run on my current visa this week

[Nereus]

Does anyone wknow whether the roads to the Andaman are open or not yet?
Sods Law....need to do my final visa run on my current visa this week

Don't know if this might help?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... -in-ranong

Floods cause fuel shortage in Ranong

All pumps in Ranong have run out of fuel because the severe flooding in southern Thailand has cut supplies, reports said on Monday.

The flooding in Surat Thani since last week has prevented tanker trucks from distributing diesel, petrol and gasohol to nearby provinces.

A staff member of Thepsirin Co Ltd at a PTT station in Ranong said the company had dispatched tanker trucks to an oil terminal in Surat Thani on Saturday, but they could not reach their destination.

An employee at a Caltex station in Ranong said the tanks had run dry. Supplies could come only from Surat Thani.

Ranong governor Wanchart Wongchaichana said the Asian Highway through the area was closed to all vehicles by the floods.

As a consequence, cars were being diverted to Petchakasem road, which passes through Ranong, to go to Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket.

Mr Wanchart said the oil shortage in Ranong would be brief, as he believed supplies would likely arrive in the province later today.

Reports said many people had complained that more than 100 fuel trucks were supplying fuel to Burma. They felt the supply should be supplied to domestic fuel outlets first.

[sandman67]

Petchakasem Road sounds like its open from that article

Can anyone confirm? Is the Andaman gettable to?

Edit:

just found this on that other forum

Highway 41 was open today and we made it from KhaoLak to Surat to Prachuap Kiri Khan with no great difficulty.

So it sounds like it will be doable by the 7th when I have to do the run

would still appreciate a HHADer update tho

[sandman67]

did the run yesterday - 16 hrs of road hell

the roads are fine (apart from some roadworks mid way that are pretty rough and cause major bottlenecks) but the volume of heavy traffic - big bastard trucks - is bad due to the closures and the haulers needing to catch up. Traffic runs at a crawl some places, fine in others. Fuel stations are now all open.

Andaman immigration have replaced the two freindly smiley officers with two rude ignorant twats. The woman is just a grump, the man is just plain rude and has a proper bad attitude. Seems their boss is aware tho and hovers around in the back office. If the man throws the passport at you like he did with me (and no I didnt provoke that reaction in any way) do what I did and see his boss and make a complaint. Other than me there were two other farangs pissed off enough to complain (Russian couple he seems to have insulted) so if enough do it maybe he will be moved.

[TimandT]

did the run yesterday - 16 hrs of road hell

Thanks for the update

[margaretcarnes]

Useful info there by Rider on access and procedure. I'd just add though that the hotel/casino IMO is well worth a couple of hours stopover (if you can spare it) to have a meal. If you go into the casino be prepared to leave guns at the reception....

[Rider]

LOL. Thanks. I saw by the sign that as well!

I might check the place out if I get there early enough

[cookmanchef]

Has the payment location changed? I've always handed over my cash after passport control on the Burma side.

[Rider]

Has the payment location changed? I've always handed over my cash after passport control on the Burma side.

Yep, unless they've changed it again. I paid for mine at Thai side to get my tickets

[maninblack]

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to get there by bus from Hua Hin, i plan to go there on Friday.
Thanks all