Kanchanaburi border (Phu Nam Ron) for visa runs

[HHTel]

I am led to believe that if you want to proceed into Myanmar then you need a visa which you have to obtain from the Myanmar embassy in BKK. I understand that there is no visa on entry (visa exempt) but as long as you are returning back to Thailand immediately, then there is no need for a visa.

But I could be wrong!

[paul406]

Hello

I went to renew my VISA at Kanchanaburi on February 26.
They now charge 900 baht for the "fees" that includes their service fee and the Burmese VISA fee.

And they require you to ride with a driver to the Burma side, where they process your VISA and take your photo themselves with what looks like a webcam.

[HHTel]

Yes, I'd already heard that you now have to travel to the other side. Still, 900 baht (all in) without the need of pristine dollars, still a good deal IMO.

[Eugene]

Did my visarun yesterday. I haven't noticed any gps coordinates in this thread, so here they are:
N13.92140 E99.06219

The route from Hua Hin on google maps:
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Hua+ ... ls&t=m&z=9

It took me 3 hours to drive to that place from Hua Hin. I hope, that helps someone.

[Frank Hovis]

Are you sure?
Isn't the the actual border crossing here 13.894536,99.081824, and the 'immigration' offices are about here (Thai) 13.924445,99.082768 and here (Myanmar) 13.888125,99.079743.

[Gérard]

Are you sure?
Isn't the the actual border crossing here 13.894536,99.081824, and the 'immigration' offices are about here (Thai) 13.924445,99.082768 and here (Myanmar) 13.888125,99.079743.

The coordinates above are accurate.

[Eugene]

Are you sure?

Yes, I found them on two other different forums and used myself to make a route in google maps. Got right to the place.

[usual suspect]

I think I remember reading on other forums that when this border-crossing opened for visas the fee for the man to go process your visa etc was 100-200B (Autumn last year).
How very quickly this fee has spirraled to 900B!
It kinda makes me think someone up there is still getting 100B for the 'fee' & someone else up there at the border has found out 900B is the fee the Andaman Club charge in Ranong..Twats!
(How long before the fee creeps up to say 1200B+ and Ranong starts being the prefered visa venue again..??)

[HHTel]

I was told the immigration charge was 500 and the 'runner' got an extra 200 so 700 in total. You would of course expect it to be cheaper having cut out the 'runner'.

Maybe the 900 includes the transport across.

[Eugene]

I know for sure that people on the 10th of January paid 700 baht there.

We were charged 900 each and when I tried to say that it should have been 700 baht, officers said: it used to be 700 but raised upt o 900 due to bla-bla-bla...
I also noticed that the amounts in their notebook were all like 900, 1800, 2700.. So I didn't midn anymore. We weren't asked for any additional money after that. The trip was much easier than to Ranong anyway.

P.S. We went on our own car to the Myanmar side, taking a guy with our passports with us. So, that's not an extra fee for transport.

[Gérard]

Are you sure?

Yes, I found them on two other different forums and used myself to make a route in google maps. Got right to the place.

Next time you go there, check again.
I had a wrong point too and corrected as on the attached maps.

[Eugene]

After revising google satellite photos I must admit that Frank Hovis and Gérard are right and my coordinates were wrong. Seems like in the end of the journey I took the correct turn left and then didn't look at the map at all.

[Gérard]

Thanks for confirming, Eugene !
Actually, I had the wrong coordinates (from some site) and quickly found the right place since there is no other paved road...

[buksida]

Rode to this border crossing at the weekend:

This is what I found out after speaking to Immigration officers and local police at the border point:

1) Phu Nam Ron checkpoint is 4km from the actual Burma border.
2) Border runs are doable @ a fee of 900 baht.
3) Foreigners cannot travel into Burma without a valid visa (obtainable in Bangkok).
4) The road to Dawei is in very bad condition so off-roaders with backup are recommended.
5) Vehicle registration book and valid insurance is required to take a bike/car across.
6) Two day passes for travel into Burma are in the pipeline, passport must be left at the checkpoint.

[buksida]