Visa Run to Prachuap Khiri Khan...no more need for Ranong

Post by **coffee** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:28 pm

You can now get a new visa in Prachuab Khiri Khan at the burmese border there. No more need for expensive trips and rip off boat rides to Ranong. I was applying fior a work permit in Prachuap and had overstayed by a day and was told I needed a new visa. I trhought I would have to go to Ranong, but the girl at the work permit office said I could get a visa at the Thai border outpost just 15 minutes from Prachuap. I followed her directions and found a tiny border post with a very polite officer in residence. He issued a new visa and charged for my overstay at the normal rate....and it was all done in 10 minutes.

Post by **lomuamart** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:55 pm

Interesting news. Would you have been allowed to cross the border there for a visa run if you'd needed to?

Post by **Jaime** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:58 pm

lomuamart wrote:Interesting news. Would you have been allowed to cross the border there for a visa run if you'd needed to?

Would this be the Dan Sing Khon checkpoint with the small border market nearby? I was there in late April this year and neither myself or my Thai wife were allowed to cross into Burma. We were told that the crossing was solely for the benefit of Burmese migrant workers and the Thai border guards were dressed in camoflage and much more heavily armed than at the Burmese border crossings at Rim Moei (near Mae Sot). Unlike Rim Moei, there was no settlement in sight on the Burmese side, just a very steep road winding into endless jungle.

Post by **shakin' boxcar joe** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:27 pm

I was at that border last weekend , there is a market there selling orchids and other flowers that come in from Burma.

The market used to be on the Thai side of the border , last week it had moved to a new area across from the gate that marks the border.
We could cross without showing passports or paying any fee.

Further on there is some construction of what looks like a large border checkpoint. The market appears to be in a no mans land area between the Thai gate and the new checkpoint.

The recently upgraded road from Prajuap to Dan Singkon and the new checkpoint would indicate that this crossing point will become busier and more important.

Up until now , it has mainly been used to bring in either lignite or tin ore from the mines about 30 kilometers over into Burma , and the workers.

For those who like orchids , that market has some amazing specimens at very cheap prices , early morning at weekends is the busiest and best time.

Post by **Jaime** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 7:20 pm

Interesting stuff there SBJ. Things have certainly changed in the last couple of months by the sound of things. You are dead right about the orchids - some most unusual types there, along with furniture at around 30% of Hua Hin prices

Post by **coffee** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:57 pm

Thats the correct border post, but I don't think you can actually cross there. It is good for the visa though.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:03 pm

coffee,
Can you clarify exactly what you got for me (and I am sure others)? Firstly what type of visa do you have in the first place and where was it issued? Secondly when you say you had overstayed by 1 day was that the stamped date you had gone over or the printed date on the visa itself? Thirdly were you actually issued a brand new visa or just given another stamp for 30,60 or 90 days? Or were you given an extension which you had to pay 1900 baht for? The reason I ask is that I believe that you only got a stamp not an entirely new visa, and previously there they would allow the 90 day reporting for those with work permits/retirement/extended non immigrant visas but not issuing of brand new visas or the out/in visa run stamps. They have also given extensions to tourist and non immigrant visas there before. It would be great news if they were to do all the other things but I fear that those with a non immigrant 'O' visa and no work permit or extension will still have to trek to Ranong every 90 days.

Post by **Mart** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:04 pm

Can you confirm that I can get a visa stamp at this border post. Does anyone have times of opening etc? Directions anyone?
I have to get stamped on Tuesday and would rather not go to Ranong.

Cheers

Mart

Post by **Mart** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:59 pm

Just popped in to see my lawyer, and they called Immigration who knew nothing of this border. They said I have to go to Ranong!

Mart

Post by **buksida** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:35 pm

As far as I'm aware this place is called Singkhon and they can do visa renewals and extensions, I did three years of visas there (now its all done in Bangkok).

Again I could be wrong but you can't leave the country here because the Burmese side does not have an immigration, just a road into the jungle as Jaime said.

For those needing 30 day stamps, new visas or have to do border crossings Ranong is the only option. If you do not need to leave the country to renew your visa you can do it here.