Visa / Border Run

Post by **KelpieKiss** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:52 pm

I'd really appreciate anyone's opinions on what's the quickest, easiest and fastest way to do a border / visa run from Hua Hin.

Thanks in advance!

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:59 pm

The closest point to here is Ranong and over to Burma. (That's assuming you just need to exit Thailand and quickly re-enter for a 30 day entry stamp or another 60/90 day stamp on your visa. Rather than obtaining a new Tourist Visa etc - there's no Thai Emb/consulate there).
The fastest way would be to drive yourself. I've known "boy racers" make Ranong in 4.5 hours, but allow 5.5 at a more leisurely pace and some pit stops. It'll take you about 1.5/2 hours in Ranong and Burma itself. So, you could do the whole thing in 12 hrs or so.
Alternatively, you can get a bus (Phuket bound) that leaves HH at 8am (do check the timing though) and that takes about 6/6.5 hours to Ranong. Return by bus is usually 7hrs. Same amount of time in Ranong and Burma. Total time 16 hours or so.
And then, there's the train to Chumphon, stay overnight and bus or mini bus the next day to Ranong. Return by bus.
Remember, you need 10 USD for the Burmese stamps and make sure it's a crisp, new note. Anything old looking or partially damaged will get rejected. Best to get the dollars from a bank here first. They'll cost @ 340 Baht. If you get them from the bandits in Ranong, they'll charge you 600 Baht.

Post by **KelpieKiss** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:05 pm

Sounds good lomuamart. Thanks very much for the detailed info!

Is it completely safe to go to Burma at the moment?

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:24 pm

You'll have no problems at Victoria Point (Burma). In fact there's no need to step beyond the barbed wire barricades (don't worry they've always been there. Not a sign of the recent times) and into the town proper. You'll be in Burma for 5 mins, unless there's a long queue.

Post by **KelpieKiss** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:33 pm

Nice one! Thanks!

Post by **splitlid** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:51 pm

for something different try Poi Pet in Cambodia.
takes just the same amount of time, and no waiting for boats. good market at the border and casinos in no mans land.or spend a night in bangkok to break up the trip. etc.

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:26 pm

That's true, except for the extra cost of a Cambodian visa and the reportedly far more strict Imm officers on the Thai side at Aranya - ie onward ticket out of Thailand (if doing a 30 day run), else you don't get back in. As I say, reports - I havn't that run for ages.

Post by **BaaBaa.** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:33 pm

splitlid wrote:for something different try Poi Pet in Cambodia.
takes just the same amount of time, and no waiting for boats. good market at the border and casinos in no mans land.or spend a night in bangkok to break up the trip. etc.

The same amount of time getting to Cambodia?

Hows that work then?

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:07 pm

I've never done it from HH before, but if you consider 3 hrs to BKK and on from there, the border won't be much more than 6 hours or so, will it? This assumes you're driving yourself. So, maybe not that much different.
Anyway, I've never gone there from HH and so am just basing my timing on guesstimates.

Post by **splitlid** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:22 am

2.5 hours to bangkok and then 2.5 hours to the border,

thats how that works then

Post by **Noz** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:30 pm

quote="lomuamart"]The closest point to here is Ranong and over to Burma. Alternatively, you can get a bus (Phuket bound) that leaves HH at 8am (do check the timing though) and that takes about 6/6.5 hours to Ranong. [/quote]

I checked the bus times today and can confirm 8am is the first bus leaving HH. Costs 245 baht for 2nd class aircon and takes 6 hours. Can anyone who's done the run advise as to whether this departure leaves enough time for exit and re-entry into Thailand the same day, either via the Andaman Club or other routes?

There's also a VIP bus (666 baht) that leaves HH 11pm-ish. What makes them VIP buses, other than presumably a toilet?

Post by **lomuamart** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:04 pm

The cut-off time for Ranong is 4.30pm stamp out at Imm. I've seen people there trying to get out afterwards (on my return from Burma), but to no avail. The reason is that Burmese Imm will be closed so you've got nowhere to go (assuming a long tail boat crossing). Arriving back in Ranong after 4.30pm shouldn't be a problem. They'll open up Imm to stamp you back in.
So, the bus from BKK that leaves HH at 8am is very rarely on time. I've known it turn up at 9.15am. You're then leaving yourself wide open to arriving late if the journey takes longer than 6 hours, which it sometimes does.
You should be OK, BUT??? I always go a day early now as I've been caught out like this on a number of occasions before and ended up with a 1 day overstay.
It's high season as well, so the bus might be full from BKK etc etc.
So, dosn't sound good, does it? You should be OK, but maybe it's wise to leave a day early? It's a lottery out there!!!
There are other ways - ie, if the bus hasn't arrived by 8.30/8.45am or so, jump on one to Chumphon, Surat Thani, Narariwat etc etc and get off at the big crossroads on the highway at Chumphon. Walk over to the road to Ranong and flag down any bus or mini bus that's going in the right direction. I've never stood there for more than 15 mins before.
I'm not sure of The Andaman Club schedule.

Post by **Noz** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:26 pm

Thanks Lomuamart. Sound advice. Think I'll either go a day earlier or take the overnight bus. Cheers.

Post by **lomuamart** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:23 am

Just as an add on to this. I've got to go to Ranong tomorrow so my wife called the bus station. As reported by Noz, the 8am bus is running, but if it's full or it bypasses HH (no-one getting off here and full and I have known this to happen before), the next Ranong service is 10am. That's almost guaranteed to get you Imm after 4.30pm, so you'll be stuck in Ranong for the night (it isn't the most "happening" place in Thailand).
Because of all this early voting that's been going on the weekend, I reckon tomorrow will be busy, so the station advised getting the 7.30am bus to Chumphon. As I mentioned above, you can jump out at the main Chumphon/Ranong crossroads on the highway, walk over to the Ranong direction and flag down minibuses, local buses, air con ones and even VIP. This seems a sensible way to go tomorrow and I've never had to wait long at the crossroads for some mode of transport to get me to Ranong.
Just another option for those doing the run.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:25 am

I'm going to the Andaman Club this week, and I have just telephoned them to find out the times of the boats to and fro, as I have been caught out by that before (and having to wait an extra 2 hours there than planned!). So the boat from the Andaman Pier in Thailand goes at 12 noon, 1 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm and 5 pm, while the return boat to Thailand goes at 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 1.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm. As far as I am aware there will always be an immigration officer there to stamp you in and out around those times. Although the Victoria Point crossing is interesting, when you have done it once or twice that's enough, and I would heartily recommend the Andaman Club in terms of safety, comfort, time and ease. It costs a little more but the extra is well worth it.