Thread: Visa Time again .. Ranong or Malaysia?

Thought I better glean some info from the knowledgeable folk here on TD as to the current situation for a two week stamp from Ranong.

Firstly .. My situation .. Non O visa expired a month ago
. Flew to KL got one month on arrival Hkt airport.
. This expires Monday 23/2/15

Myself and the mrs will ride up from phuket to ranong this Saturday , completed the visa run and come back Sunday afternoon.

Questions !! ...

1. We would like to do the Andaman club visa but have heard they will not give two weeks there any longer if there's no current VISA in my passport. Ie .. They wont give two week stamps out .. Only extend as days permitted in a current visa. Is this a fact ?

2. If I get a long boat or ferry from the main port in Ranong to Kaw thing will I need to show funds for stay in the kingdom for Two weeks ?

3. Is it a better bet to ride to the Malay border or will I need to show funds there as I will not be part of a recognized visa run service ?

I have done this run many times before but after the last near death exp in a minivan
I prefer to take the bike for a spin.
I am an Australian national if it makes any difference.
We would prefer ranong to Malaysia as we can get decent accom there and look around on the Sunday .. Border point in Malaysia is a shithole.
Any info appreciated.

^^ That's worth a try thanks Todd. I will pop in tomorrow and see how that pans out at Phuket immigration.

If it doesn't It's no sweat we plan to get off the island this weekend anyhow.
Ranong has lost its visa run status and the current regs are very confusing , too much conflicting info on the net.

Originally Posted by shaggersback

^^ That's worth a try thanks Todd. I will pop in tomorrow and see how that pans out at Phuket immigration.

If it doesn't It's no sweat we plan to get off the island this weekend anyhow.
Ranong has lost its visa run status and the current regs are very confusing , too much conflicting info on the net.

It has?

Well, this poster just went thru Ranong Immigration to the Andaman Club - Burma last week with no problems.

Air Asia do a nice return to KL for peanuts and their hotel links will get you a return flight with a accommodation overnight for about 5k. Phuket may be a few quid cheaper, this price was for Surat departures.
For interest Todd, Surat immigration will only do 4x 30 day extensions now. Big signs all over the office in Thai and English. They will give you a 7 day waiver but before that expires you have to cross the border again.
It may be different for those who have tourist visas issued back home, but not seen my mate who uses this visa for a while.

[QUOTE=Boon Mee
It has?

Well, this poster just went thru Ranong Immigration to the Andaman Club - Burma last week with no problems. [/QUOTE]

That's good news and what I wanted to know.
Did you go as a tour ? Did u get a two week stamp and did u need present any USD ?

As far as I'm aware mini busses no longer do Ranong from Phuket due to rule changes.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I was basically doing my 90 day reporting by exiting and re-entering the country as I have a Non Imm O Visa and a multi-entry stamp in my passport.

OKay, now don't take this the wrong way Boon Mee, but you got your wirez crossed.

What you weren't doing was 90 day reporting, period, full stop, end of story...

Holding a year long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type-O visa (that you got outside the country) means you can't stay inside thailand for over 90 days. You were "running-4-the-border" to exit/re-enter and garner another permission to stay until stamp of 90 days.. What that means is, with that type of visa you NEVER do a 90 day report.

A foreigner only does a 90 day report at Immigrations IF they stay inside the country for MORE THAN 90 calendar dayz and your visa limits your stays to maximum of 90 days each entry..

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I was basically doing my 90 day reporting by exiting and re-entering the country as I have a Non Imm O Visa and a multi-entry stamp in my passport.

OKay, now don't take this the wrong way Boon Mee, but you got your wirez crossed.

What you weren't doing was 90 day reporting, period, full stop, end of story...

Holding a year long, multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type-O visa (that you got outside the country) means you can't stay inside thailand for over 90 days. You were "running-4-the-border" to exit/re-enter and garner another permission to stay until stamp of 90 days.. What that means is, with that type of visa you NEVER do a 90 day report.

A foreigner only does a 90 day report at Immigrations IF they stay inside the country for MORE THAN 90 calendar dayz and your visa limits your stays to maximum of 90 days each entry..

Something's not clear here Todd. I renew my Non Imm O Visa each year within the country and get a multi-entry stamp as well. Have been doing 90 day reports for >5 years now to Ayutthaya. Know some other Farangs who have the same creds I have - live in BKK and do the 90 day reports at Chang Wattena.

I believe you've possibly confused my op on this as I hold a multi-entry Non-Immigrant Type-O Visa (whatever that is) when I hold the plain vanilla Non Imm O and a multi entry stamp?

Aside from the above, the date I went to the Andaman Club and returned marks the start of another 90 day reporting period. Not the 90 day anniversary from when I was last at Ayutthaya.

Ok .. So has anyone any info on getting a two wewk stamp from the Andaman club ?
As in the OP itblooks like its only good for those with existing Visas.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I renew my Non Imm O Visa each year within the country and get a multi-entry stamp as well.

Okay, got it, I mis-remembered (or in reality, you use of terminology was sketchy).

If you're on a yearly extension of stay, what you don't have is a Non-O visa NOR do you re-new it EVER! Now you may have had one way back when you first started getting yearly extensions of stay but that original Non-O expired eons ago from what you say.

You simply have a yearly extension of stay AND you hold a multi-re-entry permit tied to that yearly extension (which lets you come and go all you want to as long as your extension is good for)..

Leaving the country (while holding what I just outlined) DOESN'T do a 90 day report for you.. You do that IF you don't leave the country in 90 days at an immigrations office.. What an exit/entry does is "re-set the 90 day count down clock", so you start counting 90 days again from when you re-enter the country before you're required to report.

A LOT of people think they "re-new their visas", BUT, they don't.. They apply for and receive a completely new yearly extension of stay each time. No one who gets extensions of stay EVER re-news their visa... It's just terminology, and I'm sorry to nip pick...

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Leaving the country (while holding what I just outlined) DOESN'T do a 90 day report for you..

Not to nit pick but in essence it does. Your address is noted by Immigration when you re-enter the country.

Thanks all for your input. From all reports it looks like Ranong will not do Two week stamps any longer. I can not find any current info to the contrary.
Looks like Satun then .. Hope theres something interesting to do there other than the border market !

As an aside ... I only require two weeks as Im booked to go Savannahket on the 5th.

Heres a servive from Nok air that I was only recently aware of ..

Nok Air invites you to visit Mukdahan, the charming North Eastern city of Thailand, with its new and convenient Fly'n'Ride service

Use Nok Air's new Fly'n'Ride service to easily travel between Bangkok and Mukdahan. A convenient journey with no hassle.

Fly'n'Ride means that you fly with Nok Air from Bangkok to either Nakhon Phanon with a convenient connection by coach to Mukdahan.

This new service is available every day from Bangkok to Mukdahan and from Mukdahan to Bangkok. Book now and explore beautiful Mukdahan with Nok Air



Don Mueang - Mukdahan
Departure Destination Dep. Time Arr. Time Transportation Comments
Don Mueang Nakhon Phanom 10:05 11:15 Flight DD9514
Nakhon Phanom Mukdahan 11:45 13:15 Coach DD109


Mukdahan - Don Mueang
Departure Destination Dep. Time Arr. Time Portation Comments
Mukdahan Nakhon Phanom 09:15 10:45 Coach DD110
Nakhon Phanom Don Mueang 11:45 12:55 Flight DD9515
* Schedule for travel til 01 February - 29 March 2014

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Not to nit pick but in essence it does. Your address is noted by Immigration when you re-enter the country.

You can pick all the nitz you want.

Seeing as the border crossings have NOTHING to do with 90 day reporting, to put it simply, you're wrong.

That they note your address isn't the same as turning in a TM-47 form at your local Immigrations office.

As I said earlier, what it does (and the ONLY thing it does) is; re-set the 90 day count down clock again.

How about we agree to disagree, instead of this "who can piss further match"? I have an enlarged prostate anyway... You win... think what you want...

Originally Posted by shaggersback

Thanks all for your input. From all reports it looks like Ranong will not do Two week stamps any longer. I can not find any current info to the contrary.
Looks like Satun then .. Hope theres something interesting to do there other than the border market !

border market sucks

Satun is a nice small town, but not much to do :-)
Take ur kindle

Originally Posted by shaggersback

Heres a servive from Nok air that I was only recently aware of ..

Nok Air invites you to visit Mukdahan, the charming North Eastern city of Thailand, with its new and convenient Fly'n'Ride service

Use Nok Air's new Fly'n'Ride service to easily travel between Bangkok and Mukdahan. A convenient journey with no hassle.

Fly'n'Ride means that you fly with Nok Air from Bangkok to either Nakhon Phanon with a convenient connection by coach to Mukdahan.

This new service is available every day from Bangkok to Mukdahan and from Mukdahan to Bangkok. Book now and explore beautiful Mukdahan with Nok Air



Don Mueang - Mukdahan
Departure Destination Dep. Time Arr. Time Transportation Comments
Don Mueang Nakhon Phanom 10:05 11:15 Flight DD9514
Nakhon Phanom Mukdahan 11:45 13:15 Coach DD109


Mukdahan - Don Mueang
Departure Destination Dep. Time Arr. Time Portation Comments
Mukdahan Nakhon Phanom 09:15 10:45 Coach DD110
Nakhon Phanom Don Mueang 11:45 12:55 Flight DD9515
* Schedule for travel til 01 February - 29 March 2014

Careful with Nok-air if you have appointments or connecting flights... they repeatedly moved flight times several hours for me recently.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Not to nit pick but in essence it does. Your address is noted by Immigration when you re-enter the country.

You can pick all the nitz you want.

Seeing as the border crossings have NOTHING to do with 90 day reporting, to put it simply, you're wrong.

That they note your address isn't the same as turning in a TM-47 form at your local Immigrations office.

As I said earlier, what it does (and the ONLY thing it does) is; re-set the 90 day count down clock again.

How about we agree to disagree, instead of this "who can piss further match"? I have an enlarged prostate anyway... You win... think what you want...

The sense behind the reporting is that authorities know your present whereabouts. When re-entering Thailand that's done on the arrival card, therefore no need to clock in at immigration again for 90 days - or so it was explained to me at Nan immigration office.

They was fun 900klms to be told no more two week stamps on the Malaysia border either.
Off to Phuket immigration Monday to extend.
Good knowing the bike runs like a clock tho ..��

Left my wife in Ranong once whilst I done a run
Found her in 7-11 hiding from the pong of the market
2weeks later (on another run) she refused to leave the hotel
Never been back since
Interesting though!

Air Asia has similar Bangkok-Nakhon Phanom -Mukdahan fly-ride dealyz.

Unless I'm mistaken BOTH Nok and AA get in too late to Mukdahan make it across the border and turn in visa paperwork AND leave too early to pick up your passport from the thai consulate in Savannakhet. This necessitates two extra dayz of stay.

I think that premium bus service Nakhon Chai Air (<-highly recommended) has a bus Nakhon Phanom then you can take a mini van to Mukdahan.

Originally Posted by shaggersback

They was fun 900klms to be told no more two week stamps on the Malaysia border either.
Off to Phuket immigration Monday to extend.
Good knowing the bike runs like a clock tho ..��

which one?


an what exactly did they say?
no more 15 day or 30 day if G7 member at all or only cause of ur situation

The national park at Satun. Sorry I fget the name I was buzzing after 6 hrs in the saddle.

He looked at my entry stamp into HKT from Kl on the 25th. Grunted and asked if I wished to come back into Thailand. I said of course ... Would I get two weeks and he said " before can , now cannot. " Asked me where I lived and said I had to go to phuket imm for an extention.

I was at imm today from 11am .They said come back at 1pm. The dark Lady on The help desk was built like a brick shithouse tho polite. Her counterpart is more attractive and a gruff bitch.

I got out at 2.30pm. Terribly understaffed but at least they have an operational ticked system. 30 days 1900b.