6

I'm in Thailand right now. My original plans were to go to Laos and/or Cambodia, but now these plans have changed and I'll only visit Thailand. I need to do a visa run as explained here and the only country I can visit without paying a visa fee or an expensive air ticket is Malaysia.

According to my plans I'll visit Krabi, so the question is, from Krabi, what's the easiest Malaysian border I can access to do a visa run?

Improve this question
3
  • I believe that the region of Thailand just north of Malaysia can be a bit dangerous on the roads for tourists. Be careful and do some research. Good luck.
    – CharlieHolley
    Commented Aug 1, 2012 at 15:37
  • Thank you for your advice. It seems that now the area is safe, but I will double check it when I arrive Hat Yai (next saturday).
    – Ivan
    Commented Aug 8, 2012 at 12:51
  • I would not say safe - just a couple of weeks ago there were bombings. It happens so often it is not even reported anymore unless it is big or high profile.
    – Wolf5370
    Commented Aug 10, 2012 at 21:16

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5

enter image description here

Notifications :

"Visa Runs" more than 1 time is no longer tolerated among ASEAN Countries wef from 2019 to combat illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Come 2020, more inter-border controls will be announced soon, even in the US, UK, EU, AU, NZ and many other countries. Patience.. wait for those announcements.

Performing visa runs the 3rd time in various ASEAN countries, you can be rewarded a NTL (Not To Land) stamp in your passport. One can be caught NTL by both countries at the same trip. Not having enough funds to fly back to source country may result a traveler to be held in notorious detention camps in both Thailand and/or Malaysia.

Check your own risks.

Improve this answer
1
  • What would be the requirements to be classified as a visa run? Could you trip this accidentally while roaming from country to country around ASEAN with each country's visa limits and not working etc? For instance, I tend to criss-cross through Thailand several times per trip because it's central and doesn't require a visa.
    – hippietrail
    Commented Sep 7, 2022 at 11:07
6

You might be better off specifically going to Penang (Malaysia), so you can visit the Thai Embassy there and purchase a 90-day visa (as opposed to the traditional 30-day visa). It's quite easy to do the visa run from Phuket, and I would assume the same goes for Krabi as from memory it is quite close to Phuket.

When you're in Krabi or Phuket, go to a travel agent and ask about doing the visa run to Malaysia and they'll show you your options + prices, but again I'd recommend Penang so you can get a 90-day visa (if desired).

Improve this answer
1
  • I'm pretty sure that it's a 60-day visa that you can extend after arrival for an additional 30 days (and 1900 Baht :) )
    – Tom Hale
    Commented Aug 12, 2016 at 2:36
3

Depending on where in Thailand you are, you could also cross the border in Takhilek, in the north of the country, spending a few hours in Myanmar.

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    Yes, but don't buy the fake cigarettes, viagra or blank porn DVD's from the many many hawkers that hound you in Taichek market! If you go down the stairs in Taichek and turn left (most people turn right), then there is a little coffee shop about 50 m down on the right - can be nice to relax and wait your 30 minutes until the walk back to get the bus home. Incidently, you don't need to enter Burma at all, just tell the Burmese officer who takes your money you have no time to shop and he'll just stamp your passport so you can turn straight back. Everything they sell is available both sides
    – Wolf5370
    Commented Aug 10, 2012 at 21:21

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .