TimmyTwo Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 I have to leave Thailand by the 12th because my visa expires. I went to Laos in February, so don't want to go there again. I was going to go to Hong Kong because I have a friend who lives there. But I have quite a heavy work schedule at the moment so I don't want to be away from Bangkok too long. I would rather have an extended stay when I visit HK. So I'm thinking of a quick visit to Cambodia or Vietnam. I've never been to either of these countries before. Which would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddy Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Ahh, go to hell. Just kidding. I guess if you want to make it a quick trip then it shouldn't matter where you go as the end result is to get back in asap. Maybe look around on which Embassy is the most organised/quickest. Good luck young grasshopper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbo Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 They're power bars. Eat one. Get power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyTwo Posted April 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 I forgot to mention that I have a 60-day double entry visa, so don't need to visit an embassy. But If I'm visiting another country I'd like to have a look around, maybe stay a night or two and explore. It seems rude not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayummy Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Visit Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 I forgot to mention that I have a 60-day double entry visa, so don't need to visit an embassy. But If I'm visiting another country I'd like to have a look around, maybe stay a night or two and explore. It seems rude not to. phnom phen cambodia would be my shout !!! cheap flights with air asia also !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English_Bob Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Phnom Penh for a three day break is fine. But no more than 3 days - see Tuol Sleng, Killing Fields, Grand Palace and errm well that's it. Hanoi - as above, but even less to do. Maybe go to Halong Bay and see the karst formations and caves - but it's really touristy now. Singapore is cool - clean, interesting, great food and lots to do. Can be hellish expensive though - some top nightspots there. Penang in Malayasia is pretty nice. Get some great Indian food in Geroge Town and go out to some of the beaches on the west coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyTwo Posted April 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't even think of Penang. My mum used to live and work there before I was born, so it would be kinda cool to visit the place. Another thing that put me off Hong Kong was the expensive flights. I don't mind paying if I'm going to be there for a while, but it hardly seems worth paying top dollar for just a short visit. My friend said it's due to business travellers and suggested flying to Macau instead, then getting the ferry. I liked this idea as I could visit the casinos (and hopefully pay for the trip, lol). But suprisingly the flights to Macau were even more than Hong Kong. However, I did find cheaper flights on AirAsia. They aren't exactly EasyJet or RyanAir, but maybe that's due to the crappy exchange rate. Anyway, I just did some searching on AirAsia for flights to various spots. If anyone's interested here are the prices: (All with outbound on 11th, inbound on the 13th - that's Monday/Wedneday. Prices include tax) Ho Chi Minh - 5,040.00 Phnom Penh - 6,140.00 Hanoi - 6,950.00 Penang - 7,475.00 Singapore - 9,900.00 Hong Kong - 10,832.00 Macau - 13,410.00 I'm still unsure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 But suprisingly the flights to Macau were even more than Hong Kong. Not surprising at all. Macau is a smaller airport catering to well-heeled tourists (and the riff-raff that fly into Kong Kong and take the ferry over). That was one of my first border runs but I flew into Hong Kong, got my visa sorted out, and then took the ferry over to Macau for the APT and APPT tournaments and then flew back via Hong Kong. The consulate in HK is very nice. The people are nice. It's in a big office building. Dropped off the passport for a student visa and came back the next morning and picked it up. No hassles. In Phnom Pehn I was told it was a minimum of three working days for a simple tourist visa (with no back-to-back tourist visas ever). BTW, you can also do Saigon for a visa run. The consulate is in the middle of nowhere. They're not out in the jungle or anything but they were a long taxi ride to the outskirts of town (must be the same guys who located the new immigration office not even remotely close to the BTS or MRT in Bangkok). But the gal there was very helpful and didn't even ask my name when I came back to pick up the visa. There's nobody there. I might have been the only person she'd seen in awhile :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTHM Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Siam Riep, Cambodia, is my advise... Not sure about flights and prices, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolbreez Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Have you thought about trying Yangon in Myanmar? It's nice for a few days, with a stay at the Central hotel downtown. It's the only place I've been to over here that there is still a black market for changing money. Official rate is 6.45 kyat, and the black market rate is 1500 kyat to the dollar. It's got some pretty good beer too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Phnom Penh - 6,140.0 i got a flight to phnom penh in july for around 1,400 baht ... air asia had a special deal on .... 6,140 sounds a lot !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypermanic Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Tim, If a very short trip - go to Cambo. Not too much to see in comparison with Vietnam where you could easily travel for a number of months. I have to leave Thailand by the 12th because my visa expires. I went to Laos in February, so don't want to go there again. I was going to go to Hong Kong because I have a friend who lives there. But I have quite a heavy work schedule at the moment so I don't want to be away from Bangkok too long. I would rather have an extended stay when I visit HK. So I'm thinking of a quick visit to Cambodia or Vietnam. I've never been to either of these countries before. Which would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyTwo Posted April 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Not surprising at all. Macau is a smaller airport catering to well-heeled tourists (and the riff-raff that fly into Kong Kong and take the ferry over). That was one of my first border runs but I flew into Hong Kong, got my visa sorted out, and then took the ferry over to Macau for the APT and APPT tournaments and then flew back via Hong Kong. Who are you calling riff-raff? Fair point though. BTW, you can also do Saigon for a visa run. The consulate is in the middle of nowhere.... Do I need to visit a consulate? I thought that because I had a 60-day double entry visa I only had to leave the country. Please advise i got a flight to phnom penh in july for around 1,400 baht ... air asia had a special deal on .... 6,140 sounds a lot !!! Wow, that's cheap. I thought 6k was a lot too, especially for such a short flight. I did have another look on the Air Asia website and they have some promotions. It's nothing spectacular..... 20% off all flights within Asia, but it only seems to be one-way trips. Maybe I'll have to book 2 x one-way flights. They also say they have special deals on their websites on Fridays. Thanks for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 i just rechecked my details .... i booked the flight in february for july travel, air asia had a special promo going .... the return ticket was only 1,310 baht plus 140 baht handling fee .... total 1,450. but i also travelled to phnom phen at the end of last year and only paid 3 or 4,000 for a return ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 You Do I need to visit a consulate? I thought that because I had a 60-day double entry visa I only had to leave the country. Please advise You don't need to go to the consulate because you're just getting a border stamp but a lot of people hit these places for their visas and just letting them know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I forgot to mention that I have a 60-day double entry visa, so don't need to visit an embassy. But If I'm visiting another country I'd like to have a look around, maybe stay a night or two and explore. It seems rude not to. do u mean a double entry 60-day visa which is 60 + 30 days .... or do u mean a double 60 day tourist visa ... which goes something like ... 60 + 30 + 60 + 30 !!!! ..... i think !!! somebody can advise exact sequence. so basically a single 60 day tourist visa is good for 90 days and a double 60 day tourist visa should be good for 180 days !! i only ever had single tourist visas, but when the 60 days were up u could just go to immigration and get a 30 day extension and then when that was up just go and get another tourist visa. or have u already used ur 30 day extension ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBatch Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 i got a flight to phnom penh in july for around 1,400 baht ... air asia had a special deal on .... 6,140 sounds a lot !!! its fooking a lot coz of this NY season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 its fooking a lot coz of this NY season. well if u asians had ur NY when it's supposed to be .... u wouldn't have this problem !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyTwo Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 You don't need to go to the consulate because you're just getting a border stamp but a lot of people hit these places for their visas and just letting them know. Okay, thought so. do u mean a double entry 60-day visa which is 60 + 30 days .... or do u mean a double 60 day tourist visa ... which goes something like ... 60 + 30 + 60 + 30 !!!! ..... i think !!! somebody can advise exact sequence. so basically a single 60 day tourist visa is good for 90 days and a double 60 day tourist visa should be good for 180 days !! i only ever had single tourist visas, but when the 60 days were up u could just go to immigration and get a 30 day extension and then when that was up just go and get another tourist visa. or have u already used ur 30 day extension ?? I arrived early January on a 30-day tourist visa (my mistake). I went to the Bangkok immigration in early February thinking I could get another 30-days, but they only gave me 14 days. Ugh. So I then went to Laos on a visa run and got a 60-day tourist visa. In my passport it says "no of entry: 2". I'm under the impression this gives me 2 x 60 days, along with the 60 I've almost had, i.e. 180 days. However, I'm not 100% sure. I guess I'll find out when they next stamp my passport. I hope it's another 60-days as I have to pop back to the UK in early June, so it would fit my plans perfectly. As for flights..... I originally booked a one-way ticket from London to Bangkok with EVA air. When I got to Heathrow they said they wouldn't let me on the flight unless I had a ticket out of the country. They said they'd set me up with a fully refundable ticket, so I had to pay £225 for a ticket to Phnom Phen. I was told to go to the EVA air office in Bangkok to get a refund. It was a mission to locate the office, but I eventually did. They then told me that the refund process takes 2 months.... and I'm still waiting. I think I got mugged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiaranM Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I arrived early January on a 30-day tourist visa (my mistake). I went to the Bangkok immigration in early February thinking I could get another 30-days, but they only gave me 14 days. Ugh. So I then went to Laos on a visa run and got a 60-day tourist visa. In my passport it says "no of entry: 2". I'm under the impression this gives me 2 x 60 days, along with the 60 I've almost had, i.e. 180 days. However, I'm not 100% sure. I guess I'll find out when they next stamp my passport. I hope it's another 60-days as I have to pop back to the UK in early June, so it would fit my plans perfectly. my understanding is that with a double tourist visa u get .... 1st visa 60 days + 30 days ext at immigration no need to leave thailand. now i am not sure if u have to leave the country to "activate" the 2nd tourist visa but it then gives u 60 days + 30 days ext at immigration no need to leave thailand. so with u double tourist visa u should be able to stay in thailand for 180 days, but u may perhaps have to leave thailand once. if u check out thaivisa ... someone there should know exactly what u need to do !!! http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/1-thai-visas-residency-and-work-permits/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyper223 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have to leave Thailand by the 12th because my visa expires. I went to Laos in February, so don't want to go there again. I was going to go to Hong Kong because I have a friend who lives there. But I have quite a heavy work schedule at the moment so I don't want to be away from Bangkok too long. I would rather have an extended stay when I visit HK. So I'm thinking of a quick visit to Cambodia or Vietnam. I've never been to either of these countries before. Which would you recommend? 1. Vietnam and Burma require you get a visa at the embassy before hopping a flight. 1.1 Burma is troublesome about issuing visas at times. They demanded I provide copies of my work permit to prove I wasn't a journalist. 2. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma all suffer from the same mental disease known as songkran. You're traveling during this time. If you don't enjoy being assaulted (by definition involuntarily) with water and chalk, then choose an alternate country. 3. I have no 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyTwo Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 my understanding is that with a double tourist visa u get .... 1st visa 60 days + 30 days ext at immigration no need to leave thailand. Yes, you're correct. I contacted thaivisa (thanks for the link) and they confirmed what you said. They were super helpful. However, it's actually best I leave now and get another 60 days. I have to pop back to the UK in early June for my brother's stag do, so getting an extension of 30-days means I'll still have to leave again before June. At least this way I only have to leave once then I'm all good until June, which won't be a forced vacation. Then when I'm in the UK I can apply for another visa. 2. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma all suffer from the same mental disease known as songkran. You're traveling during this time. If you don't enjoy being assaulted (by definition involuntarily) with water and chalk, then choose an alternate country. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolbreez Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Yes, you're correct. I contacted thaivisa (thanks for the link) and they confirmed what you said. They were super helpful.However, it's actually best I leave now and get another 60 days. I have to pop back to the UK in early June for my brother's stag do, so getting an extension of 30-days means I'll still have to leave again before June. At least this way I only have to leave once then I'm all good until June, which won't be a forced vacation. Then when I'm in the UK I can apply for another visa. LOL. You'll save bt1900 by not getting an extension also. The extension is not free, it costs bt1900, and you'll only have to leave once no matter how you do it. You do not have to leave the country to get an extension, it's all done at immigration. They did not extend the free tourist visas, so now when you go home, and get your next set of tourist visas they will cost money. In US dollars they are $35 each, but you can still get 3 of them if you want to. That makes them good for 180 days before you have to use them all, giving you a little under 9 months on tourist visas if you work your extensions, and leaving the country right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_am_George Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Forget a these namby pamby places............. if you dont need to visit a consulate or whatever then get a cheap Cebu Pacific fight to Clark in Philippines and party for a couple of days in Angeles City, you'll have fun ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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