Author	Message
Anna Member	# Posted: 9 Nov 2006 14:57:24 Hello! I am going to travelling in January (on my own), starting in Thailand. I am going to Sydney after that from Bangkok. My travel agents suggested I get a flight to Sydney 30 days after I arrive in Bangkok, as she said that's all I can stay for. I want to stay for longer than that I think - does anyone know how easy this is? Also - if I go out of Thailand - say into Cambodia etc - does it change to 30 days again? Just not sure what date to book my flight to Sydney so any advice would be most appreciated! anna x

JaMeZ Moderator Amsterdam	# Posted: 9 Nov 2006 15:42:39 Hi Anna, Yep, you can do a border run to a neighboring country (Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos or Burma), spend a night there (or more) and then head back to Thailand and get another 30 day visa. James "It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase 'As pretty as an Airport' appear." - Douglas Adams
Jason Kester Member	# Posted: 16 Nov 2006 04:06:08 Careful though, you'll need to get a $50 visa to do your border run in Laos. Your best plan would be to try to be near the Malaysian border when it's time to do a visa run. Travel agents in Krabi and Ao Nang will be able to hook you up with a share taxi to do the whole thing in a day. I've done maybe a dozen visa runs in Thailand. So far, my favorite (and the cheapest) has been to take public transport to Satun, then rent a motorbike and cross the border in the national park nearby. Spend the day relaxing at a waterfall, then catch the AM bus back to Trang and onward. Good luck! Jason Kester --- Get your own Travel Blog http://www.blogabond.com/
HorseHead Mcgee Member	# Posted: 1 Dec 2006 18:14:50 · Edited by: HorseHead Mcgee Malaysia and Burma are the easiest, and least costly to do a border run. With both Cambodia and Laos you will have to get a Visa to enter those countries, (and the land border to Cambodia is somewhat treacherous, but Cambodia is a great country and worth a visit, but spend the money and fly in, don't take a bus). For most people I met, especially foreigners working in Thailand, the easiest is Burma. And most travel agencies in the heavily touristed areas will have a visa run service. And last I check (last year), you don't have to spend the night
Anna Member	# Posted: 1 Dec 2006 18:45:25 Great - that's really helpful! Why do you have to fly to Cambodia? sounds dodgy! Would love to go there!
HorseHead Mcgee Member	# Posted: 1 Dec 2006 22:07:23 What's dodgy is taking a bus to Cambodia. The Thai/Cambodian border is notorious for fraud and scams. And the roads in that area of Cambodia are not that great. Everyone I have talked to who has done the bus ride said it was a total travel time of 24 hours, (break downs, waiting for visa etc). Flying is pretty straight-forward. (www.airasia.com) You can go direct from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap (that is where Angkor Wat is). My only recommendation if flying to Siem Reap is to book your hotel in advance (most will send a driver to pick you up)...the airport is not within walking distance to the town. And generally, the only people waiting at the airport are touts. However, once in town and settled in, Cambodia is great. They call Thailand the land of smiles, but in my opinion, Cambodia has Thailand beat...the people are generally extremely friendly and helpful. For about $5-$10 per day, you get your own tuk tuk driver for your entire stay (he will take you around to the sites, wait for you...pick you up at your hotel for dinner...then pick you up in the morning for another day of sight-seeing, its really great, you have your own personal driver). At the very least, I would put Siem Reap as a must visit. You can skip Phnon Pehn unless your a shopaholic...and the Thai beaches are much better than the Cambodian coast, so you don't really need to go there either.