VISA on arrival ...
If you enter Thailand via any Thailand AIRPORT they give you a 30 day VISA on arrival but If you enter Thailand on foot / car/ bus or boat they only give you a 15 day Tourist VISA on arrival. The exception being if you have 2 or 3 month entry visa or a 6 - 12 month multiple entry Thailand VISA then @ ALL Thailand border crossings they give you 3 month Thailand VISA.
1 YEAR Education VISA 
Master Toddys Muay thai Academy @ BANGKOK is the ONLY gym in Thailand where you can be issued a 1 year Education Visa with out having to leave Thailand. You must sign up & PAY for 3 months training in advance BEFORE they issue you with the paper work to receive your 1 year Thailand EDUCATION visa. (This stops tourist from getting a free 1 year visa and not training). For more information about this visa you need to contact Master Toddys Muay thai GYM @ Bangkok Thailand
ONE WAY Ticket into THAILAND .. En less you have a Thailand work permit or a multi entry Thailand Visa the airlines wont allow you to board your flight to Thailand with out a departure ticket from Thailand. IT is the airline that will ask you this question in the hope that they can sell you an EXPENSIVE return flight home BEFORE they let you board the flight to Thailand. The Thai Immigration / customs office will seldom ever ask you about a return ticket out of Thailand . To get around this issue you can buy a cheap one way flight >> Phuket to Bali, Phuket to Singapore or Phuket to KL Malaysia for approx $75 - $100 one way.
Book flights online @ www.airasia.com
VISA EXTENSION ... If you want to stay more than 30 days in Thailand, you have 4 options to extend your visa in Thailand.
7 day VISA Extension
A 7 day visa extension is available from the Phuket or Bangkok immigration office . Visa extension fee = 1900 THB. In Bangkok you can get your visa extention @ the Dept of Consular affairs in the Chaengwattana Bldg (123 Chaengwattana Rd, Laksi Bangkok 10210 . tel +662 981 7171 (near Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport)
14 day Visa Extension
A day trip to Ranong Burma on a mini bus.
Visa Run Fee = approx 1800 THB
# See a short Video#> VISA Run - Phuket to Burma
30 day Via Extension
Depart Thailand & return same day visa the airport to receive 30 day Tourist visa on arrival at any Thailand airport. From Phuket you can buy a return flight to any of the following destinations for less than $100 return. >> Phuket to Singapore, Bali, jakarta, KL Malaysia, Hong kong, Macau, India, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos.
60 day Via Extension
A TWO day road trip from Phuket to Panang Malaysia on a mini bus. 10 hours bus ride down to Panang, One day wait for the Thai Embassy to complete the paper work and approve your visa + another 10 hours on a mini bus back to Phuket the following day. This Visa run + Visa application fee = approx 5000 THB .This visa run service is available twice a week.... or option (B)
The Thai Embassy @ KL Malaysia also give 60 days Thailand entry visa. Flight Phuket to KL Malaysia takes less than 2 hours & costs approx $200 return flight FROM Phuket. Book flights online @ www.airasia.com
TAKE NOTE ... The 60 day Tourist visa is currently available for FREE at ALL Thailand embassies around the world. You don't need any specific requirements to be eligible for the 60 day tourist visa, you only need to go to a Thai Embassy BEFORE you arrive in Thailand and apply for one.
Visa requirements for Thailand often change with out much warning so when in doubt, call your local Thai Embassy office for advise on Visa requirement updates. Their are currently no changes in the law due to be made for Thailand visa requirements & Thailand Visa on arrival for 2012.... read below for more details about Thailand Visa requirements & helpful information about Visa extension & Visa run options from Bangkok, Phuket & Koh Saumi
Thailand Visa Requirements
Passport holders from the following 41 Countries are given a standard 30 day Tourist Visa on arrival @ Thailand. No paper work is required for the visa, you get your 30 day visa stamp when you pass through the customs / Immigration Passport check point @ any Thailand international airport.
01. Australia
02. Austria
03. Belgium
04. Brazil
05. Bahrain
06. Brunei Darussalam
07. Canada
08. Denmark
09. Finland
10. France
11. Germany
12. Greece
13. Hong Kong
14. Iceland
15. Indonesia : Republic of Indonesia
16. Ireland
17. Israel
18. Italy
19. Japan
20. Korea (South)
21. Kuwait
22. Luxembourg
23. Malaysia
24. Netherlands
25. New Zealand
26. Norway
27. Oman
28. Peru
29. Philippines
30. Portugal
31. Qatar
32. Singapore
33. Spain
34. South Africa
35. Sweden
36. Switzerland
37. Turkey
38. United Arab Emirates
39. United Kingdom
40. United States
41. Vietnam
Thai Consulate locations (world wide)
Passport holders from the following countries are NOT eligible for the 30 day Tourist Visa on arrival & should contact their local Thai Embassy office for more information.
01. ALGERIA
02. BANGLADESH
03. CHINA and TAIWAN
04. EGYPT
05. INDIA
06. IRAN
07. LEBANON
09. NEPAL
10. NIGERIA
11. NORTH KOREA
12. PAKISTAN
13. PALESTINE
14. RUSSIA
15. SAUDI ARABIA
16. SRILANKA
17. SUDAN
18. SYRIA
19. YEMEN
YOU want to stay more than ...
30 days in Thailand
You can get a 7 day visa extension by visiting the Immigration office @ Phuket town or you can get a 15 day visa extension by doing the visa run to the Thailand border check point @ Ranong / Burma (See more about the visa run below) .
If you are only over by a few days then you might find it easier to just pay the 500 Thai Baht ($15) per day OVER STAY fine. The over stay fine is paid @ the airport customs office when you depart Thailand.
If you enter Thailand via the airport they give you a 30 day Tourist visa, If you enter Thailand on foot or by car/ bus/ boat they will only give you a 15 day Tourist visa.
YOU want to stay more than ...
60 days in Thailand
60 day Tourist VISA is available FREE form any Thailand Embassy / Consulate out side of Thailand. ( YOU MUST APPLY FOR THIS VISA BEFORE YOU COME TO THAILAND)
YOU want to stay ...
3 months - 1 year in Thailand
3 month / 6 month / 1 year multi entry Thailand VISA is available but you must apply for it BEFORE you arrive in Thailand. To get a visa for 3+ months you will need to get an invite letter form a tefal language school or a Thai boxing gym starting that you will be living, studying in Thailand for the period of time required on your visa application.
To get an Invitation letter from the Gym you will need to e- mail Danny Avison @ Master Toddys Muay Thai Camp with the following details... (Please note we do charge you 3 months training UP FRONT BEFORE we give you teh paper work for your ONE year Education visa. Thiensures you are coming for training and not just for a holiday.
# Your expected arrival & departure dates
# YOUR NAME as it appears in your passport.
Please Note:
Some Thai Embassy's are VERY difficult and slow to deal with So DONT leave your visa application intill the last minute or you might find your S.O.L. (Shit out of Luck)
Thai Embassy locations (world wide)
Australian Residents
The Thai Embassy @ Brisbane Australia is the easiest place to get your 6 or 12 month Visa. The Embassy staff @ Brisbane are very helpful & easy to deal with, If you don't live in Brisbane you can courier Fedex your application & passport to them for fast service.
Royal Thai Consulate General
87 Annerley Road South Brisbane (next to Matar hospital)
Queensland Australia 4102
Tel (07) 3846-7771 - Fax (07) 3846-7772
E-mail : admin@thaiconsulate.org
Web site: Thai Embassy Brisbane
UK Residents
The Thai Embassy office @ Birmingham or the Royal Thai Consulate @ HULL (UK) are the two best places in the UK to get your 12 month Visa.
I am told by past students that the Thai Embassy office @ Hull & Birmingham both give you the visa over the counter in less than 30 minutes & they are both very pleasant & helpful to deal with. If you can not get their is person then you can post /Fedex your VISA application to them for fast service.
Thai Consulate @ BIRMINGHAM
One Victoria Square
Birmingham B1 1BD
Telephone:01216439481
Facsimile: 0121 643 9485
web site: Thai Consulate @ BIRMINGHAM
The Visa Run
14 day Visa Extension @ Ranong / Burma
This is the cheapest Visa run available @ = 1800 Thai Baht
The Ranong / Burma Visa run is available EVERY day (7 days a week).
Take NOTE - Malaria tablets & vaccinations are NOT required for the Visa run to Burma )
A mini bus picks you up from the GYM @ 6am and brings you back to the same day. The bus drives you to the Thailand city of Ranong, 257 km north from Phuket.
After you have received your Thailand departure stamp @ the Ranong customs office, you then take a 30 minute boat ride to Burma on a long tail boat.
After paying the $5 (US dollar) cash payment to the Burma customs officer you are then given a entry & exit stamp for Burma. After about 30 minutes of shopping for souvenirs the boat brings you back to Ranong Thailand where you are issued with a new 15 day Thailand tourist visa on your arrival back @ the Ranong customs office.
It's a 257 km mini bus ride from Phuket to the Thailand border @ Ranong / Burma.
# See a short Video # The Visa Run to Burma
Take NOTE
Hidden Costs of the Burma Visa run
(1) You will need 10 USD for the Burma border patrol. if you don't have it then you can buy $10 at the border check point at a VERY steep rate 500 THB / $10. It must be a clean (NEWISH) $10 / 2 x $5. If the currency is old, worn, partial damaged then they wont accept it.
(2) When you arrive in Burma their will be LOTS of young children / teenage's waiting at the pier to take you shopping for Whiskey, cigarettes, Viagra. They will expect a tip so take plenty of small change with you (20thb notes).
(3) Often once you are in the boat on on your way to Burma the young boy working on the boat will request from you an extra 300 THB for the Thailand border guards at the first Ocean check point after you depart Thailand. This is a popular scam & an easy way to get extra money from you. Other than the $10 USD to be paid on arrival @ Burma, Their is NO extra money to be paid to the Thailand customs office officers with the only exception being the 500 THB per day fine if you over stay your VISA..
60 day Visa Extension @ Penang Malaysia
The Phuket - Penang Visa run = approx 5000 THB
If you have already arrived in Thailand & decide you want to extend you stay by another 60 days then the Penang Visa run is the best option.
The Thai Embassy @ Penang Malaysia can give out 60 day tourists Visas.
From Phuket it's a 8 hour mini bus ride south to Penang Malaysia.
You stay overnight @ a 3 star hotel and return to Phuket the following day.
Tickets for the Penang Visa run can be booked from the office @ Phromthep Muay Thai Camp @ approx 5000 THB /$150 USD.
Other Visa Run Options .... by Danny Avison
Many parts of Asia are easy to visit using Phuket Thailand as your point of departure.
The VISA run offers a perfect opportunity to escape from training for a few days and explore some other regions of Asia such as Malaysia, Singapore, Northern Thailand, China, Hong kong, Macau, Taipei, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, India, Jakarta & Bali Indonesia.
VISA run to BALI ...
Air Asia have cheap flights from Phuket Thailand to BALI. its less than 3 hours fly time & cost approx $200 return flight. A PERFECT 3 day visa run > Sun, Surf , FUN in the SuN @ Bali Indonesia. Book flights online @ airasia.com
Take NOTE
Hidden Costs of the Bali Visa run
(a) Bali has a $25 USD arrival TAX (payable on arrival at Bali airport BEFORE you pass through customs. You can pay in any currency, ATM machines are available in the transit area if you need to exchange money to pay the tax.
(b) BAli also have a $15 DEPARTURE TAX .. Payable when you pass through the customs check point. You can pay in any currency, ATM machines are available in the area if you need to exchange money to pay the tax.
(c) ALWAYS use the BLUE taxi .. The Blue taxi's are registered Government metered taxi, any other Bali Taxi will over charge and try to rip you off.
VISA run to Macau ...
What's @ MACAU you ask ...
The CASINO, Gambling, Duty Free Shopping, Night life & bars, Horse racing, Greyhound racing, lots of jewelry & Gold shops.
Macau is the Las Vegas of Asia !
Macau is located 60 km south from Hong Kong & is only 3 hour flight from Bangkok. Passport holders from most countries are issued with a 30 day Tourist visa on arrival. A return flight to Macau from Bangkok with Air Asia costs only 5000 Thai Baht.
The price for a quality hotel room @ the Casino = $1500 HK Dollars per night. Minimum bet @ the Black Jack table is 100 HK dollar ($12 US dollars)
My recommendation for ...
Where to play & stay @ Macau
- The Wynns - Casino & Resort (Non smoking Gaming area)
- The Venetian - Casino & Resort
Other Helpful information
Take Note: Macau has its own currency called "The MOP" .... but the Casinos @ Macau prefer you to pay & play using Hong Kong dollar's (HKD)
VISA run to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (KL)...
Kuala Lumpur is one of the MOST exciting Asian Cities to visit.
KL is VERY tourist friendly with most locals speaking very good English language.
The city has lots to see & do such as Shopping, Night life, Good food, The world's tallest building, the Twin towers, an amazing Aquarium, China town, Local Markets, and some of the best Indian / Malay Curry's in Asia.
Kuala Lumpur is also home to the world famous SEPANG RACE Circuit.
KL is located close to Singapore & is only ONE hours flight from Phuket Thailand.
The Shopping @ Kuala Lumpur is amazing, ALL the BIG brand names are their @ prices so much cheaper than @ Europe.
Kuala Lumpur is the perfect destination for a 2 - 3 day holiday /VISA run
Phuket to Kuala Lumpur return flights with Air Asia costs approx 5000 THB.
Please Note: The Airport @ KL is located approx 60km from the City Center (CCKL).
A bus is the cheapest way to get to the City Center but is slow @ nearly 2 hours.
The Train takes 30 minutes and is the fastest option to get to the City.
The Air Asia terminal is located approx 5 km from the main airport terminal so when you have cleared customs @ KL airport you will need to catch a bus or a taxi to the main airport terminal to get the train into the City Center (CCKL).
Their are 3 main Tourist zones @ Kuala Lumpur
- KLCC (City Center)
- China Town
- Bukit Bintang.
All 3 zones are walking distance to each other so you can easily visit the attractions in each of the 3 popular tourist zones.
Hotels @ Kuala LumpurI stayed @ the Istana Hotel & found it to be VERY GOOD.
The LOCATION was central to everything, including the mono rail & the famous Bintang Walk which is well-known for shopping malls, Night life & street markets.
The breakfast @ the Istana hotel was exceptional & the Pool was a nice place to chill out & soak up some rays.
Best time to visit KL is when the BIG bikes are racing on 17th - 19th October SEPANG RACE Circuit MOTO GP ... (17th - 19th October)
Other Helpful information
