greg Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Sorry about the newbie style question's but all advice will be gratefully received. I am doing my 1st ever visa run. All I require is a 60 day tourist visa as I am going home for two weeks for Christmas. Anway I am taking a Thai friend with me and I also want to fly wherever we go. Who can give advice on the following. Easy access for my Thai friend. She is in the middle of getting her passport. I assume wherever we go as a Brit I will have to pay to get in? Is this true or not? Looking at the various tourist operators Singapore seems the cheapest to fly to. about 5000 for a return. However as I want to go for 5 or 6 days accomodation is also an issue. I believe Singapore is ultra expensive both for accomodation and general cost of living. is this true? I dont care where we go just advice on what which country would work out cheaper for the 2 of us to have a little break. Things to consider Cost of return flight Cost of entering the country Do one or both of us have to pay to enter? Cost of Hotels and C.O.L. in that country? Easy availability of a tourist visa to go back to LOS. I am not looking at luxurios Hotels but I dont want to stay in a shit hole either. Again apologies for the question but looking at past threads non really cover the info I need. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingaporeSteve Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 I would go to Singapore. I lived there for a few years and its quite OK once you get beneath the gloss of the place. If I were you, I would book flights on SAS or Cathay pacific, both very cheap. Both once a day but Cathay leave SIN around lunchtime whereas SAS are at about 2230. Just means checking out your hotel and trying to kill time before the flight. If your there for 6 days you will have seen eveything the tiny island state has to offer. Another benefit of using the CX flight is that when you get to Changi airport, after customs and immigration in the arrivals hall, go to the Singapore Hotel association desk. Hotels offer cheap rates for bookings that night, although I have never tried for 5 or 6 nights. 3 is my max. The rates are cheap and if two of you are going in my opinion its better than using an inclusive package. typical 4* hotel in Orchard Road is about S$110 + Tax per night per room which is approx US$60. You can pay more for better hotels or less for equally good hotel not so near Orchard (the main shopping street). They normally can always find you something and by getting into SIN early you will have a better choice. For my money, the Negara is a good bet at S$120, its V/Good 4 start one block behind Orchard Road (and Towers if you are familair with that place - your TG will feel very comfortable there). Otherwisde Holiday Inn Park View is at the other end of the street (about 3KM long), similar price but equally good. There are not really any BAD hotel in Singapore, things are pretty strictly controlled by the Singapore Tourist Board. I use this service every two weeks and have never had a problem you pay them a $10 fee which is dedcuetd from your hotel bill. It is not like the sharks at Bangkok airport where nothing is shown with a price and that depends upon how they size up the depth of your wallet. All the hotel are listed and prices clearly shown. One point on getting into Singapore is that you as Brit Passport holder will have no problems. The Thai may be asked to show some money to support her stay, so give her a couple of hundred dollars when your on the plane (not as your walking off - they have police monitoring passengers getting off every flight at the top of the gate) just in case they ask, although it less common these days for them to even ask. They will almost certainly want to see her return ticket. Walk togehter to the immigration desk and hand both passports over together. You will not have any problems. Singapore is also not as expensive as you may think - true beer and alcohol generally are more expensive than Thailand but you will find most things still cheaper than Europe and certainly London these days, incl. taxi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Fly to Udon Thani and take a Thai limo from the airport to the Freindship Bridge and go across into Laos. My two satangs worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Fly to Udon Thani, return ticket about 3750 baht. Then make your way to Vientiane in Laos. Check this link out below:- http://www.visit-laos.com/inandabout/bridge.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Fly domestic to Hat Yai and then take a taxi or van to Penang in Malaysia. No visa required for either of you and Penang is quite interesting for a short stay with good food and accommodations. Easy visa access to Thai Consulate and on return spend a day or two in Hat Yai with very reasonable hotels prices, food and shopping. Share taxi departs from next to Kings Hotel or you can pay for just the two of you (quite reasonable and about 2 1/2 hour drive to Penang). Vans depart from the many tour shops and believe only about 200 - 250 baht each if want the cheapest transport. You can also fly direct to Penang but rates will be higher and as you have the time believe the road trip would be more interesting for you both. Singapore would also offer free and easy entry for you both and could be interesting (how clean things are) but prices are likely to be higher and pace too hectic if you are used to Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Hi Greg, or fly straight into KL. Malaysian immigration doesn't seem to make too much of a hassle for a Thai citizen, as long as they have a passport and if you say that you're only staying for a week or so, they will give her a visa for that period. Since you're only requiring a 60day tourist visa, if you choose Singapore, that shouldn't be a problem, however the Thai Embassy in Singapore doesn't issue Non immigrant B visa for longer than 3 months. Have fun, Limbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 A cheaper and reasonably comfortable option is to get a overnight sleeper train(2nd class air con) to Penang(Butterworth). You can get a visa done there. The price is around 1200 baht. Hotels are cheaper than Singapore and the beach is easy to reach. if fact you can stay at one of the beach resorts. There's not much girl fun, but as you have one that's not a problem. On the way back you can take an overnight train back to Surat Thani(for Samui). From there you can take a flight to Phuket 1800 baht(with the money you have saved) or Pattaya 2300 baht with www.bangkokair.com Or, just take a sleeper all the way back again. From Pattaya it a short bus or taxi trip back to Bkk. Cheap as chips and a nice tour included in the price. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg Posted October 1, 2002 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 Thanks lads One thing I never mentioned (I dont think) is that part of the plan and the reason I am taking my Thai froend is that she has never been on an aeroplane or to a foreign country. I would actualy like to go to other places in Thailand along the way however It's kind of a break for her. So she can experience new things. Singapore Steve could you recomend any Hotels a bit cheaper than the ones you have already. Myabee $60 mark or would this only get me a Khoa San Road style dump in Singapore? Lopburi3 Also the Flight to Hat Yai then bus to Penang sounds quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 there are many singapore tours available from travel agents here. flight and stay in a very reasonable hotel, way cheaper than if you book it separately. very easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2002 Report Share Posted October 1, 2002 "Also the Flight to Hat Yai then bus to Penang sounds quite good." Sounds and is are two differing things. Luverly comfortable aeroplane to Hat Yai. Nasty cramped minibus for many hours to Penang. Not too bad an option though. It's why I suggested the train, you'll have lots of opportunities to fly afterwards and as a newbie, the train is reasonably foolproof(You don't have to get off until you get there, apart from a stop to go through Immigration and then back onto the train again) Think man, you'll have a bed and a girl :-) If you really want to fly to Singapore, try here; http://www.travelconnecxion.com/ CATHAY PACIFIC AIRLINE Bangkok-SINGAPORE-Bangkok 4,950baht Valid 14 DAYS or http://www.awgroup.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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