If you plan to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days and have not prearranged a two-month or multiple-entry visa, you will become familiar with a tourist tradition in this land: the visa run. Since March of 2006, the fee per extra day of overstay has been raised to 500 Baht (€11), so it’s wise to observe your visa expiration carefully and plan accordingly.

Check to verify which visa run is appropriate for you (e.g., Israelis may not go to Malaysia, Romanians may not enter Thailand without a prearranged visa, etc.). The closest and easiest options for visa renewal are:

Myanmar (Burma) – Ranong

Take the 22.00 night boat from the longest pier in Thongsala. Fee is 300 Baht (€6.50), and you arrive in Surat Thani at 04.00. A woman there, Chilli (+66 (0)89 9733552), is a specialized travel agent who will arrange all your visa run details: a minivan to the border (Immigration), to the pier, the boat to/from Myanmar, return to the border (Immigration), and then back to Surat Thani, dropping you at the pier, where you will most likely take the Raja ferry (leaves at about 17:00, to arrive at about 20:00). Announce yourself as being from the Yoga school to receive these prices:

700 Baht (€15); you must additionally give US$10 to the Burmese government. If you do not have this US$10 bill, one will be provided to you for 600 Baht (€13), bringing your total to 1,300 Baht (€28.20). (The Burmese Immigration charges 500 Baht for the $10 entry.)

Malaysia – Penang
Malaysia provides a two-month multiple-entry visa but requires a longer trip. You may follow the option above, arranging your trip through Chilli by requesting a joint ticket to Penang. Or alternately you may buy one in advance on Koh Phangan, taking the 17.00 ferry plus a late train to Hat Yai, where you will need to change to a van for Penang. If you are lucky and arrive in Penang early you may be able to submit your passport plus the application (and possibly a small unpublicized "fee" of 200 Baht (€4) to expedite your visa) for pick-up after one day at 11.00 (instead of 15.00). Normally, your application and passport will need to be in by 11.00 to be out by 15.00 the following day.

Try either of these visa service purveyors, both within a block of each other on Chulia Street, the main tourist thoroughfare:

Jim’s: No. 431 Chulia Street; tel. +60 (0)4 264 2960 / blackangel90@hotmail.com
Parvez Brothers: No. 419 Chulia Street; tel. +60 (0)4 - 262 2314 / 261 9178

In either case, it is not easy to get back to Koh Phangan the same day – perhaps buy another joint ticket. You may take a bus back to Hat Yai departing around noon, but finding the transportation going from Hat Yai to Surat Thani is not as easy that late in the day. If you get back by train, taxi, or bus, it will be late but you may be just in time for the night boat from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan (departing from the city pier at 23.00, arriving on the island at 05.00). Expect to pay about 1,500 Baht (€32.50) for travel costs plus one or two overnight hotel stays, in addition to 2,200-2,400 Baht (€47.75-52) for the visa itself (two months, double-entry – i.e., four months in total).

Koh Samui – Extension Only

You may also go to the adjacent island of Koh Samui, where you can take a shared truck taxi (50 Baht/ €1) to Immigration and for 1,950 Baht (€42.20) receive a stamp for half of your current visa period. After you have received your extension, return via taxi to Mae Naam for Lomprayah (250 Baht each way / €5.50), or to Nathon for all other boats (large ferries are usually 120 Baht each way / €5.50).

While the whole process may seem like an unnecessary hardship, during your journey try to remain focused in gratitude for the positive aspects of our host country, Thailand. Use this trip to relax and to meditate! Remember you can do Yoga of the mind anywhere….