Those staying
in Thailand on tourist visas have to leave the country every
three months. This is awkward as there are no near and convenient
land borders, particularly for those staying in Bangkok or Pattaya.
Thai
Consulate, Penang
Most people
staying longer than three months make their exit journeys to Penang,
Malaysia. There is a comfortable train leaving daily at 15:15
from Hua Lamphong Railway Station for Butterworth in Malaysia,
opposite the island of Penang, arriving there shortly after noon.
There is an immediate ferry connection to Penang island.
Thai visas
are granted in Penang within 24 hours. The Thai consulate is on
Jalan Nunn off Jalan Macalister, quite a way from the city
center. The Penang city bus No 7 passes through Jalan Macalister
and the conductors are used to foreigners requesting to be told
at what stop to get off the bus. No 7 buses run with a frequency
of 30min, the fare is 45 Malaysian cents, about 4 Baht.
Two passport
pictures are needed and the citizens of most countries will
have to pay a visa fee of about 30 Malaysian Dollars.
The Thai train
back to Bangkok departs from Butterworth at 13:40. Usually, visas
can be picked up at the Thai consulate early enough to catch the
train. For those who want to catch the train on the same day,
it is advisable to be at the Thai consulate between 9:00 and 10:00,
as often the passports are stamped only when foreigners arrive
and want to pick them up - which often means a waiting time
of something between half an hour and two hours.
Tickets
from Butterworth to Bangkok can be bought at a Malaysian Railway
counter at the ferry terminal of Penang; reservations can
also be made there. However, those who want to make sure that
they have a sleeper back to Bangkok should buy their tickets already
in Bangkok and make firm reservations well in advance - in spite
of the fact that changing reservations costs a fee.
The Thai train
for Bangkok typically starts in Butterworth with just five cars
- one first class sleeper car, two second class aircon sleeper
cars, one second class non-aircon sleeper car and an ordinary
second class non-aircon car. At least five more cars, including
a restaurant car, are attached to the train only in Hat Yai.
Most of the
time, all berths in the four sleeper cars departing from Penang
are fully booked several days before departure. Those who
buy their tickets only on the day of departure or just a few days
earlier will have to be content with the non-aircon second-class
car which is not particularly comfortable for the 20 hour
journey to Bangkok. However, the second-class non-aircon car is
suitable for those who just want to travel to Surat Thani and
from there to Ko Samui.
Many travelers
wouldn't mind to go as far as Hat Yai in the non-aircon second-class
car and to transfer there into one of the sleeper cars which are
attached to the train in Hat Yai. However, it is not possible
to make reservations in Penang or Butterworth for cars attached
in Hat Yai. Those who have not been able to book a sleeper in
Butterworth can check with the conductor whether a berth
has remained vacant in the cars attached in Hat Yai.
Customs'
officers search the train not only at the border but additionally
anywhere between Padang Besar (the border town) and Bangkok. Customs'
searches account for many of the unscheduled stops on the
way to Bangkok, and occasionally one can see customs' officers
unloading from the train whole van loads of contraband.
