Surge in Phuket visa runs as expats scurry for legitimate stays
The crackdown on foreigners doing "visa runs" to re-enter and stay in the country on visa-exemption status has sparked a surge in the number of foreigners in Phuket travelling to Malaysia - to obtain visas from the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang.
Preeyapan Adithepwarangkul, owner of KBV Visa Run, told the Phuket Gazette that demand for the Penang “visa run” had grown so much that the company has chartered a full-size tour bus to meet capacity. For years, the company relied on minivans.
“At this stage we have not cancelled any regular visa runs due to the crackdown. There has been no need to,” Preeyapan said.
“The number of bookings for our visa runs has remained strong. Actually, we have had to charter tour buses to provide visa runs to Penang because we have had so many bookings lately.”
She also noted that, as KBV accepts bookings directly and via agents throughout Phuket, prospective travellers should book early.
Phuket Gazette
