Visiting the Casino at Ranong and Doing a Visa Run

So some background story :)

When Uncle Seng told me to skip Ranong I was hesitant because it was one of the few routes on the map where I could tell it would be a nice ride and also a road where it is less traveled. The only people that will used these road were those going to Ranong. Unlike other major artery roads this was like purely for Ranong. Secondly, Ranong was famous for Hot Springs. How could I forgo Ranong !!! 

 It will be raining the whole time you are there. Ranong rains whole year round with only 4 months of semi dry weather. You will suffer, better to skip and shoot up instead Uncle Seng said. I showed reluctance I guess, and said I will see how it goes when I reach Khao Lak. 

But if you do go to Ranong you can go visit the Casino in Myanmar.
Huh ? What ? Say again ?

There is a Casino in Ranong on the Burmese side where you have to take a boat to an Island on the Burma side stamp out Thailand and stamp in Myanmar then after a day of playing you can come back by boat and stamp in again to Thailand. Can extend your stay in Thailand for another 30 days.

How could I not go to Ranong after hearing there was a Casino in Ranong :)

Ranong Casino Daytrip 

The Grand Andaman Club at Pulo Island Myanmar 

Today was casino day. After visiting the ferry pier yesterday and getting the necessary information on going to Andaman Club which is on the Myanmar side, I decided today I will do the visa run although I did not need it. I just wanted the Myanmar stamp in my passport ... NOT ... I just wanted to go play at the casino.

There are two piers which shuttles people between Ranong-Thailand and Myanmar. One was the Andaman Club Pier which bring people to Pulo Island on the Myanmar side. There is nothing on the Island beside the Andaman Club, almost every activity there has to go though the Grand Andaman establishment.

The other pier which is the normal pier brings people to Kawthoung a small town at the southern most tip of Myanmar. This would be the best way to enter Myanmar from the southern side but onward journey would be a question mark. As I did not try this route, I wont know the story of the border crossing using this route.

At Grand Andaman Harbour in Ranong, there is two small booth for Thai immigration, arrival and departure. I first went to departure and got stamped out of Thailand. The officer asked if I was going on a daytrip and will return today. Yes was my reply and she said to return before 5pm. The out stamp had an additional mark CD at the bottom. 

Thailand Immigration at Club Andaman Pier Ranong

Next was towards the reception of the Andaman Club in the same building and they made two copies of my passport and prepared the ferry ticket and the Myanmar immigration Card. I could now proceed to the boat.

The boat departs every hour starting at 8pm all the way to 11pm at night and the return journey the same as well but somehow I felt the instruction from the Thai immigration officer means that there were difference between foreigners and local Thai people going over for a casino punt. 

Boat Ride to Grand Andaman Club 

About 10 minutes by boat and we are at Pulo Island, Andaman Club Pier. Off the boat and at the jetty is the immigration office for Myanmar.

My passport was taken and I was told to go pay for by boat ride. Total cost including return ticket to Thailand was 950 baht. All the internet readings of needing a brand new unmarked 10 USD bill was not needed. 

Paid 950 baht and went back to immigration but the lady told me my passport will be kept at the desk and when I wish to depart I can collect it back. I kept the small slip of Myanmar immigration card and one copy of my passport photocopy. 

Myanmar Immigration at Pulo Island 

Shuttle bus ready, took us up to the resort which was just a few hundred meters away but with a steep hill climb. 

Short Bus Ride up to The Grand Andaman Hotel & Casino 

Hola ... Welcome to Grand Andaman Hotel & Casino.

Go in walk around, chill ... go in the casino .. 

Grand Andaman Hotel & Casino 

Grand Andaman Hotel & Casino 

The first floor was mainly electronic games such as slots and electronic roulette + dice games while the second floor had table cards games.

There are a lot of tables but not much games. Mainly baccarat table occupies 90% of the whole floor with varying types of baccarat.

There was one new types of baccarat which I tried. It was like 3 pictures baccarat but each player has his own 3 cards vs the banker 3 cards. Minimum initial punt is 100 baht and the first card is dealt face down for the players but face open for the banker. 

With the information of the bankers first open card ... players can choose to raised their bet up to 10 times the initial bet or just stay. The next two cards are dealt to all players and the second card of the dealer is also face opened but the third card is closed. 

At this point, players can touch their respective cards and see what they got always aiming to get the large 9 ... nothing much we can do really ... just see the card and put it down and the dealer will open her last card and a show off with each player will be done and paid if won.

I played the new variant of three pictures and after that point, spend most of my time playing 3 card poker. There was only one table for 3 card poker. Seriously this casino lack variety for games.

The cool part was so long you are in the casino, there will be free buffet food and drinks ... so technically the 950 baht include transport, visa payment ( assuming the 10 USD bill will be handled by the Andaman club administration ) , food for lunch and dinner ( I did not stay for dinner since I have to be back by 5pm ... not too bad if you ask me ... cheap thrill ...

Around 3pm I headed down toward the pier and to Myanmar immigration ... they sifted out my passport and gave me a stamp out, a stamp in was already inside my passport while i was away punting. A big smile from everyone and I headed to board the boat back to Ranong Thailand.

Back at the Ranong side of Andaman Club Pier, I went back to the Thai immigration booth, filled up a new immigration card and got a stamp in for another 30 days ... easy peasy visa run.

I did saw a notice at the Thai immigration booth , the notice as shown in the picture below states that all visa exempt countries may only cross a land border twice a year as per Thai new law but with an exemption of Malaysian ... yippiee Malaysia. 

Notice at Thailand Immigration 

Traveled on : October 2018 

#blurtravels #visarun #ranong #andamanclub #casino