Ubon Ratchathani visa run guide

The short version

Ubon Ratchathani residents have two land border crossings for a fresh Thai entry stamp: Chong Mek into Vang Tao, Laos (about 1.5 hours southeast, the closer and far more commonly used option) and Chong Chom into O Smach, Cambodia (about 3 hours away in neighbouring Surin Province). Since Thailand introduced a cap on visa-exemption entries made at land borders, a same-day run is no longer something you can repeat indefinitely — it's worth understanding the current limit, the option of doing a run by air instead, and, for anyone here long-term, the visas that avoid the need for repeated runs altogether. Immigration rules change; always confirm current requirements on the Immigration Bureau's website before you plan a trip around them.

Visa run vs. 90-day report vs. extension — know the difference

These three get confused constantly. A visa run means physically leaving Thailand and re-entering to obtain a new entry stamp — the subject of this guide. A 90-day report is a mandatory address-confirmation filing required of long-stay visa holders, submitted to the Ubon Ratchathani Immigration Office in person, by mail or online — no border crossing involved. A visa extension is an in-country extension of your current permission to stay, also handled at the Immigration Office. If you're on a proper long-stay visa (see section 07), 90-day reports and extensions are what you'll deal with — not border runs.

Chong Mek — the Laos border crossing

• Chong Mek is Ubon Ratchathani's nearest international land border, roughly 85 km (about 1.5 hours by car) southeast of the city via Route 217, reachable by hired car, rented car, minivan or shared songthaew from Ubon's main transport stops.
• At the checkpoint, park near the Thai immigration building, walk through Thai exit immigration to get your exit stamp, then continue on foot or by short shuttle across to Lao immigration at Vang Tao on the other side — there's no river or bridge to cross here, just adjoining checkpoints.
• Most nationalities can get a Lao visa-on-arrival at the Vang Tao checkpoint — bring a passport photo, cash (Thai baht or US dollars are commonly accepted) and expect a modest fee; requirements are set by Lao authorities and can change, so confirm current visa-on-arrival rules before relying on them.
• The Thai side of Chong Mek hosts a large daily border market (Talat Chong Mek) popular with Thai and Lao shoppers for duty-reduced goods, so many visa-run trips double as a market outing before heading back across.
• If you want to go further than the checkpoint itself, Pakse — Champasak Province's largest town and the gateway to the Bolaven Plateau and Wat Phu — is about 40 km / 45 minutes past the Lao side, a common extension for those turning the run into an overnight or weekend trip.
• Checkpoint hours are roughly 06:00-20:00 but vary and can change with little notice — check current hours locally or with the Immigration Bureau before planning a same-day trip, and build in buffer time so you aren't caught on the wrong side at closing.

Ubon Ratchathani airport transfer guide (UBP to city & the Chong Mek border) →

Chong Chom — the Cambodia border crossing

• Chong Chom sits in Kap Choeng district of neighbouring Surin Province, roughly 200 km (about 3 hours by car) from Ubon Ratchathani city via Sisaket — noticeably further than Chong Mek, which is why most Ubon-based long-stayers default to the Laos crossing instead.
• The Thai side connects to O Smach on the Cambodian side, in Oddar Meanchey Province — a border zone known mainly for its casino resorts and a market that draws Thai day-trippers, rather than as a gateway to Cambodia's main tourist circuit.
• Entry requirements for Cambodia depend on nationality — some visitors can get a visa on arrival, others need to arrange a Cambodian e-visa in advance — so check current Cambodian immigration requirements for your passport before planning a run here.
• Because of the extra distance and drive time through Sisaket, Chong Chom is realistically a full-day trip rather than a quick same-day errand, and most residents treat it as a fallback if Chong Mek isn't convenient rather than a routine option.

Chong Mek vs. Chong Chom at a glance

The land-border entry limit — the rule that changed visa runs

This is the single most important thing to understand before planning a run around Chong Mek or Chong Chom.

• Thailand's Immigration Bureau limits visa-exemption entries obtained specifically at LAND border checkpoints to a set number per calendar year for many passport holders — a rule introduced to curb people using repeated same-day land border runs purely to reset a visa-exempt stay indefinitely.
• This cap applies to entries via land crossings like Chong Mek and Chong Chom; it does not apply to entries by air, and it does not apply if you are travelling on an actual visa (tourist visa, Non-B, Non-O, DTV, LTR, retirement) rather than the passport-based visa exemption.
• Because this rule, the list of nationalities it applies to and the exact entry count have changed before and can change again, treat any specific number you read online — including here — as a starting point, not a guarantee, and confirm the current rule on the Immigration Bureau's website or with a Thai embassy/consulate before planning a border run around it.
• The practical takeaway for Ubon Ratchathani residents: if you are relying on repeated land border runs to stay long-term, you are now capped, and a land run should be treated as an occasional option, not a standing monthly routine.

Visa run by air — the alternative

• Because the land-border limit does not apply to entries by air, flying out and back is the workaround some long-stayers use once they have used up their land-crossing entries for the year.
• Ubon Ratchathani Airport (UBP) itself runs mostly domestic routes to Bangkok, so an international air run typically means connecting through Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK) to a nearby country such as Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia or Vietnam and back.
• This costs more than a land run in time and airfare, so most residents treat it as an occasional fallback once or twice a year, not a routine — and it is still subject to Thai immigration's broader discretion on repeated visa-exempt entries regardless of channel.
• If you are flying rather than driving, book with enough buffer that a delayed or cancelled connecting flight doesn't leave you overstaying inadvertently.

Skip repeat visa runs — long-stay visa options

If you're doing land border runs every few weeks, that's usually a sign it's time to look at a proper long-stay visa instead — most avoid repeat border crossings entirely and only require periodic reporting or an annual extension.

Compare every Thailand visa type →

Ubon Ratchathani Immigration Office — extensions & 90-day reporting

Ubon Ratchathani has its own provincial Immigration Office for in-country visa extensions and 90-day address reporting — neither requires a border crossing. Current address, hours and required documents can change, so confirm details on the Immigration Bureau's official site before a visit, and bring your passport, a completed application form, a passport photo and, for extensions, the supporting documents your specific visa category requires (proof of funds, employment letter, marriage or retirement paperwork, etc).

Full Ubon Ratchathani immigration office guide →

Ubon Ratchathani visa run questions

Sources & References

• Immigration Bureau, Royal Thai Police
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
• Tourism Authority of Thailand

Primary and official sources are cited above for Thailand's immigration, foreign affairs and tourism authorities. Border-crossing rules, entry-stamp limits, hours and nationality-specific requirements change; always confirm current requirements on the Immigration Bureau's official site or with a Thai embassy/consulate before relying on any detail here. General information only, not immigration or legal advice. BAANLYY never takes paid placement.