Stella Overboardvideo
Sailing Into a New Country 🇹🇭 | Customs, Immigration & the Reality of Boat Life
February 11, 2026 · 10 min · 5K views · Ban Nong Chaeng, Thailand
Crew launch tender into sunset waters
What this video covers
Sailing into Thailand from Malaysia requires clearing three separate offices — immigration, customs, and the harbormaster — none of which are co-located.0:04 Camille Milligan and crew aboard Stella arrive at Koh Lanta but must check in at Krabi, roughly two hours away by car.0:25 Because the Krabi customs office sits on a river with a tidal entrance, arriving by boat requires hitting high tide precisely; missing it causes serious problems.0:30 Instead, they dinghy ashore at Koh Lanta, leave Stella in the care of a local friend named Felix, borrow his car, and take a ferry to the mainland before driving to Krabi.3:55 Immigration is the first stop, where officers verify boat registration, a crew list, and proof of ownership before stamping passports for a two-month stay.5:47 Customs is next, declaring all boat contents and formally bringing Stella into Thailand.6:12 The harbormaster is the final stop, registering the vessel in Thai waters and authorizing the Thai courtesy flag.6:54 The full round trip — tender, beach, car, ferry, two-hour drive, three offices, return drive, ferry, tender — consumes the entire day.7:09 Documents required: boat registration, crew list, and proof of ownership.5:51
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