edwardandtubs

Koh Chang is probably the best choice in November when the weather is good but it's still rainy season down south. Also good if you're bringing a large family in the car and the cost of so many flight tickets to the south would be too expensive. But in every other way it's just totally inferior to the islands down south. I did the full circuit of Koh Chang and it doesn't have a beach that comes close to the spectacular views you get in Phi Phi, Railay or even Lamai.

Yes, I started a thread on Koh Lipe to Langkawi but no one seems to know if the ferries are running normally. Thanks for the alternative suggestion. I'll look into it.

Anyone been to this border in the past week or so? We still don't have a report of anyone doing it independently without paying silly money to the agent at the border.

This is a bizarre statement. Is the minimum 2 or 3 nights? I'm guessing this is just something he says to make people's lives difficult. As I'm in Bangkok I'm thinking it could be worth flying to Hatyai and then taking the minibus to Penang, spending a couple of nights there before returning. It would probably work out about the same price in total as the 3500 baht agency visa run to Cambodia or the flight to Udon Thani and then quick in-out to Laos.

I've been to three different checkpoints and the same demands were made by Cambodian officials at all of them.

If that's all it's not a big problem as I've stayed overnight in Poipet before and it was ok.

I don't believe that. The first stage in the process is when you buy the visa. The second stage is when you exit and the final stage is when you come back. You're dealing with different people at each of these stages. At what stage did you "slip them" $5 and what did the other immigration officers say at the other stages?

Not necessarily. They might just want to avoid the big queues. It would be good if posters could specify exactly what problems anyone has had at any particular border crossing.

How about the Hat Lek/Koh Kong crossing? I do have a passport filled with covid extensions but I also spent almost a year out of Thailand so what problems am I likely to encounter at the border?

Of all the border runs I've ever done, I think this was my favourite due to the fact that you can get most of the way by train from Bangkok. But then there were all sorts of reports of problems with immigration officers so I stopped doing it. What is the current situation? Is it a good place to do a visa exempt run?

The evisa costs $36 which is probably the best option because at the border they demand $35. Either way, you'll need to pay 300 baht to return on the same day.

When was the last time you "walked over the border for $30 and instantly return" and please give details of your interactions with Cambodian immigration officers.

This website has been selling tickets since last month. https://telaga-terminal.com/

Are you sure this is still true? I've seen reports saying the planned reopening is early November and a ferry website that is currently selling tickets.

Is everything open and running as normal between Koh Lipe and Langkawi? Is this a feasible way to get a new visa exempt to Thailand?

We all know VIPs don't travel around in vans so can you tell us what the van is really like?

Last time I went to Ban Pakard Cambodian immigration wanted 300 baht in addition to $35 dollars for the visa. I argued for a few minutes insisting it should be only $30 but that was leading absolutely nowhere. At Hat Lek you can use the e visa so if it's just a 300 baht bribe they want, that seems to be the best place to go especially if you're relying on public transport and plan a holiday in Koh Chang as well.

There were reports a few years back of hassle with immigration at this border. Is it currently a good place to get a visa exempt entry?

Thank you. I've done it before many times. Still 1530 deadline to get your queue ticket?

Thank you. I meant turn up without an appointment and then do all the paperwork and make the payment, which you have confirmed.

To extend a tourist visa, does one just turn up at Chaengwattana any time before 1530? No need to join an online queue or anything?

It didn't look like a small stack from my balcony, burning all night and releasing benzene. And it's not just one. Flaring can occur at the drilling or the refining stage. And the closer you are the worse the health impact, hence my question.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63051458 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-health-oil-flaring-idUSKCN24G1TH There are many academic studies on this.

There is an archived thread about the Bangchak Oil Refinery gas flares. I used to be able to see a huge flare from my condo in Udom Suk and travelling along the Skytrain you can see more all the way to Bang Chak station. Is this the only area of Bangkok with gas flares? It seems living within 5 km of one is a health hazard so I'm trying to avoid that now I'm choosing a new condo.

160 baht there with Grab and 60 baht back in a normal taxi. There is a permanent "sudden surge in demand" that requires them to rip off all their customers always.