Recent experience on Poi Pet border - avoid it

[Jacob22]

I wanted to share my recent experience of trying to do a border run through Poi Pet. TLDR: I advice against trying to enter Thailand though that border.

 

I have a multi-entry tourist visa which I did in my country. In all my 3 years I never had a single issue. This is the first time. When I tried to return to Thailand, the immigration officer said that they no longer allow people to enter back into the country on the same day they exit. She explained that they got complained from the top that many foreigners do border runs here, so they no longer allow them in. She also said that I can maybe come tomorrow. And show 1. a flight ticket out of Thailand; 2. hotel booking; 3. 20,000THB or 600$ in cash (for single entry it is 10,000THB or 300$).

 

The next day I came with all of that, but there was a different officer. She did not let me in and this time put me a stamp into my passport about denying my entry under the provision (2) Section 12. This provision is something about them not being sure what I'm doing in Thailand. In my passport, I had one more multi-entry visa from my country and I had stamps from the previous same day border runs through Poi Pet. I felt that they were trying to find any reason to not let me in at this point.

Long story short, I traveled to Siem Reap airport, walked to the counter and bought a flight ticket to Bangkok. When I was passing passport control in Don Mueang airport, it took like 50 seconds. No questions asked, no additional proof was needed.

 

Don't bother appealing rejection decision on a land border. Understand the reason (which provision), prepare a necessary case against (in my case it was a travel plan) and fly by plane.  On the Poi Pet border, while being detained I saw that they were shaking down pretty much half of all foreigners with all kinds of visas and cases.

 

Some additional facts:

* I have single entry e-visa for Cambodia. I used it when I tried to exit the same day, but I had to go back. You don't need to make a new visa. You can cancel your stamp. In total, I've canceled my exit two times. The first time it cost 1000THB, but I bargained price to 600THB. The second time, a person working for Thai immigration took me to Cambodia, so it did not cost anything.

 

* I got hired by the company in Thailand and they are in a process of preparing me a work permit, however, it is in early stages. Company's lawyer advised against mentioning any work until they give me invitation letter officially. So, if you're on a tourist visa, don't mention anything related to work in Thailand as a reason for your staying. Even if you got hired already. Unless you have legal proof.

[ParadiseLost]

7 minutes ago, Jacob22 said:

Long story short

You are working illegally and the IO sussed you out...?

[BritTim]

The problems entering at Poipet are well known, but it does not hurt to continually remind people thinking of using that crossing that they should cross somewhere else.

 

Just for information, while Poipet immigration will often tell you to fly into Thailand from Siem Reap, you can more cheaply enter via another land crossing. The only one that is a problem is Poipet/Aran.

[ukrules]

There definitely seems to be a 'crackdown' on tourism in general.

 

This is a strange thing for a country which relies on tourism for a significant part of its GDP to do but there you go, the people running the country are not the brightest.

[ParadiseLost]

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

There definitely seems to be a 'crackdown' on tourism in general.

 

This is a strange thing for a country which relies on tourism for a significant part of its GDP to do but there you go, the people running the country are not the brightest.

Yes but we are not talking about a tourist here now, are we...

 

7 hours ago, Jacob22 said:

I got hired by the company in Thailand and they are in a process of preparing me a work permit, however, it is in early stages. Company's lawyer advised against mentioning any work until they give me invitation letter officially

This is the reason why they are clamping down...

[dcnx]

A one minute search can pull up that Poi Pet is probably the worst border crossing anywhere in SE Asia. 

 

No idea why anyone goes there.

[JackThompson]

 

1 hour ago, ParadiseLost said:

9 hours ago, Jacob22 said:

I got hired by the company in Thailand and they are in a process of preparing me a work permit, however, it is in early stages. Company's lawyer advised against mentioning any work until they give me invitation letter officially

This is the reason why they are clamping down... 

He did not say he had started work - he said it was "in the early stages."  Everyone knows there is a clique at immigration who wants to block farangs from "sticking around" - via marriage, work, etc - which is why he was advised not to mention the new job he would be starting soon.

[Horace Lamb]

Can all be avoided by arriving with the correct visa and documentation.

[JackThompson]

For anyone reading this in the future, if you find this thread and are at Poipet wondering what to do, here are the steps:

• Make sure you have 20K Baht (can be another currency or travelers checks)
• Go to Battambang (bus or shared-taxi)
• Get a shared taxi from Battambang to the Ban Laem border-crossing (taxis leave near the bus stations)
• Enter Thailand at that crossing
• Minivans from there to Bangkok, Pattaya, and Chanthaburi (among others)

You probably won't be asked to show the 20K Baht, but a good idea to have it, just in case.  Maybe the previous problem you could cite was not having it, to explain a rejected-entry stamp.

 

Also, if you have a rejection-stamp, it is probably a good idea to "buy" the TM-6 forms with "help filling it out" for 100 Baht from the touts working with Thai immigration there.

 

The Bangkok airports are NOT friendly, so this should not be the 2nd choice.  The OP was fortunate - others have been rejected.

[JackThompson]

Just now, Horace Lamb said:

Can all be avoided by arriving with the correct visa and documentation.

He had an METV (perfectly valid visa), and followed the instructions from the IO, which were given the previous day.  His mistake (if you can call it that), was not knowing they were being dishonest the previous day.

[Jacob22]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

The Bangkok airports are NOT friendly, so this should not be the 2nd choice.  The OP was fortunate - others have been rejected.

 

I was actually advised the exact opposite by the company and some people familiar with the case. Entering through Don Mueang is a more reliable way compared to land crossings.

 

The immigration officer saw my entry rejection stamp and the reason. He did not ask me anything or even really looked at me.

[JackThompson]

3 minutes ago, Jacob22 said:

I was actually advised the exact opposite by the company and some people familiar with the case. Entering through Don Mueang is a more reliable way compared to land crossings.

That is not current information.  DM is now a very poor choice, with Swampy almost as bad.  I have not seen denial-reports from any land-borders in cases like yours - except Poipet/Aranya (worst place to enter Thailand ).  The only land-border rejection w/ TR-Visa I recall recently, was a person with several overstays.

 

I have seen reports similar to yours from the Bangkok airports, though these are infrequent with a TR visa - seems to depend on the IOs mood, how many detention-cells are open (they make 800 Baht each on these), and other unknown factors.  It's a roll of the dice.

[Ledania]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

He had an METV (perfectly valid visa), and followed the instructions from the IO, which were given the previous day.  His mistake (if you can call it that), was not knowing they were being dishonest the previous day.

Very much true. 

[Ledania]

Thank you indeed for sharing. It can be really helpful. Many people go for the stamps to Aranya/Poipet land border. So, thanks for the information. 

[Ledania]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 

You keep talking about rules and correct visas, but cannot point at a rule book. The fact is that there is absolutely nothing in the rules that limits the number of visits or total length of stay on tourist visas. What you are saying is follow the unstated rules that are in the head of whatever official you come into contact with. There is absolutely no way you can tell in advance what that official's attitude to you might be. Is the rule to dress nicely? Is it to use the correct airport? Is it to have the correct colour of skin? Is it (as some have speculated) to use male rather than female officials? None of these rules have been published officially.

He has the perfectly correct visa. 

[Essecola]

The immigration staff at the Poipet border must really laugh their butts off at people who keep showing up there trying to enter. After it being for ages that repeated horror stories pop up re that entry point.

[JohnOFphon]

6 months ago I crossed that border to visit a casino. I did get a Cambodian visa entry and exit the next day.

I stayed overnight. The next day I went to Immigration to cross back into Thailand. I have a visa with multi entry.

The only problem I had was the long wait. 2 hours!! 4 windows open but the wait line was out the door.

IO stamped me in....2 mins...and on my way.

I know this crossing stinks..literally...but it went ok for me.

[jacko45k]

13 minutes ago, JohnOFphon said:

I know this crossing stinks..literally...but it went ok for me.

Exactly, it was over a decade ago I last used it and the experience was so unpleasant with the crowds, queuing, deformed beggars I soon found alternatives. Still so bad is it?

[ubonjoe]

This topic just got shorter after I removed 38 posts caused by a troll that invaded the topic.

Edit: And now another one that created two replies.

[gk10002000]

23 hours ago, BritTim said:

The problems entering at Poipet are well known, but it does not hurt to continually remind people thinking of using that crossing that they should cross somewhere else.

 

Just for information, while Poipet immigration will often tell you to fly into Thailand from Siem Reap, you can more cheaply enter via another land crossing. The only one that is a problem is Poipet/Aran.

so if I am a USA citizen.  I am planning a two month holiday.  As in the past, I plan to do the simple visa exempt on arrival stamp.  Stay in Thailand 28 days or whatever, then do a border visa run which I have done once or twice many years ago, then go back to Thailand for another 28 days or so.  It sounds like the day trip visa run is not easy to do these days?  Now I would not mind spending a few days in Cambodia, before returning to Thailand, but the visa mini van at least in the past turned things around and returned to Thailand a few hours later.  I understand I can just go to immigration and do the 30 day extension so I guess that is the easiest thing.  But I have to wonder what the day trippers visa runs are doing, if they are still doing it?  One can't leave Thailand and come back in the same day?  What if one has a valid re-entry permit and say maybe just went to cambodia for the day to visit a casino or whatever?

[samsensam]

 

things have been getting less easy as the years go by. i did METVs for a few years but the questions and delays (suspicions?) increased and i  didnt like the hassle and insinuations so decided to go retirement.

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

so if I am a USA citizen.  I am planning a two month holiday.  As in the past, I plan to do the simple visa exempt on arrival stamp.  Stay in Thailand 28 days or whatever, then do a border visa run which I have done once or twice many years ago, then go back to Thailand for another 28 days or so.  It sounds like the day trip visa run is not easy to do these days?

No need to do do a border run for a new visa exempt entry after the first 30 days. You can apply for a 30 day extension of it at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

Not a problem to do a border hop for new visa exempt entry other than at the Aran/Poipet crossing since the 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year at land border crossings started.

[BritTim]

37 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

so if I am a USA citizen.  I am planning a two month holiday.  As in the past, I plan to do the simple visa exempt on arrival stamp.  Stay in Thailand 28 days or whatever, then do a border visa run which I have done once or twice many years ago, then go back to Thailand for another 28 days or so.  It sounds like the day trip visa run is not easy to do these days?  Now I would not mind spending a few days in Cambodia, before returning to Thailand, but the visa mini van at least in the past turned things around and returned to Thailand a few hours later.  I understand I can just go to immigration and do the 30 day extension so I guess that is the easiest thing.  But I have to wonder what the day trippers visa runs are doing, if they are still doing it?  One can't leave Thailand and come back in the same day?  What if one has a valid re-entry permit and say maybe just went to cambodia for the day to visit a casino or whatever?

There is no reason why you cannot use visa exempt entries as in the past. Just make sure, if you do a border bounce for another 30-day permission to stay that you choose a crossing other than Poipet/Aran.

 

That said, you might want to get a single entry tourist visa for your trip. Your airline might prefer to see it, and the very slight chance (in your case) of problems with immigration at the airport on arrival in Thailand will be eliminated. It also saves you a small amount of money.

[gk10002000]

29 minutes ago, BritTim said:

There is no reason why you cannot use visa exempt entries as in the past. Just make sure, if you do a border bounce for another 30-day permission to stay that you choose a crossing other than Poipet/Aran.

 

That said, you might want to get a single entry tourist visa for your trip. Your airline might prefer to see it, and the very slight chance (in your case) of problems with immigration at the airport on arrival in Thailand will be eliminated. It also saves you a small amount of money.

yeah, I know, but my travel is often at very near to the last minute.  That is why I first visited Thailand.  No advance planning necessary.  Visa Exempt on Arrival was and is so easy.  Often I was no where near a convenient Thai counselar office and don't like the idea of mailing passport around booking flights in advance, etc. before applying for the SETV.  But if I do take a longer vacation like 80 to 90 days, then yes, I will do the SETV, 60 day thingy with a later extension.

[Issanjohn]

I haven’t really read anything on here except avoid Poi Pet.  I try not to read a lot of this stuff anymore because sometimes there’s just a lot garbage that people post and I’m not getting lured into anymore arguments online from behind a keyboard.  

 

Anyway I can say this during my first year here Poi Pet used to be a great place to do a border crossing on a multiple entry marriage visa which I used to do my first year here until I started getting my extensions every year.  So I don’t do the border crossings anymore because I don’t have to as long as I just keep getting my extensions as I will.  Of course if you ever get a new marriage visa it’s border crossings again every 3 months.  Personally I prefer my extensions because reporting every 3 months is so much easier than border crossings every 3 months.  Although I didn’t mind the border crossings they were kind of fun actually at the time.  

 

When I used to do my border crossings at Poi Pet that used to be a great spot.  I remember coming back into Thailand I’d be standing in line behind every European backpacker in Thailand lol.  

 

What happened was back in sometime late 2015 remember the Bangkok bomber?  Well he illegally crossed into Thailand via Poi Pet by apparently bribing his way in on an obviously fake Turkish passport.  And the moron even tried to escape by going back across the same border crossing, Poi Pet again and got caught on the border.  WHAT AN IDIOT THE BOMBER WAS!  Never plan your exfil or escape plan the same way you came in unless you’re flying.  

 

Anyway ever since the stupid Bangkok bomber crossed there and got caught there trying to cross back into Cambodia on the Poi Pet border crossing immigration just drastically started cracking down on Poi Pet and apparently some of the IOs were either fired or transferred and they totally changed the Poi Pet border crossing and ever since then Poi Pet just HAS NOT been a good place to cross the border anymore even for people on long stay visas.  It used to be a great place until the unfortunate Bangkok bombing because the bomber illegally crossed via Poi Pet and also got caught trying to escape via Poi Pet.  That really ruined it for everyone ever since then Poi Pet has changed drastically from what I’ve heard.  

 

So the Poi Pet situation is not because they don’t like tourists it’s not even a good place to cross anymore if you’re on a long stay visa as it used to be, the problem in Poi Pet is because that was where the infamous Bangkok bomber illegally crossed the border into Thailand and then was caught trying to escape across the same border Poi Pet again.  There was apparently also a dispute over which side of the border he was caught on the Thailand side or the Cambodian side of the border.  

 

Anyway that’s why Poi Pet is the way it is today I specifically remember that because that was before I got my first extension and I personally used to cross the Poi Pet border crossing all the time every 90 days during my first year here.  I’m sure many others can attest to that.  So yes you’re right unless you’re planning to go to Cambodia for a little while as in at least a few days avoid the Poi Pet border crossing if you are planning on coming back into Thailand the same day.  It used to be a great place but unfortunately not anymore.  If I ever had to get a new visa and do border crossings ever again I definitely would avoid Poi Pet.  Ever since the crack down after the Bangkok bomber Poi Pet totally changed.  

[TSF]

5 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

6 months ago I crossed that border to visit a casino. I did get a Cambodian visa entry and exit the next day.

I stayed overnight. The next day I went to Immigration to cross back into Thailand. I have a visa with multi entry.

The only problem I had was the long wait. 2 hours!! 4 windows open but the wait line was out the door.

IO stamped me in....2 mins...and on my way.

I know this crossing stinks..literally...but it went ok for me.

Yes, it's horrible there. I went through a couple years ago after having a one-week holiday in Cambodia. Nothing to do with visa runs, I have an annual retirement + multi-re-entry. It was just hellish standing in that line for 2-3 hours. My Thai wife was through in 2-3 minutes, then she had to sit outside and wait for me. One of the IO walked the line and approached Cambodians waiting to enter Thailand, he told the Cambodians for 300Bt they could move up front and be dealt with instantly but they didn't take the offer, preferring to hang onto their money. However I asked the IO if I could pay 300Bt and get out quickly as my Thai wife was waiting. I just got a smart-ass mouthful for a reply. So there was definitely an anti-farang bias going on. There was also a very old European flash-packer lady, probably in her 80s, and she was all hunched up and shuffling in the line. I can remember a time in Thailand when a smiling Thai would have come up and taken that little old lady by the elbow and assisted her up to the front counter, showing her some special courtesy due to her age, but it sure didn't happen that day. So I would never go anywhere near that border again, I'd rather walk to SR and fly.

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, ukrules said:

There definitely seems to be a 'crackdown' on tourism in general.

 

This is a strange thing for a country which relies on tourism for a significant part of its GDP to do but there you go, the people running the country are not the brightest.

How very true, it is amazing how many deluded posters there are here who think the Thai government and Immigration are similar to most countries in the world with their visa rules.

Apart from the tourists with the 30 day exempt, who use that to come here for a two or three week holiday, they are very badly treated when they should be getting encouraged, especially the ones under fifty who want to stay in Thailand long term.

[Ledania]

19 hours ago, Horace Lamb said:

Can all be avoided by arriving with the correct visa and documentation.

That is the point, people pay for correct visas, thoroughly follow the requirements (at least, clearly written rules), but it all depends on the subjective factor. 

[Media1]

4 hours ago, possum1931 said:

How very true, it is amazing how many deluded posters there are here who think the Thai government and Immigration are similar to most countries in the world with their visa rules.

Apart from the tourists with the 30 day exempt, who use that to come here for a two or three week holiday, they are very badly treated when they should be getting encouraged, especially the ones under fifty who want to stay in Thailand long term.

It's since the army cane to power only. They don't like westerners. This is nearly over patients 

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Media1 said:

It's since the army cane to power only. They don't like westerners. This is nearly over patients 

No, it started well before that.  It's been getting progressively worse for awhile.  The current PM publicly asked immigration to "be flexible" on the latest visa-exempt tightening - already in progress - and on its 3rd (or more) variation of official (police-order) restrictions.  We are dealing with a faction of institutional bureaucrats who stick around, regardless of who is PM.