Is Aranyaprathet immigration station still very luggage-unfriendly?

[youbuyshirt]

Is the Aranyaprathet (Thai) immigration station still as luggage-unfriendly as I remember? I haven’t been there in over 2 years, will go soon.

 

I remember that the first floor was for Thais, and the second floor was for foreigners, and there was no luggage ramp going up to the second floor (or it might have been that there was a ramp but it was too narrow for my luggage cart) and no ramp going down after getting stamped in. Just steep stairs.

 

I know there are buses that go all the way from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, but can you leave your luggage on them and take the same bus after leaving Aranyaprathet immigration? Somehow I doubt it, because of the right hand/left hand road/steering wheel difference between the 2 countries.

 

What about coming back? Are there buses that go all the way from Bangkok to Phnom Penh that you can leave your luggage on when going through Aranya and Poipet border posts?

 

I hope I’m posting this to an appropriate sub-forum. I couldn’t find another sub-forum that seemed relevant to the Poipet-Aranyaprathet border.

[Sheryl]

I assume you mean the border immigration station and not the Imm office in town.

This now has escalator going up so much easier than before. I forget re going down, that might still be stairs. I have managed OK with a wheeled carry on size bag, purse, computer bag and pet carrying case.

There is absolutely no reason to struggle with a lot of luggage. Keep only real valuables with you and give the rest to a porter. There are Khmer porters pulling wheeled carts who will take your stuff from well before the first Imm checkpoint to after the second one in either direction. You bargain the rate first, usually 50-100 baht per bag depending on size. Pay in baht, dollat or riel but price usually quoted in baht.

Standard precaution that my Khmer friends taught me is to take picture of them plus their border pass card which they all wear around their neck. Also get their phone number in case you have any trouble meeting up. I have never had a problem in some 20+ years using these porters.

As for through bus can't say but regardless you have to get out and pass through both Immigrations.

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[youbuyshirt]

Thanks so much Sheryl. I am referring to the Aranyaprathet Thai immigration post at the border that you go to immediately after exiting Cambodia immigration. The place where they give you your entry stamp.

 

I have too much stuff. I try to minimize it but it's still a lot of stuff that I need to take with me wherever I go. I have a couple of heavy cargo bags that I haul on a folding luggage trolley.

 

I remember it is the steps going down after getting the entry stamp that were really difficult for me, more so than the steps going up. Is this the building that has the new escalator? But only going up, not going down?

 

If I take a bus, I wonder if I can leave my luggage on the bus when I go into Thai immigration. Or is Thailand now x-raying luggage so you have to bring the luggage in?

 

These Khmer porters, do they take your luggage from the Cambodia immigration post where you exit all the way to the Thai immigration post? And then you leave your luggage with them while you go into Thai Immigration and get on a usually very long line? And when you emerge with your entry stamp maybe an hour later, the porters are there waiting for you and haven't run off with your stuff? I think I'd be hesitant to use their services. Too many scammers at that border.

 

I have a wheeled folding trolley of my own, the problem is it can't go up and down stairs so I have to dismantle it and carry the bags separately down the stairs. It's a real pain.

[Sheryl]

I really can't remember if the escalator is both ways or just going up. May be both...I do know they have renovated the facility in recent years and it is better than it used to be.

 

The  lines also are not as bad as they used to be though of course depends on luck and timing.  They'll be worse if you come on a bus as everyone on the bus with you will be passing through.

 

Entering Cambodia, the porters take your luggage from wherever you hire them (can do this in the market on the Thai side; they tend to congregate near the Kasikorn bank  or right before the walkway to Thai immigration) all the way through to past Cambodian immigration, the area where people get taxis.

 

Leaving Cambodia and entering Thailand, they take it from before Cambodian immigration  to past Thai immigration. Depending on whether Thai customs police ask to have a look, and also whether if so, you left the bags unlocked,  they may be able to meet you where you come out past Thai customs or you may need to walk a block or two back down the road to where they have been stopped by Thai customs police (You'll usually see them when you come out, just look backwards).  Usually as soon as the Thai customs police  see a farang coming they'll wave the porters on  through. Only rarely have I had to go open my bags.  They do Xray.

 

I often travel with far more than you do.  5 huge giant (really, really giant sized)  bags plus a cat and computer  last trip...3 months worth of cat food and kitty litter, a Christmas tree and decorations, large number of Christmas presents, clothes and other personal supplies for 3 months etc etc.

 

[youbuyshirt]

Goodness, how do you travel with that much stuff? I'm sure my stuff would exceed the limitations for an airplane, and yours certainly would too. One of the reasons I don't fly.

 

Well if they x-ray the bags now, then you have to bring them in to the immigration post? Or they do that later, outside the building?

 

Do they also do body scans? I read somewhere that Thailand was doing that now at airports. Are they also doing it at Aranyaprathet? Personally, I don't want the radiation in my body.

 

Thanks again for your replies.

[Sheryl]

No body scans.

 

The porters take care of everything so I can't tell you how the Xraying works but it has already happened when I meet up with them to reclaim my stuff. Does not happen in the imm building, it is outside (this is only for entering Thailand, not Cambodia). As you walk out of Imm there is also a section for Xraying luggage you may have with you but most people seem to ignore it and walk right through and so do I. If they want you to Xray they'll stop you and say so but usually don't. They are more focused on content of trucks and large bags with the porters as what they are after is goods being brought in for sale,.

 

Yes, the amount of stuff is one reason I went overland. The other is that none of the flights Bkk-PP allow cats in the cabin.

 

I do fly  leaving cat home, if it is a short trip.

[youbuyshirt]

Thanks for the replies. Well, Sheryl says it's an escalator and rottenScoundrill says it's an elevator. Which is correct? 

 

It can be really tricky to take a loaded luggage trolley down an escalator. Last time I did that, in China, I damaged my trolley.

 

They didn't need to go to the trouble and expense of installing escalators/elevators. Simple luggage ramps would have been sufficient and maybe even better.

[Sheryl]

Escalators are what I have used. Possible there is an elevator somewhere, I don't know. Since I always send everything but computer, valuables and cat by a porter the escalator is fine for my purposes.

[fred110]

On 10/22/2019 at 9:09 AM, Sheryl said:

I really can't remember if the escalator is both ways or just going up. May be both...I do know they have renovated the facility in recent years and it is better than it used to be.

 

The  lines also are not as bad as they used to be though of course depends on luck and timing.  They'll be worse if you come on a bus as everyone on the bus with you will be passing through.

 

Entering Cambodia, the porters take your luggage from wherever you hire them (can do this in the market on the Thai side; they tend to congregate near the Kasikorn bank  or right before the walkway to Thai immigration) all the way through to past Cambodian immigration, the area where people get taxis.

 

Leaving Cambodia and entering Thailand, they take it from before Cambodian immigration  to past Thai immigration. Depending on whether Thai customs police ask to have a look, and also whether if so, you left the bags unlocked,  they may be able to meet you where you come out past Thai customs or you may need to walk a block or two back down the road to where they have been stopped by Thai customs police (You'll usually see them when you come out, just look backwards).  Usually as soon as the Thai customs police  see a farang coming they'll wave the porters on  through. Only rarely have I had to go open my bags.  They do Xray.

 

I often travel with far more than you do.  5 huge giant (really, really giant sized)  bags plus a cat and computer  last trip...3 months worth of cat food and kitty litter, a Christmas tree and decorations, large number of Christmas presents, clothes and other personal supplies for 3 months etc etc.

 

It is steps going down, as of 4 days ago.

[Sheryl]

I just crossed on Sunday. Escalator (working) both ways ... that is entering Camb from Thailand

[drbeach]

Of course you take the same bus all the way from Siem Reap or PP to Bangkok. That's the whole idea of an international bus service.

 

I think this question has now been answered but I recall that cross-border bus services require you to take your luggage through the scanner for inbound travel, but not for Cambodia bound travel.

[Sheryl]

Returning to Thailand from Cambodia yesterday the escalator up was broken.

[bender92]

On 2/20/2020 at 7:16 PM, Sheryl said:

Returning to Thailand from Cambodia yesterday the escalator up was broken.

Both escalators going to Thailand were working Monday February 24.