Visa runs to Phnom Penh may become just feasible next month

[BritTim]

Cambodia has just announced an end to quarantine for vaccinated travellers, and Bangkok Airways starts direct flights next month. While pretty expansive, and while Phnom Penh has historically been one of the worst nearby embassies to apply for Thai visas, going there no longer seems totally out of the question. Thoughts?

[JustAnotherHun]

Was these visa run option not already limited pre Covid?

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Was these visa run option not already limited pre Covid?

The buses to the border were operating normally pre covid, about 10 buses a day to one border i went to

[DrJack54]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

Cambodia has just announced an end to quarantine for vaccinated travellers, and Bangkok Airways starts direct flights next month.

Thinking you would need to be pretty desperate.

Bangkok airways are generally expensive. 

Obtaining a tourist visa in PP best suited to using an agent (not essential) 

Personally I'm thinking the border bounce and obtaining an overnight tourist visa won't really be an option until a land border opens. Laos would be great option if/when.

When that happens is anyone's guess. 

 

 

[ThLT]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

and while Phnom Penh has historically been one of the worst nearby embassies to apply for Thai visas,

Worst embassy, and Poipet the worst border point.

[stratocaster]

Went there 1 year before Covid. Used an agent, submitted passport on Monday received visa on Friday afternoon. Agent told me I was lucky as they were clamping down on people with multiple visas in passport.

[Caldera]

It's conceivable that they will be more lenient while the recovery of tourism is in progress,  and start clamping down again at some point. It's also conceivable that they'll just resume with their strict policies right away. Who knows, someone will have to try and report!

[Greenwich Boy]

Following this closely as I would really like another 30 + 30 when my permission to stay finishes in Feb. Ideally walk over the bridge in Mae Sai and walk back but that sounds too easy. Unless rules change just leaving the country for a short period of time will require a Thailand Pass and possibly very expensive insurance on return. Then there was the palaver pre Covid of not issuing visas in a country where you were not resident (bit hazy on details here) All sounds good but don't hold your breath.

[JustAnotherHun]

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

The buses to the border were operating normally pre covid, about 10 buses a day to one border i went to

True. Bit I think the border runs for new visa were limited that you could not get more then 2(?) visa in a row outside your home countrey. Maybe I'm wrong. I did not use the runs for many years

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

True. Bit I think the border runs for new visa were limited that you could not get more then 2(?) visa in a row outside your home countrey. Maybe I'm wrong. I did not use the runs for many years

Maybe your thinking of visa exempt entries at land borders (I think) .

They are limited to 2 per calendar year. 

The number of tourist visas obtained at various consulates varied and was determined by consulate. 

[Exilerunner]

@BritTim interesting thought my friend but for people staying in Thailand for years on tourist visa crossing only land borders, would face surely a dire scenario at the airport

[Burma Bill]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

going there no longer seems totally out of the question. Thoughts?

For reference:- (15 November 2021)

 

"Cambodia has set the standard for other ASEAN member states to look into quarantine free travels across borders as it lifted quarantine restrictions for all fully vaccinated travelers arriving at its land, sea and air checkpoints from today.

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50971077/cambodia-throws-the-gauntlet-at-asean-as-it-obliterates-entry-restrictions/

[Burma Bill]

5 minutes ago, Exilerunner said:

@BritTim interesting thought my friend but for people staying in Thailand for years on tourist visa crossing only land borders, would face surely a dire scenario at the airport

Cambodian land, sea and air borders are now OPEN as from today 15 November 2021.

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Cambodian land, sea and air borders are now OPEN as from today 15 November 2021.

And what's the rules for re-entering Thailand via land border from Cambodia?  

 

[Exilerunner]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And what's the rules for re-entering Thailand via land border from Cambodia?  

 

 

18 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Cambodian land, sea and air borders are now OPEN as from today 15 November 2021.

Right but I doubt for foreigners like us

[Burma Bill]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

And what's the rules for re-entering Thailand via land border from Cambodia?  

 

 

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And what's the rules for re-entering Thailand via land border from Cambodia?  

 

Very sorry, no idea as I live in Cambodia, but I presume the usual Covid insurance and some kind of visa.  

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And what's the rules for re-entering Thailand via land border from Cambodia?  

At this time it is a 14 day quarantine for entries by land.

Most land border crossings are closed at this time other than for special cases (repatriation is one). 

[Burma Bill]

10 minutes ago, Exilerunner said:

 

Right but I doubt for foreigners like us

All are welcome, to kick-start tourism. E-visas are now available.

 

"As Cambodia marches towards a post-Covid revival under a new normal, Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that from today onwards fully-vaccinated Cambodians and foreigners who enter Cambodia via air, water, and land will no longer be required to quarantine if they test negative upon arrival."

 

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50971268/video-quarantine-free-entry-c-19-restrictions-lifted-for-fully-vaccinated-arrivals/

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

All are welcome, to kick-start tourism. E-visas are now available.

And you are welcome to check reentry requirements to Thailand via land border. 

[BusyB]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

And you are welcome to check reentry requirements to Thailand via land border. 

Very true ... but for those of us who are missing the SEA lifestyle and can afford to hang for a couple of months next door whilst the Thais untwist their y-fronts, then this is the best news I've seen in a couple of years ...

Never thought I'd ever want to say 'thanks' to Hun Sen. 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, BusyB said:

Never thought I'd ever want to say 'thanks' to Hun Sen.

Dont get me wrong. I'm an old chap living here and miss chatting with the S.E.A travellers. Be that Cambodia or my (previously pre covid) once every month go to which is Saigon.

Point is even if these places follow Thai style opening in the future.....

I'm sorry to say that it won't remotely resemble what you refer to. and miss. 

 

[david555]

Remember what you are wishing for ...., as when land borders open again   the covid extensions could end, except maybe for some with real controllable proof of impossible to leave to home country 

[jackdd]

So it should now be possible to go from Thailand to Cambodia by land, but coming back over land is not an option yet.

The easiest way is thus to fly to Cambodia and back to Thailand. Currently the flights are just a bit expensive at about 6k THB return, but I guess the prices will go down in the coming days/weeks.

This currently puts a "border run" at at least 11k THB total cost (6k flight, 4k quarantine hotel in Thailand, 1k for Cambodian visa), and requires at least one night stay in Bangkok.

[Exilerunner]

23 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

At this time it is a 14 day quarantine for entries by land.

Most land border crossings are closed at this time other than for special cases (repatriation is one). 

So no changes on this front.

[david555]

A little side matter ,

but i saw just this afternoon around 4 clock a blue bus like the Pattaya airport bus heading in the Theprasit go slow direction Sukhumvit .....

Could be they also resume routes 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, david555 said:

A little side matter ,

but i saw just this afternoon around 4 clock a blue bus like the Pattaya airport bus heading in the Theprasit go slow direction Sukhumvit .....

Could be they also resume routes 

It appears they have. See: https://airportpattayabus.com/

Double checked and the reservation selection worked for tomorrow.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, Exilerunner said:

So no changes on this front.

A news article I read before only mentioned flights by air to Phnom Phen.

[ChaiyaTH]

20 minutes ago, jackdd said:

This currently puts a "border run" at at least 11k THB total cost (6k flight, 4k quarantine hotel in Thailand, 1k for Cambodian visa), and requires at least one night stay in Bangkok.

For just a 2-3 months additional stay and that would exclude insurance cost too (if not having that already). Agent within the country seems cheaper and safer for now.

It is like a russian roullette at the embassy in cambodia already in the first place too. If they somehow close or refuse, you end up with just 30 days on arrival. I guess Laos and VN will open normally around March next year again, just a better deal to get a 6-12 month visa deal with multiple entry IMO.

[david555]

13 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It appears they have. See: https://airportpattayabus.com/

Double checked and the reservation selection worked for tomorrow.

However i did not see them at the noticed on website 1 November ..... just only now first time today 

[BusyB]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Dont get me wrong. I'm an old chap living here and miss chatting with the S.E.A travellers. Be that Cambodia or my (previously pre covid) once every month go to which is Saigon.

Point is even if these places follow Thai style opening in the future.....

I'm sorry to say that it won't remotely resemble what you refer to. and miss. 

 

I see what you mean and do understand. I am quite braced for the place being t o t a l l y different, and suspect it'll require some adaptation. A couple of long-term friends in LOS have warned me and it's quite obvious when you can't even get a seafood pad thai on the beach and a foot massage for desert. But at least the beach is still there. And a couple of friends.

The food, the weather, and a few other constants will also still be there.

Having thought about this a short while though, I also think Cambodia will be swamped with all the travelers who can't be bothered with Thai Pass this year. So it could easily get a little crowded. If I was a UK/EU travel agent I'd be pushing it like mad.

I normally avoid prognoses (and those who purvey them) but I'd wager that if that happens then Thai Pass will be history by January, especially with the low number of arriving infected travellers.