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Ban Pakkard Visa run all good

McGregor21
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McGregor21 Explorer Member

McGregor21

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Posting this info for anyone else looking for some info on visa exempt border bounce on their own.

 

So i needed to get a new stamp in my passport and decided i would drive to Ban Pakkard to do the bounce into Cambodia. This border has been mentioned as much less problematic than Poipet further north. 

 

I was prepared to either pay an agent at the border to help with the whole process, or to do it all myself and stay the night in Cambodia. 

 

Drove from Sattahip to the border in 3hrs 30...wasn't racing, the weather and traffic was terrible for the first 2 ½ hrs. I just took the main road ( Highway 3 then road 317)  all the way as the forecast was for heavy rain. Only one major roadworks and one large flood to navigate, road 317 in good order.

 

So arriving at the border i stopped at the 7/11 and had a quick chat with the local food sellers about where i could park my motorbike for the night. They pointed me to the local shop/laundry/toilet Lady, which is about 50m before the 7/11. She said sure i could park my bike under cover at her small shop.  I explained i may be back today or tomorrow. No problem.

 

Walked round the corner to the border and there is actually a large car parking facility very close to the immigration. oh well better to help the small business.

 

To the Thai departures, 3 people in the queue. Immigration officer asked what i want to do. I said just make a new Thai stamp in my passport and as expected he shouts on a lady to come over. She quoted the expected 2700 baht. I was prepared to stay the night but after the weather and being there alone i didn't see any point in going to Cambodia and either possibly paying a fee to get back same day at Cambodian immigration or staying a night in one of the casino's. 

 

This fee includes the 35$ Cambo Visa, so after asking for a discount and being refused, just went with it.

 

They asked for my TM6, explained i came in by air and they don't use them. She went off and got the TM6 and filled it all in for me.

 

So stamped out of Thailand. I am then handed over to the Cambodian agent. We walk across the bridge with a few other  customers to the Cambo immigration, the agent fills out the arrival card and again, 3 people in the queue. Stamped into Cambodia, whole page of passport visa!! Thanks... Guy laughs and then asks , leaving now? Yes please, so he now starts the process of doing my exit stamps...job done. back to Thailand. Stamped in with a new 30 day visa exemption. All in 25mins.


So a few things i noticed, i wasn't asked for any covid vaccinations, insurance, copies of passport or photos at Cambodian or Thai immigration. 

 

The border is very quiet, no touts pestering you. 

 

I was surprised i had to actually walk over to Cambodia, but they said everyone has to go now to have the picture taken at the Cambo immigration desk.

 

Had a good chat with the lady after i was back into Thailand and she says, i can do this one more time in one year and next time it will be 1700 baht, same price for everyone she says..haha..will wait and see. 

 

Next time i will prob do it all myself as its maybe 5 years since i last did a visa run and had no idea how easy it would be this time.

 

Drove back home using smaller country roads, same time. Sun even appeared for a moment and then raining as i got back home. 

 

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flexomike Gold Member

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So it looks like they charged you an extra 1400 baht to fill out the TM6 and walk you across the border and back, do you think you could have done an in and out yourself without paying the extra, if I remember right when it did this there back in 2017 it was just 300 baht extra 

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McGregor21 Explorer Member

McGregor21

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3 hours ago, flexomike said:

So it looks like they charged you an extra 1400 baht to fill out the TM6 and walk you across the border and back, do you think you could have done an in and out yourself without paying the extra, if I remember right when it did this there back in 2017 it was just 300 baht extra 

yes for sure, I would imagine you could this yourself no issues. 

 

the only thing I don't know is wether the Cambodian side will let you back on the same day without any  payments...maybe some one else can comment with experience.

 

the only time i did this border was before with a van company from Pattaya. so of course we had no issues. 

 

I was once at Poipet with a friend who  went over and they( Cambodian Immigration)  point blank refused to allow him to leave Cambodia until the next day.

 

 

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McGregor21 Explorer Member

McGregor21

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4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

2 years ago mini van border runs from Pattaya were 2,300 baht, so they def charged you extra. They also took the passport over the border for you, so having to make the trip is an interesting change, if true

It isn't 2300 bhat now

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decca60 Senior Member

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@ Mc Gregor 21

 

I went on August 8th with my wife ( European) to Ban Pakkard border check from Sattahip. The purpose was to get out of thailand to cancel our O A visa we wanted to change for a O one for obvious reasons. We took the same road and experienced the same heavy rains and heavy traffic conditions and surely the same very dangerous road section about 40 km before reaching the border.  As you said, I confirm this border point is nicely organized and very quiet. Easy parking and plenty of stores. I think we met the same lady at the Thai counter where she proposed us a full service for 2700 thb including the Cambodian visa cost.Contrarily to you who had to work and walk,, and luckily for us, she took our passports, filled the TM 6 form herself( we just had to sign)  and we stayed relaxing on a chair time for them to manage everything on the Cambodian side where we never put a single foot. After 15/ 20 mn, she was back with our passports containing the Cambodian visa, came with us back to the Thai immigration counter where we got our visa exempt stamp. Done deal smoothly, effortlessly and with nice smile. 

 

Two days after we went to our local immigration office to apply for the O visa. We had completed with great care the whole files requested in 2 exemplars. All was done there in less than an hour. They kept our passports and said it would take 2 to 3 weeks to get the visa for 3 months, to be extended to a 1 year one. 12 days later we got a SMS message on our phone to go and pick up our passports. We got our 3 month new visa and will process the extension soon, no earlier than 30 days before expiration date.

So it was worth the long trip and hope everybody doing the same will get the same efficient process at a very fair service price.

 

 

Edited by decca60
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OJAS Ruby Member

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58 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

That helps no one 

 

23 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Agreed - You would expect some kind of positive input, especially from someone who calls himself "visarunner".

All I can say is that I have just conducted a Google search of my own based on "border runs from Pattaya Cambodia" in line with @visarunner's suggestion - and up popped loads of potential options!

 

Some people on here really expect to be spoonfed to a ridiculous degree, don't they?

 

 

 

Edited by OJAS
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scubascuba3 Star Member

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55 minutes ago, OJAS said:

 

All I can say is that I have just conducted a Google search of my own based on "border runs from Pattaya Cambodia" in line with @visarunner's suggestion - and up popped loads of potential options!

 

Some people on here really expect to be spoonfed to a ridiculous degree, don't they?

 

 

 

finding on google is little use, probably outdated, real current live border run vans is required, i guess you won't know

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OJAS Ruby Member

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5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

finding on google is little use, probably outdated, real current live border run vans is required, i guess you won't know

For your part I guess that the oft-quoted AseanNow mantra which goes "Let Google be your friend" has somehow managed to pass you by. On the contrary, when it comes to identifying potential border run service providers, you clearly seem to regard Google as your sworn enemy solely on the basis of a completely unsubstantiated belief regarding the currency of the information which its searches yield!

 

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RedArmy Gold Member

RedArmy

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2 hours ago, OJAS said:

For your part I guess that the oft-quoted AseanNow mantra which goes "Let Google be your friend" has somehow managed to pass you by. On the contrary, when it comes to identifying potential border run service providers, you clearly seem to regard Google as your sworn enemy solely on the basis of a completely unsubstantiated belief regarding the currency of the information which its searches yield!

 

Pretty boring & insignificant analysis.

 

Everyone knows about Google research - But Google ain't got boots on the ground, that's why folk come on forums such as this, to get 1st hand experiences from other posters.

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JoseThailand Gold Member

JoseThailand

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On 9/6/2022 at 11:17 AM, McGregor21 said:

Had a good chat with the lady after i was back into Thailand and she says, i can do this one more time in one year and next time it will be 1700 baht, same price for everyone she says..haha..will wait and see. 

Good to know that border hops are still working, contrary to the BS the other people are saying.

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Wongkitlo Gold Member

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On 9/7/2022 at 8:22 AM, zzzzz said:

Cambodia tourist visa is $30 not $35 ( thats the ordinary/business visa) 

Hat lek/trat is a very easy border crossing as well
koh kong is  a nice place to spend the night

I have had trouble with the Cambodian Visa guys wanting extra payments. I started getting an evisa to avoid their bullying. 

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Caldera Platinum Member

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3 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I have had trouble with the Cambodian Visa guys wanting extra payments. I started getting an evisa to avoid their bullying. 

This thread is about the Ban Pakkard border crossing. You cannot enter Cambodia there using an eVisa.

Edited by Caldera
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Caldera Platinum Member

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On 9/10/2022 at 8:09 AM, Wongkitlo said:

Did you bother reading zzzz's comment? It was about Hat Lek.  Why dont you tell him?

I wrote that for the benefit of others reading this thread. Not everyone knows at which land border crossings you can enter Cambodia with an eVisa.

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Wongkitlo Gold Member

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22 hours ago, Caldera said:

I wrote that for the benefit of others reading this thread. Not everyone knows at which land border crossings you can enter Cambodia with an eVisa.

He was talking about Hat Lek and it was a direct reply to his comment claiming that Hat Lek is an easy border when it is well known for it's scamming Cambodian border officials and it's fake  medical test. 

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chrischronic Senior Member

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Drove here yesterday Sun sep 18th and was super easy. US passport and on covid extensions since the start 2 years. Paid the 2700 at the desk after stamping out and the staff took care of the rest. They walked me to Cambodia got stamped by a friendly IO and then returned.

Thai side was super easy. IO smiled at me and stamped the passport with no questions asked. 

Great easy border that takes care of you with the visa service available there.

 

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edwardandtubs Platinum Member

edwardandtubs

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On 9/7/2022 at 8:22 AM, zzzzz said:

Cambodia tourist visa is $30 not $35 ( thats the ordinary/business visa) 

Hat lek/trat is a very easy border crossing as well
koh kong is  a nice place to spend the night

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?

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