Border run at Ban Pakkad by oneself.

[Eugen63]

Has anybody done a border run to Cambodia at Ban Pakkad cross border recently?

I prefer to drive myself, cross the border and come back to Thailand.

Is it to much hassle doing it by oneself? Is it better to hire an agent in the border?

Thank you in advance.

[scubascuba3]

Lot's of minivans go there daily, when in the van you never cross the border, the passport goes with the agent who goes to the Cambodia crossing point. On your own you'll likely have to pay extra but let us know 

[Pattaya57]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Lot's of minivans go there daily, when in the van you never cross the border, the passport goes with the agent who goes to the Cambodia crossing point. On your own you'll likely have to pay extra but let us know 

Not what my experience was in November. We of course had to stamp out of Thailand, get Cambodia Visa, stamp into and out of Cambodia and then walk back to Thailand entry. All took < 2 hours and walking of about 100 metres between the 2 immigration offices.

 

I question the value of driving yourself. How much is petrol there and back + US$30 for Cambodia Visa and you are supposed to stay minimum 1 night in Cambodia before coming back. I'm thinking 3000 baht in a van run is cheaper and you're back same day (plus agent facilitates a smooth process)

 

[Tod Daniels]

These "I'm going to save money and bounce myself" border bounce ideas often don't save a baht and if you don't know what you're doing end up costing you far more than just using a service (if there is one that bounces from where you are) to get you thru the process.

With that being said, at either Ban Pakard or Ban Laem you can indeed pull off a "do it yourself" bounce. Just be prepared to be told you have to stay 24 hours in cambodia OR pay the "fee" to get right back into thailand. It's hit or miss if the officers on the thai side will tell you that  

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Not what my experience was in November. We of course had to stamp out of Thailand, get Cambodia Visa, stamp into and out of Cambodia and then walk back to Thailand entry. All took < 2 hours and walking of about 100 metres between the 2 immigration offices.

 

I question the value of driving yourself. How much is petrol there and back + US$30 for Cambodia Visa and you are supposed to stay minimum 1 night in Cambodia before coming back. I'm thinking 3000 baht in a van run is cheaper and you're back same day (plus agent facilitates a smooth process)

 

So you went in a mini van but still had to walk your passport into Cambodia get stamped etc then come back to Thai side and stamp in? certainly i never did that on the many border runs i did

[Pattaya57]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So you went in a mini van but still had to walk your passport into Cambodia get stamped etc then come back to Thai side and stamp in? certainly i never did that on the many border runs i did

How many years ago was that? I had heard that used to happen but not any more

[impulse]

6 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

I question the value of driving yourself. How much is petrol there and back + US$30 for Cambodia Visa and you are supposed to stay minimum 1 night in Cambodia before coming back. I'm thinking 3000 baht in a van run is cheaper and you're back same day (plus agent facilitates a smooth process)

 

How are the drivers?  I swore off kamikaze vans after my 2nd trip in one.  The first trip was so crazy white knuckle I thought it had to be a fluke.  The 2nd trip was just as bad, indicating it wasn't a fluke.  No 3rd trip for me, unless it's with a company and driver recommended by someone I know.  Some of them have been great drivers, but I won't take a random one.

 

 

[Pattaya57]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

How are the drivers?  I swore off kamikaze vans after my 2nd trip in one.  The first trip was so crazy white knuckle I thought it had to be a fluke.  The 2nd trip was just as bad, indicating it wasn't a fluke.  No 3rd trip for me, unless it's with a company and driver recommended by someone I know.  Some of them have been great drivers, but I won't take a random one.

 

From Pattaya, my driver was really good and the roads pretty flat with few curves. Road was also split so felt safe with no oncoming traffic. I honestly slept most of the way to border as I reclined my VIP seat almost flat

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

How many years ago was that? I had heard that used to happen but not any more

2020 my last one

[Bigz]

31 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

2020 my last one

I highly doubt that they let you do that these days. Both Cambodian and Thai immigration now require fingerprints and photos upon crossing the border.

[Tod Daniels]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

How are the drivers?   No 3rd trip for me, unless it's with a company and driver recommended by someone I know.  Some of them have been great drivers, but I won't take a random one.

 

 

SWD Transport runs from Bangkok to the Ban Laem border with Cambodia every day from the Lotus's Parking Lot at the On Nut Skytrain Station every morning at 4:30.
They use the bigger VIP mini-vans (where you have a bigger chair) and their drivers are pretty darned good
SWD Transport

[sandyf]

9 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

These "I'm going to save money and bounce myself" border bounce ideas often don't save a baht and if you don't know what you're doing end up costing you far more than just using a service (if there is one that bounces from where you are) to get you thru the process.

With that being said, at either Ban Pakard or Ban Laem you can indeed pull off a "do it yourself" bounce. Just be prepared to be told you have to stay 24 hours in cambodia OR pay the "fee" to get right back into thailand. It's hit or miss if the officers on the thai side will tell you that  

It is each to their own, and not always about the money. I was on Multi Non O from 2018 till 2014 and went to Ban Laem all the time without a problem.

Right sleepy hollow at the time, could be 'out and in' in around half an hour. Got held up one time, the IO asked my wife to help load some carpets into her pickup. 

The debate about staying the night has been around for as long as I can remember but like many things in this life, pay your money and take your chance. Of course you can reduce your chance, a friend of mine went to Ban Pakard and wouldn't pay for the Cambodia visa in Thai Baht, insisted it should be USD. He was lucky it was only 5 hours to get his passport back, that could have been an overnighter.

[alex74]

Don't do it yourself!!! It's just unnecessary stress. I went to Poipet with a new passport (60+30days stamp) and METV visa. Wanted to save a few baht. When I re-entered the country, the immigration lady interviewed me and rejected me. I had to go back to Cambodia and cancel the exit stamp and take the night bus to Phnom Peng. 2 people in a bed that is way too small... A very bad experience! I then flew back to Thailand and there were no problems in BKK.

 

If I add up the costs, the fun cost me around 6000 baht and I could have ridden the Visarun twice. 

 

Take the service from Pattaya to Ban Pakkad. It takes 1 1/2 hours at the border and you'll be back in Pattaya at 3pm. There is free food on the way back and the whole thing costs 2900 baht including Cambodia visa. Search "Visa Run Pattaya" on Facebook. I think these are the cheapest. There are people from other agencies in the same van, but they paid more.

 

Still 1 border run and 1 extension away from the retirement visa :)

[Rob Browder]

18 hours ago, alex74 said:

I went to Poipet

That is the source of your problem - "Poipet" - no one should ever go there for a border-bounce. 
One can DIY it at any other crossing to Cambodia - just be prepared for the "not staying overnight fee" to the Cambodian IOs, or stay overnight.

[AlQaholic]

19 hours ago, alex74 said:

Don't do it yourself!!! It's just unnecessary stress. I went to Poipet with a new passport (60+30days stamp) and METV visa. Wanted to save a few baht. When I re-entered the country, the immigration lady interviewed me and rejected me. I had to go back to Cambodia and cancel the exit stamp and take the night bus to Phnom Peng. 2 people in a bed that is way too small... A very bad experience! I then flew back to Thailand and there were no problems in BKK.

 

 

Yesterday I did a Poipet visa run. Things have changed. I had an e-visa to Cambodia, leaving Thailand and entering Cambodia at Poipet with no hassle at all, queues maybe 20 minutes in the middle of the day. Only thing had to fill in an arrival form. Every passing of an immigration counter (Arrival and Departure) on both sides (Thailand and Cambodia) involves full fingerprint scanning of both hands and thumbs.

Came back this morning through Poipet departure immigration again 20-minute queue, counters were well-staffed. Check check, stamp stamp, and go.

To my dismay and worry, at the Thai arrival immigration, there are no longer any counters for filling in visa-on-arrival forms, or maybe there never were, this is the first time I went to Poipet. I asked a staffer and he said "No need", which made me more worried. I joined the 20-minute queue hoping for the best. Again, well-staffed counters. At the counter, the officer studied my passport and said (politely) "|You have no visa to Thailand, what is the purpose of your visit?". I explained honestly and in detail what my purpose was in Thai and she stamped me through without having to pay a single Baht for on-arrival-visa. I think because the purpose of my visit was not 100% tourist related but very justified, I was stamped through, but don't do this on a previous tourist visa. What I mean is, don't go to Poipet for regular tourist visa runs, it will not work unless you are using some agent.

[scubascuba3]

26 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

 

Yesterday I did a Poipet visa run. Things have changed. I had an e-visa to Cambodia, leaving Thailand and entering Cambodia at Poipet with no hassle at all, queues maybe 20 minutes in the middle of the day. Only thing had to fill in an arrival form. Every passing of an immigration counter (Arrival and Departure) on both sides (Thailand and Cambodia) involves full fingerprint scanning of both hands and thumbs.

Came back this morning through Poipet departure immigration again 20-minute queue, counters were well-staffed. Check check, stamp stamp, and go.

To my dismay and worry, at the Thai arrival immigration, there are no longer any counters for filling in visa-on-arrival forms, or maybe there never were, this is the first time I went to Poipet. I asked a staffer and he said "No need", which made me more worried. I joined the 20-minute queue hoping for the best. Again, well-staffed counters. At the counter, the officer studied my passport and said (politely) "|You have no visa to Thailand, what is the purpose of your visit?". I explained honestly and in detail what my purpose was in Thai and she stamped me through without having to pay a single Baht for on-arrival-visa. I think because the purpose of my visit was not 100% tourist related but very justified, I was stamped through, but don't do this on a previous tourist visa. What I mean is, don't go to Poipet for regular tourist visa runs, it will not work unless you are using some agent.

Sounds like you got a 30 day visa exempt, no big deal

[Pattaya57]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Sounds like you got a 30 day visa exempt, no big deal

Yes, and he stayed overnight in Cambodia so removed that obstacle. 

[AlQaholic]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Sounds like you got a 30 day visa exempt, no big deal

Yes 30 day visa exempt, no big deal, but why did I have to explain my purpose of visiting Thailand in such detail then? And why did the other guy I quoted get rejected?

 

 

[AlQaholic]

37 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Yes, and he stayed overnight in Cambodia so removed that obstacle. 

Poipet is not a bad place to spend the night guys:)

 

[scubascuba3]

29 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

Yes 30 day visa exempt, no big deal, but why did I have to explain my purpose of visiting Thailand in such detail then?

 

 

They were probably checking you out, 2 land border visa exempts a year shouldn't be an issue, sounds like Poipet has improved

[AlQaholic]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

They were probably checking you out, 2 land border visa exempts a year shouldn't be an issue, sounds like Poipet has improved

I think have to agree, the officer seemed extremely polite and professional, but absolutely do not rely on this place for oneself border thingie:)

 

[AlQaholic]

I'ts pretty strange guys. Both Cambodia and Laos have this very convenient e-visa thing in operation for many years. Yet Thailand has yet to implement. I guess it is a matter of determining what entity should get the profits of foreigners paying the  fees but then also billing the govt. for the services:) 

[Pattaya57]

21 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

I'ts pretty strange guys. Both Cambodia and Laos have this very convenient e-visa thing in operation for many years. Yet Thailand has yet to implement. I guess it is a matter of determining what entity should get the profits of foreigners paying the  fees but then also billing the govt. for the services:) 

Thai e-visa pretty much implemented in most countries...but then again you said you were applying for a visa on arrival instead of the actual 30 day visa exempt entry so maybe do a bit of learning before you criticize the process?

[Upnotover]

30 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

I'ts pretty strange guys. Both Cambodia and Laos have this very convenient e-visa thing in operation for many years. Yet Thailand has yet to implement. I guess it is a matter of determining what entity should get the profits of foreigners paying the  fees but then also billing the govt. for the services:) 

 

https://www.thaievisa.go.th/

[Upnotover]

39 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

I'ts pretty strange guys. Both Cambodia and Laos have this very convenient e-visa thing in operation for many years. Yet Thailand has yet to implement. I guess it is a matter of determining what entity should get the profits of foreigners paying the  fees but then also billing the govt. for the services:) 

...and of course don't overlook the fact that you didn't even need a visa at all to enter Thailand, whereas you would for Cambodia and Lao PDR.