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Posted
13 hours ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Koh Kong. The latter generally held onto your registration, telling you not to leave the province (although in practice, you could), charging you 100 Baht per day you would stay in Cambodia, forcing you to return the way you came

I travelled through Koh Kong border from Thailand, got through the checkpoints and was directed into the customs office, I was asked how long I was staying in Cambodia, they calculate a fee, I was told to pay many thousands of baht but negotiated down to a few thousand baht, they never asked to hold on to my registration papers (book). I paid the fee. 

I don't like conflict or what would happen if I didn't pay, didn't think it was a lot of money, I would like to know how to avoid this fee/under table money for my next trip.

 

Posted

Thanks for this write up, very informative. I also have driven into Cambodia many times over the years, but not since the covid pandemic. I'm planning on again this coming August with my Thai GF. Naturally my car is owned by me and registered in my name. We live in Korat and want to go to Siem Reap, so the most convenient entry & exit point for us is Chong Chom/O'Smach. As I just mentioned we'll be returning to Thailand the same way, so no hassles there regarding wanting to exit via a different customs office.

 

Are there currently any fees/charges at all at Chong Chom/O'Smach? I recall last time we drove in and out the Thais never charged us anything, but the Cambodians managed to squeeze a few $USD from me. And how long do you think the whole entry thing will take until we're off down the road heading for Siem Reap? In the past it was generally about one hour.

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Posted
10 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I travelled through Koh Kong border from Thailand, got through the checkpoints and was directed into the customs office, I was asked how long I was staying in Cambodia, they calculate a fee, I was told to pay many thousands of baht but negotiated down to a few thousand baht, they never asked to hold on to my registration papers (book). I paid the fee. 

I don't like conflict or what would happen if I didn't pay, didn't think it was a lot of money, I would like to know how to avoid this fee/under table money for my next trip.

 

 

That's old news. Such corruption is now mostly ancient history. 

 

I traveled through Koh Kong just a few days ago. Used the customs system. Paid US$5 for a QR code identity card that Cambodia issues at all borders, valid for 2 months. Other borders, this is done for free but I can live with a $5 payment. Used to be worse. 

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Posted
4 hours ago, grain said:

Thanks for this write up, very informative. I also have driven into Cambodia many times over the years, but not since the covid pandemic. I'm planning on again this coming August with my Thai GF. Naturally my car is owned by me and registered in my name. We live in Korat and want to go to Siem Reap, so the most convenient entry & exit point for us is Chong Chom/O'Smach. As I just mentioned we'll be returning to Thailand the same way, so no hassles there regarding wanting to exit via a different customs office.

 

Are there currently any fees/charges at all at Chong Chom/O'Smach? I recall last time we drove in and out the Thais never charged us anything, but the Cambodians managed to squeeze a few $USD from me. And how long do you think the whole entry thing will take until we're off down the road heading for Siem Reap? In the past it was generally about one hour.

 

That's the worst border now. 

 

If re-entering through Chong Chom after having left through another border, customs will argue with you that you're breaking the rule (which doesn't exist or is no longer enforced) of having re-entered through a different border than the one you exited at. OK, I guess if you are coming back the same way anyway it's alright but it's a temporary border and you'll be brought into a separate room on the way back where an official will interview you to make sure you're not a human trafficking victim. Why bother with that hassle when other borders don't do any of that. 

 

Travel through Chong Sa-ngam. Much better reception, not much further away, fewer people crossing the border and much better. Closer to Siem Reap as well; 140km south of the border vs 165km from O'Smach. 

 

There should not be any fees and charges on either side.

 

Insurance should be purchased online through Forte Insurance (Cross-border insurance) US$9 for a one week policy. Not yet compulsory (but will be, in the near future). Definitely useful to have, for peace of mind. 

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Posted
4 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

That's old news. Such corruption is now mostly ancient history. 

 

I traveled through Koh Kong just a few days ago. Used the customs system. Paid US$5 for a QR code identity card that Cambodia issues at all borders, valid for 2 months. Other borders, this is done for free but I can live with a $5 payment. Used to be worse. 

Great to hear 👍

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Posted
11 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Please upload photos to TV.

 

I, for one, would be interested.

 

You must be a young guy, and a risk taker.

 

Good.

 

 

I am not that young anymore but not old either. I don't think I am a big risk taker actually. If you can handle Thai traffic, you can easily handle Cambodian traffic, other than the minor annoyance of sitting on the wrong side of the car when overtaking/passing, but I can handle that very easily. Cambodian drivers don't know how to overtake; they slowly move out and take their time passing other vehicles. I do so fast and efficiently, as I do in any other country. Therefore, I can drive Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in 4.5 hours, at an average of 90-100km/h, whereas most Cambodian drivers turtle along at 60km/h. Siem Reap to O'Smach took me 1h40 including a 5 minute pee stop. Very little traffic and mostly doing 90-100km/h, with short periods at 120km/h on the straight, flat sections west of Siem Reap.

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Posted
10 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

I am not that young anymore but not old either. I don't think I am a big risk taker actually. If you can handle Thai traffic, you can easily handle Cambodian traffic, other than the minor annoyance of sitting on the wrong side of the car when overtaking/passing, but I can handle that very easily. Cambodian drivers don't know how to overtake; they slowly move out and take their time passing other vehicles. I do so fast and efficiently, as I do in any other country. Therefore, I can drive Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in 4.5 hours, at an average of 90-100km/h, whereas most Cambodian drivers turtle along at 60km/h. Siem Reap to O'Smach took me 1h40 including a 5 minute pee stop. Very little traffic and mostly doing 90-100km/h, with short periods at 120km/h on the straight, flat sections west of Siem Reap.

 

Right.

Efficiency is crucial when passing another veHicle.

 

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Posted
4 hours ago, grain said:

Thanks for this write up, very informative. I also have driven into Cambodia many times over the years, but not since the covid pandemic. I'm planning on again this coming August with my Thai GF. Naturally my car is owned by me and registered in my name. We live in Korat and want to go to Siem Reap, so the most convenient entry & exit point for us is Chong Chom/O'Smach. As I just mentioned we'll be returning to Thailand the same way, so no hassles there regarding wanting to exit via a different customs office.

 

Are there currently any fees/charges at all at Chong Chom/O'Smach? I recall last time we drove in and out the Thais never charged us anything, but the Cambodians managed to squeeze a few $USD from me. And how long do you think the whole entry thing will take until we're off down the road heading for Siem Reap? In the past it was generally about one hour.

 

OK, well, as I re-entered Chong Chom for the first time ever, I was expecting it to be fast but it was anything but.


Cambodian side was super-fast. Passport control for me and my son took a grand total of 1 minute. Handing back the Cambodian customs form to Cambodian customs took 2 minutes, because the guy had to check the details on his computer. He then said "done" and I was free to go.

 

Then came the hassle, all on the Thai side, as usual.

 

Whereas Cambodia is generally hassle free in this post-Covid period, Thailand has become a real nuisance in more ways than one.

 

Firstly, you go to a counter on the left where a friendly army officer checks your passport and hands you a TM6 form (effective May 1, it will be the digital form, but he couldn't tell me whether that can be filled out on arrival post May 1 or not).

 

After that, a Cambodian helper drags you to a separate room, where, as mentioned in my previous post, you are interviewed by an officer who is filling out an "anti-human trafficking" form. Citizens of certain Asian countries might not be allowed entry into Thailand here at all, but westerners are generally in and out in a couple of minutes, once you provide them with your address and answer a few questions.

 

Next, you line up to get your passport stamped. Long queues of migrant workers are an issue at certain times of day,

 

Our wait wasn't longer than 5 minutes, but that's because it was just before the crowds of migrant workers started coming through. 

 

Customs was the biggest hassle. First, I move my car, which is then blocked by a truck that is parked in the middle of the road. I then walk to the customs office, about to hand back my form. I assume this will take 20 seconds and I'll then be on my way. Said truck and a Cambodian car then suddenly move. I'm told to move my car forward. I do this and park just ahead of the customs office. Wind down my windows, young son still seated in his car seat.

 

I then hand the form to a lady, who says nothing but then walks to her colleague to ask him about it. I am confused...I am re-entering, driving a Thai car, what's the big deal? Besides, Thai cars, like Thai citizens, have automatic right of re-entry at any official border checkpoint after passing through the proper controls, as I was doing. He comes along and despite the form stating clearly (in Thai) that Chong Chom is my re-entry point, he tries to give me a lecture and we go back and forth on a number of issues.


I get the impression that foreign vehicles are dealt with in a more fair manner than Thai vehicles and complain about this. I ask him why some borders don't enforce the vehicle permit requirement that Thailand has imposed since June 27, 2016 including (apparently) Chong Chom? He later pulls out the FVP infographic and confirms they now do, but Trat for example does not, as I have seen them allow German registered vehicles through without a permit, once in October 2023 and another time in January of this year (heading into Cambodia). However, apparently Chinese and Vietnamese vehicles are always required to have a permit and guide, at every border, which is good. 

 

My suitcase was inspected twice; first by the customs guard outside and then by the very customs agent I was talking to for so long.

 

My son was drenched in sweat upon returning to the car. Customs officer ignorantly assumed he was sick (I told him that he made us wait for a long time and it's hot outside and even more so in the car). Like duh...you made us wait for how long was it, 15, 20 or 25 minutes? I don't recall exactly, but it was quite a while. Anyone sitting in a car, even if parked in the shade with 2 out of the 4 windows completely down would be soaked. Luckily, we had some drinks on ice and I immediately gave him something to drink.

 

So, overall, I guess I spent 1h15m crossing the border, of which 1 hour was spent on the Thai side.

 

At any other border, the total time spent crossing back into Thailand would have been 20, 25 mins tops. When I re-enter at Trat (Hat Lek), it rarely takes more than 20 minutes, both sides combined. 

 

It's just much better to use a larger border, they're more professional than hick borders with temporary facilities such as Chong Chom. 

Posted
5 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Right.

Efficiency is crucial when passing another veHicle.

 

 

It's usually a matter of leaving more space between you and the vehicle in front and leaning slightly into the passenger seat. 

 

I have done this so many times over the years (also in Laos and Myanmar) as well as when driving a Lao car in Thailand that it's become second nature to me.


At least Cambodian roads are mostly quite good these days. 

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Posted
1 minute ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

It's usually a matter of leaving more space between you and the vehicle in front and leaning slightly into the passenger seat. 

 

I have done this so many times over the years (also in Laos and Myanmar) as well as when driving a Lao car in Thailand that it's become second nature to me.


At least Cambodian roads are mostly quite good these days. 

 

It's better when the passenger leans slightly into your seat, I think.

 

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Posted
1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

It's better when the passenger leans slightly into your seat, I think.

 

 

I didn't have a passenger in the seat next to me. My son was seated behind the passenger seat at the back. Most of the time, I drive to Cambodia and Laos alone as I go there on business or personal errands. I have to rely on myself and I manage just fine. 

 

Always good to take a break here and there, but Cambodia isn't a very large country, main highways are quite good and they're gradually converting major roads to 4-lanes. The Sisophon to Phnom Penh section (350km) is already 4 lanes the whole way. Poipet to Sisophon (45km) is in the process of being upgraded. Skun to Kampong Cham, north of Phnom Penh is in the process of being upgraded to 4-lanes.

 

Koh Kong to Sre Ambel is being upgraded by a Chinese company, now 85% complete. Some uphill sections and inside Koh Kong and Sre Ambel are being converted to 4 lanes. Some steep uphill or downhill sections have a slow vehicle or overtaking/passing lane as well. 

 

Originally built by the Thai military, it went into disrepair but within 3 months should be mostly complete and within 6 months the project will be 100% complete, for sure. 

Posted

Just as an aside, when it comes to Chong Chom, I previously used that border only because in the past, meaning before Covid, it was just one of two borders permitting entry to Cambodia by car.

 

Hat Lek / Koh Kong was fine too, but they enforced the rule that you had to return the same way, by keeping your Thai customs documents / and/or your car registration and charging you 100 Baht per day for entry. While you weren't supposed to leave the province, you could...(I did) just as long as you returned the same way you came. 

 

There were occasional reports that Psar Prum (Ban Pakkard) might let you in but it was rather uncertain and unless you had a lot of time, best not to waste time. Reports were mixed; some people reported success, others stated they weren't allowed in very far and others were denied outright. Chong Sa-ngam was mostly no entry to Thai vehicles prior to 2022, but strangely, the Thais allowed Cambodian vehicles entry, which was really unfair.

 

Thus, going up to Chong Chom but then exiting at another border (even Poipet-Aranyaprathet) was the way to go in those days. You couldn't enter via Poipet but you could exit there. 

 

Officials didn't give you any paperwork as Cambodia didn't have an official customs system in place. 

 

You could request a permit in Phnom Penh (in person), then return to the border to pick up your vehicle and thus enter through any border you designated. That was the only way you could officially enter prior to 2020 (except for the 2 borders that allowed entry without a permit). 

 

At O'Smach, most of the time, you wouldn't even be stopped. On one occasion only, I was asked to pay 100 Baht and then allowed to pass. In 2019, I was given a hand written customs form. Then exited back to Thailand via Ban Pakkard. Handed the form back to the customs officer, he accepted it and that was that. I did hear that some Thai vehicles were stopped and their papers kept, but it never happened to me on any 3 of my pre-Covid entries through that border. I was always able to exit at a different border. 

 

In late 2022, the new customs system was just coming into force, but as I wasn't aware (at the time) of how to use it, I entered at O'Smach again and this time, there was no one at the customs hut down the road. Turns out at the time, there was a new customs office located in a back street somewhere around 1km from the border.

 

This office was closed sometime in 2024, before they moved customs processing to the actual border, on the inbound side, just after you get your passport stamped. 

 

In 2022, I drove down to Bavet via Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, also visiting Kep before returning via Chong Sa-ngam. Since I didn't have any paperwork I was given a hard time by the Cambodian official there, who wanted to send me back to Chong Chom, but after 45 minutes of waiting and on the phone, he let me through and I was into Thailand. The next time I passed through Chong Sa-ngam in 2024 was with the customs documents and it couldn't have been a smoother process on both sides of the border. 

Posted
On 4/26/2025 at 3:19 PM, robz said:

Does the thai insurance pay for accidents in cambodia?

 

Normally, no. Some exceptions may exist. One guy called "Thai Citizenship" said he was able to get his Thai insurance to cover him in Cambodia, but this is exceptionally rare; most insurers won't cover you. 

 

You purchase cross-border insurance through a company called Forte Insurance Cambodia.

 

I believe they also offer short term travel insurance as well, including coverage for medical purposes while in Cambodia. 

Posted
Just now, samran said:

I don't come back here for much these days, but thank you for the excellent write up.

 

My contributions to the topic for those who are interested:

https://thaicitizenship.com/driving-a-thai-car-to-cambodia/

 

 

 

 

I've also entered Cambodia by car at Poipet, twice now. Exited a different way (once Ban Khao Din), another time Koh Kong.

 

Poipet is a smooth place to cross. Cambodian immigration can take a while to clear. If there's a bus coming through, expect a wait of up to an hour and this is assuming you don't need a visa on arrival, otherwise, it will take even longer. 

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Posted

Cambodia customs website (app is also available for download):

 

https://apps.customs.gov.kh

 

Create a profile there and fill in the form anytime up to the date of entry. It can be filled in weeks or even months ahead of arrival, just make sure of your entry date, because if you enter after this date, you'll lose time.

 

You can enter for a maximum of 30 days BUT it may be possible to request an extension of up to 30 days once you're inside the country and go on the app to request an extension. 

 

Changes to the exit border are also possible and like I've mentioned, it's not an issue to re-enter Thailand at another border, just avoid Chong Chom for re-entry, but having said that, I guess it depends on who's on duty. If that customs officer isn't there, then you might just be waived through without being lectured by him (haha). Still...take it from me...any other border is better. 

 

However, if you want to spend more than 30 days outside of Thailand, you will need to request this through customs in Bangkok. Some larger borders such as Aranyaprathet might be able to grant you more than 30 days as well, with approval of their boss, but it's more likely that you'll be approved if you visit customs in Khlong Toei, Bangkok. 

Posted
19 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

Normally, no. Some exceptions may exist. One guy called "Thai Citizenship" said he was able to get his Thai insurance to cover him in Cambodia, but this is exceptionally rare; most insurers won't cover you. 

 

 

That was me and it was via Tokio Marine - which I was surprised by. Like you say, Forte in Cambodia now do it. I'm looking to drive this trip again in early December so will try them then. 

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