Cambodia Visa Run: Poi Pet, Aranyaphet

[junkofdavid2]

-Boarded double-decker "casino" VIP bus in front of Lumpini park at 10am. Quite comfortable and with good leg room and seats of ample width. Good aircon.

*Unofficially called a "casino" bus because the other passengers so happen to be Thais who are going to Cambodia for the day to gamble at the casinos.

-Bus started rolling at 1030 am

*In contrast to websites of some visa run bus companies that seem to suggest that only they allow you to wake up later and leave later, and that other ways may force you to wake up ridiculously early. This bus left at 1030!

-Paid 200 baht to the bus lady inside.

-Bus lady gave me a return ticket at no extra cost. (Therefore, Round Trip is 200, all in)

-Arrived Cambodia border around 2pm.

-Exited Thailand

*Lines were a longer than last time, due to backpackers. About 10 ppl in front of me.

-Got Cambodia visa for 1000

-Entered and exited Cambodia with the same longer line due to backpackers (around 10) in front of me. (Paid the usual standard 200 baht Tea money to Cambodia immigration officer for travelers exiting the same day. Didn't wana argue. Still beats paying 2000 to a visa run company)

-Ate BUFFET for FREE in Casino using a free buffet ticket given to me by the lady from my bus... buffet lunch was pretty decent.

-Re-entered Thailand.

-Immigration Officer took a very long time looking at my Multiple Entry Type B visa, like he didn't know what it was. Probably checking it for authenticity or something.

*Farang backpacker in front of me STANK to high heaven... something like a giant sour pig although he was small in size. Not generalizing backpackers in common, but his one was really "amazing". I can understand a backpacker not being able to bathe for a day or maybe even 2 at the most... but this guy hadn't bathed in a week! ...Or if he had, he probably never changed his clothes for a month and just re-wore them after bathing. From his accent, I could tell he was probably from XXXXX.

*I noticed other Immigration Officers asking other farangs for an onward ticket out of Thailand. There were also signs posted around.

-Officer stamped me in.

-Although my return bus to Bangkok was free if I took the same bus company (even if different bus), I decided to take an earlier bus of another company and just pay another 100 baht.

-Left the border, arrived in Bkk.

Total Cost:

Bus from my house to Lumpini 12

Lumpini to Cambodia 200

Cambodia Visa: 1000

Tea Money to Cambodia Officer 200

"extra" Bus ticket to Bkk: 100

Bus from Lumpini to my house: 12

TOTAL 1,524

*(Would've been only 1,424 if I waited just an hour more for a bus from the same bus company that I took going there.)

Hope this helps!

Edited September 1, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[tropo]

I paid 1,700 for a visa run service to Ban Laem (from Pattaya) and I get to ride in a comfortable mini-van...and we get picked up and dropped off at our homes. There's not much difference either way.

You didn't say what time you arrived back in Bangkok.

I've heard they are not issuing visa-exempt entry stamps at Aranyaprathet now? Is this true?

Edited September 1, 2007 by tropo

[junkofdavid2]

I paid 1,700 for a visa run service to Ban Laem (from Pattaya) and I get to ride in a comfortable mini-van...and we get picked up and dropped off at our homes. There's not much difference either way.

You didn't say what time you arrived back in Bangkok.

I've heard they are not issuing visa-exempt entry stamps at Aranyaprathet now? Is this true?

1,700 is a really good price. Wonder if they have something similar in Bkk.

The VIP bus company I used going there had several schedules for the free return bus:

12 noon

1pm

2pm

330pm

630pm

730pm

Unfortunately, since I left Bkk at 1030, I arrived at 2pm... the next bus to leave would've been at 330, which was too early for me because i wanted to gamble some at the casinos.

So I left at 530 and got back to bkk by 9pm.

If you wanted to leave earlier, you could get on the 330 bus and be back in bkk by 7pm.

Or, leave for Cambodia earlier (their buses leave Lumpini at 640, 1000, or 1030) so that you can leave back for bkk on their 12noon bus and be back by 330pm.

As for visa-exempt entries being stopped:

This does not SEEM to be the case because the backpackers did not SEEM to have visas, which is why they were asked for onward ticket out of Thailand.

There are also signs posted around saying that "if you are entering without a visa , then you must show an onward ticket out of Thailand". I also heard the Immigration officer ask the backpacker to show such plane ticket. In my opinion, this clearly implies that visa-exempt entries are permitted.

However, there was a sign that they are temporarily "closing" visa on arrival (which is different from visa-exempt entry) while they are "reviewing" their "passport control systems".

Edited September 2, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[engrin]

Planning this trip for next week. A few questions!! I plan to get my Cambodisa visa online, they'll actually email it!!

http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/index.php

What is the closest BTS stop to Lumpini Park?

I plan to bring my Thai partner. Does she have to pay any money for the Cambodia visa?

THANKS!!

[midas]

I paid 1,700 for a visa run service to Ban Laem (from Pattaya) and I get to ride in a comfortable mini-van...and we get picked up and dropped off at our homes. There's not much difference either way.

You didn't say what time you arrived back in Bangkok.

I've heard they are not issuing visa-exempt entry stamps at Aranyaprathet now? Is this true?

How was the style of driving ? The mini van driver last week was a maniac !

Going within a few feet of truks in front of him at high speed -if the truck

suddenly pulled up there would have been absolutely no margin for error.

I then decided in future to take " bigger " buses

[junkofdavid2]

Planning this trip for next week. A few questions!! I plan to get my Cambodisa visa online, they'll actually email it!!

http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/index.php

What is the closest BTS stop to Lumpini Park?

I plan to bring my Thai partner. Does she have to pay any money for the Cambodia visa?

THANKS!!

Saladaeng station. The casino buses are on Rama 4 Road, in between Silom Road and Sathorn Road.

I THINK that Thais don't need Cambodia visa... because Singaporeans, Filipinos, Malaysians, etc. don't need one. Would be weird if Cambodia would then require one for Thais, wouldn't it?

Edited September 7, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[tropo]

I paid 1,700 for a visa run service to Ban Laem (from Pattaya) and I get to ride in a comfortable mini-van...and we get picked up and dropped off at our homes. There's not much difference either way.

You didn't say what time you arrived back in Bangkok.

I've heard they are not issuing visa-exempt entry stamps at Aranyaprathet now? Is this true?

How was the style of driving ? The mini van driver last week was a maniac !

Going within a few feet of truks in front of him at high speed -if the truck

suddenly pulled up there would have been absolutely no margin for error.

I then decided in future to take " bigger " buses

I've had those maniac drivers on other visa runs but the driver I had on this run was the best, calmest driver I've ever had. I actually commended his driving upon our return.

Edited September 7, 2007 by tropo

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I paid 1,700 for a visa run service to Ban Laem (from Pattaya) and I get to ride in a comfortable mini-van...and we get picked up and dropped off at our homes. There's not much difference either way.

You didn't say what time you arrived back in Bangkok.

I've heard they are not issuing visa-exempt entry stamps at Aranyaprathet now? Is this true?

How was the style of driving ? The mini van driver last week was a maniac !

Going within a few feet of truks in front of him at high speed -if the truck

suddenly pulled up there would have been absolutely no margin for error.

I then decided in future to take " bigger " buses

Probably doesn't really matter the mode of transport you utilize, it's all the luck of the draw on the highways and byways of Thailand.

Attached a clip from yesterday's Thai Rath newspaper.  Very lucky, only one KIA.

Mac