Visa Run To Cambodia

[steve19836]

Left this morning at 5am and got back 1:30pm. I highly recommend using Jack Golf. They take care of everything for you, no cueing up, no waiting. Very

fast and reliable. If there is anyone looking for a company to do a visa run this is th best.

[sniffdog]

Bit according to Jack's website the VIP Service for the 5am trip doesn't start until after Songkran ...

[steve19836]

Bit according to Jack's website the VIP Service for the 5am trip doesn't start until after Songkran ...

Ive just come back this afternoon. During Songkran 13th, 14th and 15th they are only doing 7am trips. I have no reason to lie about this trip my friend.

I went today on a vip trip and it was very impressive the way they do absoltely everything. Didnt show anyone my passport. Just waited once or twice had some breakfast then back on the bus.

[Onnutrd]

It's possible to do that without VIP service~

I've driven to the Cambodian border at Aranyaphratet and managed to do it by myself. I simply paid almost 2000 THB for Cambodian visa, stamp in and out.

I got charged 300 THB for someone to stamp me in and out of Cambodia. Never set foot in their country, stood back in line at the Thai immigration and came back. Total process from Aranyaphratet - Cambodia Border Zone, about 45 minutes. Came back to BKK.

If one does not have a car, then one may take the Bangkok - Aranyaphratet Govt. Bus to the border, leaves early enough, take 4 hours, very easy! Faster than Laos if you're looking for a Visa Exemption only. If you're lookling to go to to the thai embassy in cambodia, don't (it's 400 K's in).

[Bertil]

You might be interested in an e-Visa the next time you do a border run since you paid a little bit too much this time; 2000 baht in total seems a little bit steep even if you got "special service".

And no, there is no need for Jack Total Golf and similar companies. Just hop on the bus to Aranyaprathet from Morchit.

The e-Visa is just 25 US (less than 800 Baht).

Cambodian e-Visa

[alphatrader9]

Update and refresher course on do it yourself visa run to Cambodia, via Aranyaprathet/Poipet.

I've done this run maybe 5 times, but not since 2006, and some things have changed.

Side note - I showed up for Jack Golf's service, just to give it a try, on soi 12 Sukhumvit at 6:40 am for the 7am bus. Since there were only about 11 of us, they canceled the big bus and said we can go in Mini Van. I don't like mini vans, so said no thanks, took my passport, took sky train to Mo Chit, taxi to bus station (47 bhat), then 7:30 1st class bus to Aranyaprathet (215 bhat).

Warning: the bus is boarded by police at a checkpoint before Aranyaprathet, who checked passports. He looked at farang's Thai visa as well - so if you have overstayed, they may cause problems. Not a risk I'm willing to take.

Time from BKK to Aranyaprathet: 4 1/2 hours. At the bus station, you can take a cycle to the border for 60bhat, or a tuk tuk for a fixed rate of 80 bhat. Of course you can try to bargain - I shared a tuk tuk, for 70 bhat, and doubt they would go lower.

First big change: tuk tuk driver pulled into a semi-official looking building in Aranyaprathet, and said we needed to get our Cambodian Visa here. Apparently they do provide a valid visa for 1000 bhat. They said they would take $25 U.S. as well, which is about 775 bhat. The place was quiet, relaxed, air conditioned, so not a bad deal really, as it takes only a few minutes. We said no thank you, we'll try to get the visa for $20 in Cambodia.

Once more, in sight of the border, the tuk tuk stopped, saying he could not drive in further. A young guy asked to see our visas, and again offered us one for 1000 bhat. We said no thanks, walked 100 meters to the border, and of course were passed by a different tuk tuk.

For newbies, once you get to the border, this is the process:

1 - walk to the Thai departure building, where you officially exit Thailand, and get your passport stamped. You will be in a sort of no man's land, where nothing is really clear, but you are semi-guided by a painted barricaded walkway, and a stream of other travelers.

2 - once stamped, walk across the border through the large and impressive carved gateway. If you don't have a Cambodian visa yet, you go to a small building across and down the road from the Thai departures. Once in Cambodia, the border officials will work as a team to extort money from you. It's fairly causual however, and there's certainly no need to be nasty or hostile. Guys will again offer to get you the visa, for a fee, but you only need to go to the window yourself, after filling out the proper form, which they provide there.

There's a sign over the window saying a visa costs U.S. 20. However, the guy simply refused to honor this for any of us there at the time. He had no problem taking $20 plus 100bhat however. So the total was about 730 bhat, which of course is better than 1000 bhat. It was quiet there, so we got our visa quickly, but I've been there when it was very busy. It's outside, and can get very hot, so in the long run, it's really not a bad deal to pay the 775 bhat (U.S. $25) at the Aranyaprathet place. After you pay and give your passport, you sit around and wait. I've never had to wait long, though I've read that some people have - another reason to get the visa in Aranyaprathet. I've also read that if you are firm, the guy will end up taking the $20, but I saw no signs of him giving in.

3 - Once you have the Cambodian visa, you now walk a few hundred meters into Poipet, past some huge casinos, (which were not there when I first did this run), to the Arrivals building in cambodia. There are often lines here, and most likely people offering an express service, which I have taken, saving me 30 minutes or so. This time the line was short so no problem. There is no charge for this.

4 - You are free to fool around in Cambodia now, for 30 days. If you just want to get your thai visa, then you cross the road to the departures building, officially exit Cambodia, get stamped, maybe wait in line again. No charge for this either.

5 - Walk back towards thailand, to the Thai immigration building. Stay to the left, bypassing some health certification queues, and go to the clearly marked line for foreigners. This building is air conditioned, but the farangs usually have to wait in long queues for their Thai visa. Here you get your free 30 day visa. (If you have a 2 entry tourist visa, you must use the second entry before the expiration date written on the visa.)

6 - To return to Bangkok, there are farang busses at the border for 250-300 bhat leaving at various times. Or you can take a cycle or tuk tuk back to the Aranyaprathet bus station and take a first class bus back for 207 bhat. I've done both, found the Thai bus to be more comfortable, though the farang bus was certainly more social. There are trains as well, which I have no experience with, but they take longer.

Total time from Aranyaprathet bus station, to border, through the whole process, and back to the Aranya bus station with new Thai visa: 2 1/2 hours. Of course this can vary.

Total time from leaving my apartment in Ramkamhaeng, to returning to my apartment: 14 hours

Total cost: 1600 bhat (taxi/sky train to and from Mo Chit; bus to aranya and back; tuk tuk to border and back; visa charge; food) Of course this can vary as well. By camparison, Jack Golf charges 2200, though provides buffet lunch, and does everything for you. There are other services even cheaper, which I know nothing about.

Misc. notes: The border is far less chaotic than two years ago, which makes things easier, though I liked it back then. They've streamlined the crossing for those wanting to gamble in the casinos, and one benefit is the Thai departure and arrival buildings are now air conditioned. Of course they continue to torture farangs by failing to provide a simple, humane numbering system like in Suan Plu immigration. Instead we have to wait in long queues (nearly an hour yesterday), while the Thais zip right through.

There are far less beggars than before, and less persistent. I'm soft on this, and always give a bhat here and there. Young girls will walk with you and shade you with their umbrella, and my attitude has always been sympathetic. I give them 5 bhat, maybe 10 - again, a softie. In the past I've also given 100 bhat to guys who offered to guide me through the whole process. The first time in 2002 the place was unbelievably chaotic, so their service was welcome. Now it's not needed.

My conclusion: it's a long day but I've always enjoyed the adventure.

[ladda]

JG stopped going to Savannaket for the sixty day tourist visa. What happened? Can you still get a 60 day tourist visa here, if you go on your own?

[Bertil]

I'm glad to hear that they accepted 20 US + 100 Baht, especially since the US Dollar is so cheap now.

Still, e-Visa might be a good option since the visa you get on arrival will take up a full passport page, but the e-Visa will not.

Forgot to mention something in my last post (April 6): I commented on a post re: total visa cost, and I guess this was just for visa processing at the border; 2000 Baht EXCLUDING transportation. Am I right?

If there are a lot of people at the border it might be a good idea to pay some money to some guy to get it faster done, otherwise not.

And DON'T pay anything to the Cambodian immigration official when you stamp out of Cambodia.

[Isaanlover]

Update and refresher course on do it yourself visa run to Cambodia, via Aranyaprathet/Poipet.

I've done this run maybe 5 times, but not since 2006, and some things have changed.

Side note - I showed up for Jack Golf's service, just to give it a try, on soi 12 Sukhumvit at 6:40 am for the 7am bus. Since there were only about 11 of us, they canceled the big bus and said we can go in Mini Van. I don't like mini vans, so said no thanks, took my passport, took sky train to Mo Chit, taxi to bus station (47 bhat), then 7:30 1st class bus to Aranyaprathet (215 bhat).

My conclusion: it's a long day but I've always enjoyed the adventure.

Lucky you, on Saturday I saw Jack Golf's bus broke down on the way to Poipet, it was about 12:00. You definitely spent less time.