Poipet, New Scam Or Honest Mistake ?

[ozzydom]

I stayed overnight at Poipet on Thursday (14 th.) and stamped out Fri morning (15 th.) ,but when I got to Thai Immigration to stamp back into T,land, I was refused entry as the stamp out of Cambodia showed 14 th ,they had not updated their date stamp from the day before .

So ,off I go back to the Cambo Imm Office where I spoke to the guy who had stamped me out 30 minutes earlier, he said " you have used your 30 day visa ,pay 1200 baht for new visa".

To which I said it was you who just stamped me out 30 minutes ago with wrong date stamp, all I got was a stupid look and a shrug.

Then he changed tack and said ,you overstay 1 day you pay 500 baht and I stamp new, " How the bloody hel_l can I overstay when I only got my 30 day visa yesterday and you stamped me out of Cambodia this morning.

Anyway he wanted some cash one way or another so after a lot of heated words (from me ) the big boss arrived on the scene and I explained the situation to him in front of the other guy.

All I got was " you give him 300 baht and he change stamp,so I ended up paying 300 baht and he used white-out and overstamped with the correct date .

The moral of the saga ,Check every stamp the put in your passport.

[Patriciachas]

I stayed overnight at Poipet on Thursday (14 th.) and stamped out Fri morning (15 th.) ,but when I got to Thai Immigration to stamp back into T,land, I was refused entry as the stamp out of Cambodia showed 14 th ,they had not updated their date stamp from the day before .

So ,off I go back to the Cambo Imm Office where I spoke to the guy who had stamped me out 30 minutes earlier, he said " you have used your 30 day visa ,pay 1200 baht for new visa".

To which I said it was you who just stamped me out 30 minutes ago with wrong date stamp, all I got was a stupid look and a shrug.

Then he changed tack and said ,you overstay 1 day you pay 500 baht and I stamp new, " How the bloody hel_l can I overstay when I only got my 30 day visa yesterday and you stamped me out of Cambodia this morning.

Anyway he wanted some cash one way or another so after a lot of heated words (from me ) the big boss arrived on the scene and I explained the situation to him in front of the other guy.

All I got was " you give him 300 baht and he change stamp,so I ended up paying 300 baht and he used white-out and overstamped with the correct date .

The moral of the saga ,Check every stamp the put in your passport.

That is obvious,never go anywhere in the world that requires your passport to be stamped and not check it before you move away from the person that as stamped it.At least you got away with only 300 B to learn an important lesson.

[aussiestyle1983]

so I ended up paying 300 baht and he used white-out and overstamped with the correct date .

The moral of the saga ,Check every stamp the put in your passport.

The other moral is to always carry white-out, a date stamp and ink pad with you next time

Make sure you make the changes in front of the officer and then tell him to shuv the 300 THB up his mo-ha-ha!

Edited August 16, 2008 by aussiestyle1983

[Lancelot]

Well, I think they were probably scamming you, but at least you didn't give in to the first demand and got it reduced from 1,200 to 300 (bad enough as that was to accept...)

I've been stamped out and not checked the stamp date; maybe I've just been luck.

Good luck man

Lance

[wasabi]

Poipet is scam city. The wrong date was probably an accident, but ever being the opportunists they saw a chance to pump you for some money. Only solution is like others have said, check the stamp before walking away.

[ARNIE]

Poipet is scam city. The wrong date was probably an accident, but ever being the opportunists they saw a chance to pump you for some money. Only solution is like others have said, check the stamp before walking away.

The stamp scam by the border police at Poipet is the departure side"s biggest and best money earner and has been going on for at least five years to my personal knowledge it happens every day to many people! you did well to get away with 300 bt,allways check your stamps right in front of them at the kiosks....because they are past masters at it.

aussiestyle....

"The other moral is to always carry white-out, a date stamp and ink pad with you next time"

Have actually used tippex and a date stamp about 4 years ago and it got me back in los no probs,the thing is the thai immagration are so used to seeing it in the passports it is the norm.....i don"t have problems there any more.Just dont take any shit and normally the Khymers will leave you alone.

[Ianatlarge]

Idiots, if they only realised they the pittance they make in silly scams hampers their only main industry. And, fix the road to Siem Reap!

Congrats on not giving in and paying only 300b. It is easy in a hot, crowded immig point to not notice some small thing, which can later be held against you.