Travelling Pattaya To Sihanoukville

[lemel]

Hi has anybody done the trip to Sihanoukville, by road, boat, ferry etc. I,m looking at going to PP for multi entry imm O visa, so thought I would get a few days in Sihanoukville and wondered the best way of going about it and how pitfalls, things to avoid etc. Any ideas? experiences??

[Thewayup]

Hi has anybody done the trip to Sihanoukville, by road, boat, ferry etc. I,m looking at going to PP for multi entry imm O visa, so thought I would get a few days in Sihanoukville and wondered the best way of going about it and how pitfalls, things to avoid etc. Any ideas? experiences??

You can get a government bus from Pattaya to Trat which takes about 4 or 5 hours and will set you back about 200 baht. Trat is a small town (a pleasant little place with a market and not much else) about an hour from the border - you will be approached to share a taxi or minibus to the border and there are plenty of guesthouses if you want to stay overnight here.

The fun begins at the border. They will try to scam 1000-1200 baht out of you for a Cambodian tourist visa, which should be 20$. Best to just hand them $25 dollars in your passport (ignoring all the moto-taxi scum) or they will make you wait for hours. You can also apply for your visa online. On the Cambodian side of the border is Koh Kong, another small town. It's best to stay overnight here as there is just one tourist bus to Snookyville and it's early in the morning (you can get minibuses throughout the day but you'll be sharing a seat with a dozen Khmers and chickens and such). Sadly this border crossing is often the first experience people have of Cambodia.

Earlier this year the overland route to Snookyville has been improved alot with 4 new bridges, and now it is only 3 and a half hours from Koh Kong. There is still a ferry but I would not recommend it as it's quicker and safer to take the bus (and see the Cambodian countryside too). Sihanoukville is cheap and fun. I would recommend staying somewhere near Serendipity Beach. Let me know if you want any more info!

[adammike]

get a e-visa online $25 take the bus to trat and the minibus to the border like the man said.

You do have to get from the border crossing to the town its a motodop or taxi you have to do it

just give one of the guys your bag and go through the passport visa rigmarole and get into

town if you have the money get your own taxi to snooky or share one.

or stay overnight and get a bus in the morning the 4 bridges are open and as its the dry season

[we hope] it should be painless you may have to change to another minibus/bus when you hit

highway4 as your bus may only go to PP.

Unless you have your own transport with all the papers its a bit of a trek it really almost takes 2 days.

From BKK to Trat to the border check out/in to KK stay the night a bus to snooky etc etc.

[dumball]

I went the other way , Sihanook-ville /Bkk by mini bus , several times and there were NO CHICKENS and very few Thai .The trip was seamless and problem free , we arrived at the border , our luggage was taken across on a cart whilst we ambled through customs/immigration , mini buses were right there to the right and the choice was BKK/Pataya , the road in Cambodia is good but quite twisty at times , but good scenery , we left in the a.m. and arrived in the p.m. For the boat you need to stay overnight in Koh kong , nice little town , but i heard they have increased cost considerably , go straight through .

[PoorSucker]

O-visa in PP???

You'll be very lucky to get a tourist visa.

They are known to be very unfriendly.

Most applicants are told to go to their home country, we only serve Khmer.

[dumball]

O-visa in PP???

You'll be very lucky to get a tourist visa.

They are known to be very unfriendly.

Most applicants are told to go to their home country, we only serve Khmer.

You are so very ,very wrong my misinformed fellow poster , Cambodian immigration staff are amongst the friendliest you will find anywhere , unless of course you come without the requisite documentation etc and create a song and dance .

You can get a regular visa or a buisness visa , the buiness visa can be extended for 1 year at your local FRIENDLY travel agent , no need for silly visa runs , Cambodia actualy welcomes you to come and visit .

[OriginalPoster]

O-visa in PP???

You'll be very lucky to get a tourist visa.

They are known to be very unfriendly.

Most applicants are told to go to their home country, we only serve Khmer.

You are so very ,very wrong my misinformed fellow poster , Cambodian immigration staff are amongst the friendliest you will find anywhere , unless of course you come without the requisite documentation etc and create a song and dance .

You can get a regular visa or a buisness visa , the buiness visa can be extended for 1 year at your local FRIENDLY travel agent , no need for silly visa runs , Cambodia actualy welcomes you to come and visit .

I think that he was referring to the case where a person was trying to get a Thai visa while visiting Phnom Penh, as opposed to trying to get a Cambodia visa.

Edited December 3, 2008 by OriginalPoster

[lemel]

thanks for the infomation guys, i'm looking to get the ferry if possible, rather than go by road, although I believe it goes at 8:00 in the morning and to be honest I dont want to stay in Kho kong for a night.

With regards to the visa, is that true about getting imm O multi entry been difficult??? has anybody done it before?

[adammike]

I read somewhere recently that the boats had stopped!

have no idea if that is so,reason was drop in demand

now that the bridges are open.

[Macclad]

thanks for the infomation guys, i'm looking to get the ferry if possible, rather than go by road, although I believe it goes at 8:00 in the morning and to be honest I dont want to stay in Kho kong for a night.

With regards to the visa, is that true about getting imm O multi entry been difficult??? has anybody done it before?

From what other people have posted the Thai Embassy in Phnomh Penh is not the best for this type of visa.

If you want a Multi-Entry O then either Kuala Lumpur or Penang in Malaysia would appear to be your best bet in the region.

[ozzydom]

The ferry has definately finished service , so unless you want to pay $60 US for a taxi it is advisable to stay overnight in Koh Kong and catch the 7.30 am bus to either PP or snookyville, (separate buses ).

You will be extremely lucky to get an extended visa in PP.

Returning to Thailand can be quick or painfully slow by bus , one company does a through ticket from S,Ville to Pattaya or Bangkok but contrary to what they tell you ,it involves waiting at the border until the local mini bus is full of either Pattaya or Bangkok passengers before they leave to drop you in Trat where you board another mini-bus for either of those destinations.

The buses dont leave Had Lek until they have 10 passengers so you may wait only a few minutes or 3 hours as I had to last week , bus arrives Bangkok about 8 pm.

[edwardandtubs]

Why on earth would you want to take the ferry when it's cheaper and quicker to take the bus? It's a high quality coach that goes from KK to S'Ville.

A few other points so you don't get scammed:

- The minibus from Trat to Had Lek is an official government minibus that costs 120 baht and leaves from inside the bus station.

- The moto drivers at the border (in Cambodia) will ask for 100 baht to take you to your GH or hotel but they will accept 50 baht as they take a $1 commission from the GH or hotel. Going in the opposite direction from the town to the border I found it impossible to find any moto driver to take me there for less than 100 baht. All prices include tolls.

- $25 for an online visa. You'd be a fool to make the visa application on arrival.

Edited December 6, 2008 by edwardandtubs

[phuketrichard]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

[pepi2005]

Is there any updated and detailled information available regarding this trip?

I heard that there are buses at 07:00am and 08:00am from Pattaya (Pattaya Klang intersection,

'Dark Side' side of Sukhumvit at a small cafe), but one of them takes longer than the other

one (cheaper but stops for every pedestrian walking along the road), but I don't know which one...

Also I heard that the bus from Koh Kong to Snooky leaves at 12:30, so would it even be possible

to make it there in time? If possible I would like to avoid having to sleep in Koh Kong!!

thanks,

p.

Edited July 13, 2010 by pepi2005

[Jayman]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[globalmenace]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in driving my own car as well. Anyone done this? Any thing I need to know?

[ARGUSEYE]

Hi has anybody done the trip to Sihanoukville, by road, boat, ferry etc. I,m looking at going to PP for multi entry imm O visa, so thought I would get a few days in Sihanoukville and wondered the best way of going about it and how pitfalls, things to avoid etc. Any ideas? experiences??

You can get a government bus from Pattaya to Trat which takes about 4 or 5 hours and will set you back about 200 baht. Trat is a small town (a pleasant little place with a market and not much else) about an hour from the border - you will be approached to share a taxi or minibus to the border and there are plenty of guesthouses if you want to stay overnight here.

The fun begins at the border. They will try to scam 1000-1200 baht out of you for a Cambodian tourist visa, which should be 20$. Best to just hand them $25 dollars in your passport (ignoring all the moto-taxi scum) or they will make you wait for hours. You can also apply for your visa online. On the Cambodian side of the border is Koh Kong, another small town. It's best to stay overnight here as there is just one tourist bus to Snookyville and it's early in the morning (you can get minibuses throughout the day but you'll be sharing a seat with a dozen Khmers and chickens and such). Sadly this border crossing is often the first experience people have of Cambodia.

Earlier this year the overland route to Snookyville has been improved alot with 4 new bridges, and now it is only 3 and a half hours from Koh Kong. There is still a ferry but I would not recommend it as it's quicker and safer to take the bus (and see the Cambodian countryside too). Sihanoukville is cheap and fun. I would recommend staying somewhere near Serendipity Beach. Let me know if you want any more info!

The innigration scam - bags also take 20$ and a hundred Baht. "For your hard work in public service " I added yesterday. It helped that I was alone (no other applicant) in that immigration room at the time.

[pepi2005]

Looking for updated information, I found a quite helpful compilation here:

http://www.star-beach-pattaya.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=18

Looks like it pays to apply for the e-visa in advance.

thanks,

p.

[tombkk]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

In order to take your own car to Cambodia, your car needs a "passport". You have to apply for it at the Department of Road Transport (the place where you renew you driver's license), and it takes about a month. You will need to own your car outright (that was my problem, because my car is still owned by the finance company).

That car passport will earn you a T-sign. You will have to check seperately about insurance requirements. As I have not been successul in step 1, I don't know about insurance requirements (step 2). Someone else will have to chip in.

Edited July 8, 2011 by tombkk

[SnookyGirl]

The Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh now issues 2 month dual entry Tourist Visas without any problems - 6 of my Farang Friends in Thailand has done this trip within the last 2 months. Travel Agents in Sihanoukville can send your passport to PP and have it back in 2 days at approx US$ 90.

Regular Bus service from Snooky to Pattaya US$ 23 approx 10 hours - reverse still to be caught from Sukhumvit Road as earlier mentioned in this thread.

Book a GuestHouse/Hotel in Sihanoukville and most will be happy to send a car to pick you up at the boarder - I now I will at US$ 60.

[phuketrichard]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in driving my own car as well. Anyone done this? Any thing I need to know?

TomBKK is not correct; I have taken my car out to Cambodia about 7 times now. Laos once and Malaysia twice.

All u need to take a Thai registered car into Cambodia is ur blue book and it must be ur car ( ie ur name on the book), They don't even ask about insuarnce but i was told my Thai insuarnace it is no good in Cambodia and unlike Laos and Malaysia u can not purchase short term insurance for a car other than a Cambodian licensed one.

You can fill out all the paperwork at the border (this applies to Laos and Malaysia as well) and they will give u a bunch of papers. Legally ur allowed to have the car out 30 days but i have taken my car out much longer on more than one occasion.

You then enter wherever.

If u enter at ko Kong they tell u to pay 100 baht/day so tell them 4 days. They also mention that ur only allowed to drive in Koh Kong Province but that's not true. They take the papers that the Thai immigration gave you when they give the red plate

Your issued a red plastic plate that ur supposed to place on ur dash.

I have never exited at koh kong but always head up north so now have 3 red plates.

When i exited once at PoiPet they asked for papers and i told them i had none and he said mi pen rai. Other borders they never asked

Edited July 9, 2011 by phuketrichard

[tombkk]

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in driving my own car as well. Anyone done this? Any thing I need to know?

TomBKK is not correct; I have taken my car out to Cambodia about 7 times now. Laos once and Malaysia twice.

All u need to take a Thai registered car into Cambodia is ur blue book and it must be ur car ( ie ur name on the book), They don't even ask about insuarnce but i was told my Thai insuarnace it is no good in Cambodia and unlike Laos and Malaysia u can not purchase short term insurance for a car other than a Cambodian licensed one.

You can fill out all the paperwork at the border (this applies to Laos and Malaysia as well) and they will give u a bunch of papers. Legally ur allowed to have the car out 30 days but i have taken my car out much longer on more than one occasion.

You then enter wherever.

If u enter at ko Kong they tell u to pay 100 baht/day so tell them 4 days. They also mention that ur only allowed to drive in Koh Kong Province but that's not true. They take the papers that the Thai immigration gave you when they give the red plate

Your issued a red plastic plate that ur supposed to place on ur dash.

I have never exited at koh kong but always head up north so now have 3 red plates.

When i exited once at PoiPet they asked for papers and i told them i had none and he said mi pen rai. Other borders they never asked

Thanks for your first-hand experience report, I stand corrected.

My info came from my staff who had checked with the Department of Transport by phone last year, as I wanted to take my car to Laos and to Cambodia.

[phuketrichard]

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in driving my own car as well. Anyone done this? Any thing I need to know?

TomBKK is not correct; I have taken my car out to Cambodia about 7 times now. Laos once and Malaysia twice.

All u need to take a Thai registered car into Cambodia is ur blue book and it must be ur car ( ie ur name on the book), They don't even ask about insuarnce but i was told my Thai insuarnace it is no good in Cambodia and unlike Laos and Malaysia u can not purchase short term insurance for a car other than a Cambodian licensed one.

You can fill out all the paperwork at the border (this applies to Laos and Malaysia as well) and they will give u a bunch of papers. Legally ur allowed to have the car out 30 days but i have taken my car out much longer on more than one occasion.

You then enter wherever.

If u enter at ko Kong they tell u to pay 100 baht/day so tell them 4 days. They also mention that ur only allowed to drive in Koh Kong Province but that's not true. They take the papers that the Thai immigration gave you when they give the red plate

Your issued a red plastic plate that ur supposed to place on ur dash.

I have never exited at koh kong but always head up north so now have 3 red plates.

When i exited once at PoiPet they asked for papers and i told them i had none and he said mi pen rai. Other borders they never asked

Thanks for your first-hand experience report, I stand corrected.

My info came from my staff who had checked with the Department of Transport by phone last year, as I wanted to take my car to Laos and to Cambodia.

I really want to do the Nong Khai-Vientiane-all the way down HWY 13 to Cambodia BUT ur only allowed 14 days on a Thai car in Laos,Should be enough even though u can obtain a 30 day tourist visa at Nong Khai. Guess u could travel the road an hop in and out of Thailand at Nakon Phanom/Mukdahan and Chok Mek if needed before exting Loas at Muang Khong.

You Can also easily obtain a Laos License but not sure its worth having if u have the 5 year Thai license. In Cambodia u can obtain easily a Cambodia DL at many agents (Lucky lucky motorcycles will do it for u) for about $45 if u have a current license.

Edited July 9, 2011 by phuketrichard

[Bababooey]

Regular Bus service from Snooky to Pattaya US$ 23 approx 10 hours -

I will be going from Snooky to Pattaya and hate long mini bus trips.

Is it at all practical to take a bus from Snooky to Ko Kong and then make my own arrangements such as a mini bus to Trat and then a real bus from Trat to Pattaya?

[lekatai]

Regular Bus service from Snooky to Pattaya US$ 23 approx 10 hours -

I will be going from Snooky to Pattaya and hate long mini bus trips.

Is it at all practical to take a bus from Snooky to Ko Kong and then make my own arrangements such as a mini bus to Trat and then a real bus from Trat to Pattaya?

Yes it's possible,but not as easy as it sounds.The route from Had Lek border to Trat is controlled by the minibus operator(I won't use the term mafia)The minibuses are supposed to leave every 40 minutes,and take about 75 minutes to Trat.However they won't leave until they are full,but if they do,they take you to Klong Yai,which is about 15 minutes towards Trat,and wait there for more passengers.You have no chance of getting any transport from there to Trat,and you will have paid the 120B by then,so they don't care.The trip to Trat can take well over 2 hours.Which means that if you have got the early bus from S-ville and crossed the border straight away,you just miss the 15.00 bus to Pattaya.I'm not sure if there are any later buses,if there are you will get to Pattaya very late.I have used this route many times,and if traveling with others,I arrange a Pattaya taxi to come and pick us up,it's more expensive,but a lot quicker and more comfortable.And worth every satang to avoid paying the minibus operator!You could try and get a moto to Trat,it's possible,but it's a long way,and I've never fancied it.I have done the bus/minibus route,as suggested by Snookygirl,and it works well,got to Pattaya at about 19.00 and dropped off close to the hotel.Probably for a single traveller it's the easiest option

Edited July 23, 2011 by lekatai

[SnookyGirl]

Regular Bus service from Snooky to Pattaya US$ 23 approx 10 hours -

I will be going from Snooky to Pattaya and hate long mini bus trips.

Is it at all practical to take a bus from Snooky to Ko Kong and then make my own arrangements such as a mini bus to Trat and then a real bus from Trat to Pattaya?

Yes it's possible,but not as easy as it sounds.The route from Had Lek border to Trat is controlled by the minibus operator(I won't use the term mafia)The minibuses are supposed to leave every 40 minutes,and take about 75 minutes to Trat.However they won't leave until they are full,but if they do,they take you to Klong Yai,which is about 15 minutes towards Trat,and wait there for more passengers.You have no chance of getting any transport from there to Trat,and you will have paid the 120B by then,so they don't care.The trip to Trat can take well over 2 hours.Which means that if you have got the early bus from S-ville and crossed the border straight away,you just miss the 15.00 bus to Pattaya.I'm not sure if there are any later buses,if there are you will get to Pattaya very late.I have used this route many times,and if traveling with others,I arrange a Pattaya taxi to come and pick us up,it's more expensive,but a lot quicker and more comfortable.And worth every satang to avoid paying the minibus operator!You could try and get a moto to Trat,it's possible,but it's a long way,and I've never fancied it.I have done the bus/minibus route,as suggested by Snookygirl,and it works well,got to Pattaya at about 19.00 and dropped off close to the hotel.Probably for a single traveller it's the easiest option

The only thing I can add to the above is that the Sihanoukville - Koh Kong part of the approx. US$ 23 trip I mentioned earlier is in a regular bus and not a minusbus so maybe it is what you`re looking for Baabooey....

[trevorg]

i was in snooky last week and I told by friend living there the ferry has stopped running since they have made the road so nice.

I have driven and its an easy 4 hour Pattaya to border. 4 hours Koh Kong to Phnom Penh. 2 1/2 to Snooky.

The Thai embassy in PP is not friendly to Faarangs and oftenr as the above poester said will not give a toursit visa. You better off heading to Laos

I'm wondering about driving this trip from Pattaya to snooky.

I own my car and have a thai license and I'm wondering what else I need t take my car into cambodia.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am interested in driving my own car as well. Anyone done this? Any thing I need to know?

TomBKK is not correct; I have taken my car out to Cambodia about 7 times now. Laos once and Malaysia twice.

All u need to take a Thai registered car into Cambodia is ur blue book and it must be ur car ( ie ur name on the book), They don't even ask about insuarnce but i was told my Thai insuarnace it is no good in Cambodia and unlike Laos and Malaysia u can not purchase short term insurance for a car other than a Cambodian licensed one.

You can fill out all the paperwork at the border (this applies to Laos and Malaysia as well) and they will give u a bunch of papers. Legally ur allowed to have the car out 30 days but i have taken my car out much longer on more than one occasion.

You then enter wherever.

If u enter at ko Kong they tell u to pay 100 baht/day so tell them 4 days. They also mention that ur only allowed to drive in Koh Kong Province but that's not true. They take the papers that the Thai immigration gave you when they give the red plate

Your issued a red plastic plate that ur supposed to place on ur dash.

I have never exited at koh kong but always head up north so now have 3 red plates.

When i exited once at PoiPet they asked for papers and i told them i had none and he said mi pen rai. Other borders they never asked

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic. I want to drive my own minivan from Aranya Pratet (Phuketrichard - have you ever entered at Poipet?) to Sihanoukville and back later in the year for about 10 days, the blue book is in my wifes name and she will be travelling with me. So, fill out papers at the border (I assume in Thai), pay the 100Baht a day, collect red plate and papers and off you go! I assume that you just drove 'uninsured' as there does not appear to be any means to get proper insurance, though judging by the state of most of the vehicles in Cambodia and the 'value' that they (I know this is a generalisation) put on human life in general it is possible to 'self-insure'.

Thanks in advance

[phuketrichard]

I have only exited at Poi Pet so no idea if they will charge the 100 baht/day. I think thats a Koh Kong thing.

as long as ur wife i with u and the blue book is in her name , no problem. They don't give u any papers,(the Cambodians) they take the thai papers from u when they issue u the red plastic plate and, i assume, u get them back if u exit that border.I never entered and exited the same border.

They will NOT issue u Cambodian insurance for a Thai car. IN all my drivings i was only stopped once in Phnom Penh, he first went to the wrong window ( my Thai car) and then came around and asked for license, I showed him my Thai license, he tried to take it from me but i refused to give it to him, (if he has it he can ask for more $$) then asked for $20 for a illegal turn, gave him $ 5 and drove away.

I found driving around a joy, If ur entering form Poi Pet u'll hit Battmabang, (about 2 hours) then PP, (another 3) then down to SH. 3-4 hours

Have fun but be careful passing cars....

Note i am told that u now must have the purple book for your car ( this is an English version of the blue book) it is done at the land transport office (dmv) and cost like 25 baht and 30 minutes to obtain.

Your also, i am told, need to have one of those stickers that have the T (for Thailand) on it . Have been told they will give them to you when u apply for the purple book but i know in Phuket they do not have the stickers.

Edited July 27, 2011 by phuketrichard

[trevorg]

I have only exited at Poi Pet so no idea if they will charge the 100 baht/day. I think thats a Koh Kong thing.

as long as ur wife i with u and the blue book is in her name , no problem. They don't give u any papers,(the Cambodians) they take the thai papers from u when they issue u the red plastic plate and, i assume, u get them back if u exit that border.I never entered and exited the same border.

They will NOT issue u Cambodian insurance for a Thai car. IN all my drivings i was only stopped once in Phnom Penh, he first went to the wrong window ( my Thai car) and then came around and asked for license, I showed him my Thai license, he tried to take it from me but i refused to give it to him, (if he has it he can ask for more $) then asked for $20 for a illegal turn, gave him $ 5 and drove away.

I found driving around a joy, If ur entering form Poi Pet u'll hit Battmabang, (about 2 hours) then PP, (another 3) then down to SH. 3-4 hours

Have fun but be careful passing cars....

Note i am told that u now must have the purple book for your car ( this is an English version of the blue book) it is done at the land transport office (dmv) and cost like 25 baht and 30 minutes to obtain.

Your also, i am told, need to have one of those stickers that have the T (for Thailand) on it . Have been told they will give them to you when u apply for the purple book but i know in Phuket they do not have the stickers.

Hi Richard - I assume that this 'purple book' may be the 'papers' that tombkk was talking about earlier, my local (100km away) land transport office is in Sa Kaew (97km further away than the border!) and to get them to translate something Thai to English, may prove harder than it is in ex-pat/tourist 'friendly' Phuket! I have plenty of time so may get the local 'fixer' to enquire next time he's there! I can feel a Google translate set of instructions being required. You didn't answer the insurance question, so I'll take that as a Yes!

As far as driving on the right, although I'm from the UK, I've had plenty of experience driving on the right in continental Europe in my own vehicles (with the steering wheel on the 'wrong' side) as well as on motorbikes. I have made the mistake of getting in on the passenger side of rental cars while abroad when I'm supposed to be driving!!

[phuketrichard]

Hi;

Yes that's what u Might need, have not had an confirmation if it is required for Cambodia but was told here in Phuket thta it is now and i do know 100% it is for Laos, ( the purple book ) I doubt they will accept a Google translation.

as far as insurance,

....They will NOT issue u Cambodian insurance for a Thai car.

and thai insurance, ( even 1st class) does not cover while ur in Cambodia.