30 Day "pass"

[fivevenoms]

A quick follow-up to a question I had about running to Cambodia for a day to humour the Thai family's desire to gamble (in Poipet, I guess-It's the closest to Bangkok, right?). My US Passport has a tourist visa good until June, but my wife pushed back our plane tickets for the return flight from the 17th until the 31st. Would this, in effect, screw me over when I come back from Cambodia? I don't have a copy of the new tickets, so would they give me trouble when I come back asking for a 30 day stamp, since the 17th is long gone, and I have nothing to prove I'm leaving Thailand on the 31st? What if my Thai family pleads my case? That seems to strangely work on occasion....

Thanks (yet) again...

[EVO]

I dont understand your post (too late at night for me???).There are 30 days in June for a start. However, if you enter Thailand from Cambodia on the 17th, and are leaving on the 30th, or 1st July then it doesnt matter what visa you already have in your passport, as you can always enter on a 30 day transit visa issued when you cross the border.

Did i read this all wrong and screw it up???

I hope i helped a little anyway.

[fivevenoms]

Hmmm. Excess beer probably fouled up any potential clear statements on my part.

Okay, I'm in Thailand right now, with a tourist visa that is good until june 2nd.

However, my Thai family would like to go to Cambodia, so I will have to cross the border from Thailand, to Cambodia, and then back to Thailand.

However, to do this I would have to get a 30 day "on arrival" visa when I come back from Cambodia. Unfortunately, I no longer have any plane tickets or other documents that show that I will be leaving Thailand within 30 days (since my flight on May 17th was pushed back to May 31st as of today). I hope that made sense.

Does this, in effect, make me screwed?

[EVO]

Im no expert but i would say no, as you will be taking a land border crossing. Usually the tickets only apply for arriving by air.

Otherwise, the visa run companies would be out of business.

[thaiflyer1]

In theory you need proof of onward travel regardless of how you arrive however the problem has always been your carrier refusing you boarding when you check-in for the flight rather than immigration upon arrival in Thailand.

Obviously with you arriving overland you have no carrier problem..............the odds of immigration asking you for proof at Aranyaprathet are 1000:1.

If you are really concerned about any potential problem you could always obtain a single re-entry permit (1000baht) this would mean when you re-enter you would still be "on" the 2nd June stay stamp as per your tourist visa.

IMO.............i/d just go out and back in without the permit but thats up to you.

[lopburi3]

The requirement you should be prepared to meet is the 10-20k to support yourself. It is not likely to be asked for but if you win at the casino so much the better.

Required for 30 day entry without visa:

The applicant must possess instrument of means of living expenses 10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly

[fivevenoms]

Thank you sincerely everyone:

The answer I can now give everyone for future reference is:

The process takes about 30 minutes to sign out from Thailand, and get everything done on the Cambodia side in Poipet. The fact that there was an enormous downpour may have helped, given that there was nobody in front of me. The fee seemed to be 1000 baht, but I ended up paying 200 baht additionally for an entry and departure stamp that I suspect went in the pockets of the jerk-offs who enigmatically drift back and forth across the border and "help" you with your visa. And lastly, nobody cared about my exit status from Thailand, or means of income when I arrived, as there was a rather sizable line of eager Thai gamblers waiting to get back to Thailand while I was there. I would also assume that anybody with paperwork and a pen would be able to do this process themselves without the help of the uh....."kindly assistants" waiting at the border.

Thanks again!

[thaiflyer1]

The fee seemed to be 1000 baht, but I ended up paying 200 baht additionally for an entry and departure stamp

Even if you had done the paperwork yourself the Cambodian Immigration would still try to have you give them 100-200baht extra as their view is your not adding anything to the country by turning straight back round and re-entering Thailand.........illegal yes.....does it go into their pockets yes.

Two ways round it if you so wish are,

1. Refuse to pay.

2. Put the name of one of the casinos on your "arrivals" card when you enter Cambodia thereby giving the impression you are staying at least one night in Cambo.

Edited May 25, 2005 by thaiflyer1

[fivevenoms]

I actually do recall reading something to that effect about the 200 baht "fee" in another thread. Fair enough. Still though, it occurred to me at about half way through the process that only about 1/3 of the people I'd been dealing with actually appeared to be government officers, and that it didn't particularly matter that the other 2/3rds weren't. When I saw one of the "visa helpers" giving one of the border officials a massage in his chair, it painted a somewhat clearer picture of what was going on. I assumed if everyone at the border was "at the same party" so to speak, not paying the 200 baht fee was....well......., hey, at least they stood in line for me. Is it that bad everywhere, or only/mostly in Poipet?

[thaiflyer1]

Is it that bad everywhere, or only/mostly in Poipet?

Last time i went with a minibus visa run we went to Pong Nam Ron (sp?) in Chantanaburi.........no beggars/runners or "t-money". Travelling time is just slightly longer than Poi-Pet but turn around time is quicker (no tour buses). I/d definately go again (out of Pattaya).

[Bluffer]

Is it that bad everywhere, or only/mostly in Poipet?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its even worse if you head down to Hat Lek / Koh Kong. the cambo immigration people there want 1100B for a visa and are known to sometimes ask for up to 1300B depending on their mood.

[sadako]

Just a small addition to this question , so if I have a one year non-immigrant O multi - entry visa and use Poipet for my 90 day runs , will I experience the same bribes / etc ? I presume so.......

[lopburi3]

Just a small addition to this question , so if I have a one year non-immigrant O multi - entry visa and use Poipet for my 90 day runs , will I experience the same bribes / etc ? I presume so.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. It has nothing to do with your visa type to Thailand - everything to do with the fact you must obtain a visa for Cambodia to do the crossing. Perhaps a plane trip to Singapore or Malaysia on a discount airline and immediate return would be more attractive for some.