You Can Get A Visa In Trat, But...

[davidm]

I wouldn't advise it if you plan to return to Thailand on the same day.

The border crossing is at Hat Lek, right at the extreme end of the narrow strip of Thai coastline in the south-east. It is about 95 km past Trat.

Coach services between Bangkok and Trat are regular and straight forward. A mini bus service takes you the rest of the way. I drove there, and it can be done in 4 hours if you leave early and don't have to cross much of Bangkok to get to a highway.

There's a secure car park at the border check point that charges 20 baht for the first three hours and 10 baht per hour thereafter. The market opposite provides plewnty of food and drink, too.

The big drawback to using this facility is the attitude of Cambodian immigration officials. The visa fee should be $20/800 baht. Visitors were charged 1,100 baht. One official at the first office I visited asked me to fill in a form declaring I didn't have SARS, then wanted 100 baht for a health check. He wasn't too insistent, though.

Touts try to make money by pestering you every step of the way. I had one foll try to tell me how to fill out a basic form which was written in English. Poverty must be a lot worse over there.

The fun began when I wanted to return the same day. Immigration officials wanted another 300 baht in return for letting me leave. They actually resent foreigners using them as a transit point. Never mind that they get paid quite handsomely for a few minutes work, and get a chance to make money on the side by overcharging.

The Thai officials were very polite and friendly, and everything is well organised on that side of the border, but unless you want to stay overnight or pay at least 1,400 baht to a group of rude Cambodians, give this place a miss.