wedders Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Got to do a visa run from Pattaya in the next three days, decided last minute not to fly somewhere. I've a hire car, so why not drive myself there. Might as well get some pleasure out of this chore, so which border crossing is best? I was thinking of driving along the coast to Trat - never visited this part of the country. From Trat, where should I head? From the Cambodian border, should I feel like staying more than a few hours, ie overnight somewhere, is there anywhere within easy reach I can visit? Can't take my hire car into Cambodia, of course... Any advice/info appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloggie Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just book a visa run in Pattaya, cost you TB 2.000 everything included! They pick you up in the morning drive to Pong Nam Rong do the border run for you and will bring you back in the evening - hassle free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkokburning Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Ban Laem via Chantaburi is your answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Ban laem or ban packard, there are within a few kilometres of each other and closer to chantaburi than poi pet, i always use ban packard very quiet, but can have some minibuses of Thais visiting casino at the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 From Trat just keep heading south another hour to the boarder. If they do allow your car into Cambodia then ok but I think a rental car will NOT be allowed 110%. You can also park in the parking lot on the Thai side and trip across the boarder. There are a lot of nice beaches and new resorts opening up all along the Cambodian coast if you are driving and not far at all. The new road is great. Also if you have never been to Trat then spending a night there at the Night Market is always a nice venture. Cheap rooms in Trat as well. You could also drive to the ferry after your visa run and head over to Koh Chang with is my favorite place in all of Thailand. Like I say having a rental car I don't think they will let you across the boarder so you might chose to leave your car in Trat for the day and take the songteaw to the boarder. About 100 baht and 1 1/2 hours. There is also a great little market on the Thai side where you can buy smokes etc. VERY cheap. Many army stops along the road from Trat to the boarder so make sure all your "T's" are crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedders Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Thanks for the info. Leaning towards Trat and the southernmost crossing, settting off later today. I've always wanted to visit the coast east of Jomtien, which is as far as I've got to date. And Koh Chang... very tempting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaan Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 From Trat just keep heading south another hour to the boarder. If they do allow your car into Cambodia then ok but I think a rental car will NOT be allowed 110%. You can also park in the parking lot on the Thai side and trip across the boarder. There are a lot of nice beaches and new resorts opening up all along the Cambodian coast if you are driving and not far at all. The new road is great. Also if you have never been to Trat then spending a night there at the Night Market is always a nice venture. Cheap rooms in Trat as well. You could also drive to the ferry after your visa run and head over to Koh Chang with is my favorite place in all of Thailand. Like I say having a rental car I don't think they will let you across the boarder so you might chose to leave your car in Trat for the day and take the songteaw to the boarder. About 100 baht and 1 1/2 hours. There is also a great little market on the Thai side where you can buy smokes etc. VERY cheap. Many army stops along the road from Trat to the boarder so make sure all your "T's" are crossed. the OP's hire car would not be covered for insurance either on the Cambodian side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkokburning Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Cambodian insurance ... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaan Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Cambodian insurance ... :-) you can't just unilaterally take out separate car insurance for a hire car without the express consent of the hire car company and more importantly the insurance company of the hire car company. And I think you will also find a paragraph hidden away somewhere in the hire car companies insurance agreement which prohibits taking the vehicle out of the country.if you do things like that you will soon find all the insurance companies have an excuse to render their agreements void for failing to declare essential information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkokburning Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Of course - I just find it funny. Insurance offered in Cambodia. Place was a war zone less than twenty years ago. It's a place where everything can go wrong and usually does - daily. Don't get me wrong, I love the place having lived there many years ago. It's just sort of tragic. The Khmer think they actually have bad luck - that is a national sentiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedders Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Did trip to Had Lek (after Trat). Pestered endlessly by scammers with the following comments: - Not take 10 dollars, only 1000 baht ... - Pay 500 baht for express (in and out stamps done at Cambodian immigration for same day crossing) ... - Pay 500 baht for personal service, just sit and wait while all done for you ... Which had I coughed up for the above, would have made them a cool 1700 baht, less whatever they have to pay immigration for their share. In the end it was pretty painless, didn't bother with going in to Cambodia, but had a very pleasant day in and around Trat, as well as a fishing village close by the day before.... (almost entirely populated by Muslims), and after the border crossing, an interesting couple of days on Koh Chang, my first trip there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALFREDO Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) wedders So, you made it to Hat Lek - Koh Kong border, the last 20 Km or so near the coast and with the sea in view on a curvy road, very beautiful. The setting of the border is nice to, overlooking the sea. You should have payed 1.200 Baht what the corrupt Cambodian Immigration officers usualy want. Normal would be, was, 20 Dollar! Instead of their scam you could have made a E-Visa in Internet, payed with a credit card. Needs some days advance, print their Mail-E-Visa back to you than and give 2 copys in your Passport. One for Cambodian Immigration, one for yourself. Instead of Koh Chang, I would have driven to Koh Kong, nice small village after the border in Cambodia, spent a day there and would have moved on to Sihanoukville the beach resort of Cambodia by Bus, about 220 km away. Koh Chang is nice, but it is still TH and Cambodia is at least in the moment a lot different, until the Tourist masses are also occupying and overrun that country, same its happening now in TH. Phuket-Patong and around is an antsnest! Edited February 25, 2012 by ALFREDO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now