Visa runs

[jonniebkk]

2 Questions On Cambo Visa Runs:

I had planned to go to Penang next week (by plane or train) for my 3-month visa run.  However, with the SARS outbreak (Malaysia reporting this morning [AWSJ] 1 likely death and up to maybe 14 other cases...with another 60 people in quarantine) I have decided to put those plans on hold.  I would like to avoid the travel hassles upon return at Don Muang (all the screening...with MAY likely to be added to the effected countries within the next few days) and the large Chinese tourist presence in Penang (from HKG, China, Sing., etc.)  So, I am falling back on the old standby...the Cambo visa run.  Due to the recent troubles there, however, I have a couple questions:

First:  Can anyone confirm that the Thai embassy in PP is open for at least processing visas.  My (usually reliable) travel agent in Bangkok tells me this is so...that they have temporary office space open and our procesing visas for travelers.  Anyone been there since the "troubles" and gotten a visa or knows of a friend who has done so.

Second:  I know the general procedures for the Poipet visa run...done in one day and such.  Can anyone provide specifics as to the cost for taxi to border (no time to hook-up with a bus visa-run group), the time to border and back to BKK, and the cost for the Cambo visa ($20 like in PP) and can this be paid in Thai baht or are dollars necessary?

Thanks.

[likacozy]

I just got a Cambodia Tourist Visa for 1000 baht at the border

or u can pay $20 US, which would of been cheaper for me, except I didn't have time to change some currency.

I have also heard a temporary place for processing visas in Phnom Penh, but I couldn't tell you where.

[bonsaimax]

A taxi to Poipet would usually charge 1500 baht plus petrol. Travel time is about 3 hours each way. The bus from Morchit costs about 180 baht one way to Aranyapratet. From there, you have to take a 50 baht tuk tuk ride to the border. Bangkok to Aranyapratet takes about 5-6 hours by bus. Cambodian visa is 1000 baht or 20 US dollars. Foreigners from the ASEAN don't need a visa.

[TRIPxCORE]

I am missing some of the details on these visa runs to the Cambo border.  If you are going to Cambo to obtain a non-imm O visa, is it necessary to spend the night in Cambo or can you do the whole trip in 1 day?  Also, can you get the non imm O visa's from any of these border crossing's or only in PP?   If the non imm O visa is obtainable in 1 day via Cambo, why would anybody go to Malay or Laos when it is so much further away?  Thanks.

Virgin visa runner

[jonniebkk]

From my considerable experience, you have to spend at least 1 night in PP in order to get your visa there.  Of course, this info. is from before the sacking of the embassy a couple months ago.  I understand a temporary Thai embassy visa office is open in PP but have not been able to confirm this, nor it's location or hours.

Before, the visa office was open (accepted applications and gave back passports from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, monday thru friday.  It takes one day to process the application.  Therefore, if one was coming from Bangkok by air...one could take one of the early morning Bangkok Air flights to PP.  I recall there is like a 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. flight and this would put you on the ground in PP by 9 a.m.  You could then go to your hotel, check-in, and then moto-it down to the Thai embassy in plenty of time to make the 12 noon deadline.  In the alternative, you could go directly from the airport to the embassy and then check-into your hotel afterwords (and then relax with a beer at the FCC and while away the afternoon overlooking the Mae Naum Kong.

You spend the day relaxing and the night at Sharkeys/Martini's, 63 St., or wherever, and then pick-up your passport in the morning and catch Bangkok Air's, I believe if memory serves me correctly, 1:30 p.m. flight back to Bangkok.  If you use this air schedule, you only have to spend 1 night in PP.  If you were to take a later flight from Bangkok and miss the noon cutoff, you would have to spend 2 nights in PP (not necessarily a  bad thing).

I do not know if a little bakesh when applying for the visa would get you the passport by noon on the day you applied (say you did it first thing at 9) so that you could then catch the same-day afternoon or evening Bangkok Air flight back to Bangkok.

PS:  The same could be done using Thai air if they had a similiar schedule...I just don't know there BKK-PP schedule.  Besides, BKK Air is usually cheaper than Thai on this run.

At the Poipet border, you can only get 30-day tourist visas.  No non-immigrant O or B visas or any other type.

[jonniebkk]

As to Malay and Loas, at least by air, they are not really that much further away.  KL is about 1.5 hours from Bangkok and Penang is about 1 hour.  If one lived in southern or northern Thailand, Penang, that other little Malay/Thai border town who's name excapes me at the moment, or Vientiene would be a short hop to get a visas.  

Also, a run to KUL, Penang, or HKG or Sing. for that matter affords one the opportunity to shop for things that are often not available in Thailand or are taxed heavily.  Particular tobacco products and the latest electronic gear (often not available or very expensive in Thailand).

[TRIPxCORE]

Thanks a bunch jonniebkk!!!!!!!

[Bob Dobbs]

Could I slip in here and ask if anybody has been to Mai Sot from Bkk recently? I know it's a few more hours on the bus but if it means not forking over $20 plus to those rogues otherwise known as Cambodian Immigration it would be well worth it.