Choam Sa-Ngam / Chong Chom Border Crossing

[khwaibah]

Does that mean they finally fixed the road from Highway 24 Kwaibah?

Have not a clue. Nobody and I mean nobody is doing any reporting on that crossing. Guess I may have to do a recon.

I frequently use this road to make deliveries to the border. I was there again this morning. Road is great all the way from Route 24 to the border. No more pot holes. Tarseal most of the way, with concrete through some of the villages. At the border it is all very clean and green with the whole market demonished. It is extremely quiet on the Thai side. I don't know what it is like on the Cambodian side.

Is the new section of highway that by passes the mountain completed and opened?

[DILLIGAD]

Does that mean they finally fixed the road from Highway 24 Kwaibah?

Have not a clue. Nobody and I mean nobody is doing any reporting on that crossing. Guess I may have to do a recon.

I frequently use this road to make deliveries to the border. I was there again this morning. Road is great all the way from Route 24 to the border. No more pot holes. Tarseal most of the way, with concrete through some of the villages. At the border it is all very clean and green with the whole market demonished. It is extremely quiet on the Thai side. I don't know what it is like on the Cambodian side.

Is the new section of highway that by passes the mountain completed and opened?

On the Cambodian side, yes.

[khwaibah]

Anybody have any info on that new by pass that was to be put in around that hill thats a killer. Just asking.

[sammycic]

Do you mean the road to Phusing border crossing?

[khwaibah]

Do you mean the road to Phusing border crossing?

Yes. Has the new by pass around the hill been completed.

[sammycic]

I don't know as the last time I went there the Cambodians wouldn't let us cross as my friend had his visa already and wouldn't accept it and one of our Thai friends only had identity card which also wouldn't accept. Tried a tip

which also rejected. So never going back, was told to go to O'smach.

Cheers

[sammycic]

Quick question, can you pay for visa in Baht and if so how much. Is $us the best way?

Cheers

[khwaibah]

Quick question, can you pay for visa in Baht and if so how much. Is $us the best way?

Cheers

Its 30 USD at last report at Choam Sa-Ngam. At Chong Chom its 1500 baht. With the USD at 35.50 it would be 1065 baht so the Cambodians are losing money at 30 USD. They take baht.

[sammycic]

Thanks for the info.

[SantiSuk]

There is a long hill up to the border town on the Cambodia side and it has a good gradual straight road on it (and has done ever since I started doing that journey 4 years ago I think). I certainly can't remember a nightmare hill, though I do recall that people had said that the road from the Anlong Veng border* to Siem Reap used to be pretty impossible in rainy season, but not now it's a good wide concrete or blacktop road all the way. Takes 2 hours form border to Angkor Wat and a further half hour into central Siem Reap city.

* It seems to be referred to as the Choam Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng border even though the town of Anlong Veng is 15 to 20km from the small border village on the Cambodia side where the casino + Pol Pot's grave plus a number of local market type shops reside. Not sure if the small border village has a name.

[legendarysurfer]

I am the OP of this thread and glad to see it's had a useful life since 2013.

 

With the help of a number of ThaiV members,  my first trip to Kampuchee (what it's called here in The Isaan) was relatively problem free. I wrote about my Choam Sa Ngam crossing then, at: http://the-isaan.blogspot.com/2013/10/cambodia-trip-12.html, complete with video. Subsequent posts tell about the entire trip... I had a great time.

 

Well, I'm back. Gonna rendezvous with my son from America, in SR, and do the temple thing once again. This time, however, I plan on crossing at Chong Chom after an overnight in Surin.

 

Two questions:

 

• What's a clean, inexpensive hotel within walking distance of the bus station in Surin?
• How much is transpo from the border to SR likely to cost me? I don't like moto's, as I'm paranoid of an accident (I'm 68), but up for anything else adventurous that's got more wheels to it.

I plan to be overnight in Surin on Friday, 16 Dec, and in SR on the 17th... returning Friday, 23 December for another overnight in Surin. Homebase is Nong Bua Lamphu.

 

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by legendarysurfer

[SantiSuk]

Like that you came back to thank/update. Sorry I am not familiar with the transport from Surin beyond what I have surmised previously.

[DILLIGAD]

Majestic Hotel or Thong Tarin are nearby but for more inexpensive, I'd suggest Majestic Twin at the far end of Soi Kola (Entertainment street).
Transport. There is a new bus service to SR from CC (very cheap) or taxi's might cost around 2000b.


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[legendarysurfer]

On 12/9/2016 at 10:14 AM, SantiSuk said:

Like that you came back to thank/update. Sorry I am not familiar with the transport from Surin beyond what I have surmised previously.

 

I remember your help from three years ago, SantiSuk; complete with a very useful map. Thanks again!

[legendarysurfer]

On 12/9/2016 at 0:20 PM, DILLIGAD said:

Majestic Hotel or Thong Tarin are nearby but for more inexpensive, I'd suggest Majestic Twin at the far end of Soi Kola (Entertainment street).
Transport. There is a new bus service to SR from CC (very cheap) or taxi's might cost around 2000b.


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Great news about the bus. Do you know the general departure times for it and the vans from Surin to the border? Thanks, DILLIGAD.

[DILLIGAD]

 
Great news about the bus. Do you know the general departure times for it and the vans from Surin to the border? Thanks, DILLIGAD.

Sorry, cannot source info about the bus, maybe try Surin Bus Station or PM Khwaibah (he will know).
Vans to border go about every 10 minutes (taking the ixxxts to the Casino)


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[legendarysurfer]

19 hours ago, DILLIGAD said:

Sorry, cannot source info about the bus, maybe try Surin Bus Station or PM Khwaibah (he will know).
Vans to border go about every 10 minutes (taking the ixxxts to the Casino)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Sounds like I don't have to worry about catching transpo. I'll just leave Surin during the peak time, in the morning (8am). Thanks again for your help.

[Scik]

Excellent post with a lot of useful information! Thanks everyone who posted!!

 

I am going to be flying into Siem Reap (from Bangkok) in early February, and after a couple days checking out Angkor Wat and surroundings, I plan on making my way to Ubon Ratchathani via the Choam Sa Ngam border crossing. (Attached a map of what I am thinking, shame Google doesn't list the buses in that area...)

 

As I understand it, I will need to Taxi from SR to the border, then make my way to Highway 24 to hopefully catch a bus to Ubon? Does that sound right? Does anyone know any helpful details for this (i.e. what buses I should be looking for or where to find them, and recent prices)? I assume that the buses mentioned previously will go both ways for the same price... but just want to make sure. xD 

[legendarysurfer]

On 1/1/2017 at 4:28 AM, Scik said:

Excellent post with a lot of useful information! Thanks everyone who posted!!

 

I am going to be flying into Siem Reap (from Bangkok) in early February, and after a couple days checking out Angkor Wat and surroundings, I plan on making my way to Ubon Ratchathani via the Choam Sa Ngam border crossing. (Attached a map of what I am thinking, shame Google doesn't list the buses in that area...)

 

As I understand it, I will need to Taxi from SR to the border, then make my way to Highway 24 to hopefully catch a bus to Ubon? Does that sound right? Does anyone know any helpful details for this (i.e. what buses I should be looking for or where to find them, and recent prices)? I assume that the buses mentioned previously will go both ways for the same price... but just want to make sure. xD 

 

There are buses that run between Siem Reap and Analong Veng. Recommend overnight at AV instead of trying to reach UR in one day. Next day, moto from AV to the border and once across, another moto to Highway 24. Once there, ask the group of moto drivers when the next bus to UR is expected to come by. You may have a while to wait or you just might get lucky. 

[RoamingBattler]

I've lost the page now, but thought I saw when browsing another page/site somewhere that the immigration shack at Cho-am (Cambodia side) has been replaced by a modern white? building.

Can someone confirm? and post a photo if you have one?

or perhaps I have seen a mismatched post - picture of another border crossing building labelled as Cho-am?

 

Edited February 16, 2017 by RoamingBattler

[tso310]

Did a visa run to Siem Reap this week. Out Monday back Thursday. Used the bus from O'smach. Didn't book and thought we arrived too late but the AMM guys rushed us through. Only 9 people on the bus. Only 4 on the return. 9:00 bus both ways. Journey took 2,5 hours, roads are awful. The road from 24 to Chong Chom is being upgraded to 4 lanes. SR terminal is at the City Angor Hotel. Thai bus driver incidently. Immigartion both times easy. The casinos at O'smach look impressive. SR is well worth a visit.

Not sure on the economic viability of the bus service. I understand it is busier at the weekend. It will be interesting to see what happens when the Ban Kruat crossing gets full immigration posts. Thai's are supposed to be ready just waiting on the Cambodians.

Edited February 18, 2017 by tso310
spelling

[louse1953]

On 2/18/2017 at 9:14 AM, tso310 said:

Did a visa run to Siem Reap this week. Out Monday back Thursday. Used the bus from O'smach. Didn't book and thought we arrived too late but the AMM guys rushed us through. Only 9 people on the bus. Only 4 on the return. 9:00 bus both ways. Journey took 2,5 hours, roads are awful. The road from 24 to Chong Chom is being upgraded to 4 lanes. SR terminal is at the City Angor Hotel. Thai bus driver incidently. Immigartion both times easy. The casinos at O'smach look impressive. SR is well worth a visit.

Not sure on the economic viability of the bus service. I understand it is busier at the weekend. It will be interesting to see what happens when the Ban Kruat crossing gets full immigration posts. Thai's are supposed to be ready just waiting on the Cambodians.

Thanks for the update mate.When i was on the bus last Sept,it was only 2 of us.The buggers dropped us off on the edge of town,which i knew was wrong,but what can you do.Even rang a moto for us.Now i know the destination,it will be easy to demand we go there.The road isn't that bad compared to 2004,dirt track and 5 hours by taxi,no bus then.

[bberrythailand]

Maybe some update there