Thai land border entry

[Kolsie]

Hi folks,

I'm currently here in Thailand on my Aussie passport and 30 day visa waiver.

I plan to head off over the border to Cambodia on my motorcycle for about a month or so, then come back into Thailand.

I was wondering if I might get into any strife with the Thai immigration.

Question time.

1. Would I be allowed into the kingdom for 14 days, no worries?

2. Is the 14 days extendable by 7 days if I pay immigration 1,900 baht

Just not sure what the current situation is nowadays...

Thanks

[paz]

1. yes

2. extendable for 30 days, not 7. But since a tourist visa in Phnom Phen cost just Bt 1,000, that would better.

Asco check what are the implications of driving a Thai bike in Cambodia.

[Kolsie]

Thanks Pay...

1. I was wrong it's 15 days on my Australian passport and 30 days UK...

2. So you reckon I can get my 15 days extended by another 30 days at immigration, I knew you do that on a 30 day visa waiver, but mistakenly thought it could only be extended by 7 days on a 15 day land border crossing...that's good..

Don't want to get a tourist visa this time because I'm flying out in 3 weeks and I know there's a limit to how many back to back tourist visas allowed...

Shouldn't be a problem taking the Thai bike out of Thailand, already did it earlier this year through Koh Kong, then through Cambodia up through Laos as far as Luang Prabang, then back down into Thailand at the Nong Khia border crossing..

[paz]

There is no limit on the tourist visas one can have, and in your case it would not be back-to-back because of the time spent in Cambodia.

The advantage is the money saved and avoid a visit at Thai Immigration that is no fun.

Have fun with the trip.

[Kolsie]

Well if there's no restrictions on how many tourist visas I can get, then buying one in Phnom Penh makes bloody good sense as it would be cheaper than the extension and a lot less hassle than the Thai immigration office...

Thanks for your advice Paz

[Tomtomtom69]

1. yes

2. extendable for 30 days, not 7. But since a tourist visa in Phnom Phen cost just Bt 1,000, that would better.

Asco check what are the implications of driving a Thai bike in Cambodia.

There are no major "implications" other than knowing where to cross, the lack of insurance and being a responsible rider and being aware of the risks involved with driving a motorcycle in Cambodia.

Mainly you just need to know which border to cross (Chong Chom/O'Smach and Khlong Yai/Koh Kong are best) in fact, don't even bother trying any others, even though the one near Pailin (Prom/Ban Pakkard) will let motorcycles cross as well and reportedly even Poipet (though Poipet is troublesome for cars, except if heading only to the casino or with a permit in advance; leaving there seems to be OK though). But I wouldn't bother with Poipet knowing that 3 other borders are definitely OK, so why go to the trouble of possibly being refused when those borders are A OK anyway?

However, there is one more thing to be aware of - Koh Kong might ask you if you are leaving the province with your bike - say no. Even if you do, you won't have any problems driving where you want - but you don't want to talk to customs any longer than is necessary so just agree with everything they say, pay the 100 Baht per day "fee", although if you leave through another border you can avoid paying for more than say 2-3 days worth. Be aware of the "no headlights during the day rule" even though it's not illegal to travel without headlights on at night! Go figure that one out! Cambodian logic is bizarre but to avoid being a target for money hungry traffic cops, tape over your headlights or install an on/off switch. I wouldn't personally bother with the latter as that involves more work on my bike that I'd want to do just to comply with a silly law. But it's up to you and since you (the OP) plan to be in Cambodia with the bike for a month, rather than just a couple of days, the 100 Baht or whatever it costs to make that conversion might actually be worth it.

One more thing - no insurance for foreign registered vehicles at the border unless MAYBE you arrange something through a Phnom Penh based insurer before arrival. Most likely that will be difficult so see if you can arrange something once in Phnom Penh, but you'd be uninsured before getting there. I have seen Caminco (I think that's the name of the insurer) insurance stickers on Thai international bus services between Bangkok and Siem Reap and Bangkok and Phnom Penh; presumably a rider of a Thai bike (or car) could get the same but as mentioned there is no such setup at the border, unlike if you cross into Laos or Malaysia, for example.

As to the tourist visa question - absolutely no problems coming back to Thailand after a 30-day absence, irrespective of whether you go the 15-day visa free route or get a tourist visa. Get a tourist visa if you want to spend more time in Thailand, otherwise it's another absence from Thailand after 15 days and unless you don't mind spending like a week or two here and there in different countries between visits to Thailand (or have a good reason to be doing so), you're better off just getting that tourist visa, which is handed out like confetti at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, though single entry only and usual processing time seems to be around 4 days, though 2-3 may be possible, especially if you apply through an agent.

[Kolsie]

I agree there's no real implications of driving a Thai bike over in Cambodia as I found when I did it earlier this year. I have a Cambodian driving licence and shall be legally through the country. But if I get stopped by the cops I know I would probably end up parting with 2 dollars...not that painful really, I have done a few illegal things in the past and not got caught... Karma hahahahaha...

Unlike Thailand (and Laos), compulsory third party insurance is NOT a legal requirement in Cambodia....Further, the actual payout in the event of an accident under the Thai compulsory third party insurance is woeful and even worse for the Laos AGL policy I had... But, as a legal requirement, these types of motor insurance will keep you out of a Thai or Laos prison. Yes, I have heard about Caminco and another Cambodian insurer called Asia insurance and indeed I might be able to pay 60 bucks and buy a policy for my THAI bike next week, then I can make a claim if my bike gets pinched

So providing you have the green book in your name and go to the Thai customs at the border first before immigration and pick up you're temporary export papers... Then no issues...

There's no such rule about paying a 100 baht / day rule for motorcycles and no relevance regards not being able to take the bike out of the Cambodian province. This rule is only for cars. It's technically illegal to take Thai cars through Cambodia as the Thai cars are righthand drive whereas Cambodian vehicles are left hand drive. As a way of dispensation for border trade, Thai vehicles are permitted to cross into Cambodia if they are only driven in and around the border town / province. To get dispensation to drive further a field requires approval is sought from the relevant government departments in Phnom Penh (tourism and customs)...

Yes, no headlights allowed in the daytime on motorcycles, it's their country their rules... Easy fix, no fitting special switches or taping over the headlight... I simply pull the 3 pin plug off the back of the headlight and a few seconds later... Problem gone!

But I digress...with reference to my original two questions regarding getting 15 days entry upon my return to Thailand and that 15 days can be extended... The better option would be to buy a tourist visa in Phnom Penh as my flight out of Thailand would require 3 weeks stay before I go...

Thanks for your help, much appreciated, I will report back and let you know how I go when I cross the border at Prom/Ban Pakkard...

[khwaibah]

Cars are driven all the time into Cambodia at the Chong Chom Border Crossing to Siem Reap, Phnom Penh,Sihanouk then back into Thailand at Hat Lek. No problems. Also bikes have no problem at this crossing for entering Cambodia.