Non O visa Ventianne - Trip Report

[3R1C]

Update to trip report: Kip vs Baht exchange rates:

I went back through receipts and found the currency exchange receipt from the exchange I visited on Rue PonSiNuan on 04 Mar 2015:

I paid 1600 Thai Baht and recieved 400,000 Lao Kip. That is an exchange rate of 250 Kip per 1 Baht.

That means my statements about 20 Baht for 10,000 kip were incorrect. I was getting 10,000 kip for 40 Baht in all instances as stated, not for 20.

The courtesy bus across the Friendship bridge at NongKhai/Ventianne charged neither me or my wife any fare either going to Laos or Coming back to Thailand

Three comments have been added concerning visa costs at Cambodian border.

People whose statements I trust are saying the Tourist Visa is US $30, and the turnaround bite is 300 Baht.

I crossed at Klong Yai, down on the Thai/ Cambodian coast highway on 08 Dec 2014.

Cambodian Immigration arrivals had a sign printed in English stating that the Tourist Visa was USD $37 or ThB 1500.

I had read that the visa was $20 USD in TV reports of border runs to Cambodia. I tried to take a photo of their sign and they would not allow it, took it down behind their desk.

I had also read that they try to bite you for 400 ThB doing a turnaround, and tried to avoid that by spending about 2 hours at one of the casino hotels before returning to the departures window. They held my passport until I paid the 400 baht. They did not lower their price.

Like I say that was Klong Yai. Not crowded or busy at all, so not easy to get missed among the crowd when trying to duck their extortion racket on turnarounds. Your mileage may vary at other crossings. PoiPet is usually crowded, I am told.

I have seen two PoiPet border run reports from guys who completed the Cambodian eVisa online. They each said they breezed through arrivals and went straight over to departures without anyone taking a bite for turnaround. Should I ever go back to Cambodia, I think I would prefer to try doing the eVisa beforehand.

[ubonjoe]

The visa for Cambodia has been $30 since the first of October last year. It is $37 for the e-visa.

[GuyL]

...

The courtesy bus across the Friendship bridge at NongKhai/Ventianne charged neither me or my wife any fare either going to Laos or Coming back to Thailand

...

That's really strange because this bus is NOT free of charge.

Although it's not impossible to get in without a ticket, you have to buy one on both sides of the Friendship Bridge, and depending on time and day, it's 15 or 20 (there's a 5 baht overtime fee if you cross the border on Saturdays, Sundays, during official holidays, or on weekdays before 8 am or after 4 pm) baht or 4000 kip (during normal hours) when coming back from Laos.

Edited March 11, 2015 by GuyL