Latest scam at Cambodian immigration - Koh Kong

[SandyFeet]

I'm on a one year multiple entry non-immigrant B visa in a US passport. I entered the country early December so I was just due for an out-in. My nearest border is the Trat, Had Lek - Koh Kong, Cham Yeam. I've been twice in the last year, those times to activate the second entry of a 2x tourist visa, and didn't have much of an issue. They tried to get me to pay more, but I politely insisted and they gave in right away. This time I figured if I was going, I might as well check out the town of Koh Kong anyway, so I booked a place for a night.

As always, totally polite and professional on the Thai side going and coming. Not so much on the other side. I handed the officers my passport, photo, application and $30. Right away they said, "No! $37!!" They handed me a printed press release from some government agency stating the new fees for e-visa were $30 + $7 processing fee. They had covered the 'e' in 'e-visa' with white-out (liquid paper) and were presenting it as official. I had already seen this press release (there's a link from the e-visa processing website to it). I politely insisted that this was for e-visa and I knew the price. I showed them my last visa with the price $30 clearly marked on it. The officer threw my passport at me. I continued politely insisting that they process my visa for the correct fee, and they started shouting at me. One of them started sticking his finger in my face. They told me to leave the office. I asked to speak to a supervisor, the finger pointer said he was. As they just sit around in their grubby undershirts, it's hard to tell, but he later put on a shirt that had more insignia on the shoulders and lapels than the others had, so he may have been. Long story short, they told me to wait outside for an hour. I continued to politely ask for a visa "now", then they said ten minutes and I kept at it. As their final face save before caving, they let two guys get theirs before me, then processed mine.

This is a pretty outrageous scam. It's one thing to earn yourself a few extra bucks a day, but they're raking in thousands of dollars per day from this. I'm fairly certain it's not all staying there either; a cut must be finding it's way up the ladder to Phnom Penh. Even with a fair amount of Googling, I couldn't find any official documentation online of the actual visa price on a government website. I'm fairly sure this is intentional. At the border they've totally removed all signage with the actual prices, and asking to see them just gets you the edited press release. If other crossings are doing this, it's tens of thousands of dollars a day getting skimmed, with the support of the government. I'm surprised there isn't more noise made about this.

It's really a shame. Cambodia is a beautiful country full of amazingly warm and friendly people. I'd go more often if the immigration officials weren't so horrible. At the end, the guy who shoved his fingers in my face told me his country doesn't want tourists like me. Most travelers have rough budgets, and rough ideas of what they'll spend. I spent those $7 in Koh Kong. Everyone else who had that money stolen from them did not. In the aggregate it means a lot of money lost for small businesses. I imagine that the types of tourists that most Cambodians actually want are ones that weren't robbed the second they stepped foot inside the country.

[Ghoulst Writer]

It's really a shame. Cambodia is a beautiful country full of amazingly warm and friendly people. I'd go more often if the immigration officials weren't so horrible.

+5

you could try the border just north of chantaburi about an hour north of chantaburi. never heard any bad stories from there. bad stories from koh kong are a dime a dozen. last visa run from trat i did to aran. just couldnt face the bad news that starts even at the bus/songtaew station in trat.

i figure it has cost cambo tens of thousands of dollars from me alone. money i have thus spent elsewhere ie. in thailand and malaysia instead

ps. and i dont even have a US passport

[Jip99]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

[SandyFeet]

It's really a shame. Cambodia is a beautiful country full of amazingly warm and friendly people. I'd go more often if the immigration officials weren't so horrible.

+5

you could try the border just north of chantaburi about an hour north of chantaburi. never heard any bad stories from there. bad stories from koh kong are a dime a dozen. last visa run from trat i did to aran. just couldnt face the bad news that starts even at the bus/songtaew station in trat.

Agreed! I went through that crossing once on the way to a wedding in Battambang and had no troubles! Just a little more expensive to get anywhere from there.

[yankee99]

Although they're out of line i wouldn't ever get confrontational like that over 7usd. You must not value your safety.

[Jip99]

Although they're out of line i wouldn't ever get confrontational like that over 7usd. You must not value your safety.

Principles come at a price.

The scum at the borders who seek to extort money in this way are not going to physically harm you. They can make you wait, they can p!ss you about - but, at the end of the day, they know they are scamming you and are still in the wrong.

[SoiBiker]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

Whereas this kind of confrontation leaves you in a happy, care-free mood? I'd have just paid and got on with my life.

[Jip99]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! It leaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

Whereas this kind of confrontation leaves you in a happy, care-free mood? I'd have just paid and got on with my life.

So have I.

Just because we bottled it and accepted the scam/s doesn't make it right.

Maybe if everyone said "NO", the scams would disappear................. I know, not a cat in he!l's chance.

[glegolo]

Whereas this kind of confrontation leaves you in a happy, care-free mood? I'd have just paid and got on with my life.

This kind of post shows really the character of the poster!! The very same persons have no problem to live off other peoples expensies and sacrificies...

It is a shame...

Glegolo

[evadgib]

An unseen pers webcam as worn by police etc at home might be necessary to protect ourselves from institutionalised extortionists in future. The effect would be immediate but i suspect the computer crimes act would probably catapult victims into the nearest holding cells!

[scavenger]

When I arrived at Phnom Penh airport last October, they announced the visa-on-arrival fee was $35 instead of $30 from that very minute, and that anyone unhappy with it could get back on their planes. The amount specified on the visa and on the receipt was of course only $30. I didn't argue over $5, but who needs that sh*t? Being on a multiple-o and not working in Thailand, I am flexible and I can look for good airfare deals, and here's what I got for my so-called "visa runs" for the coming year: South Korea, USA, New Zealand and Canada. And there are some decent deals for western Europe at the moment, probably will book a 10-day trip there too in the coming weeks. And it also gives my passport a thinner waistline and a higher life expectancy

[SandyFeet]

Sandyfeet ... I don't think you will last long in these parts.

Lone crusader against a trillion feudal-minded, corruption-loving Asians

Good luck

Btw...those 'friendly' Cambodians you mentioned would turn into monsters themselves if they were in a position of power.

By "last long" do you mean turn into a racist? Not sure what's more shocking, the raw prejudice in your comment, or your sheer numerical illiteracy. Knuckle-dragger

[Jip99]

Most unusual for Phnom Penh.

[phuketrichard]

i agree; you should just pay an move on, is it really worth the hassle?

Its a scam, we know it , they know it... its your choice to pay or cause a hassle or not go there.

also ur lucky they didn't charge yo $3 more as the e-visa is really $40 ( $3 cc charge)

reminds me of the guy in the movie "Chinatown" when the lady was shot at the end and jake wants to starts something

"Come on Jake, its chinatown"

I have never heard the $35 charge at the airport an flew in last dec

$30 for tourist

$35 for "ordinary" business visa

[Tomtomtom69]

Although they're out of line i wouldn't ever get confrontational like that over 7usd. You must not value your safety.

Principles come at a price.

The scum at the borders who seek to extort money in this way are not going to physically harm you. They can make you wait, they can p!ss you about - but, at the end of the day, they know they are scamming you and are still in the wrong.

Right. And at the end of the day, they have to let you in anyway. Coming up with excuses like: "you'll have to wait for an hour" or whatever don't have much effect. Besides, since there's no cross border transport at that border you could just tell them, "I don't care because nobody is waiting for me anyway".

[Tomtomtom69]

i agree; you should just pay an move on, is it really worth the hassle?

Its a scam, we know it , they know it... its your choice to pay or cause a hassle or not go there.

also ur lucky they didn't charge yo $3 more as the e-visa is really $40 ( $3 cc charge)

reminds me of the guy in the movie "Chinatown" when the lady was shot at the end and jake wants to starts something

"Come on Jake, its chinatown"

I have never heard the $35 charge at the airport an flew in last dec

$30 for tourist

$35 for "ordinary" business visa

If anything, you can bargain the price. Although I think the OP did the right thing, as I would have. But if I did decide to cave in, it would be for $1 or $2 extra, not $7 extra. Just like with everything else in Cambodia and other countries in the region, you can always bargain. No prices are ever fixed. You can bargain for almost everything.

[Chivas]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

Whereas this kind of confrontation leaves you in a happy, care-free mood? I'd have just paid and got on with my life.

Agree totally 8000 Miles from home and risking serious problems over $7 just bizarre

[SandyFeet]

I guess I should clarify. I was risking nothing. They weren't going to do anything to me. They were trying to look intimidating and failing at it. I know this because 1: I was there, and 2: I went on my merry way without any problems. Not paying the $7 meant an extra 9 or 10 minutes. And yeah, I do feel much better walking away knowing they can't pull one over on me. It's not a matter of me not wanting to part with that money, it's about not wanting it feeding the kleptocracy. If you would rather pay that money, that's totally fine. Not sure though why people are confused about why someone would want to stand on principle. Oh, and if you would have paid because you're afraid of what they might do to you, I suggest you grow a pair.

[evadgib]

The surrender merchants littering this thread should write to the authorities in their homeland suggesting anyone in govt service/uniform follow suit, particularly when dealing with asians or anyone that doesnt look right...

Tounge in cheek perhaps but the west has come a long way since Nelsons Portsmouth & its about time the remainder (counter signatories to appropriate conventions) caught on.

[Tomtomtom69]

I guess I should clarify. I was risking nothing. They weren't going to do anything to me. They were trying to look intimidating and failing at it. I know this because 1: I was there, and 2: I went on my merry way without any problems. Not paying the $7 meant an extra 9 or 10 minutes. And yeah, I do feel much better walking away knowing they can't pull one over on me. It's not a matter of me not wanting to part with that money, it's about not wanting it feeding the kleptocracy. If you would rather pay that money, that's totally fine. Not sure though why people are confused about why someone would want to stand on principle. Oh, and if you would have paid because you're afraid of what they might do to you, I suggest you grow a pair.

You're right. But as I said, you can always try the compromise solution of bargaining. Give them an extra buck or two, instead of the seven extra they originally wanted and then they would have processed you immediately. But 9 or 10 minutes as you say is nothing anyway, not a big deal.

[Jessi]

A few years ago I wrote to the Khmer Foreign affairs department also their tourist office about the scams going on at this border crossing.

The reply's I got went like this.

" This is the way it is in Cambodia"

I tried to get an official document translated at the Khmer embassy in BKK about 3 years ago, they told me I had to go to Phnom Penh to have it done.

Its a shame these things go on because I love Cambodia and the people.

[paz]

Agree totally 8000 Miles from home and risking serious problems over $7 just bizarre

Not risking anything. You can be fearful, but at least be informed.

[khwaibah]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

Always said Cambodia puts Thailand to sham on scams.

[siam2007]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

Whereas this kind of confrontation leaves you in a happy, care-free mood? I'd have just paid and got on with my life.

people like you are the reason why corruption never stops in countries like Cambodia and Thailand.....

[Briggsy]

This border crossing is always stressful on the Cambodian side. There is always some demand for extra cash. If I have to go there I prefer to go pre-armed with a Cambo visa. Worse than the Cambo immigration are the taxi boys who work in tandem with the immigration and get right in your face and are often extremely rude.

[OJAS]

Hmm, sounds like Cambodia would be best avoided for border/visa runs then. Laos sounds like a better destination since I can't recall from reports on here of similar scams going on there.

[khwaibah]

Hmm, sounds like Cambodia would be best avoided for border/visa runs then. Laos sounds like a better destination since I can't recall from reports on here of similar scams going on there.

Yea. Spend 48 hours, 1500 baht (average) for Lao visa and 2000 baht for transportation when the Cambodia scam may of cost you another 150 baht. Make all the sense in the world to me. NOT.

[paz]

Yea. Spend 48 hours, 1500 baht (average) for Lao visa and 2000 baht for transportation when the Cambodia scam may of cost you another 150 baht. Make all the sense in the world to me. NOT.

Lao visa is $35 - 42 depending on nationality. Bt 1,500 only when paid in Baht to be scammed exploited.

[nzexpat]

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Yea. Spend 48 hours, 1500 baht (average) for Lao visa and 2000 baht for transportation when the Cambodia scam may of cost you another 150 baht. Make all the sense in the world to me. NOT. alt=whistling.gif>

Lao visa is $35 - 42 depending on nationality. Bt 1,500 only when paid in Baht to be scammed exploited.

Ever checked the "exchange" rate used in your Embassy ?

[tropo]

Not a pleasant experience and - before people come on here and say "it was only $7, you should have just paid it and got your visa quickly" - it is quite simply WRONG! Itleaves a bad taste in the mouth and a poor opinion of Cambodia.

I'm coming straight on and saying just that: "it was only $7".

$7 would have been a bargain to avoid the wait, abuse and frustration. I'll go a step further and say that I can't believe what people will do to save $7.

How much are they asking in baht?