Driving from Ubon Ratchathani to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) Cambodia

[RebelRed]

Hi

I am living in Ubon and I am thinking of going to Siem Reap in Cambodia next month for a family holiday (wife and 3 young kids). I was wondering the following.

1. can I drive my own Thai registered car across the border to Cambodia? If so must I pay do some paperwork in Ubon before I go?

2. Is it cheaper in the long run to take my own car (we plan to stay near Siem Reap for the whole week we are there) or go by bus and use Tuk Tuk's

3. Can i use Thai baht in Cambodia or must I bring US dollars with me before I go?

Thanking you in advance

Liam

[phuketrichard]

1. yes, use the osmach crossing south of Surin

surin to SR is about 4 hours max

you do all the paperwork at customs at the border, ( temp export doc)

2. the tuk tuk is only $15/day for the temples, but yes its cheaper on ur own, just get a good map an guide book

done it many times.

3. U can change Baht to $ in the market but $$ are preferred.

[SantiSuk]

Unfortunately you cannot drive a car through the more convenient Choam (some say Chom) SaNgam / Anlong Veng border in sothern Sisaket province (near Pusing). At least that's what the immi officer on the Thai side hut told me 4 months ago when I asked.

I have the phone number of a taxi guy at Choam SaNgam - a Khmer who speaks Thai and a bit of English. My Thai wife liked that combo and got on famously with him. He would charge you 1,500 baht to Siem Reap one way (2,500 both ways) and 500-700 baht a day to stay around in SR and drive you locally to temples/Tonle Sap etc. Have used him twice. You can park the car at Choam for 100 baht a night.

Don't forget to stop on the Camby side and spit on Pol Pots grave if you go through that border. You virtually go past it within half a km of the border

[moojar]

Hi,

Cannot help you on the crossing the border with a car part, but I did go to Angkor last year and recommend having your own transport.

The temples get very crowded after breakfast and after lunch, and it's hot 'n' humid as well. So a better time to go would be early morning until the crowds build, then come back later in the afternoon as the stream of tuk tuks and coaches are heading back into Siem Reap. Much easier to do that if you have your own transport, whether rented or brought over from Thailand.

You could still do that with tuk tuks I suppose - you can arrange an early morning pickup for a fee. But if you want to make multiple trips in the day they will be asking for more money.

btw the border official at Osmach tried to charge me B1000 for entry, whereas I had read it was $20 USD. He insisted, I told him I had only USD on me, and after a face-saving wait while he processed a few other baht-equipped foreigners he begrudgingly took my $20. Plus $5 to stamp my passport, but you pay extra for that in Baht anyway. Funny thing was, I needed change from $30 and he gave me $5 change from his own wallet.

We hired a taxi to take us to Siem Reap for B1200 or B1500, forget which. He then tried to negotiate another two or three hundred "tip" as we got close, but my wife would have none of that. Found this to be common in markets and with tuk tuks - negotiate a price, they agree, and as the cash is handed over they ask for a bit more.

Oh and Baht in Cambo - they will take it in shops etc. if you are insistent. My wife managed to pay in baht almost everywhere.

[my friend I]

$30 is the correct price. It went up from the previous $20

Edited March 27, 2015 by my friend I

[khwaibah]

Some side notes for Chong Chom. There is secured parking at 100 bat per 24 hours for your vehicle if you want to catch a taxi. There is a van service from the Surin bus station to the border (75km) for 60 baht. 30 USD for Cambodian visa but they will try to sting you 1200 to 1500 baht. For the past few months the scam on the visa and taking your car in has eased off. Some have paid up to 1000 baht Thai side for paper work for a car but that has eased off. No charge for a bike. you can get a taxi for 1200 baht to SR, 2 Hours.