Choam Sa Ngam Border Crossing

[daboyz1]

I'm planning a trip in May to Si Saket and while there I's like to spend a day, maybe two in Cambodia. I have a few questions:

1. I'll be driving a rental car that I don't want to take with me in to Cambodia. This seems like a bad idea, and the rental car agency probably doesn't allow it anyway. Is there decent secure parking on the Thai side?

2. I'll be entering Thailand on a 30 day stamp at swampy on 29 APR. I'm planning on making this trip to Cambodia on 5 May or 6 May. I don't plan on leaving Thailand until 23 May. When I re-enter Thailand will they give me a 15 day stamp? If so, this could be a problem because I'm basically swapping out a 30 day stamp for a 15 day stamp.

3. I'd like to bring my niece with me. She's 17 with no passport, only a Thai ID card. Her mother is dead and father isn't in the picture. Only her Aunt (my wife) will be with us. Can she enter on her Thai ID card for a couple days?

4. I see some conflicting info as to how much I'll need to pay to cross in to Cambodia visa wise. Seems it should be $25 USD or 1000 THB, but they may want a bit of tea money. Does anyone have the latest info on this?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

[khwaibah]

Q1. No cars are allowed to cross into Cambodia at this crossing. There is parking but I don't think i would call it descent. For secured car parking you need to go to the Chong Chom crossing south of Surin.

Q2. You did not give your nationality. G7 nationalities get 30 days by land all others 15 days and they will only do this one time as you will already be on a 30 day visa exempt entry. If need be you can got to immigration pay 1900 baht and get a one time 30 day extension. Or as crazy as it sounds you can go to immigration pat 1000 baht and get an a single rentery permit which will keep your original 30 day stamp intact. What ever you do do not become an overstayer as of March 20 in gets nasty for those that do.

Q3. Taken any 17 year old girl from Thailand into Cambodia with only an ID card and no proof of legal guardianship is not a wise move it could be look on as human trafficking.

Q4. Cambodia visa fees are 30 USD not 25. Changed about 2 years back.

[Denim]

At this crossing point there is very little to see in Cambodia that can be seen in a day or two unless you are going for the gambling at the casinos.

[daboyz1]

Q1. No cars are allowed to cross into Cambodia at this crossing. There is parking but I don't think i would call it descent. For secured car parking you need to go to the Chong Chom crossing south of Surin.

Q2. You did not give your nationality. G7 nationalities get 30 days by land all others 15 days and they will only do this one time as you will already be on a 30 day visa exempt entry. If need be you can got to immigration pay 1900 baht and get a one time 30 day extension. Or as crazy as it sounds you can go to immigration pat 1000 baht and get an a single rentery permit which will keep your original 30 day stamp intact. What ever you do do not become an overstayer as of March 20 in gets nasty for those that do.

Q3. Taken any 17 year old girl from Thailand into Cambodia with only an ID card and no proof of legal guardianship is not a wise move it could be look on as human trafficking.

Q4. Cambodia visa fees are 30 USD not 25. Changed about 2 years back.

Thanks for your response. I'm a US Citizen, and my wife is a dual Thai/US citizen. It sounds like more trouble than its worth.

[khwaibah]

Q1. No cars are allowed to cross into Cambodia at this crossing. There is parking but I don't think i would call it descent. For secured car parking you need to go to the Chong Chom crossing south of Surin.

Q2. You did not give your nationality. G7 nationalities get 30 days by land all others 15 days and they will only do this one time as you will already be on a 30 day visa exempt entry. If need be you can got to immigration pay 1900 baht and get a one time 30 day extension. Or as crazy as it sounds you can go to immigration pat 1000 baht and get an a single rentery permit which will keep your original 30 day stamp intact. What ever you do do not become an overstayer as of March 20 in gets nasty for those that do.

Q3. Taken any 17 year old girl from Thailand into Cambodia with only an ID card and no proof of legal guardianship is not a wise move it could be look on as human trafficking.

Q4. Cambodia visa fees are 30 USD not 25. Changed about 2 years back.

Thanks for your response. I'm a US Citizen, and my wife is a dual Thai/US citizen. It sounds like more trouble than its worth.

As a US citizen you get 30 days visa exempt at land crossings. Your wife niece needs to get a passport and even then she and your wife need to have written permission by her legal guarding to take her out of Thailand. At her age with only a ID very good chance Thai and Cambodian Immigration would not let her exit or enter. If the niece can get her legal guardian to sign she could have a Thai passport in 7 days from Ubon.

[SantiSuk]

1. You cannot enter Cambodia at that border with a car, rental or not (unless the proposals to allow such that have been mooted have been put into effect in the last couple of months. There is parking (about 100 baht a night - on the right hand side about 30 metres short of the Thai border post). I would not describe it as secure (unsupervised, but close to the border post) but I have used it with my own car several times and would trust it myself - car theft and break-ins are relatively rare in Thailand IME, but obviously don't leave anything of value in view.

2. I think this is a problem, but I defer to the visa specialists on here ;like Ubonjoe (PM him if no-one of his ilk shows up). I believe that you would only get 15 days at a land border entry. I believe this is extendable again at Sisaket (or any) immigration office but you would only get a 7 day additional permission to stay. Either go out of the country again (possibly needs to be overnight - southern Laos is beautiful!) or come with a multiple entry tourist visa obtainable from any out-of-country Thai embassy and any/some/most (?) Thai consulates. At least you have time for this.

3. This link suggests that your wife's niece will need a passport:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/893708-id-for-thai-to-visit-cambodia/

I certainly recall taking Thais across into Laos on ID cards only (at Mukdahan) but that was nearly 10 years ago and only for a day trip.
This link suggest that it was possible 3 years ago to enter Laos on an ID card only:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/622569-can-a-thai-enter-laos-with-just-a-national-id-card/

I think you have a potential problem if your wife's 17 yo niece has a living natural/legal parent whose legal responsibility has not been superceded by (say) your wife's formal guardianship. Either Thai immigration or Cambodia immigration may stop you for child protection reasons. My Thai wife and I have a de-facto (ie informally) adopted 18yo daughter (my wife's young cousin) so I am pretty familiar with the issues and regret myself not getting my wife to apply for legal guardianship long ago; I thought it would all become irrelevant now she is 18 but see my current link here to understand why it may be important to think about guardianship despite her approaching 18th birthday:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894602-does-an-18-year-old-thai-need-parental-permission-to-leave-thailand/

We have compliant natural parents but getting confirmations out of them often involves jumping through logistical hoops. If the father has genuinely disappeared and cannot be contacted then you may have a chance of applying at the amphur or courts to take over legal guardianship and it may just be possible to do this in time or get some temporary power to take her. If he is just difficult to get hold of or to agree to anything I suspect it is going to be a long process. Start at the Amphur office where she lives and consider using a family court knowledgeable lawyer, depending on the Amphur's reaction.

4. Believe that a visa on arrival is now $30 (was $25) - certainly the case at Phnom Penh airport (curiously some references suggest Siem Reap airport is $35). Web-sites suggest that the $30 applies at land borders too. I suspect the Thai baht cost has also been raised from 1,000 baht but I suspect taking $notes will still work out cheaper. Take both and be quick on your feet with conversions if saving small amounts of money is important to you. Thai border guards do not try to get tea money in either direction and Laos guards tend not to at this crossing IME. If Laos guards do ask for anything it is likely to be on re-entry but in either direction if you asked for money that is not the official visa money then just say - sorry but I did not pay that last time and friends tell me there should be no additional cost.

Southern Sisaket resident - I use Choam Sa Ngam roughly once a year but last time was Feb-2015

Don't forget to spit on Pol Pot's grave on the Camby side of the border. Here is a couple of other ThaiV postings that are worth perusing. Note that I know a taxi guy (Khmer/Thai living at Choam Sa N'gam - some/limited English speaking, but decent Thai) if you want to hire someone for the Camby side. Other members have used him on my introduction/reference

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/665825-choam-sa-ngam-chong-chom-border-crossing/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/812063-driving-from-ubon-ratchathani-to-siem-reap-angkor-wat-cambodia/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/778830-border-visa-for-cambodia/

[daboyz1]

Getting the passport for the niece is turning out to be a nightmare. Her mother from Si Saket died a couple years ago. Her father is in some mountain village in Chiang Mai and hasn't really been in her life at all. She goes to a private christian school in Chiang Mai, but she's in my in laws house book in Si Saket. Her id card is from Chiang Mai. It's a Thai paperwork clusterf* that probably wont get resolved until she's 20 which is 2.5 years away.

My wife is freaked out about going to Cambodia anyway for some reason. When I used to go on visa runs to Poipet years ago, she refused to cross the border and waited on the Thai side.

Anyway it's the usual Thai soap opera. I guess I'll just take them all to that bottle temple in Khun Han and call it a day.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

about the Pol Pot thing.

[borovik]

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

[khwaibah]

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

Incorrecto info. A valid Thai Passport is required for exiting Thailand and entering Cambodia at Choam Sa Ngam and Choeng Chom border crossing. This was verified this morning.

[borovik]

Casinos are in Cambo.Do they need passports to go to casinos?I don't think so.

You have asked wrong question.

[DILLIGAD]

Casinos are in Cambo.Do they need passports to go to casinos?I don't think so.

You have asked wrong question.

Are they not in a 'no mans land' between both countries????

[khwaibah]

Casinos are in Cambo.Do they need passports to go to casinos?I don't think so.

You have asked wrong question.

Are they not in a 'no mans land' between both countries????

No such thing as no mans land. casinos are in Cambodia NOT Thailand. If Thailand say you need a pp then you need a pp.

[borovik]

We will go there quite soon,I will check it out.The name of the facility is called:"border pass".On Laos border it involves a bit of paper work,

on Cambo border they did not bother with papers;casino/duty free area is isolated and there is nowhere to go.the nearest town 30km away is disgrace,why to go there?SiemReap is more then 100km away,road there is new and empty.There is check post on exit from dutyfree,where they might check your documents.You may stay in hotels in casinos,there is reception there,farangs need passport,Thais ID was sufficient(and they pay less!800B for them,1200B for us,swimming pool recently was closed,restaurants - very good food,cheap).There is good bus to SR twice daily,

or you can take Camry,some people cross border with their cars(usualy - Fortuners)

Cheers!

ps. there is very interesting story going on,reported by George in tweet today - about casinos on Cambo border

[DILLIGAD]

We will go there quite soon,I will check it out.The name of the facility is called:"border pass".On Laos border it involves a bit of paper work,

on Cambo border they did not bother with papers;casino/duty free area is isolated and there is nowhere to go.the nearest town 30km away is disgrace,why to go there?SiemReap is more then 100km away,road there is new and empty.There is check post on exit from dutyfree,where they might check your documents.You may stay in hotels in casinos,there is reception there,farangs need passport,Thais ID was sufficient(and they pay less!800B for them,1200B for us,swimming pool recently was closed,restaurants - very good food,cheap).There is good bus to SR twice daily,

or you can take Camry,some people cross border with their cars(usualy - Fortuners)

Cheers!

ps. there is very interesting story going on,reported by George in tweet today - about casinos on Cambo border

You seem to be saying the opposite to the previous poster (Khwaibah) re passport requirements

[khwaibah]

We will go there quite soon,I will check it out.The name of the facility is called:"border pass".On Laos border it involves a bit of paper work,

on Cambo border they did not bother with papers;casino/duty free area is isolated and there is nowhere to go.the nearest town 30km away is disgrace,why to go there?SiemReap is more then 100km away,road there is new and empty.There is check post on exit from dutyfree,where they might check your documents.You may stay in hotels in casinos,there is reception there,farangs need passport,Thais ID was sufficient(and they pay less!800B for them,1200B for us,swimming pool recently was closed,restaurants - very good food,cheap).There is good bus to SR twice daily,

or you can take Camry,some people cross border with their cars(usualy - Fortuners)

Cheers!

ps. there is very interesting story going on,reported by George in tweet today - about casinos on Cambo border

You seem to be saying the opposite to the previous poster (Khwaibah) re passport requirements

He is talking about how it was a few weeks back, not how it is now. Millage may very. Let see how many try to to exit Thailand with out the proper stamps in their pp.

[DILLIGAD]

We will go there quite soon,I will check it out.The name of the facility is called:"border pass".On Laos border it involves a bit of paper work,

on Cambo border they did not bother with papers;casino/duty free area is isolated and there is nowhere to go.the nearest town 30km away is disgrace,why to go there?SiemReap is more then 100km away,road there is new and empty.There is check post on exit from dutyfree,where they might check your documents.You may stay in hotels in casinos,there is reception there,farangs need passport,Thais ID was sufficient(and they pay less!800B for them,1200B for us,swimming pool recently was closed,restaurants - very good food,cheap).There is good bus to SR twice daily,

or you can take Camry,some people cross border with their cars(usualy - Fortuners)

Cheers!

ps. there is very interesting story going on,reported by George in tweet today - about casinos on Cambo border

You seem to be saying the opposite to the previous poster (Khwaibah) re passport requirements

He is talking about how it was a few weeks back, not how it is now. Millage may very. Let see how many try to to exit Thailand with out the proper stamps in their pp.

So is there a huge drop of gamblers now, if they need PP's, Khwaibah?

I'd guess most of the village folk wouldn't have them.

[borovik]

If you follow story from George tweet- you will see pictures of monies they had made

on casino Pailin - tons of monies!seeing is believing!somebody wants them to share?

[SantiSuk]

Two people seem to be arguing past each other, not against each other here!

Both seem to accept you now need a passport even to go across to the casino. Can't see why there would be a debate about (ie who cares) what the prior policy was.

[khwaibah]

We will go there quite soon,I will check it out.The name of the facility is called:"border pass".On Laos border it involves a bit of paper work,

on Cambo border they did not bother with papers;casino/duty free area is isolated and there is nowhere to go.the nearest town 30km away is disgrace,why to go there?SiemReap is more then 100km away,road there is new and empty.There is check post on exit from dutyfree,where they might check your documents.You may stay in hotels in casinos,there is reception there,farangs need passport,Thais ID was sufficient(and they pay less!800B for them,1200B for us,swimming pool recently was closed,restaurants - very good food,cheap).There is good bus to SR twice daily,

or you can take Camry,some people cross border with their cars(usualy - Fortuners)

Cheers!

ps. there is very interesting story going on,reported by George in tweet today - about casinos on Cambo border

You seem to be saying the opposite to the previous poster (Khwaibah) re passport requirements

He is talking about how it was a few weeks back, not how it is now. Millage may very. Let see how many try to to exit Thailand with out the proper stamps in their pp.

So is there a huge drop of gamblers now, if they need PP's, Khwaibah?

I'd guess most of the village folk wouldn't have them.

A hell of a lot of village folks should up to a massive outreach program for a Thai passport put on by the MFA in Surin just recently and this was mentioned to my wife by immigration. So yes the village folks on the border are very aware of the requirements of needing a passport.

[borovik]

I do not argue about it,it is rather disbelieve.They even did not check id!no formalities at all!And now passport is necessary?

As I mentioned above - I know the reason:it is shown on the picture enclosed.more you may find here:

dailynews co th crime 383825

[Goanna]

I don't see why some say there is nothing to see. Siem Reap is two hours down the road, and Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, etc..etc. 1500 baht in a cambo taxi. $30 night in a hotel. You don't cross a border for 2 days and sit to watch traffic....

[SantiSuk]

I don't see why some say there is nothing to see. Siem Reap is two hours down the road, and Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, etc..etc. 1500 baht in a cambo taxi. $30 night in a hotel. You don't cross a border for 2 days and sit to watch traffic....

Just the one, not "some", lest we all get tarred by your brush

Denim said "At this crossing point there is very little to see in Cambodia that can be seen in a day or two unless you are going for the gambling at the casinos." I think he may have been referring to the border area only, but is that not true of most border crossing areas?

Maybe he thinks 2 days is not enough to do justice to Siem Reap. That's true if you are only going to go once in your life, but I agree an overnighter could be sufficient for a decent taster of just the antiquities, provided you pay for 2 days Angkor Park fee (expensive option*) and spend Day 1 afternoon and Day 2 morning in there, or you have a taxi with you for the duration who can hot foot it back to the border before it closes on Day 2 after spending most of that day (and an early start) in the park.

Maybe he does not want to pay much (border runners often are on the 'cheap package'!) If he does have a bit of cash to spend on sightseeing, there is also a doable day trip to Khao Phra Wihan on the Cambodia side, but that also needs a taxi.

* Archeological Park fees are $20 (1 day), $40 (3 days) or $60 (7 days) last time I looked. No 2 day ticket, which is daft or deliberate! I suspect most people would want to spend 2 days in there

[borovik]

I don't see why some say there is nothing to see. Siem Reap is two hours down the road, and Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, etc..etc. 1500 baht in a cambo taxi. $30 night in a hotel. You don't cross a border for 2 days and sit to watch traffic....

goanna! we were arguing: where Thai person could go into Cambodia without passport on Border Pass,thousands of Thais cross border every day to enjoy casinos on Cambo side.However they are not allowed to leave casinos area where they could stay 24 hours only.

Capito?

[borovik]

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

Incorrecto info. A valid Thai Passport is required for exiting Thailand and entering Cambodia at Choam Sa Ngam and Choeng Chom border crossing. This was verified this morning.

We visited ChongChom/Osmach border couple of weeks ago.

Thai person can visit casinos without passport,ID is sufficient - info from Thai Immigration;the same we were told in hotels there by receptions:Thai people check-in with ID or passport.

To aid insult to the injury:

Cambodia Immigration do not stamp Thai people passports when they enter Cambodia going to SiemReap and coming back,only Thai stamps:exit

and return.They do not bother with Thai visitors,they do not check them at all.

Bad news: new bus service: Siem-Reap to Osmach is not doing very well,there is morning bus every day,but evening bus - only on weekends.

Good news: casinos are full.

[Tomtomtom69]

Q1. No cars are allowed to cross into Cambodia at this crossing. There is parking but I don't think i would call it descent. For secured car parking you need to go to the Chong Chom crossing south of Surin.

Q2. You did not give your nationality. G7 nationalities get 30 days by land all others 15 days and they will only do this one time as you will already be on a 30 day visa exempt entry. If need be you can got to immigration pay 1900 baht and get a one time 30 day extension. Or as crazy as it sounds you can go to immigration pat 1000 baht and get an a single rentery permit which will keep your original 30 day stamp intact. What ever you do do not become an overstayer as of March 20 in gets nasty for those that do.

Q3. Taken any 17 year old girl from Thailand into Cambodia with only an ID card and no proof of legal guardianship is not a wise move it could be look on as human trafficking.

Q4. Cambodia visa fees are 30 USD not 25. Changed about 2 years back.

1. I've been told that cars can indeed cross here, at least as of recently. A Cambodian travel agent told me so (which was again mentioned on rideasia.net by one of the moderators there) and there was also a tour with Lao cars that crossed here a few months back (the owner of the business insisted it was this crossing). They were allowed in, though apparently Cambodian customs told them they must return back the same way and can't go further than Siem Reap. I think whether one can cross with a vehicle or not is like all things in Cambodia, subject to the whims of the officials on duty. One day you can enter, the next day you can't. And so on.

Anyway, none of this is really relevant to the OP because he has a rental car and has already stated that he has no plans on driving in even if he could.

2. I would recommend the OP follows your advice or only travel out of Thailand after he has spent more than 15 days in Thailand that way upon re-entry his new stamp will take him to after the end of the old one.

[Tomtomtom69]

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

Incorrecto info. A valid Thai Passport is required for exiting Thailand and entering Cambodia at Choam Sa Ngam and Choeng Chom border crossing. This was verified this morning.

We visited ChongChom/Osmach border couple of weeks ago.

Thai person can visit casinos without passport,ID is sufficient - info from Thai Immigration;the same we were told in hotels there by receptions:Thai people check-in with ID or passport.

To aid insult to the injury:

Cambodia Immigration do not stamp Thai people passports when they enter Cambodia going to SiemReap and coming back,only Thai stamps:exit

and return.They do not bother with Thai visitors,they do not check them at all.

Bad news: new bus service: Siem-Reap to Osmach is not doing very well,there is morning bus every day,but evening bus - only on weekends.

Good news: casinos are full.

Absolute nonsense. Last year (August) I drove to Siem Reap from Bangkok via Chong Chom/O'smach. Went with my Thai fiancée. Her passport was stamped and in fact, Cambodian immigration charged her 100 Baht and made a mistake in the process (gave her 2 days). At the customs checkpoint 300m from the border her passport was checked (I should have known better to check it myself as I usually do, this was the first time I didn't) and we were made to go back to get it corrected to 14 days.

Khwaibah has been telling us that Thais need passports to cross here for at least 2 years (since the coup started), he lives there so should know quite well.

I don't know what's the big deal about getting a Thai passport anyway, it's just 1000 Baht. Whoever isn't drowning in poverty can afford that, especially those that can afford to travel to another country, Cambodia included. Even more so, anyone who can afford to blow money at a casino isn't poor. 1000 Baht is nothing. Aussies pay almost 10,000 Baht for a passport. Thais are getting off ridiculously easily.

[daboyz1]

You can take your niece abroad without passport legally.She needs ID and xerocopy of birth certificate.

She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B.

For instance - you can take her to Pakse,4000thousand Islands and Wat Phou,In the same manner you can enjoy VienTian/VangVien.

and other border areas;travel by bus,minivan or taksi.

Going to Cambodia is even more simple - she will not need anything,they even do not check her ID.But! - on Cambodia she is allowed to stay only

24 hours in direct border area - it means:casinos,hotels and dutyfree market.It means that ChangJom/Osmach makes sense as well as Poipet and BanPackard.

The one near SiSaket is empty and there is nothing there to enjoy.

I made many trips with family on BorderPass without any problems and little cost.

Recently passport regulations were changed and all family have passports now.I think your niece should apply for passport,she will get it.

Cheers!

Incorrecto info. A valid Thai Passport is required for exiting Thailand and entering Cambodia at Choam Sa Ngam and Choeng Chom border crossing. This was verified this morning.

We visited ChongChom/Osmach border couple of weeks ago.

Thai person can visit casinos without passport,ID is sufficient - info from Thai Immigration;the same we were told in hotels there by receptions:Thai people check-in with ID or passport.

To aid insult to the injury:

Cambodia Immigration do not stamp Thai people passports when they enter Cambodia going to SiemReap and coming back,only Thai stamps:exit

and return.They do not bother with Thai visitors,they do not check them at all.

Bad news: new bus service: Siem-Reap to Osmach is not doing very well,there is morning bus every day,but evening bus - only on weekends.

Good news: casinos are full.

Absolute nonsense. Last year (August) I drove to Siem Reap from Bangkok via Chong Chom/O'smach. Went with my Thai fiancée. Her passport was stamped and in fact, Cambodian immigration charged her 100 Baht and made a mistake in the process (gave her 2 days). At the customs checkpoint 300m from the border her passport was checked (I should have known better to check it myself as I usually do, this was the first time I didn't) and we were made to go back to get it corrected to 14 days.

Khwaibah has been telling us that Thais need passports to cross here for at least 2 years (since the coup started), he lives there so should know quite well.

I don't know what's the big deal about getting a Thai passport anyway, it's just 1000 Baht. Whoever isn't drowning in poverty can afford that, especially those that can afford to travel to another country, Cambodia included. Even more so, anyone who can afford to blow money at a casino isn't poor. 1000 Baht is nothing. Aussies pay almost 10,000 Baht for a passport. Thais are getting off ridiculously easily.

The big deal about the passport is that she's 17 years old with essentially no parents. Thais must be 20 years old before they can get a passport without some sort of parental involvement.

[SantiSuk]

"absolute nonsense" is not a very civilised way to start a post don't you think on reflection? Tantamount to calling someone relaying his factual experience a liar. Circumstances may be different as you went by car. Borovik also starts by talking about going to the casino - rules may well be different for Thais if they say they are only going to a border casino.

If we know one thing about immigrations it is "expect the unexpected"

A simple intro of "my experience was different ...." would have been the polite thing.

[Tomtomtom69]

"absolute nonsense" is not a very civilised way to start a post don't you think on reflection? Tantamount to calling someone relaying his factual experience a liar. Circumstances may be different as you went by car. Borovik also starts by talking about going to the casino - rules may well be different for Thais if they say they are only going to a border casino.

If we know one thing about immigrations it is "expect the unexpected"

A simple intro of "my experience was different ...." would have been the polite thing.

If someone says something that's factually incorrect, then "absolute nonsense" is a very civilized way of saying they are wrong. This is a forum where we are supposed to help each other.

And yes I'm calling him a liar on the Thais going to Siem Reap without a passport part. That is highly illegal and subjects the Thais to arrest. To make such a suggestion is nonsense so it's only fair to call it out as such. If you took your Thai wife to Cambodia and she was caught for illegally entering the country on the advise of "borovik" you'd be the first one complaining. Thais can easily get a 14-day visa exemption upon entering Cambodia so there is NO excuse for attempting to enter any other way.

I think I'll take TV's moderator kwhaibah's word over that of some random poster who, if you had looked over this whole thread had nothing better to do than argue with kwhaibah over the requirements for Thais to leave Thailand and enter Cambodia.

Kwhaibah reported here over 2 years ago passports are now required for Thais. So are you saying he is a liar now?

How hard can it be - pay 1000 Baht and wait 3-7 days. Thais have no automatic right to enter any country other than Thailand - if the casino allows them in without a passport (despite what kwhaibah has repeatedly assured here) then that is a privilege not a right and can be revoked at any time.

In any case, it seems that the OP won't be able to take his daughter so that issue has been settled.