Cambodia: New visas launch Sept 1

[geovalin]

 

Cheng Sokhorng

 

Starting next month, certain foreign visitors to Cambodia will be able to apply for multi-entry business and tourist visas lasting as long as three years, Tourism Minister Thong Khon said at a seminar yesterday.

 

Speaking at a Japanese-Cambodian tourism conference, Khon went on to bill the measure as an effort to “promote tourism growth”.

 

“The government has approved the new policy for multi-entry visas, which international tourists and investors can apply for at the airport for one, two or three years, and we will start to implement this on September 1,” Khon said.

 

read more http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-visas-launch-sept-1

[AlexRich]

Out of interest, where in Cambodia would get close to what Thailand has to offer?

 

Not a criticism, just genuinely interested as I might want to hang out there between visas. 

[putsinker]

Well I will kick off by saying a totally different vibe, in a nice way. And immigration seems straight forwards.

Edited August 18, 2016 by putsinker
Addition and spell correction, thanks for the edit facility, nice.

[bridge2bridge]

3 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Out of interest, where in Cambodia would get close to what Thailand has to offer?

 

Not a criticism, just genuinely interested as I might want to hang out there between visas. 

No Bullshit to stay there like Thailand.

They WANT people to come and stay and spend money.

 

[bridge2bridge]

And which are the countries?

[AlexRich]

13 minutes ago, bridge2bridge said:

No Bullshit to stay there like Thailand.

They WANT people to come and stay and spend money.

 

 

Yes, I get that. They are making it easy to go there and stay there. Good news.

 

My question though was what areas are worth staying in? And how do they compare to Thailand?

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Read the Cambodia subforum threads here...

 

On the broader subject, Cambodia isn't as well developed as Thailand overall. The overt poverty in some areas is much greater than here. And lately there's been a lot of domestic political instability there (although the same is certainly true here).

 

But overall, I'd say one generally agreed upon point re Cambodia vs. Thailand is medical care there is very much lacking compared to Thailand. The general advice is for anything more than the most basic things, best to head back to Thailand.

 

[mesterm]

People are friendlier and nicer overall. But as far as "modern" needs go like faster internet and some other amenities, Bangkok is better.

[cnx101]

Same as Burma people friendlier and nicer overall, but difficult for modern amenities.

[hansnl]

Thailand, are you listening?

 

[Jip99]

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

 

Yes, I get that. They are making it easy to go there and stay there. Good news.

 

My question though was what areas are worth staying in? And how do they compare to Thailand?

 

 

 

 

Without knowing you (or at least having some insight into your likes and dislikes) it is impossible to answer your question.

 

Depends where you go in Cambodia. A lot of it is genuinely Third World compared to Thailand and, unless you have been used to living in the depths of Isaan, you had best stick to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap with a forage into Sihanookville and Kep

 

Siem Reap is a world unto itself with every cuisine under the sun catered for. It is a tourist town devoted solely to servicing the 2m+ visitors to Angkor Wat. PP is a low rise city with a pleasant waterfront area and a good selection of bars and restaurants. Sihanoukville is often referred to Cambodia's Pattaya - frankly, it is nothing like it, there are limited girlie bar areas and the beaches are far better. If you like quiet seaside areas the Kep is definitely worth a look - many crab restaurants on the water's edge but limited other amenities.

 

Personally, I also  like Koh Kong, Kampot and Battambang - worth doing some research.

[diddygq]

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

 

Yes, I get that. They are making it easy to go there and stay there. Good news.

 

My question though was what areas are worth staying in? And how do they compare to Thailand?

 

 

 

Sihanoukville, Cambodia.  Go there before it turns into a Phuket or Pattya.

[jobsworth]

koh kong is finished. battambang is dead. kampot still has some spark.

thailand is better and cheaper. it wasn't always so.

i refer to amenities that make a place attractive to visitors

and not just copies of what you are trying to escape from.

like trees, nature and wooden houses and welcoming people.

[laocowboy2]

6 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Out of interest, where in Cambodia would get close to what Thailand has to offer?

 

Not a criticism, just genuinely interested as I might want to hang out there between visas. 

Only been there once. Siem Reap (Angkor) was good. The capital PP less so. Did not go to the coast.

[AlexRich]

55 minutes ago, diddygq said:

Sihanoukville, Cambodia.  Go there before it turns into a Phuket or Pattya.

 

Thanks, I might give it a go next year, to see if its worth spending a month or so in between visas.

[nemofound]

Compared to Thailand no working internet, terrible health care facilities, more dangerous (IMO), not much to do there. I would never live there, a short visit is ok sometimes. After spending some time in Cambodia Thailand feels like developed country.

[innocenthai]

11 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Out of interest, where in Cambodia would get close to what Thailand has to offer?

 

Not a criticism, just genuinely interested as I might want to hang out there between visas. 

 

 

Why do you think that everybody wants what Thailand has to offer ? Many escape a retarded nanny state and don't want to live in a new one as thailand is becoming.

 

Cambodia is still the wild east and many like it.

 

 

 

[autanic]

One of the things that originally drew me to Thailand was I believed it was third world. The people were so poor, they showed enormous gratitude and respect to foreigners because it supported their livelihoods.

 

Thailand was cheap as chips, buffets every nights, beer aplenty woman and song, you could not be happier.

 

The Thailand went from a developing country to a newly industrialized country, where prices increased. The people no longer felt an affinity with foreigners and who could blame them after the sex tourism revolution.

 

I love Thailand and will alway have fond memories of the place, but he visa offering Cambodia has laid out, is a red carpet to tourists. 

 

30 million people visited Thailand last year, no wonder Thailand's rivals want a taste.  I say bring out your daughters and wine and we will have a part to light up the sky.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I spent a week in PP and enjoyed it there -- and not for womanizing.

 

English widely spoken, and of course U.S. $ currency used. Nice hangover of the French when it comes to food and bakery and such. Much better local beer that was affordable too. Much better service atmosphere there compared to Thailand. Felt reasonable safe there in PP throughout my visit.

 

But, I wasn't living there permanently. Have heard home and apartment break-ins are widespread (never yet had that happen here in Thailand). The extent and range of available retail goods was much less compared to Thailand. Not nearly the same kind of mall culture that exists here. No mass/rail transit.

 

But one other nice thing is, for the most part, you almost never have to deal directly with Cambodian Immigration. Most things can be handled entirely by local travel agencies who take your papers/applications, you pay them the fee, and then get everything back stamped and done in a day or two. And not 15-20,000b ripoffs like visa "services" in Thailand. More like $300+ or so for the full year.

 

My impression when I was there was, Cambodia is still more like Thailand USED to be in that people there genuinely tend to appreciate and value tourism and tourists, and provide a warm welcome. Instead of what has become an increasingly mercenary/xenophobic environment here.

 

 

Edited August 18, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[pattayahenry]

12 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Out of interest, where in Cambodia would get close to what Thailand has to offer?

 

Not a criticism, just genuinely interested as I might want to hang out there between visas. 

angkor wat and the 100s of temples around within many hours of driving are much more interesting than most thai wats, most are surrounded by dense jungle. ayuttaya or sukothai is not much, compared with  dozens of cambodian temples. also the islands around sihanuk are more unspoiled  and natural than most thai islands. there are many more  interesting places, like the volcanic lake in banlung with a fantastc rainforest around-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Yeak_Laom
http://www.canbypublications.com/sihanoukville-cambodia/sihanoukville-tours.htm
https://www.tripadvisor.at/Attractions-g325573-Activities-c42-Sihanoukville_Sihanoukville_Province.html

 

[autanic]

Sign me up, can't wait to visit.

[mesterm]

15 hours ago, jobsworth said:

thailand is better and cheaper.

 

In what sense is Thailand cheaper? I never got that impression.

[OMGImInPattaya]

18 hours ago, AlexRich said:

 

Yes, I get that. They are making it easy to go there and stay there. Good news.

 

My question though was what areas are worth staying in? And how do they compare to Thailand?

 

 

 

Well that's just it...none really' that's why they hand out visas like candy. Thailand is past that stage of development where the flotsam of the West are considered desirable tourists and long-term residents.

Edited August 19, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[freebyrd]

19 hours ago, mesterm said:

People are friendlier and nicer overall. But as far as "modern" needs go like faster internet and some other amenities, Bangkok is better.

 

I'm not sure where everyone is getting this internet info fro. I live in PP and at work and home my connection is very fast.

[post]

Just wonder how long is the visa holder allowed to stay per entry?

[freebyrd]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I spent a week in PP and enjoyed it there -- and not for womanizing.

 

English widely spoken, and of course U.S. $ currency used. Nice hangover of the French when it comes to food and bakery and such. Much better local beer that was affordable too. Much better service atmosphere there compared to Thailand. Felt reasonable safe there in PP throughout my visit.

 

But, I wasn't living there permanently. Have heard home and apartment break-ins are widespread (never yet had that happen here in Thailand). The extent and range of available retail goods was much less compared to Thailand. Not nearly the same kind of mall culture that exists here. No mass/rail transit.

 

But one other nice thing is, for the most part, you almost never have to deal directly with Cambodian Immigration. Most things can be handled entirely by local travel agencies who take your papers/applications, you pay them the fee, and then get everything back stamped and done in a day or two. And not 15-20,000b ripoffs like visa "services" in Thailand. More like $300+ or so for the full year.

 

My impression when I was there was, Cambodia is still more like Thailand USED to be in that people there genuinely tend to appreciate and value tourism and tourists, and provide a warm welcome. Instead of what has become an increasingly mercenary/xenophobic environment here.

 

 

 

I lved in Thailand, been in Cambodia 10 years. Like anywhere it's what you make it. No work permit or visa hassles and no shoddy treatment that was commonplace in Thailand.

[freebyrd]

16 hours ago, nemofound said:

Compared to Thailand no working internet, terrible health care facilities, more dangerous (IMO), not much to do there. I would never live there, a short visit is ok sometimes. After spending some time in Cambodia Thailand feels like developed country.

 

Where are you guys going for your internet?! I was attacked twice in TL, in 10 years not once here in PP. Health care, agree, but none of us live forever and if being spitting distance from the nearest hospital is your major requirement in life, that's your choice.

[freebyrd]

18 hours ago, diddygq said:

Sihanoukville, Cambodia.  Go there before it turns into a Phuket or Pattya.

 

It's already a dump.

[AlexRich]

I visited Phnom Penh and my views were mixed. I found one nice shopping mall and liked aspects of the city, in particular an upmarket street with nice coffee shops and eateries. People were friendly but it I did see a lot of people urinating on the street, and the general infrastructure is behind Thailand. I noticed a great deal of security around premises ... so I guess the comments about break-ins are on the money. 

 

I'd like to try a beach area so may do that the next time. Not sure I'm ready to stay there much longer than a few weeks in between visa runs. Healthcare issue is important if you have health issues or are involved in an accident. 

[freebyrd]

16 hours ago, nemofound said:

Compared to Thailand no working internet, terrible health care facilities, more dangerous (IMO), not much to do there. I would never live there, a short visit is ok sometimes. After spending some time in Cambodia Thailand feels like developed country.

 

And compared to Nepal, Cambodia feels like a developed country. It's all relative.

 

As always, one man's meat.......