Ban Laem Issues (Cambodia side)

[alexlm]

Hello,

 

I just went to Ban Laem Border to do a border run.

 

The Cambodia officer stamped me in but he would NOT stamp me out of Cambodia! He said I should stay in "his country" at least a day. Until then I could not leave Cambodia.

 

After complaining at another Cambodia office (visa on arrival office). They called someone else. Then they said it would be 200 bahts per person to stamp out of Cambodia on the same day that I stamped in... but it was not clear at all.

 

Finally, I went back to Thailand with NO Thai stamp. I paid 500 bahts to some peoples taking care of border runs for foreigners. And for 500 bahts they walked to Cambodia with my passport and my Thai Girlfriend's passport and got them stamped out in a minute...

 

What happened there?

 

And congratulations to the Thai Immigration who stamped me in in seconds on a visa exemption... that was great! 

[ubonjoe]

They were just enforcing the rule that getting a Cambodia visa on arrival requires a 24 hour stay. Other crossings always enforce the rule.

 

 

[BritTim]

It is a rule that, when using a land border, you must stay at least one night in Cambodia. I have found this is not, however, always enforced. You were unlucky. This is one of those occasions where paying the 200 baht bribe might have been best.

[darrendsd]

I have been to that border twice over the last year and not had that problem, I didn't even know the 24 hour rule existed

 

However I went with one of the visa run companies, maybe they have a "special arrangement" with Cambodia Immi

 

OP next time consider going with one of the visa run firms if it is suitable for you, you won't have any issues

 

[overherebc]

On 17/10/2016 at 4:02 PM, darrendsd said:

I have been to that border twice over the last year and not had that problem, I didn't even know the 24 hour rule existed

 

However I went with one of the visa run companies, maybe they have a "special arrangement" with Cambodia Immi

 

OP next time consider going with one of the visa run firms if it is suitable for you, you won't have any issues

 

I'll try again, I haven't done a border out/in for years. 'WE' usually fly somewhere for a few days to have a weekend away in a nice hotel maybe on a beach or in a city somewhere, last one was 3 nights in Osaka.

We drove to BL so after that we could spend a night in a hotel and then the next day drive along the coast and check out some places on the beaches that we might go and stay for a couple of nights some time.

I did a minivan run once to Poipet because one of my mates wanted to do it and he fancied some company on the minibus. I swore I would never do it again. I value my life too much.

I wouldn't have given  B.R.A. if they said 2500 to go back the same day.

I really hope the 'I paid 200 baht  or 300 baht less than that' brigade can see the real point of my OP and that it was directed to those who may go there on their own will know what to expect.

Stop posting about the 50 baht I could have saved if I went in a minibus with a load of guys I may have nothing in common with and would bore the ass off me as much as I would probably bore the ass off them.

Are you getting my drift.

If I ever got to the point where every three months saving 200 or 300 baht was an important factor then I seriously think I would have to take myself ouside and have a quiet word with myself.

Sorry, mistake, last one was a couple of nights in the Eastern and Oriental in Penang, the one before was Osaka.

Re this post see thread Ban Laem today that I started.

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, overherebc said:

I'll try again, I haven't done a border out/in for years. 'WE' usually fly somewhere for a few days to have a weekend away in a nice hotel maybe on a beach or in a city somewhere, last one was 3 nights in Osaka.

We drove to BL so after that we could spend a night in a hotel and then the next day drive along the coast and check out some places on the beaches that we might go and stay for a couple of nights some time.

I did a minivan run once to Poipet because one of my mates wanted to do it and he fancied some company on the minibus. I swore I would never do it again. I value my life too much.

I wouldn't have given  B.R.A. if they said 2500 to go back the same day.

I really hope the 'I paid 200 baht  or 300 baht less than that' brigade can see the real point of my OP and that it was directed to those who may go there on their own will know what to expect.

Stop posting about the 50 baht I could have saved if I went in a minibus with a load of guys I may have nothing in common with and would bore the ass off me as much as I would probably bore the ass off them.

Are you getting my drift.

If I ever got to the point where every three months saving 200 or 300 baht was an important factor then I seriously think I would have to take myself ouside and have a quiet word with myself.

Sorry, mistake, last one was a couple of nights in the Eastern and Oriental in Penang, the one before was Osaka.

Re this post see thread Ban Laem today that I started.

I appreciate your post about Ban Laem with the new-info.  Please understand that comparisons of the "bribe" costs with Cambodian officials are not meant (by me, anyway) as a personal attack - rather a matter of comparing notes, and figuring out what our bargaining position is. 

 

The "visa-run mini-van" doesn't save much, if any, money - you just pay them the extra money, instead of the VOA guys.  As a bonus, you get to spend hours packed in a tin-can with a high center-of-balance (relative to a car), traveling at high-speed, with a tank of highly-flammable, highly-pressurized, liquified-propane.  What could go wrong?  That said, I've done mini-vans (though not with a "visa run" outfit) when it was the most convenient option for my circumstance.

 

Since the VOA guys in Cambodia are, essentially, touts in uniforms, they will take as much as they think they can get.  I don't mind "tea money" of a couple dollars - it's not really too different than tipping maids, taxi-drivers, and other underpaid-professionals.  But, in this case, they are part of a govt-created monopoly, which creates the potential for abuse.  And when they start ripping off people for 900+ Baht extra - doubling the cost of a VOA - that's not "a little tea money" / tip any more - that's abuse. 

 

Personally, if traveling alone, I'd be spending the night - just to see my money (more of it) go to an honest businessman running a little hotel, instead of in their grimy pockets.  These touts built nothing and profit from theft, while the hotel-guy is accountable to the market.  The VOA guys' families aren't missing any meals with their salaries - add in reasonable tips, and they are set.

 

But I freely admit, I would refuse to pay double because I would enjoy doing that - just to know I didn't fund their scheme.  It's not a judgmental thing against you or other travelers - it's a personal decision based on my own satisfaction. 

 

You had family waiting - so sticking it to the wife, to get to them, would have been stupid.  And even if you didn't have the wife with, and decided to pay more - it's your call.

[overherebc]

56 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I appreciate your post about Ban Laem with the new-info.  Please understand that comparisons of the "bribe" costs with Cambodian officials are not meant (by me, anyway) as a personal attack - rather a matter of comparing notes, and figuring out what our bargaining position is. 

 

The "visa-run mini-van" doesn't save much, if any, money - you just pay them the extra money, instead of the VOA guys.  As a bonus, you get to spend hours packed in a tin-can with a high center-of-balance (relative to a car), traveling at high-speed, with a tank of highly-flammable, highly-pressurized, liquified-propane.  What could go wrong?  That said, I've done mini-vans (though not with a "visa run" outfit) when it was the most convenient option for my circumstance.

 

Since the VOA guys in Cambodia are, essentially, touts in uniforms, they will take as much as they think they can get.  I don't mind "tea money" of a couple dollars - it's not really too different than tipping maids, taxi-drivers, and other underpaid-professionals.  But, in this case, they are part of a govt-created monopoly, which creates the potential for abuse.  And when they start ripping off people for 900+ Baht extra - doubling the cost of a VOA - that's not "a little tea money" / tip any more - that's abuse. 

 

Personally, if traveling alone, I'd be spending the night - just to see my money (more of it) go to an honest businessman running a little hotel, instead of in their grimy pockets.  These touts built nothing and profit from theft, while the hotel-guy is accountable to the market.  The VOA guys' families aren't missing any meals with their salaries - add in reasonable tips, and they are set.

 

But I freely admit, I would refuse to pay double because I would enjoy doing that - just to know I didn't fund their scheme.  It's not a judgmental thing against you or other travelers - it's a personal decision based on my own satisfaction. 

 

You had family waiting - so sticking it to the wife, to get to them, would have been stupid.  And even if you didn't have the wife with, and decided to pay more - it's your call.

Follow your reasoning and I do agree. ?

Maybe next time, if there is a next time, I won't shower before and wear an old T shirt, baggy unpressed shorts and flip flops instead of light weight slacks, shoes ( casual ) and a nicely pressed shirt and leave the rolex at home.  ??.

Her indoors is already planning the next one and it looks like Seoul for a few days, wants to catch the Chelly Brossom time.

She does get a bit pissed off when I say that.???

Did you watch the rugby last night? Couple of Ozzie mates reckon it was just bad decisions by the ref'.

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Maybe next time, if there is a next time, I won't shower before and wear an old T shirt, baggy unpressed shorts and flip flops instead of light weight slacks, shoes ( casual ) and a nicely pressed shirt and leave the rolex at home

I almost added a paragraph like that - carrying spare raggedy clothes "aged to perfection" in a dark, moist location after wearing on a hot-day.  Throw in a bit of "not playing with a full-deck" acting.  The looks the Cambodian IOs would be giving each other would be priceless.  Probably get your VOA at cost, just to get rid of you. 

It would make a good YT video.  But, I don't think I could pull it off without falling down laughing. 

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

I almost added a paragraph like that - carrying spare raggedy clothes "aged to perfection" in a dark, moist location after wearing on a hot-day.  Throw in a bit of "not playing with a full-deck" acting.  The looks the Cambodian IOs would be giving each other would be priceless.  Probably get your VOA at cost, just to get rid of you. 

It would make a good YT video.  But, I don't think I could pull it off without falling down laughing. 

Been thinking about that for a while and it holds so much appeal. ???