Driving to Siem Riep

[Jimeo47]

I'm an Aussie driving with my Thai wife from Sisaket to Siem Riep on Friday through Chong Chom. Any advice on the procedure through the border regarding visa etc.

Cheers

[tso310]

No Thai registered cars allowed in Cambodia and vice versa. The car park at the border is considered safe to leave your car. Did the crossing both ways last week. This is what I wrote, btw if you miss the bus you will have to use a taxi to get to SR. No idea on the cost.

 

Did a visa run to Siem Reap this week. Out Monday back Thursday. Used the bus from O'smach. Didn't book and thought we arrived too late but the AMM guys rushed us through. Only 9 people on the bus. Only 4 on the return. 9:00 bus both ways. Journey took 2,5 hours, roads are awful. The road from 24 to Chong Chom is being upgraded to 4 lanes. SR terminal is at the City Angor Hotel. Thai bus driver incidently. Immigartion both times easy. The casinos at O'smach look impressive. SR is well worth a visit.

Not sure on the economic viability of the bus service. I understand it is busier at the weekend. It will be interesting to see what happens when the Ban Kruat crossing gets full immigration posts. Thai's are supposed to be ready just waiting on the Cambodians.

 

Edited February 27, 2017 by tso310
Added more info

[Get Real]

Yes you can bring your car into Cambodia. Everything else is rubbish. Just a little bit of paperwork. I do not have first hand experience, but have friends that done it.

You can get more info on an earlier thread:

Hope everything goes well.

[DILLIGAD]

I'm an Aussie driving with my Thai wife from Sisaket to Siem Riep on Friday through Chong Chom. Any advice on the procedure through the border regarding visa etc.
Cheers

Now you have 2 differing answers and only one first hand, why not pop into SSK Immigration and ask them? They are very helpful and maybe get a name/phone number from there if you have a problem at CC border.


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[tso310]

I'm only quoting what other people have said to me. The only Thai cars I've seen were parked for the casinos. 
 

[Jimeo47]

Might just park the car and take a taxi from the border if the road is no good.

[khwaibah]

26 minutes ago, Jimeo47 said:

Might just park the car and take a taxi from the border if the road is no good.

Road is good. Black top all the way.

[mick220675]

I paid $50 for a taxi to SR last year. You can take your car if you have done the paper work, the road has many thai cars driving to SR.

When I went on the road last year it was very good no problems.

 

The car park on the Thai side has soldiers looking after it, but I have never left my car more than a hour or two.

 

If you do get a taxi there are Cambodians on the border who will get you one, but make sure you organise the return journey and price.

 

[mick220675]

On 2/27/2017 at 8:07 PM, tso310 said:

 It will be interesting to see what happens when the Ban Kruat crossing gets full immigration posts. Thai's are supposed to be ready just waiting on the Cambodians.

 

I talked to the Thai immigration officer who will be in charge of the Ban Kruat crossing, He told me both sides are now ready and every thing at the border is in place. The only thing holding things up is the road on the Thai side, the last part of road from soi six to the crossing is in a national park. There is a survey of land encroachment taking place, when it is complete the road will be built. The road builders are in the area so hopfuly it wont be long.

 

It would be a little embarrassing for the Thais if the casino opens and busses can not get to it.

 

 

 

 

[tso310]

Is a casino being built there ? I've never looked inside the ones at Chong Chom but they look impressive from the outside. 

[mick220675]

2 hours ago, tso310 said:

Is a casino being built there ? I've never looked inside the ones at Chong Chom but they look impressive from the outside. 

There is a large casino/hotel being built on the Cambodian side, I have not been over the border for 6 months since they stopped farangs crossing. My wife was there this week she tells me it will be open this year, ready to remove large sums of money from the Thais.

 

We went in the casino on the left at chong chom four weeks ago. Its getting a bit run down inside I think there are fewer customers than in previous years, the days of 4 or 5 bus loads of Thais visiting seams to be over.

[SantiSuk]

For avoidance of doubt, the most direct route to Siem Reap from (almost any part of) Sisaket province would be through Choam S'Ngam border, not Chong Jom. That route has good quality roads both sides of the border now. Taxis are on offer at that border to SR and I have the phone number of a reliable guy if anyone wants it (assuming he is still doing the run). Bus service through to SR only available through Chong Jom 

 

Last time I asked (at Choam SaN'gam border itself) about 18 months ago, Thai registered cars were not allowed through that border and lots of ThaiV posts showed that they were permitted through Chong Jom.

 

Things change so it would be useful to get up to date info. Direct experience preferred over reporting on what friends say!

[IsaanAndy]

I have left my car at the Chong Jom crossing before without any problems.

Just park up in the army car park on the right just before the actual border crossing line.

Paid 500THB for 1 week as we did Battambang, PP and SR.

 

[CodyB]

I drove to the border and left my car there for 3 days. 100thb per day, secure car park.  

 

Taxi from border to SR was $30USD in a 2000ish toyota camry. Comfortable enough.  

[Jimeo47]

So, we left the car in the army's car park for 50baht a day(all good after 4 days). The round trip by taxi cost 4000baht. If we'd done it through Poi Pet the taxi would have only cost about 2000baht. Costs twice as much because not many going to Siem Reap from Chong Chom. We tried to organise another taxi while we were in SR (because we thought we were being ripped off) but they misunderstood and thought we wanted to go to Poi Pet. When we took off in the taxi the mistake was uncovered, so we went back to the hotel. Many phone calls later we got our money back from that mob and waited about another half hour for the original company to pick us up.

 

And if you think Thais drive badly, you should see what happens on Khmer roads. Didn't see any accidents though.

[IsaanAndy]

Thanks J47 for the update, going to SR in May so taxi fare info good.

[Jip99]

On 1/3/2560 at 2:02 PM, khwaibah said:

Road is good. Black top all the way.

 

 

Full of idiots though!

[Jip99]

On 6/3/2560 at 11:33 AM, CodyB said:

I drove to the border and left my car there for 3 days. 100thb per day, secure car park.  

 

Taxi from border to SR was $30USD in a 2000ish toyota camry. Comfortable enough.  

 

You were done!

 

 

50 Baht a day is the published figure. Good facility there now and only 10 Baht for the motorcy taxi to run you to immigration.

[Jip99]

On 3/3/2560 at 8:55 AM, SantiSuk said:

For avoidance of doubt, the most direct route to Siem Reap from (almost any part of) Sisaket province would be through Choam S'Ngam border, not Chong Jom. That route has good quality roads both sides of the border now. Taxis are on offer at that border to SR and I have the phone number of a reliable guy if anyone wants it (assuming he is still doing the run). Bus service through to SR only available through Chong Jom 

 

Last time I asked (at Choam SaN'gam border itself) about 18 months ago, Thai registered cars were not allowed through that border and lots of ThaiV posts showed that they were permitted through Chong Jom.

 

Things change so it would be useful to get up to date info. Direct experience preferred over reporting on what friends say!

 

Not wishing to be pedantic but it is Chong sa Ngam .......................... i used to love that border point, crossed it a dozen times a few year sback before before they sorted out the first half of the Osmach/Siem Reap road.

[SantiSuk]

Ok - I can do pedantic too. Google it - you will find Choam used as often as Chong. In earlier threads I stated both but couldn't be bothered this time.

 

Have a feeling Choam is the village on the Cambodian side (maybe not, maybe it's Thai side but and the Cambodian transliteration is Choam. Pretty sure I have seen road signs on 24 using Choam too.

 

So there !! But it's not worth falling out over :-)