any recent reports on driving thai car into cambodia at hat lek crossing

[nitnoymoy]

Hi Looking for any recent info on taking thai car across border at hat lek crossing a friend of mine was refused entry there a few months ago and he had been allowed across with same vehicle a few years ago ,thanks

[Johan78]

Just got back to Pattaya from Sihanoukville and no problems. Thank you phuketrichard for good info and advice.

[Benmart]

Johan78. Planning a similar trip. I have my car blue book, as well as the purple/car passport book. I still have my Thai plates on the car (waiting for the all number plates).

 

Planning on crossing at Hat Lek.

 

a. Did you drive on your regular Thai plates or did you have the international "All number plates" with Thailand written in English? 

b. Did you have to have any copies of anything such as pages of Thai blue book, etc? 

c. On the Cambodian side, do you go into the customs office to do the car processing to get in?

d. Were you able to go into other provinces?

e. I have both a Cambodian and Thai drivers license. (Rented a car in Cambodia a few times).

 

I am heading to Kampong Speu and then on to Kandall.

 

Thank you for any information.

[phuketrichard]

i have driven all over Cambodia ( latest trip was last July/August,) from osmach to Siem rep to Steung Treng to Banlung, to PP to Kep to Kampot back to PP and up to Battambang and exited at Pailin.

there is no Cambodian customs office at hat lek, just a small desk where they ask for 100 baht/day
thai car passport not needed, never asked for

I take my front thai plate OFF in Cambodia as the police see u coming and if there's no plate they wont pull u over vs if its a thai plate they will:-)

if they do pull u over, 99 out of100 they will find a reason to extract something  from you...:-)  in PP last year they pulled me over and told me  ( after a 10 minute discussion) film on  front windows was illegal  and fined me $5

[Benmart]

3 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

i have driven all over Cambodia ( latest trip was last July/August,) from osmach to Siem rep to Steung Treng to Banlung, to PP to Kep to Kampot back to PP and up to Battambang and exited at Pailin.

there is no Cambodian customs office at hat lek, just a small desk where they ask for 100 baht/day
thai car passport not needed, never asked for

I take my front thai plate OFF in Cambodia as the police see u coming and if there's no plate they wont pull u over vs if its a thai plate they will:-)

if they do pull u over, 99 out of100 they will find a reason to extract something  from you...:-)  in PP last year they pulled me over and told me  ( after a 10 minute discussion) film on  front windows was illegal  and fined me $5

Without a front plate,  I would imagine, they would notice me sitting on the right side of the car and suspect I was not "local". All of their right hand drive cars sport red plates. I will try your strategy of no front plate though.

 

The last time I was stopped at a check point in a rented, Cambodian plated car, I flashed my Cambodian driver's license, the officer saluted and said thank you. 

 

Thanks for the info. I will have a few $5 just in case. :)  I leave for Cambodia at 0600 in the morning.

[phuketrichard]

plenty of older Right hand drive cars/pick ups in Cambodia....

never been stopped at a check point, never seen one  in 1,000 and 1,000 of kms driven around over the past 11 years...LOL

[Johan78]

On 22/03/2017 at 6:05 PM, Benmart said:

Johan78. Planning a similar trip. I have my car blue book, as well as the purple/car passport book. I still have my Thai plates on the car (waiting for the all number plates).

 

Planning on crossing at Hat Lek.

 

a. Did you drive on your regular Thai plates or did you have the international "All number plates" with Thailand written in English? 

b. Did you have to have any copies of anything such as pages of Thai blue book, etc? 

c. On the Cambodian side, do you go into the customs office to do the car processing to get in?

d. Were you able to go into other provinces?

e. I have both a Cambodian and Thai drivers license. (Rented a car in Cambodia a few times).

 

I am heading to Kampong Speu and then on to Kandall.

 

Thank you for any information.

Sorry for late reply, don't seem to be getting email notifications any more.

 

a. My normal Thai plates.

 

b. Nope, just the blue book.

 

c. Not much processing really, just gave him the 2 papers from the Thai side and the money and he gave me the red "plate" to put in the window and that was it.

 

d. Yes, went to Sihanoukville.

 

Hope you had a good trip!

[gaff]

On 3/23/2017 at 12:38 PM, Benmart said:

Without a front plate,  I would imagine, they would notice me sitting on the right side of the car and suspect I was not "local". All of their right hand drive cars sport red plates. I will try your strategy of no front plate though.

 

The last time I was stopped at a check point in a rented, Cambodian plated car, I flashed my Cambodian driver's license, the officer saluted and said thank you. 

 

Thanks for the info. I will have a few $5 just in case. :)  I leave for Cambodia at 0600 in the morning.

 

 

Have you tried the no plate trick since ?

 

And did you get your Cambodian driver license lately ? It seems difficult now ? At least agents cannot do it for you.

 

 

 

 

[my friend I]

Thailand is only allowing commercial vehicles and influential people to go through into Cambodia at this crossing. No Thai private vehicles. There was an incident can't find out what exactly. Possibly a collision.

Maybe just temporary.

[phuketrichard]

On 4/24/2018 at 7:58 PM, gaff said:

 

 

Have you tried the no plate trick since ?

 

And did you get your Cambodian driver license lately ? It seems difficult now ? At least agents cannot do it for you.

 

 

 

 

seems agents are again allowed to assist with getting a license.

am heading up to Cambodia in july for elections, will use the Surin ( Osmach) crossing