Thailand to Cambodia Visa Run

Thailand to Cambodia Visa Run

If you’re an expat or foreigner considering a Thailand to Cambodia Visa Run then I have some advice for you. I absolutely do not recommend a land crossing if you can help it. This typically takes a couple hours and can easily cause a lot of problems for you given unforeseen circumstances or “recent updates”. Border laws and immigration regulations change often and can be enforced at the discretion of the officers. These border authorities also have different standards than border control at airports.

I have been living in Thailand for over a year now and have been through immigration so many times. I did not expect to receive the run around I got at the Thailand to Cambodia border crossing post-Ban Laem.  The last time I was in Cambodia I did a border crossing with the intention of staying for 1 month, which I did. This time, however, I wanted to do the infamous 1-day border crossing.

This has unfortunately become a highly scrutinized endeavor and if I were you I would strongly recommend just flying somewhere to get a free VOA (Visa On Arrival) stamp then flying back. Basically, since both Myanmar (Burma) and Cambodia both require a Visa, that would suggest Malaysia or China. If you fly, which is what I’ve been doing for the past 18 months, then you will have no problem with immigration authorities.

So what ended up transpiring was an all-day nightmare of one unforeseen issue after another. The day started at 7am when my friend and I hit the road from Bangkok to drive to the Cambodian border. This trip takes approximately 4 hours. We arrived around 11am, I left my things in the car with the expectation of not going to need anything other than my Passport.

Thailand to Cambodia Border Crossing

Thailand to Cambodia Border

Upon making it to border check, my friend realizes she did not bring her passport and part of the new regulations. Not even Thai people need their passport to cross the border and can no longer do it without a  Thai National Citizen ID anymore. At first, this did not appear to be that big of a deal, I would just simply go through the process and see her back on the other side. Unfortunately, this is not how things played out.

After getting stamped exiting Thailand, which actually ended up voiding the remaining week I had left on my previous extension, I continued on to begin the Visa Application process for Cambodia. Had I known any of this was going to happen, I would have just waited and flown somewhere to avoid overstaying a week on my Cisa before leaving on my upcoming trip to Europe.

Cambodia Visa Cost

I paid 1000 baht for my visa and 500 baht for the stamp. On my way out I ended up further discussing this with the Authorities who brought to my attention that you are now required to stay in Cambodia for 24 hours. They also insisted that the border agents would simply turn me away, especially with all the other Thailand Visa stamps I have accumulated in my Passport. SO, This was AWESOME, right!? I was NOT enthused, but I had to do what I had to do.

The only solution at this point was to get a taxi to the Siem Reap Airport for around 800 baht (3-4 hour drive or 5+ by bus). I then had to pay for a last minute flight from Siem Reap back to Bangkok with Air Asia.  I need to mention that I was also hassled at the Siem Reap airport about my same day entry visit. At the immigration control portion of the airport, prior to going through security and into your gate, I was held up.

After asking me questions about my VERY short visit to Cambodia the officer took pictures of me and my passport then called his superior on the phone. At this point I had not eaten for 10 hours, was nerve-wracked and so stressed out. The LAST thing I wanted to do was freak out. After patiently waiting, he, fortunately, stated I can go, but not without joking again about how they could have made me stay.

Thailand to Cambodia Flight

I ended up waiting 2 hours for my flight then arrived to Bangkok 12 hours after the initial ordeal began at the border Thailand to Cambodia border. My friend had already made it back to Bangkok earlier and picked me up at the airport. We then proceeded to drive 5 hours to Pattaya, where we had plans reservation for the weekend in Koh Larn.

If you want my advice, always fly for visa runs, but if you absolutely have to go by land, then do it with a Visa Run Agency like Bangkok buddy. They have the connections and arrangement to get your Visa Stamped for you, all you have to do is go along for the ride. The experience is really organized, there are translators and also serve yyou anice breakfast while you’re waiting at the border.

There are several options when it comes to extending your Thai visa, and this all boils down to what visa you entered the country on. Most tourists enter the country without pre-applying for a visa. In this instance, you will receive a 30-day ‘visa on arrival’ (VOA) if you arrive by plane, or 15 days if you arrive by land at one of the countries numerous border crossings.

With a Visa Service you simply need to take with you $30, one passport photo, and a photocopy of your passport so you can purchase a Cambodian Visa during your crossing. Below is more information on a typical Thailand to Cambodia Visa Run service from Bangkok.

http://bangkokbuddy.com/thai-visa-run/