Visa Run to Cambodia

[Guest Asmerom]

Having recently asked for advice on doing a Visa Run I thought I might briefly say how it went.

 

With the prompting of jtrack I had discovered a small little -used checkpoint about 23kms South of the one used by the Company I had previously travelled with. Its at Ban Prakkad, Thailand/ Prum in Cambodia.The post is just a few newish wooden huts surrounded by the usual ramshackle collection of rural dereliction approached by a good road which gradually deteriorates as it nears the border to a dirt track extensively covered with damaging potholes.

 

However, This Post is so small, compact and little visited, the fact that it was pouring with rain and the area was covered in mud and slush didn't hold things up. All the paperwork was completed in less than 30 minutes.No waiting at all. Moved swiftly on from one hut to another where relevant forms were politely provided. Only walked a few metres into Cambodia and back.Only one other Western couple. The few others looked like locals.

 

An unexpected extra was being waylayed by Highway Robbers en route who demanded 400baht if I went to the Police Station or 200 baht if I paid on the spot. I chose the latter.Also in Cambodia, as well as the official Visa fee of 1000baht they demand a very unofficial 300baht tea money.I've seen it described as a fine for not staying in Cambodia.But they were all so charming and clearly bored out of their minds;half a dozen or so cooped up in this little hen hut with nothing to do, desperate for a chat and eager to practice a few words of English, it was almost a pleasure to pay this toll.

 

FACTS :

Kms : 520 return

Time : 3hrs. 30mins one way.

Car Hire : 1300baht

Fuel : 1350 baht !!

Visa : 1000 baht

Tea Money: 300 baht

Police Fine: 200 baht

TOTAL COST : 4150 baht. And that's without any food.

 

The company I travelled with earlier - Bri and Joy's- cost 2000 baht and included two meals. They were fast,efficient and their Van was new.Though I seem to remember having to be ready at 6am. I started out at 8.15am and was back at 4.30pm.But the driving along busy roads for seven hours return is quite a strain. Its not a nice day out in the Country. Its no picnic.

 

THERE'S NO CONTEST. Unless there's two of you or more and you love driving on Thai Roads GO WITH THE COMPANY.

 

 

 

 

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Having recently asked for advice on doing a Visa Run I thought I might briefly say how it went.

 

With the prompting of jtrack I had discovered a small little -used checkpoint about 23kms South of the one used by the Company I had previously travelled with. Its at Ban Prakkad, Thailand/ Prum in Cambodia.The post is just a few newish wooden huts surrounded by the usual ramshackle collection of rural dereliction approached by a good road which gradually deteriorates as it nears the border to a dirt track extensively covered with damaging potholes.

 

However, This Post is so small, compact and little visited, the fact that it was pouring with rain and the area was covered in mud and slush didn't hold things up. All the paperwork was completed in less than 30 minutes.No waiting at all. Moved swiftly on from one hut to another where relevant forms were politely provided. Only walked a few metres into Cambodia and back.Only one other Western couple. The few others looked like locals.

 

An unexpected extra was being waylayed by Highway Robbers en route who demanded 400baht if I went to the Police Station or 200 baht if I paid on the spot. I chose the latter.Also in Cambodia, as well as the official Visa fee of 1000baht they demand a very unofficial 300baht tea money.I've seen it described as a fine for not staying in Cambodia.But they were all so charming and clearly bored out of their minds;half a dozen or so cooped up in this little hen hut with nothing to do, desperate for a chat and eager to practice a few words of English, it was almost a pleasure to pay this toll.

 

FACTS :

Kms : 520 return

Time : 3hrs. 30mins one way.

Car Hire : 1300baht

Fuel : 1350 baht !!

Visa : 1000 baht

Tea Money: 300 baht

Police Fine: 200 baht

TOTAL COST : 4150 baht. And that's without any food.

 

The company I travelled with earlier - Bri and Joy's- cost 2000 baht and included two meals. They were fast,efficient and their Van was new.Though I seem to remember having to be ready at 6am. I started out at 8.15am and was back at 4.30pm.But the driving along busy roads for seven hours return is quite a strain. Its not a nice day out in the Country. Its no picnic.

 

THERE'S NO CONTEST. Unless there's two of you or more and you love driving on Thai Roads GO WITH THE COMPANY.

 

 

[Guest GaySacGuy]

You got off cheap with the highway robbers in Brown. They seem to start at 500 now or 1000 if you go to police station...and tell you how fast you were driving when they have no clue. My boyfriend did get off cheaper...only 200 baht for travelling in the inside lane on a four land divided highway...they said he must drive in left lane except to pass!!!

[Gaybutton]

only 200 baht for travelling in the inside lane on a four land divided highway...they said he must drive in left lane except to pass!!!

 

I had exactly the same thing happen to me the last time I returned to Pattaya from Bangkok. I was stopped and told I have to drive on the left. That, of course, makes no sense at all, but for 200 baht I didn't argue. I gave the police officer his 200 baht and off I went.

 

I doubt there is really some kind of a regulation that says you must drive in the left lane, especially when the highway has four or five lanes and plenty of cars occupy them all. I think it's just another way for the corrupt police to extract some money from people, but it's not worth it to me to get into an argument with them. To me, weighing 200 baht against the problems that you can end up facing by arguing with them, I think I'd rather pay the 200 baht and be on my merry way. Don't forget, if you get them angry they can make up any charge they wish. What could you do about it? For me, it's pay the 200 baht and go away looking as happy as I can.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I don't know the Thai law about driving in the "passing lane", but in the US it is the law that the inside lane, often incorrectly referred to as the "fast lane", is for passing. When I first took my driving test I made a left turn into the left hand lane. The tester said,"We will go a long way now". I stayed in the left lane. When my test was finished, I passed, but his comment was, "You should have gotten into the right hand lane when I told you we would go a long way." when I was in the left lane.

[Guest lester1]

Glad that Isamorons visa trip went OK and that he was interested enough to tell us all about it. I can remember his first post when he asked for advice on the best way to do it under his own steam. The universal advice was to stick to the company he used in the past. Interesting that he has now come to the same conclusion. A bit longer, but no hassle with officials, no worry about routes and potholes, food thrown in and relatively stress free and cheap.

As for the rule about the use of the outside lane, there are one or two places near Pattaya on Sukhumvit that are notorious fo having litte cops hiding in the bushes who jump out ahead of you and attempt to stop you. I have seen Thai drivers simply accelerate.

With regard to ldvkeyes long epic tale about his driving test, I am afraid that much passed right over my head as I come from a 'drive on the left' country where the right hand lane is the fast one so I could keep up with all his right/left/slow/fast/passing type labels.

[Guest joseph44]

Got into a similar situation once on the Chonburi Bypass just before the connection with the '7'.

Got stopped while I was driving on the fast lane. I just passed a slow driving truck.

 

Police officer started his lecture about driving left, bla bla bla.

While he was talking I took my wallet and at some point he asked where I was going.

"Pattaya, I have an appointment." I showed him my business card, my passport, work permit, showing that I was working at a Thai company.

 

The officer said: "Next time, drive left, yes?" and off I went without a single payment.

[Guest fountainhall]

"Next time, drive left, yes?"

 

The UK is like Thailand in driving on the left. The UK 'Highway Code' on which drivers are tested before obtaining a license makes it clear that driving must be in the left lane unless overtaking - even on a 3 lane expressway. That's the theory. In practice, slow drivers tend to clog up the left lane and so driving in the centre lane becomes the norm. But here in Thailand it is far from uncommon to see vehicles driving in all lanes and overtaking on both sides. I have no doubt this contributes to accidents and if some police happen to be cracking down (I know: I'm giving them the benefit of considerable doubt), I'm all for it.

[Gaybutton]

In practice, slow drivers tend to clog up the left lane and so driving in the centre lane becomes the norm.

 

What happened to me took place on the expressway between Bangkok and Pattaya. The left lane is dominated by trucks, most of which are moving much slower than the speed limit. Trucks have a different speed limit from cars, which makes driving in the same lane with them very difficult, especially when there are three vacant lanes to the right of them. That's what I did and got pulled over anyway. Maybe I have the wrong idea about how I am supposed to drive, but I do think I was unfairly fined.

 

Be that as it may, even if I'm absolutely right and can prove it, I'm not about to get into an argument with the police unless they are asking an outrageous amount of money. Right or wrong, corrupt or not, I'd much rather pay a small fine and be on my way.

 

Most of the time, when the police have set up road blocks, I'm waved on through without incident. I do quite a bit of driving between Pattaya and Bangkok, along with driving to other destinations. I'm rarely ever stopped, maybe two or three times in a year, so I'm really not complaining, although when I do get stopped I'd at least appreciate being stopped for having done something wrong rather than stopped to line the pockets of police officers. Still, this is something you just have to accept if you are going to do much driving in Thailand. It's going to happen, so you either have to live with it or give up driving.

 

There's a letter-to-the-editor in this week's PATTAYA MAIL regarding highway police in Thailand that some of you may find interesting. Nothing like what this gentleman describes has ever happened to me, but I believe him:

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/letters.shtml#hd6

[Guest Geezer]

Taxes in the West are much higher than in Thailand. Police are paid more, and there is no need for them to “augment” their income.

 

Taxes in Thailand are lower. To survive police must collect some of the taxes themselves.

 

You can’t have it both ways -- which do you prefer?

 

 

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Taxes in the West are much higher than in Thailand. Police are paid more, and there is no need for them to “augment” their income.

 

Taxes in Thailand are lower. To survive police must collect some of the taxes themselves.

 

You can’t have it both ways -- which do you prefer?

 

I’m sure the “tax rate” is lower in Thailand.

 

 

What makes you think the police in the west (at least in the US) do not augment their income?

[Guest Geezer]

What makes you think the police in the west (at least in the US) do not augment their income?

...

 

 

Well, Geezer is glad you asked.

 

Except for time spent in South America, he lived in the US sixty-five years. Rambling by Jeep, car, and motorhome with backpack, kayak, and canoe was a lifelong hobby. Many hundreds of thousands of miles were driven; forty-nine of fifty states were visited, most of them many times.

 

In all that wandering, through all those wonderful, free, peripatetic years, not once was money requested by a policeman. Nor did Geezer ever have a friend tell of an appeal. A long dead uncle did say something of such a practice years ago in Chicago, but that was before Obama got things organized.

 

Geezer is sure some poster will dig up such a case.

 

He just read a six legged deer was found in his home county, but they are not a notable problem.

 

 

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