Thread: Driving Thai registered car to Laos and Cambodia

Ok so after reading around online I could not find any decent info.

so I decided to just cross the border myself with my brand new Hilux 4x4 with pitch black windows.

so driving to Poipet border. checking out of Thailand was easy. they looked a bit weird because it is highly unusual but checking out of thailand was free and easy.
just showed them the purple/blue ownership book.

than I was at the strip and drove to the border check point to go into Cambodia.

I paid them the 200 bath for quick stamp.
but there they didn't want to let me in and I needed to ask the office on the square just across the checkpoint. I already paid the VIP bribe to not wait in line and got onto a motorbike who brought me across the street.

there they were friendly at first contact and asked me you want to take your car into cambodia? I said yes. They said ok just walk with me to the office. I came there and without much discussion they said you can not take your car. and suddenly they were not friendly anymore.
I said, ok but I want to buy the papers.
NO
I said again ok but I can buy the papers no problem how much is it.
NO was the answer.
I went back to the Casino Strip. and to my car. And I tried to bribe the checkpoint police.
but NO was the answer again because I already got a no from the office there..

than I wait when it was dark. and took a sneaky road on the back of the casino. and just cross the border without any police out there.

I drove to Siem Riep at night without problems. you can sometimes feel they are looking at the license plate. random people. but that is no problem.

than from Siep Riep to Pnom Penh. no problem also.
but I arrive in Pnom Penh at 9 at night, so the police was already away I guess.

but than in day time. wow suddenly a lot more attention because the black windows I guess. and the thai plates.. but so far so good and nothing negative.

I crossed one police checkpoint and they wanted to do something I guess because they looked at the windows a bit suspicious and than suddenly when he saw the plate he started to discuss heavily with another copper.

but I was already taken off so they didn't had the chance to stop me.

in my opinion it is not really good to drive in Pnom Penh unless you only drive in the night. I would avoid the mornings and day time when possible. for the rest of cambodia so far it was really no problem and no copper looked up strange. but so far so good.. I am not out of here yet..

but I will update later when I cross the border back again and if I make it back to the border without any trouble

so for now I suggest to cross another border not the poi pet border. but if you have to than simply wait at the casino strip until it is dark. and drive with the crowd.. if they stop you, you say you just stay here in poi pet and looking for a hotel. I think that is even officially allowed. but once you say you want to visit ankor or another city they don't allow it..
that's my experience so far..
now it is 15 february 2014 will update soon again

I hope you are not too attached to the that car....
Or really like living in cambo..

last time when I entered cambodia via Aram/Poipet border, I got a form from the Thai customs. This form I was supposed to give back when entering Thailand again. which I didn't... because police waved me through...

*note (crossed border again in and out (osmach) without problems and left the old form for what it was)

but now I am back again and decided to try poi pet border again. Thai customs told me I had to pay 2000 bath. and that was no bribe, my car was black listed they said, and I could walk in the office to see the computer myself...

Their computers don't work together I guess.. because if I would have travelled to another border there would have been no problems. like last time o smach.

so I had to pay 2000 bath to the Thai customs because I was late they said.. and they could not change it in their computers...
so silly because in the mean time I was in and out with the car already one other time... (o smach)

Also I could stay out of Thailand with my car maximum 1 month they said. which is also very silly because it is my car but guess Thailand thinks they still own the car for like 1% or so...

I wonder what Thai customs high officials are doing.. This system of them leaks like a basket! I can go in and out while the other border still thinks I am in.. I could also just get in without forms if I would want that.. just tell them "play casino.. "

I would advice now it is in the mean while December 2014 don't take your Thai car to Cambodia. if you stay around the border area it is no problem but if you go into Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh you could run into trouble. Cambodia is still super currupt despite what others make you believe!

Originally Posted by Balloontyres

I would advice now it is in the mean while December 2014 don't take your Thai car to Cambodia. if you stay around the border area it is no problem but if you go into Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh you could run into trouble. Cambodia is still super currupt despite what others make you believe!

why not?
even u took ur car in and had no troubles so why advise anyone not too

^

What happens if some one niks your car one night ?

Not much chance of getting it back I imagine.

Wonder if your Thai Insurance would cover it ?

Probably not EH.

I imagine Thai plated cars would be a bit of a target.