Thread: Visa Run

Hi,

I've got a multi entry non imm O visa, it needs renewing / stamping (whatever the terminology is) tomorrow. I'm in Khorat, my brother in law has to drive to Surin in the morning and said he'd take me to any border crossing around there.

Where's best?

Cheers

Al

Chong Chom is probably the nearest to you and it's lively as well - no other bugger there..

If you have the Cambodian Visa fee in U.S. $ you can save some money. It's only $20 but they will tell you it's 1,000 Baht. The sign telling you how much the Visa cost is conveniently on the other side of the border crossing at the exit booth.

Cheers guys - Chong Chom is probably the one i had in mind (it rhymed with chong chom anyhoo) I'll see if I can get some dollars in Surin first thing.

How much should it cost all in? If I end up paying 1000b for the cambo visa. I'm shit at these things, dont want to get over charged!

You pay in Thai Baht at Chong Chom.

^COOL thanks, so no overstay it's exit buy cambo visa for 1kbaht re enter on my multiple entry visa for free or are their further costs?

I always use one of the local guides to help me through the process. Mates have had a lot of trouble going out and back,only 30 day stamp,long queues ect. These tour guys sort all this out and take you to the Cambo. market if you want.All for a couple of hundred bht.Will pm you the name and phone number.

^thanks mate - will put the number in my phone before i shoot off.

Originally Posted by superman

You pay in Thai Baht at Chong Chom.

No, the official way to pay is US dollars, only pay in baht if you enjoy paying more than neccesary.

Originally Posted by alwarner

^COOL thanks, so no overstay it's exit buy cambo visa for 1kbaht re enter on my multiple entry visa for free or are their further costs?

1000 baht equates to $30, the fee is actually $20, about 600 odd baht. They will ask for the fee in baht to line their pocket, say no and give them the $20. They'll be a bit sullen but stand your ground and they'll give you the visa anyway. Say you havent got enough baht on you if they try and persist.

They'll then try making you pay a 100 odd baht fee for some bullshit form or other, again, refuse and they'll back down after a bit off huffing and puffing.

Obviously you could just pay the baht to make life easier, but if you're in no rush just stand your ground if only to enjoy the pissed off look on their corrupt little mugs. Fuck em', they make a bad first impression and paying them over the odds just perpetuates it.

And, all this huffing and puffing is for....? 100 baht? Are you a backpacker?

Originally Posted by somtamslap

Chong Chom is probably the nearest to you and it's lively as well - no other bugger there..

...and one of the quick and easiest around.
Convenient, as we're only some 30kms up the rooad.

Left last night, just got back. Got the bus from Khonburi to Khorat. Met my brother in law at about 11PM went for something to eat and then at 02:30 drove to Buriram so he could drop off the magazines / newspapers he delivers, more on that later.

Got to Surin at about 04:30 slept in the car waiting for the petrol station (nvg?) to open. Got to immigration by 08:15 back in the car by 08:35. Brilliant; what a difference to Aranya-bloody-prathet (sp)!

Didn't have chance to pick up dollars yesterday so paid 1100B for the visa and a photograph. Had a guide who did all the paper work, paid 300b bribe to re enter. The guide seemed nice enough, he explained that if I went to Cambo for the day and re entered tomorrow it wouldn't cost anything. I'm assuming that could be bullshit, but, if not and it's speeding up the normal process then fair enough.

Guide then asked me if I wanted fags or booze, had a nice chat with him he definitely saved me 30 minutes so gave him 300b although I reckon he'd have been more than happy with 200. He just latched onto me when I turned up and I thought he was going to be like the ones at the other Cambo crossing I've done who are ultra aggressive, but he was a really sound chap so happy to throw 6 quid at him.

1700b total although, i could have saved 400 of that if i'd had any photos / took the extra time to fill out the forms myself.

happy and back home ready for a beer and a kip before tea.

Originally Posted by alwarner

Guide then asked me if I wanted fags or booze

Did you get fags and booze ?

I have a friend who brought back some moody Marlboro lights that ripped your throat out.

The booze is probably fake too

Originally Posted by alwarner

he explained that if I went to Cambo for the day and re entered tomorrow it wouldn't cost anything. I'm assuming that could be bullshit, but, if not and it's speeding up the normal process then fair enough.

How would spending the night in Cambodia speed up the process ?

The 300 baht bribe you paid was to allow you back in the same day

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Originally Posted by alwarner

he explained that if I went to Cambo for the day and re entered tomorrow it wouldn't cost anything. I'm assuming that could be bullshit, but, if not and it's speeding up the normal process then fair enough.

How would spending the night in Cambodia speed up the process ?

The 300 baht bribe you paid was to allow you back in the same day

ha ha doesnt read very well. yeah basically if i'd had a night on the pop in cambo and come back in i wouldn't have paid the 300b. the 300b was to allow me to re enter without properly going to cambodia.

sounds plausible, but, could be horse shit.

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Originally Posted by alwarner

Guide then asked me if I wanted fags or booze

Did you get fags and booze ?

I have a friend who brought back some moody Marlboro lights that ripped your throat out.

The booze is probably fake too

i didn't mate, mainly for that reason - my brother in law had a shit eating grin when i got back to his van as he'd just scored 200 fags for 250b.

he had one and was poncing my Thai ones on the way back. He's currently giving away packets to anyone who will have one.

Originally Posted by alwarner

he explained that if I went to Cambo for the day and re entered tomorrow it wouldn't cost anything. I'm assuming that could be bullshit, but, if not and it's speeding up the normal process then fair enough.

He spoke the truth. You are supposed to stay in Cambodia for X number of hours according to the rules before re-entry. None, as far as I'm aware, of the guides at Chong Chom come over as aggressive.

paid 300b bribe to re enter.

There is no bribe needed to re-enter.

The only cost when doing a Cambo VR is US$20.


I pay $25 and get an E-visa online. Saves a page in your passport and you don't even have to take out your iPod headphones.


These re-enter the same day so have to pay money scams are hilarious.

I mean think about it.

Originally Posted by superman

Originally Posted by alwarner

he explained that if I went to Cambo for the day and re entered tomorrow it wouldn't cost anything. I'm assuming that could be bullshit, but, if not and it's speeding up the normal process then fair enough.

He spoke the truth. You are supposed to stay in Cambodia for X number of hours according to the rules before re-entry. None, as far as I'm aware, of the guides at Chong Chom come over as aggressive.

the guy was great, really friendly, good English etc... It was just the way he latched on to me that made me uneasy. After 2 mins of speaking to him I could tell he was sound. Got his card, will use him again.

re the 300b re entry, i thought he could well be telling the truth, but, it's nice to have that confirmed. thanks.

Originally Posted by superman

You are supposed to stay in Cambodia for X number of hours according to the rules before re-entry.

Nonsense.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

paid 300b bribe to re enter.

There is no bribe needed to re-enter.

The only cost when doing a Cambo VR is US$20.


I pay $25 and get an E-visa online. Saves a page in your passport and you don't even have to take out your iPod headphones.


These re-enter the same day so have to pay money scams are hilarious.

I mean think about it.

scam / bribe call it what you will you're paying the 300b when you exit cambodia - unless you have an e-visa.

^^ Sorry I'm not. Been there done it.

Originally Posted by alwarner

scam / bribe call it what you will you're paying the 300b when you exit cambodia - unless you have an e-visa.

An e-visa is to enter Cambodia.

And no, you won't.


I was in Laos not so long ago. Apparently it's 40b for the officer to stamp you in.

Every idiot in the line getting it out and paying.
Monkey: '40b'
Me: No.
Monkey: '...40b'.
Me: 'You give me a receipt for it?'.
Monkey: '..... no have'.
Me: 'Okay, I'm not paying it then'.
Monkey: '......' stamps passport.

Some people have morals, others don't. Oh well.

You are supposed to stay in Cambodia for X number of hours according to the rules before re-entry.

Originally Posted by superman

^^ Sorry I'm not. Been there done it.

Who told you those 'rules'? an immigration officer?

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Originally Posted by alwarner

scam / bribe call it what you will you're paying the 300b when you exit cambodia - unless you have an e-visa.

An e-visa is to enter Cambodia.

And no, you won't.


I was in Laos not so long ago. Apparently it's 40b for the officer to stamp you in.

Every idiot in the line getting it out and paying.
Monkey: '40b'
Me: No.
Monkey: '...40b'.
Me: 'You give me a receipt for it?'.
Monkey: '..... no have'.
Me: 'Okay, I'm not paying it then'.
Monkey: '......' stamps passport.

Some people have morals, others don't. Oh well.

yeah sorry - of course the cambodian visa is to enter the country.

well, i paid it, not the end of the world. Incidentally were you asked to pay the 300 when you left cambodia?