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INTRODUCTION: I did a "visa run" on 06 August, 2003 at the Chong Chom Thai border crossing into Kampuchea 40 km south of Prasat. The following report is based on my experience only - your mileage may vary. My situation was as follows: 1) I hold an American passport 2) I had NO Kampuchean or Lao entry/exit visa stamps 3) I had entered Thailand at BKK international airport with no visa and received the automatic 30 day Entry Permit. The significance of the last two points will become clear below.
What You'll Need: Passport, 1 photo, about 1500B.
Getting There: I went by bus from Buriram. Make your way to the rather dirty and dusty Prasat bus station and take the 30B local bus (which I think leaves on the hour) to Chong Chom (spellings may vary, but this is how it's spelled on the signs going down there!). The bus takes over an hour to travel the 40 K, but you will be let off right at the border. NOTE that there's a Thai immigration office about 10K before the border. They have nothing to do with getting a new Entry Permit, so there's absolutely no need to stop here - it'll only confuse an already confusing situation.
The Visa Run Game:
- At the Thai border go into the small office and tell them you're going to Kampuchea. (NOTE: If you already have been to Kampuchea or Laos and have an entry/exit stamp for either country - see #2 above - you can ask the Thai Immigration officer for a new 30-day Entry Permit, and you'll likely get one for around 500B-1000B, saving you the time and expense of a Kampuchean visa.) They will stamp your passport and you can exit into Kampuchea.
- Exit Thailand and you will immediately see the Kampuchean Immigration building and most likely be directed to a small window at the side of the building. Here is where you apply for your visa. Fill out the visa application form and give them 1 photo. Though it's clearly marked on the visa that athe cost is U$20 they will ask you for something like 1300B. I politely told the two surly, greasy immigration agents that the cost should be 1000B and gave them this amount (as there's about 40B to the US dollar, it should really be 800B, but it seems few people can get this price). They extra "tea" money quickly came down to 200B, and after a bit of back-and-forth, down to 100B. At this point I gave them the 100B just to be finished with it. You're now got a passport with a Kampuchean visa in it.
- Go to the front of the building and present your passport to the immigration officer and fill out the the usual entry/exit immigration form we're all so familiar with from all those international flights. The guy will ask you how long you are going to stay in Kampuchea. I told him I was returning immediately to Thailand and he had no problem with that. You will be charged 300B "exit fee" and they will stamp you passport with a wet red entry and exit stamp. (NOTE: Don't close your passport until the red ink has dried. Wave the pages around and expose them to the burning sun. If it's badly smudged you might get hassled - that is asked for more money - at the next step in the game.)
- Walk across the dirt road to the Kampuchean exit checkpoint. They will check your passport carefully. There have been reports that if they find some reason to hassle you, like a smudged "unreadable" entry or exit stamp, they'll ask for "tea money" to take care of it for you. Once you're cleared walk around the fence and you are back in Thailand!
- Walk across the road and return to the Thai immigration office (more accurately a small air-con shack) you started from just a few minutes ago. You will fill out the usual entry/exit form and be granted a new 30-day Entry Permit. Remember, you still don't have a Thai visa, only an Entry Permit. You are not eligible for the 15-day "visa extension" that you may have heard about as technically you don't have a visa - though you might be able to get a 10-day extension for 500B if you're lucky. (I received one of these extensions, but in retrospect it was more hassle than it was worth.)
- Get the bus back to Prasat and retrace your steps. I didn't do this as I caught a lift with someone, and I think trying to hitch might not be a bad idea for it's likely that people are going back to one of the main cities in the area: Buriram, Surin, or Nang Rong.
I arrived relatively early, around 11:30 a.m., and the whole process took maybe 30-40 minutes, if that. Again, I'm sure it's just the luck of the draw regarding how busy they are and how nasty of a mood they're in on any particular day.
Final Thoughts: The Thai/Kampuchean border crossing at Chong Chom/O Smach is a fairly decent place to make a successful visa run. Just keep your cool and be patient, and all should work out fine. Good luck and have fun in Thailand!
Comments? E-mail me at [email protected].
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