Thailand to Cambodia by Land (Poipet): How Not to Get Ripped Off

The Kingdom of Cambodia

Entering Cambodia from Thailand through the hot, busy and very dusty Poipet border crossing gives most tourists the feeling that they've been short-changed. If you decide to go it alone and avoid the minibus companies which bamboozle you into accepting their high visa-processing fees, wandering around Poipet trying to work out how to get a visa by oneself may still be a taxing affair. Literally.

Poipet

I arrived in bustling Poipet on a local minibus (not a tourist service) and proceeded to get lost under the burning midday sun, in search of the Thai departure building. While tourists must be a common sight at the actual crossing, my aimless meanderings around the many market buildings on the Thai side still drew inquisitive, friendly glances from the locals. But I was in no mood to say hello; my shirt was wet against my back and I had forgotten to apply sun-block. I was beginning to wish I had just paid someone to get me across the border.

An old man on a bicycle eventually pointed me towards the departure building, over a railway line where people lugged carts of goods east and west.

Poipet, Cambodia (alexeys/Bigstock.com)

Avoiding Visa Touts

My first task, I knew, was to avoid the visa touts, who insisted it was impossible to get a visa beyond this point. These men can be quite convincing with their photo IDs around their necks – but they are not officials and you do not need to do anything they say. Why they are allowed to operate is a mystery; perhaps they are in cahoots with the police.

Poipet, Cambodia (mathes/Bigstock.com)

Checkpoint - Departing Thailand

I escaped from the searing heat into the air-conditioned Thai departure building. Waiting in line, I had a brief conversation with a fellow Briton about the visa cost: he had been told $35, but I was sure it was $30. There were other questions too: How much was the bribe? Would they insist on Thai baht instead of dollars? How long would it take?

After getting an exit stamp from a stern Thai border policeman, I reluctantly emerged into the heat once more. My shirt was soon sticking to my back again. It was time to get a visa and avoid getting ripped off in the process.

Walking into Cambodia

A wide road flanked by huge hotels marked the way to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Trucks laden with goods spewed fumes into the already dusty atmosphere, navigating scores of pedestrians, motorbikes and tuk-tuks.

Health Check Scam

I passed a set of desks covered by a tent, manned with vaguely official looking people. From my previous experiences, I knew there was a 'health check' scam, which involves a man pointing a 'laser thermometer' at your open mouth, giving you a piece of paper saying you are completely free of disease, then charging you 20 baht (40p). I also knew that locals were not targeted by this scam (and indeed would never pay up for such a trick). As I passed the desk I hid behind some Cambodians and ignored the bogus health check.

One scam down.

Rubber Stamp Office

I then headed for the border checkpoint on the Cambodian side and was given an arrival card to fill in by an official. I congratulated myself for having a pen as I sat and filled out my details. The Cambodian office was a gloomy concrete rectangular box with fans instead of air conditioning. I sweated in lines of tourists, awaiting my turn. Through the small windows I could see Thais and Cambodians moving freely across the border, vaguely displaying border passes to disinterested policemen.

Poipet, Cambodia (withgod/Bigstock.com)

The Wrong Office

As I stood in the stifling heat of the queue I promised myself a cold beer on the other side. After about 20 minutes, clutching my passport, $35 and 200 baht bribe, I approached one of four counters. I prepared myself to apply my hand to the glowing green fingerprint scanners (despite being one of the poorest nations of Earth, Cambodia seems to be fielding some sophisticated identity-checking equipment at the present time). But the man told me I had to get a visa in a different office; this building was only for getting the visa rubber-stamped. My beer would have to wait.

Be Prepared

Disheartened, I left the building and headed back through the crowds in search of the visa-on-arrival building. I cursed my lack of preparation, again wishing I had just paid a tout to do the visa for me.

Corruption: A Russian Makes a Complaint

Moving back the way I came and ignoring the loitering touts, I found a desk on the pavement manned by police, who directed me into the visa office. Here I was given another form to fill out. Thankfully there were only a handful of tourists here, so I didn't have to wait long. A bearded, bespeckled Russian in front of me informed a policeman at the visa-issuing counter that he was not going to pay the bribe. The policeman seemed to accept this after the Russian told him the bribe was 'illegal' quite loudly. Perhaps because of the fuss the Russian made, the policeman accepted my small bribe of 100 baht (£2) without question (I had an extra 100 in reserve). He also didn't ask for the usual 100 baht 'fine' for not having a passport photo.

Back to the Rubber Stamp Office

Despite not paying the bribe, the Russian got his passport at the same time as me, and we headed out into the heat once more. He told me he lived in Thailand and crossed the border regularly. I found it amusing that a Russian had complained so angrily about corruption – but kept my mouth shut.

After queuing up at the 'rubber stamp' office, I was home and dry – or so I thought.

“Free Bus Shuttle”

I lost the Russian somewhere in the crowd and found myself walking towards a bus that said 'Free shuttle service to bus station'.

Another man with a tag around his neck ushered me on the bus and after a few more tourists boarded, we were off.

A Very Isolated Bus Terminal

After perhaps 15 minutes we arrived at a cavernous but isolated bus terminal and got off. Here there were almost as many men with tags around their necks as there were tourists. They told us we had two options to get to Siem Reap (2-3 hours away): One was a $9 bus, the other was a $48 taxi.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

By western standards these are low prices, but in Cambodia I knew them to be too high. Nearby were a trio of Scottish backpackers, keen to get the price for a taxi reduced. They invited me to join them and we haggled together.

But unlike almost every other situation in Cambodia, these guys weren't budging. It was clear that this big lonely bus station, which stood in a large field by the highway, was a kind of a trap; tourists were funnelled here and were forced to pay these high prices.

We all agreed this was a scam and that we shouldn't have got on the 'free shuttle bus'. There must have been a cheaper way to get into Siem Reap (and I believed the Russian would have known what it was, because he didn't get on the shuttle bus).

Off to Angkor Wat

Eventually we agreed to buy a bus ticket, but only after exchanging baht for dollars at an exorbitant rate. We boarded a creaking old coach with very poor air conditioning and even worse suspension. And I still hadn't had a beer.

However, we were off to Siem Reap, the home of the glorious Angkor Wat temple complex – although getting there was rather inglorious.

Tips for Getting into Cambodia with Most of Your Money:

• Make sure you have $30 for the visa
• If you pay in baht, they will increase the overall price, asking for 1300-1400 baht, or more.
• Bring 200 baht as a 'bribe' for the police. If you don't pay, you may have to wait a long time to get your visa.
• Bring a passport sized photo, or a 100 baht ‘fine' for not having one.
• Ignore any man with a tag around his neck and anything he says. Only talk to uniformed police.
• Avoid getting on the 'free shuttle bus' unless you have a ticket you bought beforehand – in which case definitely board it. There are other, cheaper shuttle services available – used by Cambodians and Thais.
• Carry plenty of U.S. dollars. Avoid exchanging money in the bus station – they offer very poor rates.
• There is no ATM in the bus terminal, so load up in Thailand.
• If you don't want the hassle of filling out visa applications, waiting round and arguing with touts, then use the visa service offered by most minibus/bus services coming in from Thailand. It will mean paying at least 300-400 baht (£6 - £8) extra, but will be a smoother experience.
• You can also get an e-visa online by visiting https://www.evisa.gov.kh/. It costs $30 plus $7 processing fee.
• You don't need to tip the visa service guys – they've already tipped themselves!