whitemouse

Yes, that's the border crossing. The way agents fill the TM6, agents pointing you towards next booth window on Thai and Cambodian side, it is well oiled money making machine. I didn't see anyone actually travelling to Cambodia after the border police booth, everyone turned around and returned back to Thai border. Officers did not go throu passport pages like they always do at Thai airports. It's a well oiled money generating machine. But so cheap, 3000 b includes Cambodia visa, and there is no visa sticker, stamp only. Flying may sound better than minivan trip, but 3.5 hour one way is not too bad. Fligh takes much longer, we think that Siem Resp is only an hour flight, but travelling to Bangkok airport, be there 2 hours before flight, all the super annoying security search... flight may be 1 hour but I'm fact you lose all day. For strictly 30 days stamp I much prefer minivan trip to border. Also, no chance of entry denial, agents practically run this place.

This van really looks comfy. 6 seats, you said, that means every passenger gets his own armchair, sitting alone? 3 rows of single seats, correct? Next time will use them, few hundred more but looks so comfortable.

In 20 years of border runs to land border Cambodia I've yet to experience questioning by border police. I have never heard a single report of difficulty on the land border crossing, except than one known crossing. I have been questioned several times at BKK and DMK airports, all my friends have had many such experiences at both Bangkok airports. There are constant reports at Aseannow visa sub forum of people being turned away and denied entry at airports. When you say land border crossing are more difficult, you are giving very bad advise to people planning a visa run. Obviously every visa run is accompanied with a Thai agent, why would anyone try this alone. I have never heard of questioning at Thai Cambodia border, 20 years of 6 months visits to Thailand. Obviously avoiding the one very well known and very difficult border crossing. So, anyone with many entries to Thailand with tourist visa or visa waiver, 4th or 5th entry to Thailand via air will be coin toss, you can be denied entry for no reason, and you'll be deported. The usual 'reason' to deny entry is 12/2, 'lack of funds to sustain stay in Kingdom'.

No. It is not how I choose to see it. Thailand has laws. OP can stay as a tourist as long as Thailand allows him. I'm staying here every winter for 6 months as a tourist. You may think that only 2 week package holiday makers are tourists, most likely because before your retirement you couldn't take 6 months holidays. I can. I am a tourist in Thailand for 6 months, lawfully.

All valid points. I simply did not know specifics of embassy and consulates in Vietnam, counting on having all the paperwork won't raise any issues. But it did. Hanoi embassy website does not stipulate that in order to apply for 60 days TR one needs a reservation to cover the whole period of stay. To add to list, but this information may be dated and hopefully someone can join and confirm, Kuala Lumpur embassy is the absolute worst. It is the only embassy I walked out without a visa. 20 winters in Thailand, 6 months out of the year, nothing like this has happened before and since. Kuala Lumpur experience was few years ago and may have changed now. They have list of all necessary paperwork on their web site, that includes recent bank statement. So I walked in, only to be told that the bank statement needs to be issued by mu bank in Europe, with s stamp and branch manager signature. I had with me only screen print that shows balance. I though at first she probably made a mistake, maybe I misunderstood her, something must be lost in translation. But no, they wouldn't budge. A little man joined embassy lady behind protective glass and yelled 'Bank letter, mister! Bank stamp, mister! Bank signature, mister!' I tried to explain that my bank is in Sweden, how can I get this letter for you. Nothing. This has been the only time I walked out of embassy with no visa. All the fun of extreme humidity, uncomfortably high heat, 1 week wasted. Should have consulted here before going.

What rules did he brake with 3 tourist visas? Where in Thai law does it say how many days can a tourist do touristy things, like travel in Thailand? I have visited Thailand using 5 tourist visas with only weeks in neighbouring countries between them. This is lawful. He did not break any immigration laws. Do not make baseless accusations, words have meaning, especially in Thailand.

Will be interesting to see how long the maintenance lasts. My condo owner always fills Tm30 on the first day, he did in September and next day I got the residence certificate, proof of address. On December 1st after short holiday away from Pattaya, condo owner explained that the online system for registrating and filling TM30 is offline, being upgraded or something and he couldn't file the TM30. So he walked with TM30 paper in hand and submitted it to Pattaya immigration. He said this system is still offline. So be prepared to wait, their dedicated team of gifted technicians are on it.

Reason I chose land border and not a flight, since September 2023 I have 3 BKK airport entries, one with 60 day TR, visa, other entries visa waiver 30 day stamps at BKK airport. Fourth entry via airport could be tricky, they love to ask questions, looking for reasons to deny entry, need to show 20.000 baht. Land border is no risk of denied entry.

Thank you, everyone for useful info. Ended up using agent, soi Bukhao, if you walk from South Rd to Soi Bukhao, 3 minute walk you'll see a blue sign to your right 'Cambodia Visa', owner is Thai gentleman. The price is 3000b, seems to be lowest today , many ask slightly more. This includes everything. Pick up was this morning at 5am, driver is good, within speed limit and no dangerous manoeuvres on the road. One stop for food and toilet about half way. Border in and out all together 50 minutes, few people waiting in line, several vans arrived same time. Drive to border took under 4 hours. It is now 10.20, got the Thai stamp and we are heading back to Pattaya. All in all, painless experience.

I received 60 TR basic tourist visa in Hanoi in December 2023. Embassy website has a list of requirements, bank statements of last 6 months, hotel reservation or rental contract. I had with me printed rental contract with Thai building management, contract was for 60 days stay, seemed more than enough, since many embassies want to see any reservation, I have friends who printed 1 night hotel booking, buy not in Vietnam embassy or consulate. To my surprise, nice Thai lady at Hanoi embassy went through all the papers, including ticket out of Thailand. But. Ticket out of Thailand is 11 days after my 60 days rental agreement ends. I never thought to ask my building manager to write up rental agreement to include the very last day of my Thailand stay. She wouldn't budge. I tried to explain that I may plan to visit other countries, nope, need rental agreement until my flight date out of Thailand. I thought this is it, no visa, but after speaking to my building, they kindly draw up rental agreement up to my last day in Thailand. With new rental agreement she was happy and I got visa the next afternoon. This has never happened to me before in over 15 years travel during winter months in Thailand. Had the building manager not responded or refused to make changes in contract, I would have walked away with no Thai visa. Maybe this is is normal business in Hanoi embassy, but their website does not stipulate that reservations in Thailand need to cover the stay until the very last day, the day of flight out of Thailand. This seems so dumb. How we winter travellers know how long I stay in Thailand, maybe I'll exit Thailand after 2 weeks and decide Vietnamis is all together nicer place. Maybe someone finds this information useful.

Important note, make sure you have the ticket out of Thailand on you when enter Thailand after Kuala Lumpur hop. You said you entered Thailand in November, Thai immigration can ask you questions, why are you in Thailand so many times etc. It is only your second entry but I would make sure I have a ticket out on me, immigration is usually happy with that. I would have the ticket printed, they love papers.

It has been 10 years since I had to do the border trip to Cambodia. If you have recent experience, what visa run company would you recommend. I have to do the run this week. This is Pattaya specific. I did go through Visa section on this board but couldn't find recent Pattaya specific topic. Every suggestion is much appreciated!

I apologize and delete my posts. edit, it is too late to delete or edit my earlier posts. Im really sorry. It is in fact a drama about middle age European women visiting Kenya in order to find love. There are several non actors in this film and it runs very much like a documentary, but is not a documentary as NextG pointed out.

True, got to find Paradise Love. I found it on torrent, downloaded it quickly, there are 11 seeders currently. Link: https://1337x.to/search/paradise+love+2012/1/

Thank you for recommending documentary Paradise Love (2012), it is so good!

Feel free to leave this thread. To me, this is a very interesting thread, thread with useful information and insight. Pattaya is on crossroads of what it used to be, and where it is going, this thread is more relevant than ever.