VISA RUN Pailin/Ban Pakard or Ban Laem/Daun Lem which is the better/cheaper option?

[thecyclist]

1 hour ago, kitenomad said:

I did ignore the touts one time many moons ago (8 years or so) like I did back in the days at Klong Yai border (or any other border). However, the Cambo immigration refused to help me and pointed at the tout who followed me. This was at Ban Laem. That's why I posted the question. 

So try Ban Pakkard :never had any IO pointing to any agents/touts there, and refusing to deal with me directly. Of course you can get a Cambodian visa by yourself, unless things have changed since my last crossing in February of this year. 

[kitenomad]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

So try Ban Pakkard :never had any IO pointing to any agents/touts there, and refusing to deal with me directly. Of course you can get a Cambodian visa by yourself, unless things have changed since my last crossing in February of this year. 

The visa run companies use the touts as well. Because of my former experience when they refused to deal with me I assumed that this is "how it works" nowadays at these particular Cambo border crossings. I do not use this crossings regularly so I just went with the flow of things. I will deal with the IO myself next time. Thanks for the information.

[kitenomad]

2 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

and what did you pay the agent to  do all this??
I've never paid at any Thai/Cambodian border more than the asking price ($20 years ago and now $30)

But usually use Koh Kong or Osmach

1700 Baht is the going rate at Ban Laem and Pakkard these days. At Koh kong back in the days I never used the touts. But I remember paying a "fine" for getting stamped out immediately. 

[ericthai]

11 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

and what did you pay the agent to  do all this??
I've never paid at any Thai/Cambodian border more than the asking price ($20 years ago and now $30)

But usually use Koh Kong or Osmach

The travel agent charged me 200B  plus the cost of the visa which if I recall was around 500B. I didn't get the visa prior because of the cost of the visa, but just to save time waiting to do the visa at the boarder. This was back around 2004?? when it first opened.

[ericthai]

18 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Okay, that's what it means. Although I have done Ban Pakkard at least a dozen times, I have never noticed any 'touts' (special visa service as it is referred to in this thread) at this particular crossing (plenty of them in Poipet). That might be because I always cross by bicycle, and the touts know from experience that cyclists in general don't fall for any border scams, or simply because Ban Pakkard, being a rather quiet border, doesn't attract scamsters. 

Not so sure this law mandating overnight stay really exists:Probably something Cambodian border officials 'invented' as another 'source of income' for this aggressively corrupt bunch (Hadlek/Koh Kong being ten times worse than Pailin in this respect) 

Their is a Khmer law that states you need to stay 24hrs.  Some boarders you can get away with it, other borders it's in full force. 

[thecyclist]

22 minutes ago, ericthai said:

Their is a Khmer law that states you need to stay 24hrs.  Some boarders you can get away with it, other borders it's in full force. 

Have you read the Khmer immigration statutes? On what authority do you make this claim? If it is something you were told by a Cambodian IO, I would be very sceptical. Obviously visas have a maximum period of visit , but to require somebody to stay  a minimum period almost amounts to holding them prisoners. 

[thecyclist]

35 minutes ago, ericthai said:

The travel agent charged me 200B  plus the cost of the visa which if I recall was around 500B. I didn't get the visa prior because of the cost of the visa, but just to save time waiting to do the visa at the boarder. This was back around 2004?? when it first opened.

Around 2004, the cost of the visa was 20 $, probably around 800 Baht at the $/Baht exchange rate at that time. They were charging people 1000 Baht back then, and were pocketing the difference. So I always paid in dollars. 

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Have you read the Khmer immigration statutes? On what authority do you make this claim? If it is something you were told by a Cambodian IO, I would be very sceptical. Obviously visas have a maximum period of visit , but to require somebody to stay  a minimum period almost amounts to holding them prisoners. 

This is a quote from the Wikipedia page on the Visa Policy of Cambodia:

Quote

Day trips (arriving and departing on the same day) are not permitted except when arriving and departing via Phnom Penh International Airport.

They base their information on the IATA database (Timatic). Unfortunately, you need a subscription to check the information yourself directly. However, airlines that are members of IATA will enforce this rule, which can be an issue (for instance) if using Siem Reap airport to transit to another country.

I understand that there is another exception (other than those arriving and departing from Phnom Penh airport). Those with multiple entry business visas for Cambodia are allowed to make day trips.