Got scammed, awful experience doing a visa run yesterday.

[benj005]

First, a big thanks to Paz, Maestro, and Ubonjoe. You guys were very helpful. Thanks for your time and assistance. It's appreciated.

My Story.

I'm in Thailand on a double entry visa. I was here for 3 months already, and I needed to do a visa run into the Cambodian border. This run would start my 2nd entry. Actually, I was supposed to fly home to America last week but my girlfriend pleaded with me to stay longer. I am not a habitual visa runner. This was my first attempt.

We left at 4am. Do all Thais drive nutty? We took a double decker bus to Cambodia. The bus driver was weaving in and out of traffic. He was crossing over the double line to pass other cars. I wanted to drag the driver out and yell at him. When we stopped at a 7-11 for refreshments I glanced at the drivers window. He had placed a large piece of electrical tape on a very large crack. The bus driver looked very unsavory. The tires were deflated. The inside of the bus was nasty. There were no seatbelts! I thought I was going to die. I told my girlfriend and she told me that I worry too much.

We made it to the Cambodian border. I must have looked easy because once we got off the bus we were greated by a guy holding a badge. He told me that he was going to take care of my visa issues. He knew exactly why we were there. I thought great. He didn't tell me the price yet. I should have taken it as a red flag. He was smooth, spoke excellent English, and was a very nice guy. More red flags. Anyway, I gave him my visa when we got to this white building. It looked legit. I looked again and it was a tourist building! I was like sh*t! He told me that price was 1,200 bht. I told him "wait a minute! It should only cost about bht 700 for the Cambodian pass." I knew right away I was paying too much, but he had my visa. I just sucked it up and went along. He was doing all the paper work, so I just told myself that. Anyway, it got completed and he took me to immigration and told me that he was going to wait for me on the other side. I was thinking why. < text removed at OP's request>

He wanted a nice tip because he had helped me! Augghhhh!!! I gave him bht 200, and told him I don't like to get ripped off! I quickly left and made my way to immigration. I was in line and I noticed 3 men and a woman immigration officer. I kept repeating to myself please don't give me the woman. Pleeeeaaaassee!!! Well I got the lady officer. I knew it was going to be trouble. She asked me why I was staying so long in Thailand. Why I needed another 2 months. Questions were: What have I seen in Thailand. Tell me one Thai food I had. Am I really a tourist. Blah, blah, blah... This went on for 5 minutes. She finally relented and gave me the 2 month visa extension. I got out of immigration, and I was attempting to locate my girlfriend. The guy who I dealt with earlier was no where to be found, but his buddy was there. He wanted a tip because he told me that he helped me. I told him to get lost. He got pissed and left. I found my girlfriend and we had lunch.

I wanted to take a van back to Bangkok. I didn't want to take the bus. At least the white van had seat belts. Wrong move! The driver must have thought he was Mario Andretti. He was zooming in and out of traffic. We were passing cars at such a fast clip. Not a good ride. On top of that we stopped for gas and we waited almost an hour because the line was so long. Also, this little 4 year old brat in the front decided that he was hungry and chomped on my finger. Ha. A perfect ending to a crappy day.

I just wanted to post this so other people know what to expect when they need to do a visa run on the Cambodian border. Do your homework before you go. Bring someone with you who knows the ropes. Trust no one. Also, get nasty if you need to. These people prey on nice people. Sadly, being nice is a weakness. I must have over spent by $50 usd.

Edited September 17, 2014 by ubonjoe
removed text at OP's request

[bertty]

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

[Bountyhuntr]

Thanks for the information, for your first trip you should of went with a visa run company.

Edited September 17, 2014 by liamstevens111

[benj005]

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

How much was the visa run service?

[benj005]

Thanks for the information, for your first trip you should of went with a visa run company.

Well I took my Thai girlfriend with me. I thought she could help me avoid any issues that I might come across.

She just told me "I think too much." lol.

Edited September 17, 2014 by benj005

[bertty]

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

How much was the visa run service?

2500 all in. So I spent nothing other than buying an ice cream waiting for the agent to do the paper work... Mine was a V.I.P. bus with just 6 seats.

I have seen 1900 baht services also.

[lostinisaan]

I must have over spent by $50 usd......

Edited September 17, 2014 by lostinisaan

[tookwan cottage]

None of this has ever happened to me and I have never used a visa service. The large casino buses from Lumpini Park have always been courteous, and I always disregard the people who say they will help me at the border, and they have never gotten upset with me.

It really isn't all that difficult you know?

[alocacoc]

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

How much was the visa run service?

2500 all in. So I spent nothing other than buying an ice cream waiting for the agent to do the paper work... Mine was a V.I.P. bus with just 6 seats.

I have seen 1900 baht services also.

Yes, i agree with that. Probably it includes also a free breakfast.

[tookwan cottage]

Visa run services might be best now, but without one, you can get away with just over 1,000 baht, and the waiting depends on how busy it is. I was always back in BKK by 8pm on the same day.

[lovelaos]

Thanks for the information, for your first trip you should of went with a visa run company.

Well I took my Thai girlfriend with me. I thought she could help me avoid any issues that I might come across.

She just told me "I think too much." lol.

Time to get a new girlfriend then

[Jdiddy]

All that just to activate the 2nd part of your tourist visa?

hardcore

[bertty]

Glad I used a normal visa run service rather than going it alone.

And yes Thai bus/van drivers can not drive, they tend to floor it and hope for the best. The garlands keep them safe. But if they do die they come back for another life, we as farrang, just die.

How much was the visa run service?

2500 all in. So I spent nothing other than buying an ice cream waiting for the agent to do the paper work... Mine was a V.I.P. bus with just 6 seats.

I have seen 1900 baht services also.

Yes, i agree with that. Probably it includes also a free breakfast.

Free brekky and dinner and a decent driver.

[benj005]

I must have over spent by $50 usd......

My mistake.

With all the bull that took place I overspent by about $30.

[mca]

Is that it OP? After all that I was expecting you'd end your tale with fighting off hordes of zombies a la World War Z as the van driver ( who bore more than a striking resemblance to Pumpkinhead) did a juggling act with a few phials of anthrax before screaming " Made it ma! Top of the world!" and steering into the nearest klong.

Edited September 17, 2014 by mca

[benj005]

Has anyone gone at with corrupt Thai police at immigration?

What were my choices? I didn't want to give in to their demands. Could I have just walked away? Would they have declined my visa? Would they have thrown in the joint?

[meand]

This actually applies anywhere in the world, and not hard to remember. If anybody approaches you, tell them to buzz off.

[benj005]

Is that it OP? After all that I was expecting you'd end your tale with fighting off hordes of zombies a la World War Z as the van driver ( who bore more than a striking resemblance to Pumpkinhead) did a juggling act with a few phials of anthrax before screaming " Made it ma! Top of the world!" and steering into the nearest klong.

I had a chubby Thai kid bite my finger.

Maybe he was part of the undead.

[benj005]

This actually applies anywhere in the world, and not hard to remember. If anybody approaches you, tell them to buzz off.

Yep. You really have to be assertive. Sometimes even a jerk.

[inbangkok]

Thanks for the information, for your first trip you should of went with a visa run company.

Well I took my Thai girlfriend with me. I thought she could help me avoid any issues that I might come across.

She just told me "I think too much." lol.

This was truly your biggest mistake. The proper response to your girlfriend is, "No sweetheart....you think too little".

Take it all as a lesson learned. The Poipet border is notorious for this kind of stuff. All in all, no huge deal in my opinion. However, your GF really should have been of more help to you in this situation in my opinion especially if she is going to scold you for "thinking too much". Like I said.....lesson learned.

[mjnaus]

Next time, instead of going at it at some shit hole border town, just get on a plane to Singapore/Hong Kong, spend the weekend and fly back....

[Digitalnomade]

Take a plane to udon, spend 2 or 3 nights there to relax, and go to the bridge for your visa run. (take 3 hours)

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Yep, the "border helpers" at the Cambodian/Thai borders are an absolute nightmare.

I had exactly the same problem when I went with a Thai gf, I always wondered if my gf was part of the problem?

(This was on my first trip to Thailand as a US citizen)

They look like Thai officials, but they aren't and cause a lot of problems.

Edited September 17, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Gsxrnz]

OP - your main mistakes, in no particular order were:

1. Letting your GF do the typical cruise mode thinking (which means NOT thinking). She should have been your saviour - take that as a hint. If she cares that less, or thinks that little.....I'd be worried. Hopefully she's not taking commission on your condo/hotel/market purchases.

2. You used public transport in Thailand. Public transport consists of Suicide Motorbike Taxis, Suicide Car Taxis, Kamikaze Vans, Kamikaze Busses, and Death Trains. You should have hired a car and driven yourself - your safety is then in your hands, and not the hands of a cretin that's high and drunk, can't drive to save himself, and actually DOES aspire to be an F1 driver.

3. If approached by anybody who offers to help you, pretend not to speak English and walk away. That way, you avoid getting scammed and have a chance to figure things out yourself. Also, you won't wake up in the morning with a headache and a phrophylactic hanging out of your rectum.

4. Do your research. This applies to everything in Thailand. Even something simple like going to the toilet has specific differences to western countries. That can apply to knowing how to use a bum gun without spraying your shirt, or how to politely get the plonker in the gogo bars from giving you a massage while standing at the urinal - which tends to affect your aim, thus you end up pissing on your shoes. Before doing anything official, research, research, research!!

We look forward to your future exploits of getting a drivers licence, buying 100 rai up north and building a lean-to that costs three million baht.

(p.s. all tongue in cheek, but take the core messages as gospel - Cheers )

Edited September 17, 2014 by Gsxrnz

[Jinjo14]

Went twice to chong chom border. Cambodian visa was 1100 first time 1200 second. When they give you the visa , you cross the street pay 300 to get stamped out and walk again in Thailand. Thai border security never charged me 1฿

[jamhar]

Gotta think of it as an adventure.

and for 30 bucks you got a good gimps of how things are outside the US.

PS, don't get worked up over $30. Its not worth it.

i spend more on beer on a good night!

But I know what you mean. its the frustration that's hard to take.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

OP - your main mistakes, in no particular order were:

1. Letting your GF do the typical cruise mode thinking (which means NOT thinking). She should have been your saviour - take that as a hint. If she cares that less, or thinks that little.....I'd be worried. Hopefully she's not taking commission on your condo/hotel/market purchases.

Totally agree, gfs aren't very helpful, when you would expect them to be helpful.

Either a commission, of she didn't give a dam_n.

Taught me a valuable lesson,

Thai gfs only ever ADD to your expenses.

Edited September 17, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[benj005]

Gotta think of it as an adventure.

and for 30 bucks you got a good gimps of how things are outside the US.

PS, don't get worked up over $30. Its not worth it.

i spend more on beer on a good night!

But I know what you mean. its the frustration that's hard to take.

True. It's more of the frustration than anything.

$30 is not that big of a deal.

[thhMan]

OP - your main mistakes, in no particular order were:

1. Letting your GF do the typical cruise mode thinking (which means NOT thinking). She should have been your saviour - take that as a hint. If she cares that less, or thinks that little.....I'd be worried. Hopefully she's not taking commission on your condo/hotel/market purchases.

2. You used public transport in Thailand. Public transport consists of Suicide Motorbike Taxis, Suicide Car Taxis, Kamikaze Vans, Kamikaze Busses, and Death Trains. You should have hired a car and driven yourself - your safety is then in your hands, and not the hands of a cretin that's high and drunk, can't drive to save himself, and actually DOES aspire to be an F1 driver.

3. If approached by anybody who offers to help you, pretend not to speak English and walk away. That way, you avoid getting scammed and have a chance to figure things out yourself. Also, you won't wake up in the morning with a headache and a phrophylactic hanging out of your rectum.

4. Do your research. This applies to everything in Thailand. Even something simple like going to the toilet has specific differences to western countries. That can apply to knowing how to use a bum gun without spraying your shirt, or how to politely get the plonker in the gogo bars from giving you a massage while standing at the urinal - which tends to affect your aim, thus you end up pissing on your shoes. Before doing anything official, research, research, research!!

We look forward to your future exploits of getting a drivers licence, buying 100 rai up north and building a lean-to that costs three million baht.

(p.s. all tongue in cheek, but take the core messages as gospel - Cheers )

Seriously... It must be knucklehead posting week....

Point number 2 is just ludicrous... Show some respect... granted there are a few dingleberries driving, but you make it sound suicidal!

[lostinisaan]

I got out of immigration, and I was attempting to locate my girlfriend

While she's talking to the guy how much her cut was.......