Aranya
Prathet (Thailand) - Poipet (Cambodia) Border
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Thai Immigration building - on the
Aranyaprathet side of the border. There were several lines for Thai
citizens and one line for foreigners, most of the people in line were
Thais going to the Casinos on the other side of the border so the
foreigners line moved pretty quickly. The Thai Immigration officers on
duty that day were not the friendly variety. A Thai girl was in the
foreigner line with a foreign boyfriend and when she got to the desk
the officer yelled at her in a loud and unpleasant manner, when she got
out her phone to call someone he really blew his stack and yelled that
he was not her servant and she should show him some respect and to put
away the phone and get to the back of the Thai line. When it was my
turn I was warned by the officer not to try and come back into Thailand
without an onward airline ticket.
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No Mans Land - this is the area
between the two countries, I have usually been approached by a lot of
beggars here but this time I was not bothered at all.
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Cambodian Immigration - this is Khun
Rung of the Rungsang Travel Visa Run Company. He approached me in line
at the Thai Immigration when he heard me speaking Thai with some of the
other people in line, I turned down his offer of help but he was very
insistent and kept offering to help me. At the Cambodian Immigration he
showed up again and insisted on having one of his employees fill out my
Cambodian Visa form, it still only cost me 1,000 Baht (which I would
have had to pay anyway) so I let him do it. He kept insisting he was
only helping me as a friend, I promised to promote his services here on
the website. His normal business is picking people up in Soi Asoke off
Sukhumvit in Bangkok, for the Bangkok to Aranyaprathet Visa Run. His
phone number in Bangkok is 086 032 4484 or contact him through his
website at www.rungsangtravel.com
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Cambodia Border Gate - this is the
entrance to the Kingdom of Cambodia, the buildings in the backround are
casinos.
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Poipet Casinos - I'll find the name
later but the building on the left is the biggest casino in Poipet.
Khun Rung offered to take me to breakfast here (for free) but since I
had my camera out they insisted on checking it in at the casino
entrance. I can't do that so I missed out on the free breakfast.
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Poipet to Siem Reap taxi -
Khun Rung finally wore me down and arranged this taxi to Siem Reap for
me for a very low price of 1,300 Baht, which depending on the
exchange rate is about US$ 35. He told everyone I was his friend and it
may have genuinely been a travel industry price, but try for it. I know
people who have paid up to US$ 60 for the trip.
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