Jan
11
A Trip to Cambodia
January 11, 2008 |
Well, my visa extension was about to expire. So that meant a little trip to the border with Cambodia on a so called “Visa Run”. We had talked about two options. Going via Buriram, or Surin. In Surin we could easily take a Taxi the last 45 minute ride down to the border.
This seems like the best idea. Given that my pass port had a somewhat rough meeting with Nan’s washing machine, and the visa extension stamp is unreadable. So if we encountered problems at the border, we could just go to the Immigration office and have that sorted. or even better, stop along the way and have it fixed.
But that was not to be. We had also talked about going via Buriram. And with Nan taking the lead, and unknown to me, that is where the bus we boarded was heading for. And me, well, I fell asleep in the bus. And did not wake up until we where in Buriram!
So after a bit of discussing it back and forth, we got a Taxi to the border from Buriram. And arrived there one sleepy hour later…having driven straight past the immigration office…
Well, well…by now I just wanted to get it over with. So we headed for the passport control. Luckily for me the young dude in the box was in a good mood. And had a hearty laugh at Nan’s tale of the very clean pass port. But he could not make out the stamp, and disappeared into the office of some higher ranking officer. After about 5 minutes he comes out and motions us inside. Where a stern looking dude is asking us a lot of questions. Like what do I do in Thailand?, what my job is? etc.
He also tells Nan that he does not believe that I have a 60 day extension. And reckons that I have overstayed my visa by 28 days. Now this is serious. I could end up in prison, deported from Thailand and never be able to come back!
But all of this is going on in Thai. Nan is trying to get him to check his computer. My record should surely be there. But he tells us that he has no way of checking! His computer is not connected with the immigration offices computers!
Luckily for us, the young officer who got a good laugh at Nan’s story comes to the rescue. He has called immigration in Korat, and they confirmed that my story of a 60 day extension, not the regular 30 days is true! I am given my passport back, and the exit stamps. I am free to cross the border into Cambodia…but not without warning me that I should get a new pass port. The way it is now, it is okay at the land border. But I will not be able to go from any airport with it.
So we walk across the plaza to the Cambodian side. I pay for and obtain a Cambodian Visa. Then it’s across the road to stamp into Cambodia. At the same time we also stamp OUT of Cambodia. We walked hand in hand to the other side of the gate, and back…we were in Cambodia for all of 5 seconds!
Then it was back trough immigration on the Thai side again. The guys where busy eating their lunch. So they did not even look trough my pass port. Just found an empty space, stamped it, and informed me I had 30 days. And that was it, we could return home.
As we passed trough Buriram, we went to the same place I got my desktop computer a month ago, and got Nan an Acer Laptop. So she should be online soon, with her own computer….once she has figured out how to switch it on…
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Comments
7 Comments so far
Hey Rune why haven’t you got a 1 year marriage Visa. You ahve all the paperwork and only need 400,000 baht in the bank to show to get it.
You have registered the marriage properly so you should apply for the 1 year visa and make things a lot easier for you.
It is very easy to obtain if you have the correct paperwork.
I am glad the Thai border officers were nice to you and things worked out well for you.
Nowadays the requirement is 40 000 baht income from either of the spouses. Those still on 400K in the bank are grandfathered in. And I can not document that. And we were not officially married yet when I arrived in Thailand.
Also you are supposed to apply for the initial visa from your home country, but I heard they still give it in Vientiane…I have not been in Norway fro almost two years. That is why.
Cambodia is on my next destinations list! I’m just waiting for the government to repair the road to Ankor Wat!
I hope for that you can get it all worked out in the future to make things a lot easier for yourself and not having to do border runs all the time.
A friend has his bank back in the UK release just over the 40,000 baht mark every month and is on his 1 year visa.
The visa laws here in Thailand really are idiotic, well that’s what I believe.
They want 40,000 baht income? Hell fire Im only going to be making 30,000 +
comission ……HMmmmm Well I aint married either LOL. I am waiting to see how the work permit and visa stuff works out.
Well, you will soon be married off. farangs don’t have a chance in this country!
And regarding the 40K issue. I think it can be combined income. So if your wife can make up the rest. Then you’re all set. But I guess you will be here on a Non-immgigrant B visa with a work permit attached. So you are all in the clear anyway.
I dont know about the marrage thing, theres too many in pattaya to be married,LOL,LOL,LOL
I am still with Rapee, the girl you met.Im just trying to train her…my way, LOL,LOL,LOL,or maybe she is training me, using reverse psychology.HMmmm betta watch myself.