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Should I take a bus to Phnom Penh for a 60-day visa or just fly out and back to Thailand?

Tourist VisaThailand Visa RegulationsVisa ExemptionsVisa ExtensionsTravel from BangkokPhnom Penh Visa ApplicationProof of FundsImmigration Advice
Jul 28, 2018
7 years ago
Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I have a 30 day exemption visa that is about to expire and have already used both my border crossings by land, my question is which is a better and cheaper option, take a bus from bangkok to phnom penh and apply for a 60 day tourist visa, or fly out of the country then fly back in, if i do the second option how long do i need to be out of the country? Can i just get stamped out of Thailand and come right back in?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is contemplating whether to take a bus from Bangkok to Phnom Penh to apply for a 60-day tourist visa or to fly out of Thailand and return. They cannot extend their current 30-day exemption visa as they have exhausted their land border crossings. Comments suggest that while taking the bus is cheaper, applying for a visa on arrival might also be effective, but at the Thai consulate, documentation and proof of funds are required for visa applications.
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Timothy ******
Bro. Just apply for the 60days, I already know you want to stay. If you want to save gotta savage it out on the bus.
7 years ago
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Amornrat **********
a bus trip from Bangkok to Phnom Penh is insane.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
This is what i will do i done have a car. Thanks for the info boys!
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@Col***
 you probably won't be driving across the bridge, unless you drive your own vehicle there. If you are going to Vientiane and get the minibus from Udon airport (200B) to the border, there is then a 20B bus that ferrys you across the bridge to the Laos side. I then usually haggle with a taxi or tuk tuk to get into Vientiane for around 100B, it's around 20km from the border. There is some super cheap local bus option but I was never bothered finding out.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
If it's a private car transfer, it presumably costs 2,000-2,500B sort of range, right? Vs 200B for the direct minibus transfer from Udon airport to the border.
7 years ago
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Steve *******
Colton Bird Yes you can drive. Your need to buy insurance and clear ownership docs with immigration
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Steve ******
 can drive across the border to Laos though I’m pretty sure
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Colton *****
 Yes, you can get the visa and come back by land. I dont know if you can cross the bridge by foot, you cant between Mukdahan/savanakhet, they wont let you walk across
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Ivan ***********
 It's a car. Transfer from Ubon airport. They're at the airport offering the service
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
What are the details- how much does it cost, do you have to wait for it to go etc. This is a minibus? Or private hire? Would be interested to find out, as I didn't find any good information last time I looked into this (other than the bus option).
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Ivan ***********
 transfer from ubon airport
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@Col***
 yes totally, the limit is only on visa exemptions. It doesn't apply if you get a visa, then you can come back by land.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ivan ***********
@Steve ******
 I’ve used both my exemption visas by land border crossings already, am I still able to exit the country by foot at Vientiane, apply for a 60 day tourist visa and come back the next day by land?
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
Savannakhet is perfectly valid as an option, I have been there myself for a week, it's a nice little town and for sure the consulate is going to be quieter than Vientiane but it's not easier or cheaper to get to, it's quite a bit more difficult. (Unless you live right beside that border.)
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
This is in a private car? That's the only way I can imagine that being possible, and you'd be going hard on the gas even then. The bus from Ubon to Mukdahan is quoted at three hours, and that doesn't include getting into town from the airport, waiting for the bus, and then across the border at the end.

There are minibuses from Udon airport that go directly from the arrivals terminal to the border for 200B in 1 hour.
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Ivan ***********
 2 hrs from Ubon to the Thai Consulate in Savanakhet
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
You could but it's substantially further away (Ubon is 170km from the border, Udon is 60km) and much more hassle. Savannakhet also requires a load of documentation now that Vientiane does not.
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Ivan ***********
 Fly to Ubon then transfers to Mukdahan/Savannakhet
7 years ago
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Anthony *************
You can fly to Udon cheaply or catch a bus. Siem Reap is good value.
7 years ago
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Timothy ******
@Colton *****
 1,500 for Laos visa. 1,000 for the Thai visa and next door pick up.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’ve used both my exemption visas by land border crossings already, am I still able to exit the country by foot at Vientiane, apply for a 60 day tourist visa and come back the next day by land?
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
You can get the night train to Nong Khai for Vientiane. Or fly to Udon Thani which is only 1hr from the border by minibus. Flights can be as cheap as 500B and rarely over 1,000. Vientiane is easier than PP from the consulate point of view as well, they don't require bank statements, flights, etc.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Much appreciated
7 years ago
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Steve *******
Colton Bird Yes mate, I meant in general for anyone wanting the closest embassy/consulate, ie North east would be Laos, South, Malaysia etc. Bangkok not too sure, but as Amornrat pointed out PP is a bitch to get to
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Based in bangkok bro
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Colton *****
 Vientiane and Savanakhet in Laos both have Thai Consular services. It depends where you are in Thailand for the closest Thai embassy/consulate.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Does vientiane and svannkhet have Thai embassies? Thats the only reason i went to phnom penh, i thought that was the closest thai embassy.
7 years ago
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Amornrat **********
why not Vientiane or Savannkhet, I think more choices for cheap travel.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yea i know im just broke as fuck lol otherwise id fly everywhere
7 years ago
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Amornrat **********
@Colton *****
 no problem with that, why not fly, it is just one hour. Bus is like 14 hours. The other route is better. Bangkok Trad- Sihanouke to Phnom Penh.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yea i know ive done it like 3 or 4 times
7 years ago
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Colton ******
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Tod *********
Have you already went to the immigration office and gotten a 30 day extension on the current 30 day visa exempt entry stamp you have?

There is no amount of time you have to be out of the country. BUT be prepared to be asked for proof of funds 20K baht (or the equivalent) in CASH when you fly back in and possibly proof of onward travel in 30 days.

At the thai consulate in Phnom Penh you're going to need proof of 1000USD baht in a bank account (cannot be cash) and proof of onward travel in 60 days. Plus the thai consulate in Phnom Penh takes 3 days to issue visas. Even agents who push paper there can't break that timeline.

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7 years ago
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Nitzan *****
No. AFAIK it must be within 30 days.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ok that seems easy enough. Can I buy the second exit flight for 60 days after entering the country again and explain that i will extend it 30 more days at immigration in chaengwattana or does it have to be 30 days then can try and cancel and extend a month?
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Colton *****
 if all you're doing is flying in turning around and flying back, you might have to buy one way tickets there and then back again because most airlines won't let you book round trip tickets with super tight time points.

You don't even really need to stamp in and out of Malaysia either, you just stay in the transit area, keep your boarding passes to show you immigrations when you return and they'll stamp you back into thailand .
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Ok thanks! Any other info or recommendations please let me know!
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Colton *****
 a lot of people use Kuala Lumpur Malaysia because most foreigners don't need a visa to get into Malaysia.
7 years ago
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Colton ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes i have extended it already, and have done this visa run to Phnom Penh before. Any recommendations for the cheapest country to fly to?
7 years ago
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Colton ******
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