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Answered4 years ago

What are the current procedures and regulations for border bounces at Ban Laem to Cambodia?

Tod *********
asked May 8, 2022
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TOTALLY OFF TOPIC:

Ban Laem "Border Bounce"

I had the chance to go with a large "visa run/border bounce" company to the Ban Laem border with Cambodia yesterday.

It's about a 4 hour car ride (much longer if it's a mini-van). The border is dead quiet other than produce, freight and local traffic (cambodianz and thaiz).

In fact we were the only three foreigners I saw during the 90 minutes we were there.

I did not need to cross the border, but the Dutch guy that needed to already had his thai pass approved before we went. No issues stamping out, getting into Cambodia, getting the visa on arrival, getting stamped in, getting stamped out and then coming back to the thai side.

On the thai side you take an ATK test (150 baht) and wait for the results before you can stamp back in AND they check your thai pass and proof of insurance.

He got stamped back in on a 30 day visa exempt without any issue. It should be noted this person was NOT here on endless covid extensions. They had previously worked here on a Non-B and then gotten ONE covid extension. They had no issues and were not questioned at the border when stamping in.

NOTE: IF you have many many covid extensions your mileage may vary.

One interesting thing, when we were driving away, the owner of the visa run company got a call from the thai immigrations who said, NO MORE out/in the same day, and that they were enforcing the old rule of you must spend a night in cambodia.

Now whether that is going to be a policy at ALL the border crossings with Cambodia/Thailand or just this one OR if it was just a fluke, no one knows and I think it's gonna take more people hitting the border for a bounce out and back to really know how they're going to do it.

This is an FYI post ONLY

I apologize that it is not thai VISA related :O :/

I didn't post it to get into a pissing match on what the policy is to get in and out of Cambodia by land.

I posted it to let people know that a border bounce is indeed possible at this time with the land borders of Cambodia
Answer summary
This post provides insights into the border bounce process from Thailand to Cambodia at the Ban Laem border. It describes the experience of a traveler who successfully completed a border bounce with minimal issues after receiving a Thai pass and insurance proof. The post mentions the requirement of an ATK test upon returning to Thailand and the potential new rule enforcing an overnight stay in Cambodia for future border bounces, as communicated by Thai immigration. The post serves as both a personal account and a caution regarding changes in border policies.
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Andrew *********
Andrew *********
I am surprised he got 30 days when land borders are 15 days
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Andrew ********
land crossings haven't been 15 days on entry for a number of years now 😮

They changed that rule to TWO 30 day visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year back on Jan 1st 2017. (it was published in the Royal Gazette on Dec 1st 2016 and took effect 30 days later)
Jennifer *********
Jennifer *********
Velly interesting
Eakkawee **********
Eakkawee **********
Curious as to the fees paid in today's market?
Alan ******
Alan ******
@Eakkawee *********
well the Loas borders open on the 9th May, more options.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Alan *****
Yep, there's an article in the Laotian Times about the land borders opening tomorrow with thailand and Lao
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Eakkawee *********
you can be as curious as you want to be. but to get the answer you need to google AND contact a visa run/border bounce company on your own and see if they're running and what they charge.
Andrew *******
Andrew *******
@Tod ********
or he could just tell us🤣
Andrew *******
Andrew *******
@Tod ********
I understand Todd I meant the fella that did the actual bounce. Thank younger tour reply.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Andrew ******
I got no idea, I went in a private car, with the owner of a visa run border bounce company and have no idea what they will eventually charge for the border bounce.
Tara ********
Tara ********
It is definitely Thai visa related! Thanks for your information ...I've been wondering have the border bounces been successful. Now all we need to know is how it goes for the long covid extension users
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Tara *******
i think as more and more people do the bounce out and back we'll start getting feedback.

I'd wager that IF you were bouncing with a visa run company you wouldn't have issues (because they 'grease the wheels' on both sides to get you out and back) 😮 .
Tara ********
Tara ********
@Tod ********
yes I think so too. Luckily I've over a month left on mine so hoping to see a lot more of these kinds of posts
George *******
George *******
Covid test coming back even with TP ??
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@George ******
, that's what I said, the people coming in to thailand take an ATK test for 150 baht at the border and sit and wait for the results.

They have a big covered area where you sit and wait, the second you get the results you can go to the stamp in counters
George *******
George *******
@Tod ********
so coming in by land test is needed. Flying in not required
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@George ******
at the Ban Laem border crossing this is how they do it, NO idea about any other land crossing at all
Ashley ********
Ashley ********
@Tod ********
is this just at land borders? I thought there were no tests upon entry. And why would they demand that from a border bounce? If in the 20 mins or so they were filling in the visa form in Cambodia they wouldn’t be positive in that time . They would have had it from thailand . Is this ATK rule a general land border rule or is it specific to some land borders ? And is this going on at the airports too? I was under the impression that all testing had stopped
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Ashley *******
I'm telling you what they do at the Ban Laem border crossing, dunno about any other crossings, and the information I'm telling you is 100% accurate as of yesterday when I was there
Ryan ********
Ryan ********
@Tod ********
what if the test is positive? Do they decline to stamp you in?
James ********
James ********
@Ryan *******
yep...but not all borders may have same requirements...we watch
Ryan ********
Ryan ********
@James *******
it seems that there is some risk that is difficult to mitigate when doing a “border bounce” then.
James ********
James ********
@Ryan *******
possible mandatory quarantine in Cambodia if test positive at your expense. That is what Cambodia did before when they tested on arrival by air
Ryan ********
Ryan ********
@Tod ********
i imagine it would be an awkward conversation explaining to Cambodian immigration that they wouldn’t let you into Thailand because you have COVID, then asking them to let you back into Cambodia.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Ryan *******
seeing as you're NOT stamped in to thailand yet, just out of cambodia, I guess they'd cancel your cambodia departure stamp and make you go back there.

I honestly don't know.

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