Osmach Thai/Cambodian border 25/03/2016

[Ride4smiles]

I just took my CRF 250 motorcycle over the Osmach border from Thailand into Cambodia 25/03/2016 this is how it went down.

I rode straight up to the immigration window past all the helpers and parked right near the border line opposite the immigration box at the gate. The last guy walked me back into the office moving a few barriers along the way. Walked up to the window got my exit stamp out of Thailand then walked across in to Cambodia. The immigration office is the building maybe a hundred metres across the way, they will show you if you aren't sure. There I did the application of the Cambo visa paid and stamped into Cambodia all done probably about 15 to 20 minutes all up both sides.

Then walked back towards my bike that was still in Thailand the Cambodian immigration guys at the booth asked where I was going and I just pointed and said just to get my bike, they just said Ok I said thank you and went and jumped on which was parked right at the borderline.

At this point I had one of the young helpers come over and mentioned Thai customs and I just said no problems thanks but just jumped on the bike and rode straight into Cambodia.

I waved at the Cambo immigration guys and headed off into Cambodia without even doing my export papers. The way I figure it if I get them I'm only allowed 30 days out of Thailand and have to pay a fine of a 1000 a day capped at 10 000 baht fine so if I go to Vietnam if possible I'll be having to pay a fine if I have the export/import papers. I had crossed back into Thailand from Laos once a few months ago and no one would of known I was on a bike if I hadn't had to search around looking for someone to take my re entry papers so I'm hoping it will be a similar case where ever I come back in eventually.

When I rode off into Cambodia the customs guys were at the bottom of the hill about 500 metres away from the border post, I just got on the side of some trucks and when he shouted at me I just kept going, as if I could hear him from sitting at his table with my helmet and a truck next to me :-)

So for me the border crossing was a breeze 20 minutes both sides max and I'm now in Siam Reap to worry about exiting Cambodia and re entering Thailand another day

I know there is no set rules on this it is all hit and miss but just thought I'd post my experience and how it went for me.

 

[blackwolf]

So you avoided doing the Thai export paperwork. Hmm. I think you'll be in quite some trouble when you return, all to avoid a possible small fine because you intend to spend more time outside of Thailand with your bike than 30 days?

Sorry, but I think you are doing us all a disservice and if caught, the end result could be stricter enforcement on the requirements to take a vehicle out.

 

[Ride4smiles]

So your telling me only being able to take a bike out for 30 days isn't strict enough, a 400 AUD fine for staying out over 10 days is pretty strict in my world and certainly not a small fine, must be good to be rich.

When I crossed at the Thai/Vientenne border no one would of known if I was driving a tank let alone riding a motorcycle unless I went to find someone to take my paper in the crush of people crossing.

At the very worse they give me a hard time someone may just get a cheap bike I'll be finished with it when I come back to Thailand so all good there, time will tell what the outcome will be.

As for your comment about making it harder for everyone else hahahahahaha yeah right it'll be all my fault border crossings in South East Asia are troublesome for everyone.

Lmao that really is funny.

 

[KTMphil]

I was with a Cambodian travel company today, who said the Osmach border crossing might now be difficult/ closed (this needs checking of course). She said the [h=4][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng [/FONT]international border crossing with Thailand, 40 km to the east is a better option now.[/h]

This still has to be confirmed so be careful.


anlong veng by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[blackwolf]

I think what you are trying to say is that O'smach might become difficult or closed for vehicles, not for pedestrians. Thailand and Cambodia are, after all planning on opening new border crossings and I have never heard of a border crossing shutting down for any reason other than say a land dispute, conflict or poor diplomatic relations. None of these seem to apply at the O'smach crossing and Thai/Cambodian relations are better than in years.

I too have heard that the Anlong Veng crossing now appears to be a viable option for crossing by vehicle, previously this was actually not the case.

Thanks for the update though - would be interested in hearing from someone who has attempted or successfully crossed there recently.

 

[Ride4smiles]

Bit late but I crossed back into Thailand at the Poipet border a few days after Songkram so it was really really busy. I rode straight up to the Cambodian side where they were pointing me back to immigration so asked them if I could park the bike there and walk back and they were cool with that. I had been riding for awhile and needed a drink so just walked over to the shops first to grab a drink buying a few spares for the guys at the gate, walking back over I just plonked them on the table and said thank you. The guard saw us walking back down the road and called us back and proceeded to pull the metal fence apart so we could walk straight through to immigration instead of walking all the way back around. As he walked us over to the fence he said I can stamp you here for 5 dollars, my girl Ev being a tight ass said no we will line up so we walked in to be confronted by hundreds of people all the windows were back to the wall and it was 40+ Celsius. Straight away I said lets go haggle with old mate, I know I can hear it from here you shouldn't do that but after haggling with him for a minute it ended up costing us 3 dollars each to be stamped out of Cambodia saving us atleast an hour or so in the lines. They were really friendly shook hands and the bike wasn't even a problem for them and off to Thailand we went.
Rode through no mans land staying to the left there is a bike lane as you head up past the immigration. Here the guy asked for the papers for my bike to which I played dumb said what papers when I crossed at Osmach border guard just shake my hand and said safe travels. He went and talked to his boss in the booth a minute later he is off to get the paperwork i would of had to fill out at the Osmach border charging me the 200 baht or whatever it was to fill them out. They do my immigration right there at the window and within 10 minutes he says im right to go. Unfortunately they wouldn't let Ev my pillion use this immigration she had to go and line up upstairs which in the end sucked for her and everyone else that had to do it. The air conditioning was not working and the line was huge going back out the door. I sat there in front of one of the big fans watching for awhile my passport stamped waiting waiting waiting to see someone die in the heat but alas no luck. I talk to one of the immigration guys and said my girlfriend is pregnant and needs water, shes not, I hope :-) where can I buy water so he took me down pointed down the road back across the bridge into no mans land. He must of seen I wasn't impressed :-) a few seconds after I started walking off he shouted to me and grabbed his scooter and off we went.

I bought half a dozen bottles of water I knew there would be some desperate people up there by the time I got back and sure enough when I did there was a few oldies begging me for one of them which I gladly handed over.

So in the end Ev probably took and hour and a half in a sauna but was stamped and ready to join me.

We walked back down to the bike jumped on and headed into Thailand. Just when I thought I was home and hosed theres the last customs checkpoint and sure enough they pull me over and ask for my re-entry paper to Thailand. They didn't speak to much English but enough to get my story across of what had just gone down. They showed me the paper they wanted, it just so happened I had the one with me from when I crossed back in from Laos where I didn't hand it in and nobody asked me for it. He looked at it saying yes yes thats it but then looked at the dates saying you need to pay fine. I was in Laos months ago and explained by showing him my passport of exits emtries in and out of Thailand and this was a prior one no one took this time I didn't have it, confused yet he was, he had a discussion with the four others there all checking on the dates in my passport and then just comes back says Ok Ok no problems. I shook his hand and we are off into Thailand.
In the washup without Ev having to go upstairs into the crowd I would of been through in 30 minutes 2 days after Songkram and it cost me two hand shakes, 2 bottles of Sprite a few bottles of water for the oldies and a lot of smiles.
Why I did it that way I had thought about going into Vietnam.and if I did we would of come back via Laos which would of meant the bike was out of Thailand for more than the allowable month so was going to dodge it by going through Vientienne crossing which when I went through had nothing in place for the bike stuff.

 

[phuketrichard]

Just crossed at Osmach today with my thai car, got the export papers, paid $30 for Cambodian visa and was waved on.
no different from the half dozen other times i have entered there.

 

[KTMphil]

Just crossed at Osmach today with my thai car, got the export papers, paid $30 for Cambodian visa and was waved on.
no different from the half dozen other times i have entered there.

Good info, in confusing times, thank you.

 

[KTMphil]

Osmach - Thai/ Cambodia international border crossing s still good.

Thai exit, with the casino's in no-mans-land, Thai immigration was busy. After your passport is stamped out, they send you to a different counter to process vehicle related paperwork regarding immigration, they filled out the TM forms for you.

If Thai immigration is busy, take a hat or umbrella as you'll be in line in the sun

Cambodia entry was very quick and efficient, USD$ 32 for Cambodian immigration visa. Cambodian customs wasn't mentioned or needing a visit.



Thai Customs at the Osmach international border were friendly and easy going. Looks like they dont get many foreigners in vehicles crossing there.


Os by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Will try test the Analong Veng border to see if it is International.

 

[Harrythefinn]

The Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng crossing used to not have visa on arrival into Cambodia. Has this changed ?

Tha last time I went through there ( Cambodia to Thailand ) the Thai immigration seemed to be in temporary porta cabins and the crossing point itself was
nowhere near organised or built up like Osmach.

 

[KTMphil]

The Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng crossing used to not have visa on arrival into Cambodia. Has this changed ?

Tha last time I went through there ( Cambodia to Thailand ) the Thai immigration seemed to be in temporary porta cabins and the crossing point itself was
nowhere near organised or built up like Osmach.

I wanted to try it from Thailand to Cambo but didnt have enough time if it wasn't possible. When I head back that way Ill ask id its possible from Thailand to Cambo.

 

[Captain_Slash]

I crossed over there about 10 years ago and rode to Anlong Veng when I did a visa run. Have a new passport now so cant check if I got a full Cambodian visa on arrival or not though but they happily let me ride into Cambodia

 

[blackwolf]

I wanted to try it from Thailand to Cambo but didnt have enough time if it wasn't possible. When I head back that way Ill ask id its possible from Thailand to Cambo.

As captain slash states, it's definitely international and has been for years. Friends of friends have crossed there. However, what we don't know for sure is if vehicles can cross. Reports on Thaivisa and here from a couple of years ago suggest no, more recent reports that I have heard from this year say yes (with conditions). Only way to know for sure is to go there and ask. Looking forward to reading your report.

 

[KTMphil]

Crossed from Cambodia into Thailand at the Anlong Veng international border crossing. A very relaxed crossing and quiet.

It was confirmed that you cannot cross from Thailand into Cambodia at Anlong Veng with a foreign/ Thai vehicle (only the other way). The Thai officials said they don't have a problem, the Cambodian officials refuse foreign vehicle entry there.

It's probably due to the border crossing being so close to the Preah Vihear Temple, which is a highly sensitive issue with both sides. Not sure if Thai passport holders are yet allowed to visit the Temple still.


On the Cambodia side of the border crossing looking north towards Thailand







Thailand (Chong-Sa Ngam) Immigration & Customs







From Thai immigration, looking back at Anlong Veng, Cambodia immigration.







Looking into Thailand at the border crossing, the final Thai Army checkpoint then you're in Thailand

The Chong Sa Ngam / Anlong Veng crossing used to not have visa on arrival into Cambodia. Has this changed ?

Tha last time I went through there ( Cambodia to Thailand ) the Thai immigration seemed to be in temporary porta cabins and the crossing point itself was
nowhere near organised or built up like Osmach.