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AlterEgo
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I recently travelled from Pattaya to Cambodia using the Southern Route that is used for Visa Runs. I was able to obtain transport to Trat for 400 B aboard a mini bus. The minibus met me outside of my hotel LEK at 7:00 a.m. There were 8 people in the bus, which has a seating capacity in the back of 9. I think someone who was scheduled did not show up. It is my experience that the transport folks want to maximize their seating capacity. So, we were off to the city of Trat. For some reason, no transport service goes all of the way to the border with Cambodia this direction. I guess you can hire a private car to do so. The trip was pretty uneventful, though always longer than you want it to be. I believe it was about 4 hours. We rolled into the town of Trat in a rainstorm. It appeared to be a dingy town, but fairly large. At the stop of the minibus, everyone got out, and a Thai man outside of the minibus asked who was going to Cambodia...."Cambodia???" he asked. And most of us were going to Cambodia, so we all went in the direction that he indicated. I had been informed in my previous reading, and by the tour agency that sold me the ticket to Trat, that the bus to Had Lek (Thai side of the border) would be 100 B. And it was 100B. No nonsense about that. After about an hour wait, again, to maximize seat space, we were off in another minibus to Had Lek. Again, a pretty uneventful trip, with some glimpses of the Gulf of Thailand. Apparently this is where a narrowing strip of Thailand merges into Cambodia, with Had Lek being kinda on the very tip end of Thailand. At Had Lek, we were let out of the minibus, and then started the proceedure to check out of Thailand. This was easy. There were several young men on moto's outside of the Thailand check point, who asked if I wanted a ride to Koh Kong. I selected the most intelligent looking guy, and asked him how much. He told me and we settled on $1 USD, and I had to pay the bridge toll of I believe 51Baht. Anyway, he walked me through all the check in and out points. I had to fill out SARS paperwork prior to getting to the Visa area. The Visa area was a very small room with a quiet man in uniform filling out papers, and a not so quiet lady who told me that it was going to be 1200 B for the visa. I had previously read that they want to overcharge by demanding baht... and the visa was $20 USD. 1200 B is about $29 USD. I told the lady that I did not have any baht, and that I only had a $20 USD on me. She gave me a dirty look and walked away. I laid the $20 USD on the table next to the quiet uniformed guy, and he filled out all of the paperwork, and gave me my visa, and I grabbed my passport and other belongings, and left the visa room. Note that I had to ensure that I carried the SARS paperwork with me the entire time I was in Cambodia. I guess at this point, those on a VISA run, would just turn around and go back to the Thailand check point, and return to Thailand. But, I was going to Cambodia. I got on the moto, and we proceeded to Koh Kong. They have just recently built a bridge across a river which is just west of the border, and you have to cross it to get to Koh Kong, and the rest of Cambodia. There is a fare of I believe 51B to cross it. (My memory on this amount is poor). Again, as usual, the Cambodians want to keep you for as long as possible so that they can get the maximum amount of money out of you as possible. I enquired about transport to Phnom Pehn, and was told by the moto driver that there was no scheduled bus, but mini busses did go to either Phnom Pehn or to Sihanokville from Koh Kong at 7:00 every morning. So the moto driver suggested a guest house, and not knowing anything about guest houses, I told him to take me to one, and that if I didn't like it, he would take me to another. I know he gets a kickback from the hotel. So, we go to the hotel, and they want $12 for the night, and I negotiate it to $9. The room is A/C with TV, only about 4 channels in English, with poor reception on 2 of them. The shower felt good. Later in the evening, the moto driver knocks on my door, and offers services among which is the ticket for the minibus the next day. Turns out that I overpaid for the minibus ticket when I paid 600 B. The minibus picked me up at 7:00 a.m. and took me by a very hilly and potholed road, with 3 ferrys to the intersection of the road to Phnom Pehn, and Sihanokville. There was 4 of us on this 1st minibus. All foriegners.... Myself from USA, a man from Zimbabwe, a man from England, and a lady from Toronto Canada. I then changed minibuses, and I was the only foriegner on the bus. This 12 passenger minibus had at one point 20 people in it. I was glad everyone was in friendly spirits. After many miles on this very nice road, with continual stops to pick up, and drop off passengers, we arrived at the Phnom Pehn bus terminal in the center of town. I asked if they could drop me off at the California 2 hotel, and was informed that they had received only 1000 riel (25 cents USD) to transport me. And they could not drop me anywhere but the bus terminal. There is more to this story, but it is too long already. Send me a message if you want more detail.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:19 pm on June 19, 2003
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bartender100
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Thanks for an informative report,I'am due to go the same route in a couple of days and its was very helpful.
I am planning on staying in Koh Kong for a day to go to the casino, then get the speed boat to Shinaokville.
Did you find the use of Thai Baht ok or did you take US?what was the BvR rate?
Thanks
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 8:44 am on June 24, 2003
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AlterEgo
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Make sure that you have both Baht and dollars Pay 20 USD for visa (tell them you do not have Baht). Pay Baht for transportation by moto over the bridge. In Cambodia, mostly USD are used. But in Koh Kong, either Baht or dollars are used. Have your calculator with you, and pay in which ever the best rate is for you.
Did not do the speedboat to SVille. So cannot tell you about that. I have stayed in SVille, and recommend that you read about SVille Reports elsewhere on this forum.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:49 am on June 24, 2003
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AlterEgo
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JUST REVIEWED my emails... and I had been sent this info. Do not know how reliable....
Koh Kong to/from Sihanoukville by ferry:
From Koh Kong: There is a speedboat from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville departs at 8:00am every morning (3 1/2 - 4 hours, US$15 for foreigners, 40,000 riel for Cambodians).
To Koh Kong: The speedboat from Sihanoukville to Koh Kong departs at 12:00noon everyday. The ferry dock is near the Port of Sihanoukville, just off Hun Sen Beach Dr. about 700m from Phe Rd. Tell your motodup driver ‘Koh Kong’.
When ferrying from Sihanoukville to Koh Kong, the boat makes three stops. Get off at the second stop (Rak Long). The ferry arrives in Koh Kong at 4:00PM and the border closes at 5PM so do not dawdle.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 8:59 am on June 24, 2003
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thaiprivateeye
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Probably easier/cheaper to go to Aranyaprahthet/Poipet Takes about 3 hours in a car from either Pattaya or bangkok, maybe 4 hours in a bus, they depart regularly from the main bus station from around 5am ... price 150 bt. YES< in and around the boarder, cambodians will try to rip you off, charge you for filling out the visa forms etc, just do it all yourself, straightforward, signs say $US20 - but they ask for at least 1000bt, also another 100bt to get the entry permit stamped, and the exit guy will also try for something, just grab your passport back and say you pay already ! Plenty of posts elsewhere, but from Poipet to Bus station, Aranyahprahthet, 50 bt on a motorbike. The whole trip by bus will cost around 400bt, and 1100bt Visa fees at poipet, and maybe 8-9 hours tops. Easy to take a car rental for a day if a couple of you, roads are all good, bypass Choshangsao and Kabinburi. -
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:07 am on June 25, 2003
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bartender100
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My only problem is I live in Jomtien and dont have $ ,I have tried a couple of banks,but they will not trade B to $.Thanks for the helpful advise,going tomorrow to Trat then Koh Kong.mini bus from Pattaya B400.
If I learn anything new on the trip I will post,found a lot of info on line.This is a good link
http://talesofasia.com/cambodia.htm
http://www.kohkong.com/kohkong/overland.html
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:57 am on June 25, 2003
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califdann
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Howdy, Read the Oddities on the Cambodian site..... Great stuff!!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:26 am on June 25, 2003
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