Thai Visa Flight to Cambodia

Every three months visitors to Thailand on aselling newspapers to pester their customers. A
Tourist Visa must leave and visit a Thai Embassynewspaper boy came up to me with some
in another country. Normally people who arenewspapers and just stood there asking me if I
spending a lot of time vacationing in Thailand havewanted a paper. He would not go away no
been issued a 60 day Thai visa previously in theirmatter what I did or said. The waiters who were
own country. This can usually be extended by 30standing nearby allowed this to happen. I bought a
days at the immigration office in Bangkok.paper for 1 USD, and the boy left. Then I saw
Before this 30 day Tourist Visa expires a newthat the cover price was only 30 cents! Not only
Tourist Visa must be obtained. I chose to fly tothat, when I left the Mekong River Cafe, I saw
Phnom Penh in Cambodia which was a trip I hadthat the same paper was provided free to
done once previously. I booked a flight with Aircustomers on a rack not far from where I was
Asia which generally has cheaper fares. The costsitting!
of the return fare was 5,800 THB for the roundThe currency in Cambodia is Riel but everything is
trip. The first time I did this trip the price waspriced in USD. You only need to take USD to this
closer to 3,500 THB. I booked the trip muchcountry. Change is also given in USD but anything
earlier and it was low season at the time. Theunder 1 USD is given in Riel. This is quite
flight is just over an hour. Be aware that if youconvenient. At the airport the exchange rate was
are offered anything on the flight you will have tothe worst at 3,900 Riel to 1 USD. At the market
pay. I had a good coffee for 60 THB.in Phnom Penh the rate was 4,150 Riel to 1 USD.
Once we got to Phnom Penh I paid 20 USD inAt a service station it was 4,250 Riel to 1 USD. I
arrival tax. The tuk-tuk to the Cara Hotel cost 7never saw a bank in the time I was in Phnom
USD. The hotel proved to be a disappointment.Penh.
The safe in the room did not work so I could notI contracted food poisoning in Cambodia which
lock up my passport and valuables. The showernow, four days after getting back to Bangkok, I
was frequently cold. There was not enougham still trying to get over. I bought some
drinking water, and changing money at the frontexpensive medicine in Cambodia to treat a
desk was expensive. I got 2.80 USD as againstmedical condition. It was more expensive than it
3.2 USD in Bangkok for 100 THB.was in Thailand. I am now aware that there are
This hotel was expensive at 34 USD per night forfake medicines sold in Cambodia which have
the cheapest room. It was a 2 USD tuk-tuk ridepreviously caused severe illnesses.
to the main cafe and bar area. There was moldI was glad to make the trip back to the Phnom
on the ceiling, a lot of noise in the corridors, andPenh airport. Unfortunately, there was no one
noisy room neighbors. I was there for four nightsoperating the Thai Embassy Visa section until 3
and paid 136 USD. I saw cheaper places in thepm on the day of my flight which was due to
centre of Phnom Penh for around 17 - 20 USD.take-off at 4.55 pm. I left the Embassy at 3.15
The day after arrival, I went to the Thaipm with my visa. Luckily, the other foreigners
Embassy for the visa. They said it took four daysthere let me go to the front of the queue. There
for the visa now and not the three days it tookwas no charge for the Tourist Visa as the Thai
on my first trip. Luckily I had added an extra daygovernment has exempted single entry Tourist
to my flight return date as a safety measure.Visas up until 4 th March, 2010. It took nearly and
The passport would be ready at 2.30 pm on thehour to get to the airport. On the way I noticed a
day of my flight.sign for massage at 5,000 Riel (for locals) as
I spent the next four days visiting tourist spots inagainst the 40,000 Riel foreigners paid in the city.
Phnom Penh. Cambodia is both a surprisinglyAt the airport Cambodia charged an extraordinary
expensive, and impoverished place. The National25 USD in departure tax. I found that outrageous.
Museum is worth visiting because it is the mainFour days in Cambodia and 45 USD in airport
store house of Khmer treasures that are still intaxes is extreme, in my opinion. My total extra
Cambodia. The admission price is 3 USD. But becosts beyond the costs I would have incurred had
aware that if you enter the Museum with aI not had to come to Cambodia were around 250
camera you will be charged double admission.USD.
Unfortunately, they don not tell you this whenIn summary, flying to Cambodia is a reasonable
you pay your admission fee.option for obtaining a Thai Tourist Visa. The
There are reasonable choices for eating and bars.positives include the National Museum, the Wats
I visited one bar and it was similar to the bars in(temples), the Khmer Massages, the quick flight,
Bangkok. Also, in contrast to Thailand, when aand some of the night life. The negatives are the
customer 'rings the bell' above the bar counterhigh costs, the poor service, the dishonesty of
top only the girls are shouted a drink, and not thevendors and drivers, the bad food and cafes, and
foreigners. Many of the staff in the bars come tothe accommodation. If you don't mind spending
Cambodia from Vietnam.quite a lot more money for your Tourist Visa
I fell for a scam in the Mekong River Cafe. Thethen this option is just ok.
owners or service staff of the cafe allow kids