Cambodia forum

Check in with Mad Mac - Pattaya is his area of speciality.

Sorry - MM is a poster on TF who regularly recommends Pattaya. He'll catch up with this thread soon enough!

I haven't done that crossing so can't offer specific advice. But from what I've read, you will be able to get a Thai visa at this border without any problem. Just note that if you are coming into Thailand overland, you only get a 15 day visa rather than the 30 days that you get when you arrive via air. I also don't believe you will have any problem getting transport - this is a well-trodden route so there will be plenty of transporters looking for business. I do believe there is a risk of 'scams' at this crossing so you do need to do your homework.

There has been quite a bit posted about this previously so scout around on the forum. Also go to the Thailand page and there will probably be a link to visa info and border crossings.

Liz, I'm not the man in the know. First of all, I have only been to Pattaya twice and don't particularly like it. But it does offer some unique things. Secondly, I've never been to Cambodia nor it's border crossings. So no help there either. Sayadian appears to be the man on this one.

She did. At least SOMEONE besides myself mentioned the place.

Which, Battambang or Pattaya?

Put it this way Madmac.A certain lady friend of mine goes to Battambang when she wants to dry out and stop partying in Bangkok.
Although it's the 2nd largest city in Cambodia it's got a sleepy scene.Everybody is in bed by 10p.m. although I haven't been there for a couple of years so I expect someone will correct me if it's changed.Then there was only one barang(farang) bar and the only girl in there was the owners wife.
I suppose when it comes to culture shock it depends what you're looking for.Sure as hell you can't be into both places, can you?

Jaam didn't actually ask whether he/she should go from to Battambang or Pattaya, just how.

And also inquired if they'd be going via Poipet. Can you get to Pattaya using the Pailin border crossing Sayadian?

GENERALLY speaking, when people ask how they get from point A to point B, it's because they are intending on going to point B.

Indeed. And maybe they already did their research about the place, just need to know the logistics of getting there. Would explain why Jaam didn't ask what either place was like.

@ Jaam. I've only done the Poipet crossing (and left via Ko Kong) but I've heard that the Pailin crossing is a bit less trying as far as scams are concerned. However fewer tourists use it so maybe it's not nearly as easy to get transport to Pattaya from the Thai side of the border. Maybe your GH in Battambang would know?

I didn't know tens of thousands of people went to Battambang but hey, if it works for them....

Thanks for all your comments. And yes I have been to Pattaya before and was planning a few days of resort style hangout before returning to Australia via Bangkok. I had found lots of info about Pattaya to Poipet i.e. going into Cambodia but not the other way and wondered if there was a reason for this. I wasn't sure if their a Visa scams entering Thailand as there are entering Cambodia. I suppose it figures there probably is.

I know its a sight to behold, suppose that's what makes it interesting as you say for a night or two. So what is the name of the hotel where you stayed and was it very long ago. Have you had good experiences through these hotel booking agency's. We booked a hotel in London a couple of years ago 'Kensington Close' through bookin hotels.com and when we arrived and tried to check in they said we had no booking. In fact they said it had been cancelled by the agency despite the fact that we had paid a long time in advance. Well hotel didn't help much. We were to discover that company was going bust. We are now sceptical as although we got the original cost refunded through credit card people we did end up having to pay the rack rate which was much higher. Can be a dubious way of booking hotels I now feel.
Oh yeah also did similar and thought I had booked a previously stayed at hotel in Phuket and arrived to find it was totally different hotel (similar name but all the pics were of the one I thought I had booked at). Don't think you can trust them. Some operate out of Turkey.

'Can you get to Pattaya using the Pailin border crossing Sayadian?'

Again let me stress I'm no expert on getting to Pattaya but I have done that crossing a couple of times and on arriving in Chantaburi heading for Bangkok they usually come up to me in the bus station and ask me if I'm looking for a bus to Pattaya and they have a dedicated Stop for the Pattaya bus so they must be plentiful.
To digress a little-why is it I'm always asked if I'm going to Pattaya? Am I the only guy who doesn't go there?
OK, to get back to the crossing from Pailin you take a moto to the border about 20 minutes.There's the usual casino but apart from that it's a quaint little crossing with the border defined by a little stream.On the Thai side I was asked for proof of onward travel but my multiple-entry Cambodian visa seemed to satisfy them.I have heard this is a scam involving buying tickets for a non-existant bus from the immigration officer if you haven't got proof but maybe someone can update this since I am going back over 18 months.On the Thai side it's the usual time warp as you take another motor (brand new, gleaming on a real road as opposed to the clapped out moto on laterite in Cambodia.)The ride is very short just up to the main road to catch the van to Chantaburi which is about 1 hour+ away. In Chantaburi you'll need another motorbike to take you to the bus station. From there I'm sure Pattaya can't be more than 3 hours+.

BTW this girl is from Battambang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi6aNW8dAlY

I love these guys.

Another one of my favorites, Ros Sereysothea. Whenever some idiot starts babbling to me about how we need a revolution back home my answer is Ros Sereysothea. God she and Sinn Sisamouith produced some great music.
Pattaya doesn't produce much I'm afraid... Again, don't confuse me with a fan of Pattaya. I'm neither friend nor foe.

Battambang to Pattaya via Pailin : they've paved the road I hear so can't be more than 2 hours.20 minutes to border, cross, hang around for motorbike, van then travel to Chantaburi 1+ hours then say 3 hrs max to Pattaya = 8hrs approx
Battambang to Pattaya via Poipet: 2hours to Poipet an hour at the border and van waiting, 4+ hours to Pattaya =7 hours (Not much in it but take into account Poipet is a hole whilst Pailin is a nice trip through gorgeous scenery.)

Jaam
Do you like Ros Sereysothea?

I like! I like!

Sorry NO I don't like it. I like Dean Martin.

What's amazing is that all the young Cambodians know her work and love it.Unfortunately, because they dub it into their crass videos but how many kids in America would recognise the name 'Dean Martin'?

You mean Elvis Costello??

You know I love Elvis Costello. Alison is one of my favorite songs... but NO, I didn't mean Elvis Costello you knucklehead. Everyone's a comedian.

I knew he was out there somewhere.

I did the BB to Pailin bit by shared taxi but now the road has been paved (apparently-updates please!) I should imagine there is a bus service because I know one of the bus companies in PP advertise PP to Pailin.Trying to remember which one.I doubt the bit from Pailin to border is paved yet as the casino is for Thais but the motobike only took 20 minutes.Don't be alarmed when he leaves the road at one point and heads for the tree line, he isn't about to rob you it's just a short cut they all use.

"Main thing you seem to need is an onward ticket but you'll have one as you're flying out of Suvarnabhumi a few days later."

Are you sure this is correct SBE? I came across from Laos not long ago, and a bunch of people got tourist visas and they were transiting Thailand.

Scams for 100 baht are one thing but it's about time something was done about the thieving barstewards at the Koh Kong border who charge a whopping 1200 baht for a $20 visa, don't even mention the cost of a business one.1200 baht works out at around $40 at current rates meaning these cheats are pocketing $20 for every tourist who goes through that border.That's a mighty big scam!