Cambodia - Thailand border crossing with bike

Oct 5, 2007
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Hi all

Herewith my first contribution to the forum. Although it is not such an important message it is just an addition to the experiences of crossing the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

As you might have read from the trip report from Murray (see report in this section) his trip ended with a broken rib and 2 fractures in his shoulder. His bike was still in Cambodia and since we crossed the border on October 15 we had to get his bike back over the border in to Thailand before the 4 weeks temporary export license given by the Thai authorities was expired.

We had arranged that the owner of the shop where my bike was repaired would pick up the bike from Murray from Phnom Dek and would transport it to Poipet. So we woke up early and made our way by car to Aranyaprateth. Crossed the border (they really do not accept US$20 but insist on 1000 Baht for a VISA). We were on the Cambodian side at 10:30 and indeed the owner of the off road bike repair shop from Siem Reap (+855 1 2753 845) was there with Murray’s bike and a translator driving a Suzuki DR. After handing over the bike (which was checked by the guy and was driving ok) I drove the bike to the border and Murray followed on foot (he still has his arm in a sling).

At the Cambodia side they not even notice that you are not walking but are driving a motor bike over the border. Got our stamps and on our way to the Thai side. Got the paper work out, filled in the missing parts, waited for 10 minutes (in the mean time getting our stamp in our passport) and had to pay 10 Baht administration cost and were waived through. At the one stop office handed back our temporary export license and we and the bike were back in Thailand.

All in all a very easy crossing and it is not necessary to get a fixer to do this for you and loose your money!

That’s all folks. Murray’s rib and shoulder are slowly healing but it will be a couple of month before he is back on the bike. We hope to write more trip reports next year.

PS:
When I came back on my motor bike 3 weeks ago from Siem Raep to Poipet I decided to stop and get a bite to eat at a hotel in Sisophon (coming from Siem Reap approx half way the first part in Sisophon, just after the new statue erected). When I stopped somebody approached me and told me that he knew a place to service my bike. I told him my bike was fine and I only stopped to get something to eat. The restaurant was in the back of the hotel and after 20 minutes and a good meal I wanted to take on the last part to Poipet. When I left the hotel the same guy said he knew a service place for my bike. I told him again I had no problem with my bike. He told me that I did have a problem and showed my a nail sticking out of my back tire.
The nail was brand new and in between my knobblies, very hard to imagine this was something I picked up on the road. Luckily my knobblies were very thick and the nail just had made a very small hole in the tube. Since it all smelled very fishy I decided to drive off and if necessary get the tire pumped up at a fuel stop. This was however not necessary and I made it to Poi pet.
Moral of the story: If possible keep your bike in sight when you eat something, especially when there are people around wanting to help you to service the bike.
[8D]
 

burnjr

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Dec 28, 2005
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bertail,
thanks for the info..is good info....for the first time rider inter the combodia :D