If you are thinking,
planning or deciding to go from Siem Reap to Bangkok overland, you may find
hard, nervous or challenging to cross border from Poipet (Cambodia border) to
Aranyaprathet (Thailand border). Here are some advice and information.
Summary
Taxi from Siem Reap to Poipet, how to book a taxi from Malaysia?
I had sent more than 20 emails to various travel agencies and transportation companies in Siem Reap, and I had analysed carefully before I book a taxi. Here are the top 2 selected:
Summary
7.30am - began the journey at Popular Boutique Hotel in Siem Reap
10.00am - arrived at the Poipet border and walk to immigration office
10.15am - stamped out of Cambodia and walk to Thailand immigration office
10.30am - getting entry stamp at Thailand immigration office
11.00am - took a break at Star Plaza
12.00pm - taking a taxi to Bangkok
3.30pm - arrived at Mercure Bangkok Siam Hotel
There are many ways for you to get to Bangkok from Siem Reap overland, and I will mainly talk about taxi, I will also explain why I didn't take direct buses that go
from Siem Reap to Bangkok. If you are travelling in a group of 3 or 4 people, I strongly suggest you to take taxi because it's the cost & time saving way and I will show you in detail later.1st, there are no direct taxi that goes from Siem Reap to Bangkok, you need to take taxi from Siem Reap to Poipet, then you have to take another taxi from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok10.00am - arrived at the Poipet border and walk to immigration office
10.15am - stamped out of Cambodia and walk to Thailand immigration office
10.30am - getting entry stamp at Thailand immigration office
11.00am - took a break at Star Plaza
12.00pm - taking a taxi to Bangkok
3.30pm - arrived at Mercure Bangkok Siam Hotel
Taxi from Siem Reap to Poipet, how to book a taxi from Malaysia?
I had sent more than 20 emails to various travel agencies and transportation companies in Siem Reap, and I had analysed carefully before I book a taxi. Here are the top 2 selected:
- go to this website & book, http://siemreapshuttle.com/contact-us.html or contact their manager directly, sinabusiness@gmail.com
- email to him directly, sokra.sourng@gmail.com
My taxi driver arrived on time and we depart at 7.30am at Popular Boutique Hotel.
Taking taxi from Siem Reap to Poipet border will take around 2.5 hours. Average speed is 60km/h.Believe me, you don't want the driver to drive fast. The road condition only allow 1 car to go, If the driver want to overtake, he needs to go the opposite side which a lot of cars are coming, but it's very common for the incoming cars to slow down to allow driver to overtake, my taxi driver had overtake more than 10 cars and I was trying so hard to act calm as I saw so many incoming cars are driving so near to my taxi, if this happen in Malaysia, crash 10 times already.
We arrived at Poipet border around 10am and get drop off at a roundabout which is under construction.
take care of your belonging, don't talk or interact with anyone who is approaching, just walk straight for 3 mins, you will see Cambodia immigration office at your right side.
my advice, don't bother anyone who is trying to
take luggage for you, trying offer you visa, asking you buy something, or
change money. You are getting close to Thailand if you see the gate in the
photo below
We arrived at the immigration office around 10.30am, remember to take a form (can't remember what exactly is the name of the form) and go upstairs
The whole getting entry stamp process took only 30 mins, it's so lucky for us, if we late for 10 mins, it probably take more than 1 hour for the whole process as many groups of traveler arrived at 10.40am.
After immigration procedure, you have to walk out somewhere Thailand Customs officials with x-ray machines. At the time I passing, there was no officer standing at there, but I still obediently put all my baggage and let the machine do the scanning.
Walk straight and you will see a parking lot which is full of taxis. There are many touts approaching and offering the minivan and taxi service, and I had rejected all. Keep going and you will see Star Plaza. I was physically and mentally exhausted and needed a break, so I went into Star Plaza and had a coffee break.
I had read so many blogs and I knew that I supposed to take a registered taxi at the 7-11 in the Rong Kleu Market, but I couldn't find the fxxking 7-11. After the break, I went back to the parking lot which was full of taxis and met Mr. Manith. He was friendly and even let me capture a photo of him to prove his company is legit.
His company is next to Star Plaza, at last I took the taxi service offered by him. Taxi
from Aranyaprathet to Siam, Bangkok took around 3.5 hours, and your driver
basically can't speak english, but don't worry, Mr. Manith will instruct him
where to go, or if you still worry, print your hotel address in Thai and show
to him just like what i did. The journey was very thrilling as my driver's
driving skill is freaking good, he overtook so many cars (I can't even count) without
using indicator signals, and I saw many did the same in Thailand.
Extra info
Why don't I take direct bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok?
All the ways get from Siem Reap to Bangkok, written by Lina (2016)
http://www.movetocambodia.com/transportation/how-to-get-from-siem-reap-to-bangkok/
Hope this post is informative enough and feel free to drop your comment & suggestion
We arrived at Poipet border around 10am and get drop off at a roundabout which is under construction.
 |
| so called roundabout |
 |
| Cambodia immigration |
it take only 15 mins for us to get
stamped out of Cambodia, my advice, get here early, it can be very crowded in
the afternoon, stick to the left and keep walking, you will see lots of casinos on both side, at
the time I was passing, many are under renovation
keep walking and go to the pedestrian path which is covered, you are about to reach if you see the golden gate
 |
| pedestrian path |
 |
| golden gate |
 |
| Thailand immigration |
The whole getting entry stamp process took only 30 mins, it's so lucky for us, if we late for 10 mins, it probably take more than 1 hour for the whole process as many groups of traveler arrived at 10.40am.
After immigration procedure, you have to walk out somewhere Thailand Customs officials with x-ray machines. At the time I passing, there was no officer standing at there, but I still obediently put all my baggage and let the machine do the scanning.
Walk straight and you will see a parking lot which is full of taxis. There are many touts approaching and offering the minivan and taxi service, and I had rejected all. Keep going and you will see Star Plaza. I was physically and mentally exhausted and needed a break, so I went into Star Plaza and had a coffee break.
 |
photo is taken by Papayatop Maximus |
 |
It was Sunday and the roads were still quite
congested when we get to the city area, so, better depart earlier. At 3.30pm, we safely arrived at Mercure Bangkok Siam Hotel.
Extra info
- Why I said taking taxi is the cost-saving way? here is the calculation
Taking a direct bus from Siem Reap
to Bangkok costs you $28=RM112
A group of
3 people
Taking a
taxi (camry)from Siem Reap to Poipet, $30 =
RM120
Taking a taxi (vios) from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok 2000 baht
=RM231
Cost per
person= RM117
A group of
4 people
Taking a
taxi (lexus RX 300) from Siem Reap to Poipet, $40 =
RM160
Taking a taxi (toyota avanza)from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok 2500 baht =RM288
Cost per
person= RM112
As shown
above, cost of taking bus is more or less the same as taking taxi
- Why I said taking taxi is time-saving way???
Of course la duh, you don't have to wait for
others in the same bus/minivans to get their visa/entry stamp (minimum 2
hours), you can decide what time you want to depart, you don't have to rush to
change other minivan or bus which is very time-consuming and troublesome.
Why don't I take direct bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok?
At 1st, when I was planning about this, I would
like to take a direct bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok, offerred by Nattakan Transportation, the company claims it is
the only direct bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok and vice versa, but there are 2
other company which are Mekong Express and Virak Buntham which is going
from Siem Reap to Bangkok, but you may need to change to another bus/minivans
after you cross the border. You can purchase the bus ticket via https://bookmebus.com
Here is the problem, when i tried to make payment using CIMB master credit card, CITIBANK visa credit card, HSBC visa credit card, the same error keep occurring as shown in the photo below, fyi, my credit card can be used at shopping malls and restaurants, and also make online payment, but when it come to make payment at bookmebus, it doesn't work..there was person in charge from bookmebus communicated with me through email and saying they would contact the bank regarding the problem, but after few replies from them, the same error occurred and I had finnaly gave up and decided to take taxi to Bangkok. For those who want to book a bus through
Here is the problem, when i tried to make payment using CIMB master credit card, CITIBANK visa credit card, HSBC visa credit card, the same error keep occurring as shown in the photo below, fyi, my credit card can be used at shopping malls and restaurants, and also make online payment, but when it come to make payment at bookmebus, it doesn't work..there was person in charge from bookmebus communicated with me through email and saying they would contact the bank regarding the problem, but after few replies from them, the same error occurred and I had finnaly gave up and decided to take taxi to Bangkok. For those who want to book a bus through
Useful link:
For Malaysian, you don't need a visa to enter Cambodia, for more info
For Malaysian, you don't need a visa to enter Cambodia, for more info
http://embassyofcambodia.org/faq.html
All the ways get from Siem Reap to Bangkok, written by Lina (2016)
http://www.movetocambodia.com/transportation/how-to-get-from-siem-reap-to-bangkok/
Crossing the Poipet/Aranyaprathet
border overland, written by Lina (2014)
http://www.movetocambodia.com/transportation/crossing-the-poipetaranyaprathet-border-overland/
Travel tips: how to travel between
Poipet and Bangkok, written by Whitney (2014)
http://www.journey-mercies.com/blog/urney-mercies.com/2014/05/travel-tips-how-to-travel-between.html
Hope this post is informative enough and feel free to drop your comment & suggestion