« 16-20 June - Diving | Main | 24-25 June – Sihanoukville »
July 14, 2004
21-23 June – Onwards and Outwards to Cambodia
21st – Got up early, packed and paid. Got a combined ticket to Bangkok – ferry to Surat Thani, then a train to Bangkok (2nd class upstairs sleeper, A/C – all up, 850baht). Had a good chat with Kirrilee and Bevan online before I left. The ferry was fine… I sat in the 40baht VIP room which had A/C and movies, although after purchasing some food I realised that inside downstairs was of bearable temperature anyway. The train was mostly uneventful, I met a Thai lady called Aiya who spoke reasonable English, but she moved to another bunk, being a Samaritan for a Yankee chick who had broken her foot, and had an upper bunk. I remembered (and read) what to do on trains, so I bought a Pad Thai Gai and a Gai (chicken) skewer for the ride.
22nd – The thirteen and a half hour train trip terminated at Bangkok at 7:30am. I bought a fantastic noodle soup for 25baht from across the road, and then went to Khao San Road (First time this trip – maybe first time ever?). It’s an absolute hive of shops (although not very busy at 8am), easy to see it’s backpacker central. I found a 1024kb internet café and was even able to plug my laptop in…. nice! I dealt with a few online things, and then headed for Pantip Plaza. I was able to get a new camera battery – only one of three todo items down – doh! I then realised I may not be able to make it to Cambodia in one day, but I’d like to get close if I can anyway… so I got the 147baht bus to Trat. The bus ride, all five hours of it, was pleasant enough. We stopped a couple of times, so I got another noodle soup during one of them. It’s interesting to note (have I noted this before?) that Thai ‘highway stops’ have fantastic food, in direct contrast to what you would expect at most other countries, western ones in particular!
Trat is quite a nice town, and I’d spend more time there next time. I didn’t even really explore the town…. I was tired, so I spent my evening in the guesthouse, chatting to various other travellers, including one Canadian chick Kerry, who I had a couple of beers with.
23rd – Well I woke up at 5am, in order to get to the minibus by 5:40, which left at 6:00 (giving me time to explore the brilliant Trat markets – a definite must-see if in the area). 75 minutes and 100 baht later I was at the Thai-Camb border at Ban Hat Lek. I had to wait 10 minutes and pay 200baht for overstaying my visa by 6 hours (ok, 1 day), and headed to my next problem – Cambodian Visa officials. They were trying to tell me I had to pay 1500 baht for a business visa, officially US$25 (equiv to 1000baht). They were also trying to tell me that they would not accept US dollars, stating that only the airports do that – utter BS. Anyway, there was a German couple waiting to see the ‘boss’ – they were being asked to pay 1100baht for a tourist visa (normally US$20/800baht, or typically 1000baht at land borders) – so I waited with them. I was eventually asked to wait outside, while the Germans were given their little ‘act’, including various to-ing and fro-ing of words and a torn and thrown visa application. They eventually were charged 1000baht for their visas, no worries.
I went in, and was given similar treatment, although my visa application was torn up in direct response to my writing the official’s badge number down. After this, he blatantly refused to give me a visa. So I tore out the page that had his badge number on it, and threw it in the bin. Another official read what was on it, and they continued with another visa application (how much paper do they waste with such antics?), but I was still unable to do better than the originally quoted price. That means that the dickhead pockets 500baht (US$12.50), just from a single visa!!! Not impressed, but I was somewhat forewarned of the possibility by a website. Unfortunately, nothing they suggested (like trying to give them the exact amount in US currency) helped. My only potential solace is that the website did mention who to complain to (and I’m hoping - although not holding my breath – there might be some chance of refund). Fortunately I still have Mr Dickhead’s badge number (good old memory).
Anyway, I was again frustrated at the duality of social graces in SE Asia, ie. That I was unable to say anything to Mr Dickhead apart from ‘thank you’ – as I’d rather not experience the inside of a Cambodian Jail, nor the end of a gun’s barrel. Thank God for Western freedom of speech, Australia’s lack of guns, and Australia’s mostly incorrupt officials (at least as far as I’m concerned)!
Because of the waiting time, I missed the speedboat to Sihanoukville, the most frustrating and ironic part being that I didn’t get a discounted visa ANYWAY! So I got up early for nothing, and missed the boat for nothing. Ugh. So I stayed in Koh Kong for a night, which really is just a transit point for the border, in reality a shanty town. I didn’t feel very comfortable here, and was glad to leave the following day.
It’s strange having to relearn what I’d already learnt in the previous month in what was a relatively comfortable country. I have to relearn the greetings, numbers, food names, currency conversion, etc… It’s like the Cambodian people speak a whole different language! ;)
Posted by Dan at July 14, 2004 02:31 AM
Comments
Yukky booder experience - bad expereince but interesting memory to recount!
Posted by: Lozza at July 20, 2004 07:14 PM