Tired of „Visa on arrival“ queues in Cambodia, bogus e-visa sites and paying „processing fees“?
Try old-fashioned visa application instead!
Here is my today’s little tour in order to get an old-fashioned visa for Cambodia in Bangkok:
– 10:50 leaving house.– Taking bus 27 from Minburi to Latphrao Wangthonglang 17 Baht.
– Geting off my bus at last stop ahead of the freeway bridge across Th. Latphrao (Th. Pradit Manutham), arriving there 11:20
– Taxi to Th. Pracha Uthit, Khmer Embassy 55 Baht.
– Arriving at the visa section at 11:30 with:
– Passport,– copy of passport,– 1 photo– visa application form,– 1200 Baht visa fee.
– „You forgot to copy your attached TM arrival cart together with the arrival stamp.“
– „Yes indeed, sorry.“
100 metres stroll to the next copy shop, a copy costs 2 Baht (and that’s actually expensive for Bangkok, near the universities they are 50 Satang each).
Back at the visa section of the embassy 11:45. Nobody else in the room any more.
– „You are a Journalist?“ – „Yes. but don’t be afraid, I’m on holiday!“
– Wide grin. Grinning back even wider.
– „You’re travelling alone?“
– „No, my wife is coming along, but she’s Thai and doesn’t need a visa.“
– „Oh, you’re lucky, you have a Thai wife already. I’m still looking…“
– Wide grin on both sides of the counter.
11:50 returning my passport with pasted visa. Five minutes!
– „Thank you, I’m impressed of your Service.“
Going home:
Songthaeo (7 Baht) to Th. Siwara (Town-in-Town Hotel), planning to visit my favorite hairdresser nearby.
Today closed.
Continuing by bus 36 ก to Th. Ramkhamhaeng (รถเมล์ฟรี, free bus) via Soi 39 Wat Thep Lila.
Get off at the bridge to The Mall Bangkapi, Ramkhamhaeng Soi 85/2.
Shopping in the Mall, Nécessaires for Sauerkraut (imported from Aldi, Germany, two weeks ago by a friend) with mashed potatoes:
Fresh Thai potatoes and pork belly for the Sauerkraut.
Across the pedestrian bridge from The Mall first floor to Th. Happy Land Sai 1. It is Sai (line), not „Soi“, by the way.
Back home by Bus 27 again: 9 Baht this time.
Arriving 13:10.
The head of the family is going to cook Sauerkraut tomorrow.