Hello world!
Its been a while and welcome to the month of holiday and Christmas and whatever you celebrate for!
Never though that 2017 gonna be ‘something’ in my life. I don’t know how to describe it but, I’m gonna tell you one thing, on story that happened in me in my last day of working in Cambodia! (I assumed I never told this story to anyone except my sister)
1st of July, the month of everything for me and people love this month cause it was summer and people love summer!
From my way to Jakarta, I decided that I’m gonna take a break for a while like 4-5 days in Bangkok, just chilling out and enjoyed my hard work. With only 11,000 THB I brought as a cash while others are credit and debit cards.
I never know that this thing gonna happened, since I forgot like what time already I entered Thailand via overland. And at that very moment I decided to go to Thailand via overland from Cambodia, which is a worst decision I ever made.
As a very normal tourist, I went to PoiPet’s immigration control like at 6AM for exit stamp and then straight to the Aranyapratet’s immigration control for enter stamp.
Is it too early?
Well, if you were thinking like that I might gonna say throw away that thought and you’re gonna see how long is the line to enter Thailand. And yes I did waiting for 2 hours for just a stamp to enter Thailand.
Long short stories, my turned to stamp and as you just need to walk in to that booth and standing very nicely while the immigration officer looking at you like some kind of unique species with camera, computer and voila you’ll get the stamp of ‘this species is good’ or ‘don’t let it ruin the others‘.
Guess what?
I got the 2nd stamp and was brought to another office (if I might say) and it took me very long until this woman came with my passport saying I can’t enter Thailand via overland since I already enter it twice for this year. If i insist, I’m gonna get a bunch of trouble and she recommended to me to go via Siem Reap which is airplane.
Yes, I was stunned for like I don’t know how long it took. And for sure, I check my phone, checking ticket from Siem Reap, and all flights available was night flight. I mean, ok I could just hanging at the airport I guess and I realized I don’t have dollars since I already prepared baht as my currency. What a day!
I bought a ticket at that very moment while the officer still processing my passport which I don’t know what else they need. I mean they could just returned my passport and I could leave right away. Dang! The officer stamping my passport with all Thai’s language which I don’t know but for sure I know that was a travel banned via overland and I need to signed a lot of papers and she told me to hold my passport and then just taking a picture of me like I’m some kind of criminal.
Devastating? much!
Embarrassing? very!
Angry? not really.
I respect that was her job and I appreciate that, but really? Did she really need to do that? Just give me back my passport and I could go back for cancellation stamp for Cambodia exit though. And should I say “lucky” me? because they don’t charge me?
You know when you’re a tourist, a highly getting scammed by local is pretty much possible right?
And I did!
I mean, I already knew that PoiPet’s immigration gonna scammed me for cancellation stamp. They charged me 500 baht while the Thai immigration’s told me that they gonna charge 100 baht for cancellation stamp, and I don’t know how it work with I already did protest for the price, but since I’m not in my country and don’t know how the regulations work in both countries, I prepared go with the play so I could move on.
After a long process barging and negotiation, they give back my passport and it’s time for me to find a taxi to go to Siem Reap. And my flight is 9.30PM while that morning I spent 5 hours at the immigration doing I don’t know what, except standing in a very long line and walking from one office to another office.
While looking at taxi, I called my hotel to told them that I need a late check in and don’t know what time I’m gonna arrived there.
1,500 baht for PoiPet to Siem Reap Airport by taxi and without any bargain I said yes, because I already knew the price too and that is normal price. I don’t know the price with dollar or riael so I pay with baht.
I depart from PoiPet was around 4PM, and waiting at my old place I guess, while my co-workers asking me why I haven’t leave yet. I mean where should I wait with 2 big luggage and empty stomach? I could wait at the coffee shop near casino, but I won’t waste my money and time in there. At least I still could sleep for a couple hours.
Arriving at Siem Reap airport was around 7PM and I still have a plenty of time cause I can’t check in yet. When the time arrived, I did the usual and what a bad luck for that day, the immigration officer need to stop me again because my cancellation stamp and a stamp from Aranyapratet. I was brought to check in counter ad the officer asking the check in counter officer if I could go to Thailand or not. I already explained to them that the Thai officer recommended me to enter Thailand via airplane, and they don’t buy it. While the check in office asking me for how long I stay and do I have a return ticket and of course yes I have. He checked my flight history and said it’s true and totally fine. So they gave my passport back.
As once I again I go for a stamp, the same officer that stopped me asking for ‘money’ and asking where I work. I pretend couldn’t hear it clearly and keep saying ‘what?‘ or ‘sorry?‘ until he pissed off and stamp my passport because the other passengers behind me starting to put a RB face.
That was pretty dope!
For 45 minutes sitting next to window in airplane, I saw thing city, Bangkok! The lights was beauty and make a dark night clear.
As I standing in line for another stamp to enter Thailand, landed at DMK Airport, I was treating very normal.
No asking,
No stopping,
No looking at me throughly,
Just check my passport and stamp in!
I even asked the immigration officer and told them I have returned ticket and went to Bangkok for 4 days.
And his reaction was dope! With a confuse look and ask me, “So?”
Just that! As simple as that.
Of course I thanks him whoever he was I’m so damn fancy his work!
And then, I must say to myself ,”WELCOME TO BANGKOK!”
Hello Yoggi 