Nov 26 2008
Visa runs
Because I came to Thailand with a tourist visa I had only 30 days to stay in the kingdom. When it lapses I had to go to the nearest exit border where an immigration is located to get another 30 days. This would go on for many months until I found a job that could give me a non-immigrant visa which is renewable yearly provided I stay in my job.
The first time I had to exit we went to Aranya Prathet there was a very busy exchange of trades. And there was a distinct contrast that’s very obvious on either side of the fence. I saw people from Cambodial side some without shoes pulling carts and this was their form of transportation.
It was a three-hour ride from Bangkok and the stamping on our passports took only about 30 minutes to one hour depending on how long the cue was. But during that time 20-30 minutes cue was all it would take us. At the immigrations no questions asked. The immigration people open the passport, stamp then off we go to the next–Departure (from Thailand)-Arrival (to Cambodia)-have a free lunch in the casinos-then Depart Cambodia-and arrive in Thailand. We had to get there very early in the morning before the other vans so we can go back to Bangkok in the afternoon.
