Border Crossing Chong Sa Ngam Chaom

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1 NEWS from Samorn Villa, Buachet, Isarn Samorn Villa is open since April 2011 and so much has happened since. We were fortunate to welcome many guests from all over the world. Our gardens have grown tremendously and we added The Blue House to ensure a comfortable stay for guides and drivers. We also built a traditional harvest barn to keep the annual rice crop, next to our extended chicken and duck house. And last but not least: we welcomed a baby girl to the family. All is well in Buachet: come visit us soon! Border Crossing Chong Sa Ngam Chaom We want to share with you a fantastic trip we did in June this year: a border crossing from Chong Sa Ngam / Chaom border from Thailand into Cambodia. We have been wanting to do this trip for a long time and finally found the time. We hope that this information inspires you to add this trip to your offerings!

2 Information The border post is a 20 minutes drive from Samorn Villa and the last kilometers lead into the mountain range that separates Thailand and Cambodia. The border crossing is called Chon Sang Ngam at the Thai side and Chaom at the Cambodian site not to be confused with Chong Chom / O Smach Border. The border opens from 07:00 to 20:00 hrs. There is a 50 meter no-mans-land to cross and porters are available to carry luggage. The drive to Siem Reap is 140 kilometer on an excellent road with very few cars - the driving time is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Immigration: formalities are the same as on arrival to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap Airport. Departure / arrival cards need to be completed and a passport picture is required for the Cambodian visa. Help to fill in visa applications is available. USD for foreigners and THB 100 for a Thai citizen. Our Cambodian car pulled up right next to the immigration office and off we were. The road leads through farmland and the last 30 minutes are right through the archeological park of Angkor Wat: the beautiful temple complex of Banteay Srei and Phnom Koulen are located north of Siem Reap and along the road to Thailand. As entrance tickets can only be bought in Siem Reap, a stop at both places can only be done on the way back or, if not returning via the border, you will have to backtrack. In Siem Reap there are plenty of choices of hotels, restaurants, shops and markets, but nothing tops the majestic Angkor Wat and surroundings. Hire a car or use a motorbike or bicycle: the sites are amazing, whether you come for the first time or have been before.

3 Our Recommended Tours Note: As flights to and from Siem Reap are still fairly pricy, you will find that an overland trip from Thailand to Siem Reap is very good value from money, especially if more people use the same transport vehicle. Remember: Samorn Villa holds upto 4 people in the villa, and more in bunkbeds in The Blue House at reduced prices. So come with a lot and pay a little. Option 1 : Bangkok Phimai Phanom Rung Muang Tham Siem Reap - Angkor Wat 760 kilometer driving, with visits to Khmer-style temples in both Thailand and Cambodia. Day 1: Drive from Bangkok via Saraburi to the north of Korat (Nakhon Rachasima), to visit Phimai National Park. Overnight in Korat. Day 2: Drive from Korat to Buriram and visit Phnom Rung and Muang Tham both very well preserved temples from the Khmer Era. Continue eastwards to Buachet for overnight at Samorn Villa. Day 3: A 20 minute drive from Samorn Villa takes you to the border. After crossing, continue to Siem Reap (for more details see : How to arrange ). Day 4, 5 etc visit Siem Reap. Departure from Siem Reap can be overland to the Poipet Border or to Vietnam, or fly out from Siem Reap to Bangkok or other cities in Southeast Asia. How to arrange Option 1 - You arrangefor car, guide, accommodation etc. for Day 1 and Day 2. - Samorn Villa can arrange for a transfer to the border on Day 3, hence car and guide can return to Bangkok on Day 2. - You arrange for a car and guide to collect guests at the Cambodian side of the border. Note: cars can not cross into Cambodia. - Should clients return to Thailand the same way, then Samorn Villa can arrange for pick up from the border and transfer to Surin Railway Station.

4 Option 2 : Bangkok Surin (overnight train) Siem Reap - Angkor Wat Overnight train to Surin and transfers to Samorn Villa a very affordable way to visit Siem Reap. Day 1: Take the night train from Bangkok to Surin. The train departs at 20:30 hrs. from the main station in Bangkok : Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Sleepers are available. Day 2: Arrive in Surin at 05:00 hrs. early morning. Transfer to Samorn Villa. Enjoy a day at leisure on the farm. There are bicycles to use, walk through the village or just relax in your hammock. Day 3: A 20 minute drive from Samorn Villa takes you to the border. After crossing, continue to Siem Reap (for more details see below : How to arrange ). Day 4, 5 etc visit Siem Reap Departure from Siem Reap can be overland to the Poipet Border or to Vietnam, or fly out from Siem Reap to Bangkok or other cities in Southeast Asia. How to arrange Option 2 - You arrange for railway tickets to Surin and transfer to Hua Lamphong Railway Station. - Samorn Villa can arrange for a transfer from the railway to Samorn Villa on Day 2 and a transfer to the border on Day 3. - You arrange for a car and guide to collect guests at the Cambodian side of the border. Note: cars can not cross into Cambodia. - Should clients return to Thailand the same way, then Samorn Villa can arrange for pick up from the border and transfer to Surin Railway Station.

5 Our Final Notes We had a great time during this trip and recommend this to anyone. Some more tips: Samorn Villa does not provide sightseeing from Bangkok to Chong Sa Ngam or in Cambodia. We can however recommend reputable groundhandlers there. Samorn Villa can arrange for pick up/drop off to Surin Railway Station and transfers to/from the border by private car. You have to arrange for transfers from the border at the Cambodia side, accommodation in Siem Reap, entrance tickets to Angkor Wat etc. However: you will be surprised how affordable the journey will be. Samorn Villa welcomes your guests early morning when possible. If the villa is occupied the night before, we will ensure your comfort until other guests have left. Always check if your guests can enter Cambodia with a visa on arrival. If guests plan to return to Thailand overland: most nationalities can enter the same as through international airports in Thailand: fill in an arrival card and entry is granted. Other nationalities (India / Russia) need additional formalities that are not available on the border, hence re-entry to Thailand via Bangkok International Airport is needed. Note that guest need a passport photo to obtain a visa for Cambodia

6 Samorn Villa is located south of Surin, close to the border with Cambodia, in the town of Buachet. The town is a relatively new development area, where population is growing since the 1980 s. The town's main industry is farming. Our home-stay was built to enjoy the country side in comfort. Apart from comfortable bed and bathroom facilities, we offer several seating areas and lots of space to enjoy. We provide wireless internet, Satelite TV and stereo. We also include breakfast and dinner, so you can experience the kitchen of Isarn and Thailand while staying with us. A stay at Samorn Villa is a great addition to a trip through Isarn, or enroute to Cambodia. Come enjoy the hospitality of Thailand s rural areas and make yourself at home!