Cambodia during the pandemic

[christianpfc]

I've spent a long time just hoping that I'd soon be back in Thailand.

I've now let go of that hope and feel a lot better for it. Rather than looking forward to a trip this year or early next year, I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that I won't be travelling anywhere overseas until at least 2023.

So if I have to worry, I'll worry about something else instead.

I was in the same situation in October 2021. After the botched STV, I realized that I might have to wait a very long time, reading news and pondering my possibilities every day, until Thailand comes with something that would work for me. It was a relief to give up on Thailand for the close future (6 month) and pursue alternatives. South America or Cambodia, finally Cambodia made it and I'm glad I'm here despite all the trouble and expenses it took!

At the moment, I'm slightly optimistic to be back in Thailand end of this year. I'm not afraid of Covid, I'm just waiting for better entry conditions and end of their internal travel restrictions. Better free travel in Cambodia (not any more starting tomorrow, but still better than Thailand), than being in Thailand but limited travel.

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[Manforallseasons]

I was in the same situation in October 2021. After the botched STV, I realized that I might have to wait a very long time, reading news and pondering my possibilities every day, until Thailand comes with something that would work for me. It was a relief to give up on Thailand for the close future (6 month) and pursue alternatives. South America or Cambodia, finally Cambodia made it and I'm glad I'm here despite all the trouble and expenses it took!

There is a sub forum here for Cambodia yet no one including you have posted anything there since last November!

[goji]

There is a sub forum here for Cambodia yet no one including you have posted anything there since last November!

As far as I know, Christian is the only board member who made it to Cambodia during the pandemic. To get there, you have to blag a business visa.
Christian posts on an excellent blog: https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/

The latest post is on Sihanoukville, which seems to have suffered a lot of horrendous high rise construction since I was last there.

[christianpfc]

There is a sub forum here for Cambodia yet no one including you have posted anything there since last November!

Parts of my post about Thailand in green, parts about Cambodia in red:

I was in the same situation in October 2021. After the botched STV, I realized that I might have to wait a very long time, reading news and pondering my possibilities every day, until Thailand comes with something that would work for me. It was a relief to give up on Thailand for the close future (6 month) and pursue alternatives. South America or Cambodia, finally Cambodia made it and I'm glad I'm here despite all the trouble and expenses it took!

At the moment, I'm slightly optimistic to be back in Thailand end of this year. I'm not afraid of Covid, I'm just waiting for better entry conditions and end of their internal travel restrictions. Better free travel in Cambodia (not any more starting tomorrow, but still better than Thailand), than being in Thailand but limited travel.

[goji]

This is a slight misrepresentation of procedures. To enter Thailand, you have to apply for a COE (not required for Cambodia), and you have to submit your ASQ booking. There is an initial outlay of money for the booking, at least a partial payment. Some hotels want full payment and don't allow cancellations or alterations!

As I understand it in Cambodia:
Pay out $2000 deposit (THB 66,000) & after quarantine, go to collect what is left after quarantine hotel charges from a specified bank.
There is a slight advantage as you don't part with the $2000 until arriving in Cambodia.
There is a disadvantage as I understand it's more difficult to choose the quarantine hotel ?

As it was in Thailand:
The ASQ hotel needs to be selected and booked before applying for the COE.
Prices started from just over THB 30000, but the choice and quality gets more interesting around the THB 50000 range.
Many ASQ hotels did have unreasonable cancellation terms, such as full payment when booking and no refunds less than 3 or 7 days before arrival. Totally useless if you fail the PCR test which had to be taken less than 72 hours before the date of departure.

The hotel I selected required only a deposit of THB 15000, with the remainder paid on arrival. They assured me that in the event of enforced cancellation, I would be entitled to a refund of all except the 2.5% credit card charge. I wrote that on the credit card authorization form, just in case the matter ever had to be discussed with the credit card company.

For me, the choice was simplified as the Cambodia Embassy in London were not replying to e-mails. Also they were reportedly less generous with their interpretation of criteria for getting a business visa than some other countries.

So:
Paying out £2k (THB66k) ON ARRIVAL in Cambodia is better than making a non-refundable Thai hotel reservation a couple of weeks in advance of travel (as the travel might not happen).
For anyone prepared to work at it, the majority of the Thai hotel charge can be paid upon arrival, therefore reducing the deposit at risk.

I think Thailand was probably the better choice for the winter months, but if intending to stay for over 9 months, as Christian has, a 12 month Cambodia visa is the safer option.
Thailand has of course been offering 60 day extensions for those "unable to return home", but without any checks on whether you could actually return home. This was not a known when Christian applied to go to Cambodia.

[christianpfc]

As I understand it in Cambodia:
There is a disadvantage as I understand it's more difficult to choose the quarantine hotel ?

For me, the choice was simplified as the Cambodia Embassy in London were not replying to e-mails. Also they were reportedly less generous with their interpretation of criteria for getting a business visa than some other countries.

Thailand has of course been offering 60 day extensions for those "unable to return home", but without any checks on whether you could actually return home. This was not a known when Christian applied to go to Cambodia.

At the time I went to Cambodia, you could not choose your quarantine hotel (which is an advantage for me, one less thing to bother with). Now or soon they allow.

2000 USD deposit is great for US-Americans or others who have access to USD, but I had to exchange EUR to USD in Berlin at a loss of 5% against XE. It is said Cambodian immigration accepts other currencies and credit cards as well, but there is a danger of being refused by airline, and there are reports of people getting sent back because their credit card did not work.

I got a delayed, but positive reply from Cambodian embassy in Berlin. Processings there in person were much more pleasant than all Thai embassies I have been to (Berlin, Vientiane, Saigon).

I wonder if those visa extensions for those "unable to return home" work when you went from your home country to Thailand for a holiday and want to extend it. Last year, extension of extension (???) was only announced a few days before the current extension expired. I would not want to be in the country and counting days until my permission to stay expires, waiting for an announcement of a new extension and having to leave in a hurry or overstay if there is no new extension. And I wouldn't like going to immigration every time.

...but this is beyond naive.
...
But maybe your reasoning is that you already tested positive last year? Past results might not guarantee future results, though.

I tested positive last year without symptoms. As I see it, Covid is a hyped annual flue. No danger for the majority of the population, only for some at-risk groups.

[a447]

As I see it, Covid is a hyped annual flue. No danger for the majority of the population, only for some at-risk groups.

Well that was the case with the original alpha variant.

But delta affects people of all ages, including children and comorbidity isn't always a feature. And who knows what future variants will do? Who knows? A very dangerous Cambodian variant could suddenly appear!

Be careful!

[goji]

But delta affects people of all ages, including children and co-morbidity isn't always a feature.

The death rate amongst the under 50s is still very low, even with the delta variant. The Guardian and the BBC can always find some scare stories, but ignore those and look at the statistics. The risk is tiny for people in these age groups and the sensible ones know it.

After vaccination, the odds for all age groups improve considerably. Who knows what future variants will do, but I wouldn't sit here worrying about the unknowable.

[Uranus]

The Guardian and the BBC can always find some scare stories, but ignore those and look at the statistics.

I guess Fox News is your source of information on the Covid pandemic.

[gerefan2]

I wonder if those visa extensions for those "unable to return home" work when you went from your home country to Thailand for a holiday and want to extend it. Last year, extension of extension (???) was only announced a few days before the current extension expired. I would not want to be in the country and counting days until my permission to stay expires, waiting for an announcement of a new extension and having to leave in a hurry or overstay if there is no new extension. And I wouldn't like going to immigration every time.

I got one of those Visa Extensions in March. Just filled in the form (they ticked off “No flight available”), even though there were!

Took a few visits to Immigration as I applied in good time and they only gave it in chunks. I eventually got 60 days. I believe they are still doing it...