ressl wrote: ↑Sun Dec 18, 2022 10:34 pm I mean driving from KOW to LOS with a vehicle registered in Cambodia to himself. According to the official information available, only Laos, Singapore and Malaysian vehicles can enter Thailand, everything else still needs a guided tour. However I am doing somehow hard to believe that this is really getting enforced. I want to go with my motorbike in February, but I'm not keen to go on a guided tour. Anyone?

Yes, it's being enforced for the most part (as I believe it should be, after all, there is no flexibility when it comes to meeting immigration requirements). Why would they drop it? I think in future, it will only get more difficult to drive across borders, not easier, as governments increasingly tighten rules to combat "climate change" not to mention, government and the number of regulations almost always increase in size and scope over time.

The law was mainly intended to keep out the Chinese and every Chinese vehicle entering the country since June 27, 2016 has been subjected to the guide/permit restriction. Should China one day allow Thai vehicles in without restriction, then Thailand can lift the permit requirement for them (though I highly doubt that will ever happen; even vehicles from neighboring countries face more restrictions than they used to when entering China). I disagree about the restriction on motorhomes (although this doesn't apply to motorhomes registered in neighboring countries) but this measure is mainly intended to force foreign travelers into staying at hotels, so the hoteliers benefit. Still, motorhomes do get in from time to time as "exceptions" to the rule.

That being said, Cambodian vehicles are NOT being required to enter on a tour, as they're from a neighboring country, except at Aranyaprathet, opposite Poipet, where Cambodian vehicles entering on their own are restricted to Aranyaprathet district. In principle, Cambodian vehicles aren't supposed to leave the province they entered and are supposed to return to Cambodia at the same port they entered at. I don't know whether this is enforced (I can ask Thai customs next time I cross the border, which will be very soon) but is enforced at Aranyaprathet. In any case, Aran isn't the place u want to enter Thailand by car or motorcycle. Any other border, particularly Hat Lek, Chong Chom and Chong Sa-ngam (all 3 of these are popular entry points for Cambodian vehicles entering Thailand) work well. Just purchase insurance at the border or the nearest town if arriving late and the insurance office is closed.

Anyway, I know my post comes very late, but I just wanted to provide some reference for those interested in traveling to Thailand in their own vehicle registered in Cambodia. The short answer is: YES, you can enter Thailand with the same ease as Lao, Singaporean and Malaysian vehicles EXCEPT at Aranyaprathet (and maybe Daung/Ban Laem, as I've never seen any vehicles entering or exiting there). All other checkpoints seem to be fine. In future, the Ban Nong Ian checkpoint (near Aranyaprathet) might also work, but we'll have to see what their policy is once they formally open in the next few months.

One of my friends decided to drive his khmer motorbike to Pattaya recently. He heared some history about the Thais maing problems at Koh Kong/Trat border if you dont have Thai insurance, it would be some new rule !! ?? I crossed the border 18 months ago in the other directions with a belgian car and had no problem at all (i had thai insurance, bought at the Malay border. I did everything to find some Thai insurance-company who wants to insure a Khmer bike online, but couldnt find at all. After all i found a Malay company who could do it but its was very complicated to pay them in Malaysia. If it is a really new rule, i would doubt there are no insurance-offices at the thai-side from Koh Kong (or Pailin), no ?? Or maybe the Thai-officers are just spreading the words to get tea-money !! ?? Also in Phnom Penh, nobody wants or cant insure a bike for Thailand.
Anyone has more recent expirience with this ??