Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [646]
Another rail line travels to the Malaysian east coast border town of Sungai Kolok, but because of ongoing violence in Thailand’s deep south we don’t recommend this route for travellers.
BORDER CROSSINGS
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Cambodia
Between Cambodia and Thailand, most visitors cross from Poipet (Cambodia) to Aranya Prathet (Thailand; Click here). This is the most direct land route between Bangkok and Angkor Wat. Cambodian visas can be arranged upon arrival at the Cambodian immigration office. Do note however, that there are many transport and visa scams on the Poipet side of the border; read up on some of the common problems online before setting off. Tales of Asia (www.talesofasia.com) monitors this Cambodian border crossing.
If you’re travelling along the southeastern coast of Thailand, you can cross into Cambodia from Hat Lek to Koh Kong, which has boat access to Sihanoukville. Cambodian visas are available upon arrival. For more information, Click here.
Several more remote crossings exist between southeastern Thailand and southwestern Cambodia, including O Smach–Chong Chom, Chong Sa Ngam–Anlong Veng, Ban Laem–Daun Lem, Ban Phakkat–Pailin and Ban Laem–Deun Lem. Private or hired transport is required to access most of these crossings; Ban Phakkat is an exception because minibuses connect this border crossing to Chanthaburi, making it an underutilised crossing point to Battambang.
China
Land and rail links between China and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, have been increasing since the turn of the millennium, making overland travel between Southeast Asia and the interior of southern China an easier proposition than in years past.
The China–Thailand highway (also called Rte 3) officially opened in mid-2008. Following a former opium smuggling trail, it comprises 1800km of paved road intended to link Kunming, in China’s Yunnan Province, to Bangkok. The once rough tracks, mainly in Laos and southern China, are now modern enough to handle passenger and freight shipping, with only a slight interruption by the Mekong River at the Thai–Lao border (at Chiang Khong–Huay Xai). The river crossing is now done by boat, but a planned Mekong River bridge is due to be completed in 2011. For more information about this crossing, Click here.
The ambitious China–Myanmar highway plans to reopen stretches of the old Stillwell Rd (an invasion route built during WWII by Allied forces), which would eventually link China’s Yunnan province to India’s Assam state through the Pangsaw Pass. Although portions of road are now functional, the project has stalled because of the diverging political and economic interests of the three countries. It was once also possible to travel overland from the Thai town of Mae Sai through Myanmar and across the border near Mong La to the Chinese town of Daluo, but this border has been closed since 2005.
You can also take a slow boat along the Mekong River from the northern Thai town of Chian Saen to Jinghong in China’s Yunnan Province. Click here for more information.
Laos
The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (1174m) spans a section of the Mekong River between Nong Khai, Thailand, and Tha Na Leng (near Vientiane), Laos, and is the main transport gateway between the two countries. The border crossing is currently undertaken by hired or public transport across the bridge. A planned rail link along this route is expected to open in mid-2009, but it will offer little advantage to travellers heading to Vientiane and would require a Lao visa in advance; while for the bridge crossing, Lao visas can be obtained on arrival. For more information, Click here.
A second Mekong bridge, between Mukdahan and Savannakhet, opened in 2006 and provides a fundamental trilateral link between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. This crossing is done by bus. A Lao visa is available on arrival, and many Bangkok-based expats use this route for visa runs. Click here for more information.
It’s legal for non-Thais to cross the Mekong