I was detained in Cambodia today. Ugh.
 

I have had an INSANE year and it was written in the stars that it was going to end a little nuts as well...

Unless you have special visas in Thailand you have to leave the Kingdom every 30 days. I had already been given a 15 day extension and had to leave for a border run today to get another 30 day stamp.

My passport was TOTALLY FULL all the way up to page 23, but it had a small tear in it and 24 and the last page 25 had Kid Rock and Joe-Cs autograph on it from way back in 1999. Bad and stupid thing to do.

So leave Thailand and get my exit stamp no problem. I enter Cambodia at Poi Pet (aka biggest shit hole on earth) and hand my passport over with the money, photo and tell him I am going back to Thailand. They know the drill so went about his business. I am told to sit and wait. They come out to me about 20 minutes later and explain to me that they can not put a sticker (full page Cambodia stamp / sticker) in my passport because it is torn and has writing on the other pagers. They needed a full black, un-torn page. And since I did not have one, they could not let me enter the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Thailand would not let me return because I needed that Cambodia stamp to show that I was in another country in order to be able to re-enter Thailand and get my 30 days. Fuck.

After talking to several immigration officers, attempting bribes and everything else the situation escalated from both ends and they ended up having some police come over to take care of me. Fuck again. So there I am with the police for several hours, not allowed to leave for the bathroom, food or anything. I find humor in this so start SMS texting people I know just to let them know where I am and what's going on because it really was funny. I text Dugmor who is in Thailand to give him a laugh and his reply was "I guess you'll have to find some roadside whore...." and my other friend says "enjoy your stay in Cambodia, sounds like your gonna be there for a while. HAHAH!"

After a few house some immigration ht shot shows up and sets down a black sheet of paper and some other form I had to fill out. ON the blank page I had to write a request to the Kingdom Of Cambodia to give me a stamp and that it was OK to place it over an existing page with stamps. I also had to tell them in writing that it was my fault and that I would not return to Cambodia until this problem was fixed. An apology letter. It was like one of those confession papers you have to sign before your hauled away for 40 years for smuggling Opium. It was kind of scary.

The request and apology letter was complete, the form filled out and they gave my the sticker and escorted me back to Thailand where I got back in without a hitch.

I left my room at 7am and I just got in about 30 minutes ago (10:00pm). It is a four hour drive each way to the border from Pattaya, Thailand to Poi Pet, Cambodia. Fuck, what a day I have had.

Moral of the story... don't be a dumb ass like me and deface or tear any page in your passport or you just may get stuck in some shit hole city in South East Asia.

26 hours to go until 2006 and I still have to meet back up with Dugmor and Jscott... :helpme

omg man sounds like you hade a really shitty day

All I kept thinking about was that movie with Tom Hanks where he gets stuck at the airport for months. Don't remember the name but it was over a passport problem. :1orglaugh

hehe glad to hear you are ok

I know that place Poi Pet, and yepp its a scary and filthy place.

I guess you had some beggers look at ya on top of the passport thing

Oh My God...

I used to date this cambodian girl...

she was sooooo sweet....long shiny hair, about 5'3..soft skin...smelled so good all the time....and she was down....

just thinking about her little mouth and hands makes my heart flutter..

Ok, enjoy your fleshlight!

Next time I'm in Thailand I'll have to buy you a drink for this story.

head to the USA embassy in BKK, they will insert new pages in your passport at no charge... takes 20 mins!

Great story , typical S.E. Asia, gotta love it!

The Terminal

Sorry your day sucked but at least you got away with only a few wasted hours and nothing more

damm bastard, which I could say the same (its one of my work-motivations)

If you have some spare time please drop me a line 85-483-060, would like to talk about your WorldWide aventures and places you been to! :thumbsup

some story! wow! All things considered it actually sounds like you made it out ok. Could have been a lot worse!

I don't have a passport :(

Poor little Jer

Even after trying to bribe them they let you go? Thank God for that!

It must have been quite an "adventure".

Wow, like stated above, it probably could have been a lot worse.

And you have no sig!! HEre, take mine!! :)

yeah, you could have been uber fucked

You can't go anywhere in Cambodia without hearing "something for me" when you deal with people. The best way to get out of any trouble in 3rd world countries is to find the cop n charge and bribe him. Skip the little guys, look for the guys they are reporting to or turning to or advice.

Also, you never really say HERE THIS IS A BRIBE, you have to be smooth and tell them that you appreciate their time and hard work and you want to give them some gas money for their motorbike. That one works the best.

Another good one is to tell them you are very hungry and then hand him your cash, telling him that he can keep the change in return for getting the food, if he wants to feed his men and get you a snack.

That way, they don't feel dirty or look bad. It's all about saving face and doing things the proper way. For example, it's never their fault (what ever it may be). Admit that it is your fault even if THEY know it's their fault... and take the blame with a smile on your face and tell then you are sorry. Saving face goes a LONG way in parts of Asia.

It sounds as if you have their system figured out. This is an awful story and I can't imagine going through that.


You can drink for quite awhile off this adventure.

Tell Dugmor we love him and you boys be careful :winkwink:

Makes me glad that I don't go to other countries lol

well... could have been worst. like sitting on a stool with a ak 47 pointed at you for threes, because of israeli currency in your wallet. Syria is not a nice place at all.
but good on you for not disappearing, which could have happen easily. Maybe you have one the thai girls girl take you to a wat, so you can sit and thank someone in your past for watching out over you.

Poi-Pet sounds like a Chia pet made from poi...

Anyway, c'mon. Poi-Pet (Poipet) is a nice town from what I've seen in pictures (never been there):

http://www.thai-blogs.com/media/DSCF2045_01.JPG

http://www.mariesworldtour.com/entri...Mar/poipet.jpg

http://www.cambodiakids.org/galleryA...n/P1010001.jpg

http://www.helgeroe.com/Album/04Cambodia/IMG_7035.JPG

Another fascinating adventure DWB, you should write a book...have a great 2006.

ADG Webmaster

These guys let you sitting there to figure out a way out of the situation by your self, and laughed at you. and you are still talking to them???

damn that sucks but at least you made it back

haha.

it's a holiday in cambodia.

where you'll do what you're told.

it's a holiday in cambodia,

where the slum's got so much soul.

No shit with friends like those...

Regards,

Lee

Was thinking the exact samething... :disgust

They all knew I was able to work my way out of it. If I would of said "DUDE, CALL THE EMBASSY!!!!" it would of been another story. It is just typical SE Asian BS... Just something I had not come across before.

[QUOTE=AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]Poi-Pet sounds like a Chia pet made from poi...

Anyway, c'mon. Poi-Pet (Poipet) is a nice town from what I've seen in pictures (never been there):

http://www.thai-blogs.com/media/DSCF2045_01.JPG

That is the place. All of the pics but this one is exactly where I was. See the old temple looking doorway in the backround? The office is on the right bottom corner of it on the back side.

That pic is taken right where you walk OUT of the Thai office as you depart Thailand.

And yes, Poi Pet is a SHIT HOLE. Those pics do not lie. Though much of Cambodia is a shit hole. If it were not for child prostitution and Ankor Wat I don't think it would exist.

At least the Khymer Rouge aren't running the country any more; or, you might have gotten more than your passport stamped.......

If one of my friends here in mexico called me with a similar thing, I would head right over. things can always go from simple to Oh shit, in about 10 seconds.

Maybe you banged the daughter of one of these ass hats, and they decide to fuck with you.

Rather have a real friend on his way just in case.

subscribing... sorry for the bump but i need to keep this shit in the archives... good thread :thumbsup


*edit*
wrong thread, my bad lol

They dont fuck around over there..scary shit

what's Ankor Wat?

Several years ago, I attempted to enter Cambodia through the newly opened border crossing with Vietnam up the Mekong Delta. I had lost my exit visa and apparently that is a "big deal" to the Vietnam gov't. My boat driver arranged for me to buy the border guard a carton of cigarettes and he would look the other way as I walked briskly into Cambodia.

Angkor Wat was awesome!!!

Sorry to hear that. I've been thinking of a South East Asian vacation. I learned a lot from your story.