Border crossing

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In confusion there is profit.

Tony Curtis as Lt. Nicholas Holden in Operation Petticoat

From its beginnings, Cambodia has been a nation in political turmoil, largely due to the circumstances of the countries surrounding it. Adding to this turmoil is a history of power struggles.

The earliest historical records date about 2,000 years ago when the Khmers, descendents of modern day Cambodians, occupied much of southeast Asia. Funan, as it was known from the third to seventh centuries, flourished as a seaport between India and China. It eventually saw its culture interrupted by the introduction of the Indian Brahmin system, a system that displaced much of the Khmer society.

By the ninth century, the region became the state of Angkor and saw great prosperity through the use of irrigation systems that allowed for multiple rice harvests per year. This prosperity brought the building of temples for the next five centuries, now known as the Angkor temples.

In the 14th century, something unknown devastated the region; perhaps malaria or a mobilized population but most likely due to attacks from the Thai state of Ayudhya. For the next two centuries, war with Thailand was off and on.

In the late 16th century Cambodia began to seek help from outside countries such as Spain and Manila. Frequent conflicts arose with Thailand and Vietnam for the next few centuries. It was eventually colonized by France though the French didn’t see it as essential. With French control and a threat from Japan, Cambodia eventually declared neutrality during WWII.

Over the last 60 years, Cambodia has seen significant political upheaval with times of peace under authoritative governments, the rise of communist factions, guerilla warfare and eventually the Khmer Rouge, a communist faction responsible for the death of around one million people and setting the country back to the stone age. The fall of communism has put an end to the worst of conditions, though the country remains extremely poor with political uncertainties still today.

This is a synopsis of what I read on Cambodian history on my trip to here country today. I am hoping this will give me a much better understanding about what I plan to see and experience.

I left Bangkok this morning by taxi, as Bangkok’s public transportation system is virtually nonexistent. Not helping things is how cheap taxis are, at least by western standards - my ride cost 120 baht (about $4) yet took about 40 minutes. It costs near that just to get in a cab in NYC.

The taxi dropped me off at the north bus station where I caught a bus to the Thai/Cambodian border. Along the way I read about Cambodia’s history and that of the Angkor temples, which is why I’m heading to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

At the border, things started to get confusing. I had consulted multiple resources on the border crossing process so I would encounter little difficulty in getting across. I was supposed to arrive in Aranyapathet and catch a tuk tuk to the border. There was no need for this as the bus took us right to the border, though it did leave us a little confused on where exactly we were.

Outside, looking for the tuk tuk I thought I needed, I came across what I thought was a driver. He quoted me 100 baht for something. I responded that the price is typically 40-50 baht, to which he replied that he would help me fill in an immigration form. No thanks. I can read and write my name.

I made it through Thai immigrations without a hitch and started walking for a couple hundred meters where I saw the Cambodian border. There was a line (well, a large group that would only resemble a line to the most abstract of artists) where I would have to go to get my visa stamped.

As I neared the line, I was approached by a local guy selling bus tickets for 300 baht. I told him once I crossed the border, I would take the free tourist bus to the bus station where I could buy my ticket. He claimed he would sell me that ticket now for 300 baht. I smelled a rat and told him such since this wasn‘t the way the process I had researched was supposed to work. It had denoted lots of special overpriced visa services being offered to unsuspecting tourists.

As evidence that he was legit, he presented me with a handful of white people as his followers who would ride the bus. I just saw a bunch of suckers. He continued to persist, eventually allowing me to pay him on the other side once we got to the bus that I would end up taking anyway. Fine. The ticket he gave me was a small patch of pink tape that he stuck to my left shirtsleeve.

Already having a visa, I tried to navigate the line with a few Europeans. Most of the people waiting were Asian and it appeared that they were having their names called out to proceed. This really confused us westerners, who are used to an orderly wait-in-a-cue-based society. Eventually we figured out that this was a tour group that was reeking havoc on whatever process was in place. We proceeded to the lines, which took an hour; each immigrant seemed to take about five minutes at the counter. Adding to it was the rampant gypping by many of the locals. I finally made it through after what felt like a sentence to hell.

I had to look at this process as corruption 101 - make your alternative competitive by making the others complicated, confusing and slow. What is “your alternative” in this case? The ability to seemingly grease an official elsewhere for the price of 1,200 baht (about $40)

Nevertheless, I made it across, caught the free tourist bus and then the bus to Siem Reap. It’s a shame that I could not trust the pink sticker ticket guy, as he turned out to be a legitimate guy just doing his job. But there are so many scammers here that you’re on edge like everyone is out to get you.

On the last bus ride I finished The Jungle Books, which was not the read I expected. There were a few interesting tales but whatever Kipling was trying to convey largely went over my head.

I also looked into some add-on stops in Vietnam if I do not go to Laos while I dined at a stop along the way. Also at the stop I met two people originally from Atlanta that now live in Alaska. They work part of the year (Alaska’s summer) and then travel the other part, as there isn’t much wildlife work to be done in the harsh winters. Six months off a year would be nice.

I made it to the Siem Reap outskirts just after 8:00 where I’d have to find my final leg of travel for the day, a tuk tuk to my hostel. One of the many warnings I had heard about the drivers is that they will relentlessly push a guesthouse of their liking to you, telling you that your accommodations are too expensive, no longer exist, are fully booked or any other reason for you not to go. They get a commission from the one they bring you to and are thus motivated to push you elsewhere.

My guy fit this bill. He tried convincing me that my hostel was way overpriced and, with a scrunch of his nose, not very nice. I had researched it online and it had one of the highest ratings I had seen for any location, including Western Europe. I told him he would either be taking me there or I would find another driver who would and then he would have no client. Reluctantly, he agreed for $2, then had me go with another guy who was heading to the same area (I would imagine they split the fare). The cost of this overpriced hostel - $8 a night.

Tonight I relaxed at the hostel and prepared for a day of touring the Angkor temples tomorrow.

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Photos

Border
The Cambodia border awaits.