'''Aranyaprathet''' (??????????, also Aran Yaprathet, Aranya Prathet, or just Aran) is a border town in Sa Kaew Province, Eastern Thailand. It is the busiest land crossing into Cambodia, and the most convenient for onward travel to Siem Reap and the Angkor Archaeological Park.

  • If you are passing through Aranyaprathet or stopping in one of the many hotels in the town then you may be intersed to know about the "Farang Bar" across the road from the railway station, owned by an english guy called Mike & his thai wife(who speaks english) it's a good place to get any info you might need and also one of the only places where you can get a drink or meal with english speaking staff .phone no is + 66 838159974 worth a look!<drink name="" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></drink>== Get in ==
  • By bus

    All roads to Aranyaprathet have checkpoints and most buses will be boarded at least once by uniformed military/immigration personnel looking primarily for illegal immigrants from Cambodia. Typically a small number of Thai/Khmer passengers will be asked to produce their ID cards; foreigners (ie non-Thai/non-Khmer, and especially Westerners) are not usually required to produce their passports.

    There are reliable and inexpensive government bus services from and to many destinations, including Bangkok (frequent), Buriram (frequent), Chachoengsao (frequent), Chanthaburi (frequent), Mukdahan, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) (frequent), Pattaya, Rayong, Surin, and Udon Thani. For Trat, go via Chanthaburi.

    Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport

    There are direct first class buses from/to Suvarnabhumi - departures from Suvarnabhumi are at 08:00 & 14:30, departures from Aranyaprathet are at 09:00 & 14:30. The fare is 187 baht.

    The Suvarnabhumi Airport bus terminal can also be a good way to connect with other destinations, including Ekamai and many other points in Bangkok served by Suvarnabhumi's extensive and frequent "local" bus services, as well as the western seaboard of Eastern Thailand.

    Bangkok's Don Muang Airport

    To connect with Don Muang, use the Moh Chit bus services. When going to Aranyaprathet, it may be possible to save time by boarding the bus at Rangsit; the catch with this strategy is that 1st class buses won't stop there if all seats are already taken. When going to Don Muang, request to disembark directly in front of the airport.

    Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal - Moh Chit

    First class buses from/to Moh Chit run every 30-60 minutes and take 4-5 hours; the fare varies depending on the exact route, but is around 200 baht, which typically includes a small snack, a soft drink, and a bottle of water. Second class buses cost less but may take longer and don't have on-board toilets.

    Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal - Ekamai

    From Ekamai, take a bus to Chachoengsao then switch to an Aranyaprathet bus. This will probably be the quickest option if you're already at (or want to get to) Ekamai, but from/to elsewhere in Bangkok it's usually faster to go direct via Moh Chit. An alternative strategy for connecting with Ekamai is to go via the Suvarnabhumi Airport bus terminal - see times, above.

    Khao San Road

    Khao San Road tourist buses are more expensive and less comfortable than government services; those to destinations in Cambodia always involve a change of vehicle at the border, and are usually full of irritating people.

    By train

    Four trains a day connect Aranyaprathet with Bangkok's Hualamphong Train Station. A morning train departs Hualamphong at 05:55 and arrives at 11:20 (in the opposite direction 06:40 & 11:45); an afternoon train departs Hualamphong at 13:05 and arrives at 18:05 (in the opposite direction 13:40 & 19:05). The fare is 48 baht; the surcharge for a bicycle is 80 baht.

    For those with a little time to kill, the train can be an enjoyable way to connect with both Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports. For Suvarnabhumi, go via Hua Takhe station and BMTA shuttle bus (15 baht); for Don Muang, simply switch trains at Hualamphong.

    From Poipet, Cambodia

    To reach Poipet from elsewhere in Cambodia, see the Poipet article. The border crossing opens at 07:00 and closes at 20:00. (There's no time difference between Cambodia and Thailand.)

    Entering Thailand from Poipet is straightforward for travellers entitled to enter without a visa and for those who have obtained a visa in advance.

    Nationalities entitled to visa-on-arrival facilities should note that visas are '''not''' available on arrival when entering Thailand overland from Cambodia, and should either obtain a visa in advance or else enter by air (there are visa-on-arrival facilities at all Thai international airports).

    If you cross from Thailand to Cambodia in the morning, you're likely to see a long line of Thais waiting for an one-day exit stamp to gamble at the casinos in Poipet. However there's a separate line for non-Thais and in a welcome change from usual order of preference, it's quite a bit faster than the one the natives have to use - at least until mid-day, when the Khao San tourist buses arrive.

    Get around

    The bus terminal and the train station are very close to each other, and about 6km from the border crossing. A "local" bus service connects the three, if you're not in a hurry.

    Tuk-tuks to the border cost 50-60 baht. Don't let them stop at travel agencies along the way to get your visa, tell them you want to go to the immigration office at the border. These travel agencies are a scam and will charge you an extra "service fee" above the US$20 cost of the visa and will delay your trip by hours. The tuk-tuk driver gets a commission for leaving you at the travel agency rather than taking you all the way to the border.

    Motorcycle-taxis are also readily available, and charge less than tuk-tuks.

    See

  • '''Border market'''
  • '''Cement reservoir''' - located in the center of town, people gather here in the evening to drink and eat from the omnipresent food stalls
  • Eat

    If you're looking for breakfast in the morning, you'll find most restaurants closed, but there are fruit sellers in the market, and some convenience stores. Numerous restaurants are open in the afternoon and evening.

  • '''Night market''' - located two blocks straight ahead from the Aran Garden 2 Hotel, by the cement reservoir, and offering the usual range of Thai eats
  • Sleep

    If you're on your way to Siem Reap in the morning, get a good night's sleep, because you have a bumpy ride ahead of you.

  • '''Aran Garden 2 Hotel'''. Not bad considering the price. Tuk-tuk drivers will know it by name, but agree on a price in writing or in Thai before you go - they know who stays here, so they're enthusiastic purveyors of the "you misheard me" scam. The front desk can provide maps of the town; food is generally unavailable. 230 baht for fan rooms, 370 baht for air-con.
  • '''Aran Mermaid Hotel''', 33 Tanavitee Rd. A new "luxury" hotel catering to travellers on a higher budget - prices vary by how and when you make a reservation, but you can expect to pay about 900 baht for a single, 1550 for a double and 1950 for a triple, which may or may not include breakfast.
  • Contact

    There are more than 6 internet cafes in the center of (0.5 kilometer radius) Aranyaprathet. They have broadband and are reliably fast. 20baht/hour, or 40baht /3 hours.