Crossing the border into Thailand.....

Monday 14 Nov 2016.

         8.00am sharp-- presented myself at the Cambodian border exit control and breathed a sigh of

Sitting, waiting for the shared taxi.....

relief that they had not dreamt up any new charge/levy/toll for an independent tourist like me, for some service as a fee to leave the Cambodian Peoples' Republic. All cleared, I strolled the 500m across the sweltering no-mans' and into Thailand. All very straight forward. Next task--locate a bus, shared taxi, or whatever to take me the 200kms to Rayang, billed as a minor resort south of Pattaya and Bangkok. As reported yesterday, there is no cross-border public transportation from Pruhm, Cambodia into Thailand, and so the cartel of taxi drivers on the Thai side apply maximum squeeze on every westerner. For me, the squeeze was $70US (dealed down from $80) for the trip. Solo passenger basis only permitted! Breathe deeply and pay-up. What else to expect from a border crossing with a dozen casinos!
     

Hanging on the wall of the food stall.....

     Last time I visited Thailand was exactly 20 years ago---1996, in my export manager days. I had forgotten that the Thais drive on the left. Very quickly could see that Thailand is certainly a major step up in affluence over Cambodia, Laos etc. and also where it was in 1996. The shops here are crammed full of western style packaged consumer goods, 7-11's on every corner, ditto McDonald's and Starbucks. At least it means that I shall go less hungry than was often case in Cambodia. Only myself to blame, but I just cannot stomach the raw spices lathered over everything. Prices noticeably elevated in Thailand compared to the other SE Asian nations visited on this trip, although I should say that I am only shelling out $15 US for a very acceptable air-con centrally located hotel room in Rouang.
           Big disappointment for me is the apparent demise of the tuk-tuk in Thailand. Last time here, I could dive on or off these admirable vehicles & for just about $1 could get to anywhere in the Bangkok metropolis. Thailand seems to be well on the way to being a mass car owning society, whereas Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam are still well & truly mired in the mo-ped era. I observe

Ernie the elephant calling all to the temple....

how the overall speed of the road traffic in T'land is much greater than in the other three nations through which I have journeyed. Regretfully, the hyper affluent era of the spoiled brat kid driving his souped-up Honda down the main drag at 80mph seems also to have arrived in Thailand.
            Not a lot to keep a tourist in Rayang, so off to the bus station bright and early tomorrow to land myself a seat on a big bus (not mini-van) bound for Bangkok.. Seems as though my days of being picked up at my hotel door by a tuk-tuk or motor cycle taxi and shepherded to my bus, waiting for me at the bus station, as in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam, are now a thing of the past & I will have to struggle to locate the bus station and the correct bus for myself in each town--not always as easy as it sounds.

Sunday, 13 November 2016.

             My shared taxi departed for the Thai border at 9.10am, only 10 minutes later than the agreed time---even better, I had been advised to expect 5 other paying passengers. Business must be slow, as only one other person accompanied myself and the driver and we in fact arrived at the frontier post at 10.45pm giving me the opportunity to spend nearly a full day at this end of the road location. Apparently, relations between Cambodia and Thailand have traditionally been cold. This impacts the

Concrete artistry in  Rayong....

independent tourist by the fact that there are no direct cross border transportation links. Shared taxis from the Cambodian side end at the border, passengers then required to foot it for 500m across no-mans land to the Thai control point. This what I shall doing early tomorrow morning, in the mean-time, I have holed up in a reasonable $10/nt. guest house---internet does not function and the shower comes in one flavour---cold.
              Noteworthy about the main road at the border on the Cambodia side, is that is lined with perhaps a dozen large (luxury?) casino hotels. The clientele, I am informed, is almost solely Thais--- considerably richer than their Cambodian neighbours. Interesting that in a country as socially tolerant as Thailand, with it's famous laissez-faire attitude towards the moral vices, that somewhere, someone, decreed that Thais have to be protected in their own country, from their cravings to lose a bundle at the slots & tables.
          Emerged at 6 pm for my early evening stroll up & down the drag of this one street 'wanna be' mini Las Vegas. Clearly the only westerner in town, so I did not have much confidence in being able to find anything to eat less than with the full spice load. The lady at the street front eatery that I selected, assured me that a nice piece of boiled fish could be offered totally spice free. With some trepidation, I accepted her offer---- I have been at the wrong end of these 'no/low spice' deals on previous occasions. Steaming plate served and true to form, the fish was almost glowing with the spice level. Took a couple of bites and was forced to hand over my $12 US (ate well yesterday for $3)--but hey, this is Las Vegas east and the Thai high rollers are in town. Just too many tough customers around to argue (only I speak English) the case & demand a discount for faulty goods!