Nong Khai - Vientiane Border Run

[gzu88bv]

Me and my English friend will leave for an extended border run / visit to Nong Khai and Vientiane on 03/03. We intend, although both do not have to go the Thai embassy in Vientiane, to spend a few days

there and enjoy nice Vientiane food and Laos beer before we return to Thai homeland on 03/07.

If of interest, I am willing to report after our return. Therefore, if board members want me to observe specific things during our trip to Laos, then please let me know.

[gzu88bv]

And here is the outcome:

I am not against visa agents, but doing visa business in Laos was a piece of cake at least for me. I had to do a so-called border run (no visit at a Thai consulate) and in order to avoid another trip outside Thailand before returning to Europe, I chose Vientiane and was indeed pleased about the outcome.

We, my English friend and me, left by private car last Monday and returned again this Friday. Driving to Nong Khai on Highway 2 was very pleasant. Approx. 100 yards before checkout on your left at Friendship Bridge we parked the car in a guarded and roofed area for THB 100 the night, which costs us the total of THB 400 payable after the return from Vientiane.

By tuk-tuk we were driven back and forth free of charge (on our return we just called the parking lot people) to Friendship Bridge and Thai Border Police, stamped out of Thailand and paid THB 50 each one way for the bus over the bridge.

By the way on our way to Vientiane police checked us twice. There was no check up when we returned. Each time my friend just showed them his Thai driving license, myself I presented them with my passport and “March-3-Stamp to Stay” and there was no problem whatsoever. Therefore over-stayer please beware!

The Laos Visa is easy to get and costs you the following in US Dollars, which they accepted without any comment:

Canada $ 42

US, England, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc., etc. $ 35

Sweden $ 31 (funny)

All remaining countries $ 30

These are the numbers I just remember.

You can pay in Thai Baht also, but then the fee jumps up to THB 1500.

The Laos Border Control officers handed us out a visa form to fill in (1 passport photo needed) and from the same guys at the same time we received the Laos Arrival and Departure card. With the Lao Visa for 30 days in our passports and stamped in we tried to neglect a Fee Exit Boot but had to return and pay an Exit Fee (THB 10 and got tickets for it). The officer would not let us pass without it. Therefore, just pay it and do not argue…. It is just no worth THB 10.

At the outside of border control tuk-tuk taxis or limousine services were waiting for us. We went with a group on a tuk-tuk and paid THB 50 each for a 30 min. drive to downtown Vientiane. I did the limousine service one and a half years ago and paid then far more, if I remember correctly it was approx. THB 300.

We stayed at the Vansana hotel, a little bit outside of the center of Vientiane. The hotel has a nice swimming pool (although a little bit cold at the moment) and Wi-Fi, but you have to buy an access card for doing internet. The breakfast was ok, although not spectacular and the rooms were clean, typical 3 star Laos type of a hotel. The disadvantage of this hotel is to get to town you have to negotiate the tuk-tuk price varying from THB 40 in the morning and up to THB 100 late in the evening for returns.

Next time I will return again to the Inter City Hotel for US 35 and free Wi-Fi connection, where I stayed last time. All the nice restaurants, shops, Internet coffee shops and eating places are to be found within walking distance. There are nice French food places like Le Silepa, Le Provencal and Cote-d’Azure as an example. Taste their house wines (however tell them to take them out of the cooler and serve them at room temperature) and you will really enjoy quality and inexpensive pricing.

Italian and Indian, American and Temporary food is just a treat in Vientiane, especially if you got stuck with Thai food and do not like Bangkok prices.

There are plenty of ATM machines around, where you can use you Credit Card or your Maestro Card to get money from. The actual exchange rate for THB 100 was KIP 27980. Therefore, even with a few Thai Baht you will become a KIP millionaire fast. US Dollars and Thai Baht are very well accepted currencies in the restaurants and in the shops.

You will notice a lot of Westeners in Vientiane and less the typical 60 year old “Falang” with his 20 year old “Bride-to-be” (no pun intended). Myself I felt like being in the south of France.

I spoke with a French guy who has been living in Vientiane for 3 years. He eats out in restaurants only and says that Savannakhet has nothing to offer likewise. He was talking about a legal yearly Laos Visa for approx. US Dollars 400 (no border runs), stays in a flat (rent prices ranging from $ 200-300 a month) and says that temperatures are more agreeable than in Thailand. When he returns to France, he flies out either to Hanoi or to Bangkok.

As an old man with senior moments I again tripped over the Thai Visa Calculator (George, why don’t you correct it so if I select the start and end date it does include both days in its calculation), and will now be on 1 day overstay, when I return to Europe for Euro 08 on June 5. Due to that dam_n calculator, the officer at the Nong Khai Friendship Bridge handed me out a calendar, let me count the days on it and politely asked me twice if that “June 4 stamp” I got was correct. This all would not have happened if in fact my Thai Visa Calculator entries “March 3” and “June 5” had shown 91 days. However, above entries show 90 days, otherwise I would have stayed one day more in Vientiane.

My English friend, who lives here on a Multiple Non-O-Visa that just expired when we left Thailand last Monday, came back to this country with just a “April 5-stamp” in his passport. No onward ticket had to be shown and no particular questions were asked.

Especially speaking to the deep-in-the-Isaan-stayers, why don’t you give your lady a special treat, buy her a passport for THB 1035 and do your next trip to Vientiane. She can talk to the Laos folks and will feel comfortable there. You, as a dine-and-wine-man, will love Vientiane restaurants and won’t have to put up with that noisy Karaoke music that we sometimes have to put up with here in Isaan. You will also appreciate a smaller crowd of street vendors in Vientiane. And not to forget, tax-free shopping (liquor, wine, hand bag, leather ware) just inside the Laos border and downtown shopping will please you as well as your lady.

[stoney79]

I just got back from Vientiane yesterday. I took the train from Hua Lampong to Nong Khai, arriving at 9:30 I took the second class sleeper car for 750 Baht. There are three trains arriving in Nong Khai in the morning at 5:05, 7:35 and 9:10 a.m. If you want to get to the Thai Consulate in Vientiane the same morning, it is advisable to take either of the two earlier trains. The 7:35 train arriving in Nong Khai should allow plenty of time. The train arriving at 9:10 is cutting it too close at best.

After they drop you off on the Lao side to make the visa you wll see two windows to your left. There was a large crowd milling about and I didn't have a clue as to what to do to apply for the visa. After a while I found out that you go to the right hand window to ask for the visa application as well as the arrival/departure card. Sit down at the large tables and fill them out. Then turn the visa application and the fee in to the window on the left. Go to the window on the right when your passport is ready, about ten minutes for me. You will know when the lady sticks your open passport with picture out the window and starts tapping it on the counter. When I finally got my Lao Visa at the bridge it was already 11:45 a.m. I made my way through the Lao Immigration to turn the arrival card in and made my way to the tuk-tuk.

Therefore I went to the Thai Consulate early the next morning. The only advice I would offer there is don't staple your two pictures onto the application form. This was also mentioned in a previous post. I did and the guy accepting the forms took several minutes tearing the staples out and gluing on the photos instead. Everything other than that went smoothly and I was out of there within an hour. A great trip all in all and looking forward to going back.

[poundcake]

Especially speaking to the deep-in-the-Isaan-stayers, why don't you give your lady a special treat, buy her a passport for THB 1035 and do your next trip to Vientiane. She can talk to the Laos folks and will feel comfortable there. You, as a dine-and-wine-man, will love Vientiane restaurants and won't have to put up with that noisy Karaoke music that we sometimes have to put up with here in Isaan. You will also appreciate a smaller crowd of street vendors in Vientiane. And not to forget, tax-free shopping (liquor, wine, hand bag, leather ware) just inside the Laos border and downtown shopping will please you as well as your lady.

thais do not need a passport to go to loas, they can check in with there ID card and get a 3 or 4 day visa i do not remember the exact days

[stoney79]

Especially speaking to the deep-in-the-Isaan-stayers, why don't you give your lady a special treat, buy her a passport for THB 1035 and do your next trip to Vientiane. She can talk to the Laos folks and will feel comfortable there. You, as a dine-and-wine-man, will love Vientiane restaurants and won't have to put up with that noisy Karaoke music that we sometimes have to put up with here in Isaan. You will also appreciate a smaller crowd of street vendors in Vientiane. And not to forget, tax-free shopping (liquor, wine, hand bag, leather ware) just inside the Laos border and downtown shopping will please you as well as your lady.

thais do not need a passport to go to loas, they can check in with there ID card and get a 3 or 4 day visa i do not remember the exact days

Yes, my Thai friend made a special border pass at an office just using her Thai id card. It gave her two nights and three days. (The tuk tuk guys at the bridge on the Thai side know where to go in Nong Khai for this).

We stayed an additional day and some Lao hotel staff said you can either pay at the Immigration Police office in Vientiane, or when you check in at immigration at the bridge. The office in Vientiane did not accept her payment as it was too late in the day. When we arrived at the bridge the next day Lao immigration said to go inside in the office and pay. We ended up paying 200 baht for the extra day. He said it is no problem if you want a few extra days, just you have to pay this amount x the number of days you stay over.

Edited March 10, 2008 by stoney79

[gzu88bv]

When I am stuck with life in deep Isaan, where “Falang” restaurants as well as “Falang” food are not that readily available, I usually go for a few days to my favorite place, which is Vientiane (Laos), where I can enjoy something else than Isaan respectively Thai “Glutamine” dishes.

And here I am, driving up north on highway N° 2 on April 30, 2008 with not much traffic (gas prices are probably showing). Approx. 65 km before Udon Thani I again ran into a police checkup. This time I showed my Thai driving license, but the officer also wanted to see my passport. Therefore, those overstaying please be warned!

At approx 1 pm I arrived in Nong Khai and about 200 m before the Friendship Bridge at this road signNong_Khai_Friendship_Bridge.pdfyou turn left into the secured car parkNong_Khai_Friendship_Bridge_Carpark.pdfwhere you can park your car for THB 100 per night. You will receive a ticket, half of it will be put underneath the wipers of your parked car and the other half you will keep yourself. A tuk-tuk driver will then bring you free of charge to the Thai Immigration booth where you will be stamped out of Thailand. My missus with her Thai passport had to fill in the Thai arrival/departure card. They did keep her departure part and attached the arrival slip to her passport.

Just after being stamped out of Thailand you buy a bus ticket for THB 15 and this bus will bring you to the Laos side of the bridge. When you arrive there just 10 m in front of you on the left side you notice the Laos visa counter.

At the left window pane of that Laos visa counter you will get the application form as well as the Laos arrival/departure card. Some people also obtained it from the right window pane. Fill out both forms and hand it in on the left window pane, pay your visa fee and collect the passport at the right window pane later on.

I took a pictureLaos_30_Day_Visa_Fees.pdffrom the visa fees attached to the pane and an officer sitting behind that window (therefore, sorry that the picture does not look that great, but these visa fees are still in force and there was no problem at all regarding payment with US Dollars).

Canadians pay a hefty US $ 42 visa fee, you may then figure countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka with a fee of US $ 40 and after that you recognize Austria, Britain and other European countries whose fee is US $ 35, etc. etc.

Don’t expect any change, if dollar amount does not match your fee. BTW if you pay in THB the visa fee is THB 1500. Thais with a passport do not need a Laos visa and the page with the stamps looks like thisThai_Laos_Stamps_to_Stay.pdf But they have to fill out the Laos departure/arrival card. And the Stamp to Stay has a validity for 30 days as you notice. My visa was issued in about 5 min. as there were not that many people around at 1 pm.

With your Laos visa you go to the booth where you are stamped-in into Laos. Once done you proceed to a booth where it says Exit Fee. Here, you and also Thai citizen buy a ticket for THB 10 and I guarantee you that you do not pass the next officer, who checks your passport again, without that ticket.

After that you are swamped by the Laos tuk-tuk and limousine drivers. Negotiate as much as possible, but THB 50 per person on a 2-axle tuk-tuk which other people travelling with you is the norm. I negotiated with a limousine driver and got driven directly to our hotel without other people on board for THB 250. If you do share with other people these gangsters drive you to the Central Bus Station only and then you have to deal with another guy for your place to stay and subsequently an additional THB 50-70.

When I arrived in Vientiane I exchanged THB 100 for KIP 27550. And those who say that Vientiane is expensive have either no ideas or compare pears with apples instead of apples with apples. Even Lao beer is better and cheaper than any beer in Thailand anywhere. Or do KIP 8000 for a large bottle of beer in a Vientiane French restaurant sound expensive to you? Or what do you think about KIP 27000 for an excellent, crispy and tasty French baguette ham sandwich together with a large bottle of Lao beer at the “Full Moon Café” restaurant? I also bought a few items that you will not find in many bigger cities in Isaan and here is what I paid for Laos_Pricing.pdf

In Vientiane I can recommend “Falang” eating places like Le Provencal (just behind the Nam Phou Fountain), Le Cote-d’Azur (50 m from Nazim, downstream and alongside Mekong River on Fa Ngum Road), Sticky Fingers, Nazim, Khop Chai Deu, Full Moon Café, just a few to name, where the food is just excellent and prices the same or cheaper than at similar places like i.e. in Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Roiet, Pattaya or Bangkok. Take i.e. Roiet as an example. No decent “Farang” eating place. In Tesco and Macro you will notice little “Falang” food available. Or go to Petcharat Hotel in the same city and find out very quickly what a dirty place, how bad the swimming pool water and lousy the no-falang-food there it is. Believe me, I have been there, I have done it and I know what I am talking about.

There are many Internet places in Vientiane, but the speed is rather slow, especially in the afternoon. Internet connection at the restaurant “Full Moon Café” is free, if you buy i.e. a sandwich and a capuccino.

In the restaurants as well as in most shops they accept your KIP, THB or US Dollars. ATM machines are available and banks to exchange your money too.

Once you travel back home (an approx. 16 km ride) to Friendship Bridge just be aware of the tuk-tuk mafia. They all like your THB very much. Do not talk to those lined-up in front of your hotel or guesthouse, but contact the so-called freelancers in the city. Bargain as much as possible and do not be afraid, they will meet with you at the requested time the next morning to bring you back to the Bridge.

I enclose a few items that may also be of interest to you:

Vientiane_Map.pdf

Accomodation___Dining___Attractions_in_Vientiane.pdf

Vientiane on a shoestring

And you do not need a visa agent at the Bridge nor at the Thai Consulate in Vientiane. Or can you not fill in a visa application yourself? BTW the Thai Consulate is within walking distance from the Patuxay monument, north east on That Luang street on the left hand side. You just cannot miss it.

I hope this info is of help to you. Enjoy your stay Vientiane and good luck for your Thai visa.

[tropo]

Great report!

Thank you.