esclub

7 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Excellent news. The mask wearing, at this point is tiresome and inane. There is NO COVID in Thailand. So, why all the paranoia? I get wearing a mask in the US, or Europe. But here? Seems excessive, paranoid and based on fear mongering. 

Someone likes the word "inane".....a lot....

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Whats there to be scared about, I went to villa mart this morning, put my mask on when I got out of the car and entered the shop, took it off when I got back in the car. Total 20 mins, now I'm at home with my daughter enjoying a quiet Sunday. Nothing scary at all.

Is your car a Delorian by any chance as you would have appeared to leap forward in to the future...

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The wait is for immigration to do their checks and a background check. For those from some countries it take much longer than others.

I have seen reports of it only taking less than a month for those from western countries.

You can do the application online and by email.

If approved and the fee is paid you can get the visa when arriving at Suvarnabhumi (BKK).

Not much difference between applying out of or in the country. It will still take the same amount of time.

I got mine last month, It took 3 weeks. A mate of mine had to wait 6 weeks back in May.

Grasss!!!! ????

58 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Hold your horses there. It only happened a few minutes ago.

 

Rogue cop. Not unique to Thailand. Simples.

how many simples exactly

48 minutes ago, geordie said:

I have just renewed my second passport, same reason as you for offshore work.

Letter from your employer stating the reason why you require your second passport, Visas for traveling to work.

Passport application, every page copied in both of your passports, in colour. 

Confirmation of your address in Thailand.

Go on line and make an appointment, give 2 dates, payment is made on line. they will send you an appointment, go to trendy building sukhumvit 13, go to deck on first floor and take elevator to 8th floor.

From putting in application I got my passport back in 10 days.

I found the personnel at the passport office very helpful and the service they provide was very good.

Hope this helps.

 

Regards Geordie

Thanks for your reply, sounds like a straighforward process and very fast too!

I currently hold 2 x valid UK passports for business reasons (oil and gas industry) and one of my passports is getting quite full and I am planning to renew it but wondered if anyone else holding 2 valid UK passports has replaced one in Thailand recently and if there are any points to note or advice.

The last time I replaced a passport I did it by sending my passport to the UK and  used an address which was not my own and it required a letter from the recieving person to accept receipt of my passport, letter from my employer explaining why I require a second passport ( as always) lots of calls and emails and when I eventuall got it back I didn't get the 48 page version I had requested and paid for but I the standard passport and a reefund of the extra cost.

I have checked online and downloaded all the documentation and application forms to apply from Thailand but any info from someone who has recently gone through the process and their experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

22 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Stop eating it!!!!!  Or have Laab Chicken, fish or buffalo instead.

 

Are you getting it from the same place each time?  If so try it from another place.

 

I eat all sorts of Thai food.. very spicy, raw, fermented, insects and other things... but I can not eat the simple green Thai curry. 

 

Some combination of the ingredients make me have to rush to the bathroom 5 minutes after eating it!!!!   I can eat very spicy Thai food and nothing else has this effect on my stomach.  So I have given up ever eating it now.

 

 

impressive

55 minutes ago, Glenn128 said:

Just got back from the embassy and can report that a 7:30 arrival time was not early enough. When I got there, gates were open, all seats were filled, and line full all the way back to the security guard. Maybe 7 does the trick, maybe not. As has been stated by others, main priority for a run to Vientianne should probably be to avoid Monday and Thursday, but for those of us that have no other choice, I can at least confirm that arriving at 7:30 won't cut it.

 

Fyi, I was able to submit with a downloaded form, no questions asked. Would be curious about the form for the Lao visa, though.

I take it that Mondays and Thursdays are visa run days by agents then making them more crowded?

Yes, sometimes the day cant be helped. I will be applying on a Wednesday next time so hopefully that will be better. 

From one of the previous comments on the thread the border is open at 6.30 so maybe 7 will do it.....or 6.45...

I handed in a completed downloaded form and got to the front of the queue and they made me fill out the new form a couple of years back, when I was in the queue last time I was told by a couple of people that they dont accept the downloaded ones, so  you may have been lucky. I have a few anyway so may be worth while for next time for others.

4 hours is a long wait you have had today, what was your ticket number?

3 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I did last year. PM me if you want to know how.

I'm sure it would be of interest to all in this thread, any reason why you can't share here?

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

As long as you get your paperwork in before 12 noon everything should fall into place.

 

Assuming all is OK, pick up your passport after13-00 next day.

 

Last time I was there I had number 514, but can get passport back same day; saves a night stay in Vienteine.

you cannot get your passport back the same day now

Isn't ther OP asking what time to be at the gates to avoid the queue?

Last time I went 2 months back I arrived at 8 am (on a Thursday) and the queue was already all the way to the gate. My ticket number was 386.

The next day collection wasnt too fast either as its done by your ticket number, I arrived at 13.30 and got my passport at 15.20.

I will try to get there a lot earlier next time when I apply, mybe 7am although I would not be surprised if it's already busy at that time. 

As they don't accept the downloaded form you have to fill the form out there so I grabbed a few copies to save a little time on that and the same goes for the landing cards for Laos at the airport. Every little helps....

Please let us know how you get on tomorrow mate. 

good luck!