kevbap

Can you meet requirements for retirement extension of stay 600k 800k in bank/65k per month income or combination to meet 800k per year? If yes retirement extension of stay would be your best option. Failing that and if you are not willing to obtain education extensions of stay (can be part time Thai study) a normal tourist visa is your best option but as we do not know how many you already show in your passport hard to judge odds - if only the two at least a single entry should be available from Vientiane and most likely another two entry.

doesnt it have to be in the bank for 3 months before the application ?

it doesnt sound like the Op has even been in Thailand that long ?

i have lived here for 9 years, but i have had a non imm b for most of that time, hence my little confusion !

Maybe 9 years isnt that long?

thanks for the reply though !

Hi again to all on Thai visa,

i cocked up big time when going across the Mae Sai border for a 2 month tourist visa, by not realising that i had missed the original visa from Laos by 1 day, so instead of getting a further 2 months they issued me with 2 weeks !! argggg !

my fault completely by not looking at my Laos visa and just focusing on my immigration extra 30 day visa

(i wrongly assumed they were hand in hand!)

So what to do now??? please help me as i have only 2 weeks now to sort this problem out!

I am English and over 50 (just) and need to get as longer visa as poss here in Chiang Mai...

I think i can continue to do a every 2 week visa run , but this is unacceptable...any suggestions?

I was told that maybe another Laos trip might only wield a 2 month visa?

I look forward too hearing from my good friends here on TV

Kevin

You could always drink his free water while watching.

dont think he sell Leo beer?

http://www.chiangmaiairportonline.com/node/10

that's your current list of take offs/landings in Chiang Mai, i live right next to the airport, and if it wasn't for a great big fence and a trek across the runway, would be there in 5 minutes walk.

regards 'Geekie' plane spotter

Kevin

i agree with the picture quality, it was like you're at the match itself, albeit warmer, and getting free beers from Kevin.55555

Just go to any travel agent in CM and buy a return visa run mini-bus ticket. I paid 1,700 baht: I was picked up at my apartment and taken to Aya Services (the transportation company) for a 7:00 pm departure. Over night trip, stopping at their facility around 5:30 am, in NongKhai where they supply coffee and egg sandwiches (I ate three, they were pretty good) upstairs. Then downstairs to a fill out your Lao visa form session. Very helpful bunch, even had a glue stick to stick your pic on your freshly filled out Loa visa form. Then, around 7:30 am, back on the bus and on to Thai immigration for exit. The driver they send you with takes care of all kinds of little passport glitches, he’s very experienced in this. After exiting Thailand the same bus and driver takes you to the Lao side. The driver lLeads the folks from his bus to the correct window (no line up on either end, they are connected here), put in your form, wait ten minutes, get your passport with Lao tourist visa. Back on the bus and off to the Thai Embassy (Consul Services) building, arriving around 8:15. Smooth as glass.

Alternately, you can buy a one way ticket in CM for the outbound service and buy your return ticket at a little place between the Douang Deuane Hotel (where I stayed, 750 baht including breakfast, balcony etc) and the Riverside Hotel (you can find the hotel addresses on Agoda’s website,) a one way ticket from Vientiane to CM by mini-bus is 900 baht or a VIP bus for 1,300 baht. The bar somebody mentioned might have been the Roof Top. That place is about 500 metres north along the river road, it’s on the 4th floor of a building right across the street from the new outdoor market. Cool place: large Lao 13,000 kip (about 50 baht) BTW - I got a fair exchange (1 baht - 259 kip) at a bank about 300 metres south on the river road.

Enjoy.

Fantastic info, for the record, the bar is called 'Bor pen Jang' (mai pen rai) one 3 litre jug of Beer Lao 60,000 kip.

I went with one of the mini bus drivers on the Lao side, costs 150 baht each (4 of us) he took us to the embassy, and sat outside waiting for us (3 hours !) then took us to a hotel not far from the Consulate. good service.

I returned via Udonthani, staying overnight in the 'City Lodge' 500 baht good size rooms and flew back to Chiang Mai next morning with Nokair @ 9.15 cost 2190 baht.

My trip to Lao was on a VIP bus departing CM 8pm and we arrived in Udon at 6am, transfered to a bus to Nongkhai from the same bus station for 35 baht!

next time fly fly fly ! i hate the buses !

Thanks chap, great post ! very helpful.

Cheers guys for your help, here's what im doing, bus CM to UDon, fastest way to border, fastest way to Thai consulate (cant spell consulate without spelling late) find a guesthouse, drink copious amounts of Beer Laos, get visa and wander into Udonthani "Irish Clock" for a night of....pleasure? and fly back on the 9.25am flight (2190 baht) back to CM.....job done !

meanwhile back in the real world......lets see, this is my plan, and i will update when i get back.

thanks again Kevin

cheers guys for all your posts, extremely helpful as per normal. I wonder if Nongkhai has changed that much since i was last there over a year ago? there was a little girlie bar on the Mekhong road? cant remember the name of the street without google maps, i will be sitting in there for a few beers on the way back! freedom from the gf !!! 5555

Full schedule is here for both Udon and Nong Khai to Vientiane bus service.

http://www.tatnews.o...ail.asp?id=2151

Thats marvellous, thanks a lot i will load it to my fone, for the trip.

Great help !

are you sure there's a bus from nong khai to vientiene ? that goes straight thru the border ?

Yes there is or was ! i might even take the train if im late, i have the train timetable on a foto somewhere, when i was in Lao for a year i used to take fotos of all the bus timetables where ever i went, because the internet was so crap!

Handy tip if you stay there !

i think it's baht only at the thai embassy.

it's cheaper to pay in dollas for the laos visa on arrival at 35$ (extra dolla after 4pm) instead of 1500 baht - saves you 400 baht.

you could get some kip at the border for spending money - things bit cheaper in kip - but you can't change it back in thailand.

so your getting the night bus from chiang mai to udon thani ? crakapon or something used to be the one but i think there's more choice now,

if your getting another bus to nong khai that can take a while and you maybe late for the embassy that same morning ?

it's a good idea to buy the return bus ticket if your sure of the return date - saves you getting back to the bus station too early and you don't want to end up on the second class bus back to chiang mai - maybe you can get the return ticket in chiang mai or if not can get in udon when you arrive.

i once chipped in with a group and we hired a guy to take us to the border saved a lot of time - udon to border 600 baht between 5 of us.

Cheers for the info, i have been told by a Thai friend that i can go direct to Nongkhai from CM, i will venture to the bus station early next week as i reckon that will entail a change of buses and bus stations in Udon.

There is no such law or requirement.

The law says everyone must carry ID. If you are not Thai, almost anything with your photo is generally acceptable.Even a photocopy of your passport.

What law are you referring to?

A quote from a UK government web site: By law, you must carry your passport with you at all times in Thailand. Tourists have been arrested because they were unable to produce their passport upon request.

MSPain

and what happens when you apply for a new passport? whilst living here?

Then they issue one. Read the information on their Interweb.

well i was left without my passport 2 years ago whilst it got sent to Hong Kong and was told by the British embassy 'not to worry' ! explain that one !!!!

There is no such law or requirement.

The law says everyone must carry ID. If you are not Thai, almost anything with your photo is generally acceptable.Even a photocopy of your passport.

What law are you referring to?

A quote from a UK government web site: By law, you must carry your passport with you at all times in Thailand. Tourists have been arrested because they were unable to produce their passport upon request.

MSPain

and what happens when you apply for a new passport? whilst living here?

I paid $10 in both Mae Sot and Mae Sai.

Don't show any Thai money in your wallet, play dumb and keep offering the $10.

Don't speak or understand anything they say in any language, just hold out the $10.

In the end they give in and take it.

Exactly what i did, but i followed 3 American ladies into the office who wanted to cause a problem !

and i had to sit there while they had a go at the customs people, eventually they went and i got up and handed them my $10 . easy!

lawnmower engine ???? ah any shop selling Honda clicks !

how are you traveling there ?

you can get the vientiene express from the udon thani city center bus station but you will need the laos visa b4 hand.

laos visa on arrival used to be 35$ although you maybe able to apply for the transit visa of 30$ ?

also if your prepared with filled in application form and photo copies of passport and 2 photos and money in hand i'm sure you can arrive after 11 and get it done. (find any hotel online for your address it laos).

i think vientiene is much the same and they have finished off the river front garden project and there's a new market also apparently, a couple of years ago it was a building site .

Do they still accept Thai money in the consulate or has it got to be Lao kip? im looking at bus to Nongkhai then local bus across the border hence the buying of the Lao visa here in CM

Thanks for the tip, love Lao and so looking forward to this trip, well not the nightmare bus journey !

Be sure to arrive at the consulate before noon or you will have to wait until the next day to apply.

Is there a Lao consulate in CM? Do you have the address or contact info?

Actually you need to have all of your paperwork in before 11:00 am NOT 12:00.

Getting your Laos visa is a great idea.

The hotels haven't changed much since your last trip except that there are more now. Nice, new and most have WiFi.

Unless people live close to that boarder I can never understand why they go to Vientiane. Savannakhet is a MUCH nicer and easier going consulate.

Thanks alot for that, i nearly went to Savannakhet for work, heard its pretty good there?

thanks again.

Be sure to arrive at the consulate before noon or you will have to wait until the next day to apply.

Is there a Lao consulate in CM? Do you have the address or contact info?

I believe you can go to a travel agents and get your visa from them, its a bit more expensive but as i say it stops the hassle of getting on another bus or mini bus over the Lao side when going over.

Thanks for the noon tip, i was wondering about that, also forgot about the time diff?

Hello, i am off to Lao and Vientiane end of the month and was wondering if there is anything i need to know about this trip and tourist visa?

I have been to the Thai consulate before in Vientiane, but that was over 3 years ago !

My plan is to arrive in Lao around mid morning Monday 27th, wonder off to the consulate, put my paperwork? in, not sure 100% what i need yet, then trudge round looking for a cheap guesthouse with wi-fi......im assuming i will get my (British) passport back the following afternoon? then 'hightail' it back to Nongkhai for a night.

Now this is my plan......are there any rather large holes in this plan?

i may get my Lao visa before i leave home (Chiang Mai) so i can go across the border by local bus and not get held up at the border, waiting for the Lao visa ($30 ?)

I have been here in Thailand on a non imm B, but the visa & the work finished and i now want a bit of R'n'R in Chiang Mai to assess my next move.

As always i look forward to your help and comments, funny or otherwise.

Cheers Kevin

Mayo-Mai ow !

i lived in a little village called Muang Khoua for a year helping with the UN & teaching the local kids English. There really is very little to do in the north of Lao, maybe pay a visit/overnight stay in the Kamu lodge, its a working lodge near to Luang Prabang. Namtha is ok, small village, its only claim to fame while i was in Lao was it had the northern most Indian curry house, nice curry too.

I have a very good friend in Luang Prabang, but have not been able to contact him for some time, maybe changed his mobile? I dont know if the boat trip will be operating from Huayxai the Mekhong gets very low around this time of year, if the Chinese have had a dry spell, they tend to not open the dams, thus emptying the river !

I really enjoyed my time in Lao, but thankfully i was quite busy or i could have been very bored, dont get me wrong, its a beautiful country with maybe the nicest people i have ever met in the world, but there is only so many 'Wats' you can visit !

So summing up, yes head to Luang Prabang direct, stay a few days there, its by far the nicest place/town in Lao (sorry thats only my humble opinion) use it as a base to explore locally, then set off to Numtha for a overnight stay, just to break up the journey home, the roads used to be horrendous to the border but maybe they have resurfaced them now. If you know of any Thai friends who play cards, purchase some cards in Lao, they are cheap as chips.

Good luck and if you need any further advice or a name of a good travel guide in Lao, pm me.

Kevin

here's a website, i personally like this company and a guy called 'Mano' really went out of his way to help me.....http://www.itsoktravel.com/

Hello

Need a couple of pointers on a proposed move to Vanuatu, firstly i have been asked for a 'police clearance' letter/document? how do i go about that? I already have a 'personal licence' for when i worked in hospitality in the Uk (i am English) so for this i had to apply to 'disclosure Scotland', secondly who handles visas for Vanuatu? is it Australia?

I will have a full time job in Vanuatu, which my employer will sort everything out for me, but i am trying to speed the whole process up and gather all the documents i might need beforehand, because i don't want to travel back to the UK for anything or have to apply in writing for any documents, this may stall my move and i need all ends tied up.

As always, my gratitude towards all involved at Thai visa dot com, where would i be without your help? Wales? hahahaha 5555555 just joking

Kevin

This topic just wont stop running and might bring the whole tvf grinding to a halt. !

And/or (since I know how it is always getting put up to asking for some other well-meaning person) tell that good person to get onto the TVCM subforum and do a little research of his/her own ! Just takes a little computer time, and there's almost not a week goes by with out a thread on where to watch Premiere League, or Us Football, Cricket, Mumbleypeg, etc. around town. Teach a man to fish, as they say.....

Obviously this guy enjoys socialising and not sitting countless hours on his computer, back to the subject in hand, & i agree whole heartily with MRCLOUGH the Red Lion gets my vote every time, very accommodating, nice western food, good choice of beers, live sports and Kevin the owner has been here for years and is the 'information' office of Chiang Mai, problem solved !

Now don't get me started on fishing !

It's okay to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

It's okay to ride with three, four or even five on a motorcycle built for two.

It's okay if the person at the front is probably not the one in control.

It's okay to ride against the flow of traffic.

It's okay to fly out of a side road and turn left without stopping or looking.

It's okay to drive a motorcycle while holding an umbrella or a phone or both.

It's okay to sit side-saddle on a motorcycle.

It's okay to ride at night with defective lights.

It's okay to cram six people into a pick-up and another fifteen in the bed.

It's okay to cram a songthaew full of schoolkids, then six more on the home-made extension at the rear.

It's okay to pack a mini-bus full of people and drive as fast as you can five metres behind the bus in front.

It's okay to drive at 25kms an hour in the outside lane in a decrepit old pickup stacked 5m high with pineapples.

It's okay to fill old buses with obviously twisted chassis' full of people from one end of the country to another.

All of which can be done without a licence or insurance.

Mai pen rai.

& text whilst driving a motorbike/car/lorry/train/airplane..........