Chalky0w

Thanks Tod! Appreciate the info. Boat is fine. Bit more interesting than the bus over the bridge. I’m guessing a Laos visa on arrival is same as Chiang Khong? Been a while but think that was passport photo, $45 US and application form? SEZ worth staying a night or just come back? I’ll have a look anyway.

Hi, Anyone have experience of doing a border bounce at Chiang Saen please? For info - I’m on a multiple entry tourist visa. Would drive myself. Not too worried about costs. Mae Sai would have been my preference but shut. I’ve done Chiang Khong in the past but Chiang Saen is a bit closer and I like a restaurant there. Thanks in advance!

I thought this would be a nice thread but found it a little depressing. I’ve been with my partner for 5 years and while I have brought her a bit of gold, some small / strange things have been appreciated more. A few examples… Chocolate is always a welcome gift but I bought two Lindt gold bunnies back from the U.K. (not seen them in Thailand). These now live at the front of the freezer and I don’t think they’ll ever be eaten. She has a very strong attachment to our sofa. The previous sofa was provided by the owner of the house we rent and had hard wooden arms. She is very clumsy / accident prone so used to bump into these all the time. I brought a new sofa with lots of padding everywhere to reduce these accidents and she absolutely adores it. I’m getting older so bought some nose/ear hair trimmers but ownership was immediately transferred and now used for her eyebrows with many khop khun kaas and laughter whenever used. Just a few examples.

Apologies if I provided only half the story (e.g. about accommodation), I was primarily commenting on turnaround time but added a few details that might have been helpful to others... I’ve uploaded the items you mentioned for previous visa applications but process / website has changed and weren’t required this time. Think the declaration has been built into the software now so you agree on-screen before submitting rather than print, sign, scan, attach a separate document. Can’t comment on what would be acceptable instead of a letter from employer such as payslips from other poster. Think they’re looking for something to show you won’t work while you’re in Thailand so job / business / school to go back to or retirement income so don’t need to. Payslips probably wouldn’t cover it as you could have left that job permanently. This is only speculation on my part though, I’m not any kind of expert and only sharing my experience.

No departure flight.

Hear lots of bad reports so just wanted to provide balance…. Applied for a multiple entry tourist (electronic) visa online via London on Thursday 28Sep2023. Email approval received 30Sep2023. Fairly straightforward. Needed: - Passport style photo against plain background. - Scan of passport photo page. - Bank statement. Think they need £5k for 6 months (mine had more than this for longer). - Letter from employer (or tax self-assessment, evidence of retirement, etc.). I own a limited company so this was from myself. - Proof of accommodation in Thailand (I used a rental agreement from my landlord) - Flight to Thailand - Proof of residence in the UK (copy of passport photo page again)

Most schools or employers don’t like people going on holiday for 6 months. It isn’t needed for the single entry tourist visa but I think it is to try to disqualify anyone working in Thailsnd

I’m not an expert. I’ve only completed one METV before but had a similar experience to Farang51. I uploaded a copy of the rental agreement (no owner’s ID or other documents) which was accepted by U.K. embassy.

I did this exact bounce with METV eVisa a few months ago. Link to my post but don’t think you need anything more than printout of eVisa, passport and 500baht.

Agree about the filthy air at the moment tomazbodner - straight back to the house with air purifiers whirring! Friend’s birthday soon otherwise I’d be in the South or another country! Didn’t know could use dollars Finlaco. Not too worried about it - better than the $40 at Chiang Khong (and form filling, waiting for buses, etc.)

Just back from a border bounce at Mae Sai. In short, no problems whatsoever. In detail… I have U.K. passport I have an existing multi-entry tourist visa. Arrived at Mai Sai about 12pm. Stamped out of Thai side. Walk to Myanmar side. Paid 500baht for entry. Got a day pass for shopping and left my passport at Myanmar immigration (you could go straight back instead). Walked around the market and brought some cheap booze. Back to Myanmar immigration and collected passport. Walk back to Thai immigration. Completed TM6 arrival form. Handed TM6, passport and visa to Thai immigration. Stamped back in until 28May. Left Mai Sai about 1.30pm. Only question was regarding district I’m staying in (TM6 doesn’t have enough room for full address). Heard that needed vaccine certificates but these weren’t asked for on either side. Hope this is useful.

Thank you DrJack! Greatly appreciated as always

Sorry to jump on the thread but think my question is relevant… When you’re doing the final re-entry (that will grant you permission to stay past the visa expiry date), do you need any specific documents similar to an exempt entry e.g. - Flight out within 60 days? - 20,000 cash or equivalent? - Accommodation booking? - Other?

Can’t help with Canadian embassy and hope it works out for you. I’ve just applied for my first METV from London and happy to report it went very smoothly and approved very quickly! I attached scans of: - bank statement for savings account (rather than current account) with more than £5k / 200k baht for 6 months - letter from employer was from myself as I own a private, limited company - one way flight from U.K. to Bangkok - lease document for house I rent in Thailand - scans of passport pages for travel history - scan of passport photo page for proof of residency - headshot photo - photo holding passport No extra requests received and approved within 3 days. Very efficient!!

As follow-up, I did the border run at Chiang Khong today. Boat crossing is closed so used the bridge. To get into Laos - needed passport, 40 US dollars, passport photo and completed a visa on arrival form. To get into Thailand (visa exempt) - needed passport, vaccine certificate and completed a TM6. Not busy and no real problems but was told to stay at least one night next time by Thai IO Thanks to everyone that provided advice!

Chiang Khong sounds like the way to go then. I don’t mind the visa fee (or the beer Lao ????). I’ve got vaccine certificate, anything else needed?

Has anyone got recent experience of doing a land border run to Laos or Myanmar from Chiang Rai please? Immigration officer didn’t want to know about a Covid extension to my tourist visa and having construction work on my U.K. home at the moment so can’t go back just yet. Thanks!

Just got back from Chiang Rai immigration. I extended a tourist visa by the normal 30 days but asked about covid extensions for next time and was told they would stop after 01 July when Thai Pass dropped. No idea if this is incorrect / just one immigration officer’s opinion, only apply at Chiang Rai office or will be nationwide.