For those of you who live in Issan and need to do things in an Australian Embassy, not having an outpost within Cooee and having to travel to Bangkok, forget it, I went across to Laos the other day.

 

I am sure some of you know this already, but this is for the ones that don't.

 

An Aussie expat stopped me travelling to BKK just before I was going to book my flight and pay for a nights accommodation.

 

You can do your re-entry visa at the border of Nong Khai and Laos at the Friendship Bridge, you will also need a tourist visa from Laos immigration, both a straight forward process, there is an exchange place next to the Laos immigration for you to change your 1,000 baht into 30 US dollars for the fee, the fee is the same at the Thai immigration, although in baht, make sure you have your photo for both immigration offices, forms can be filled in there.

 

The embassy is about a 20 minute drive each way, we caught a cab once we were over the other side in Laos for 600 baht return and he waited for an hour for us, watch out for the Thai's this side of the bridge (Thailand), they want 1,500 baht, plus a taxi fare from Thai immigration to Laos immigration on the bridge, whereas a bus outside Thai Immigration cost 15 baht and departs very often, same applies on the way back.

 

Note: The Australian Embassy will only accept US dollars, however there are exchange places on the left once you get through the Laos immigration side, and the rate is better than the Thai side before the bridge.

 

Before you head in, email the embassy as I did and they will provide you with heaps of advice and steer you in the right direction.

 

Been living here two years, never had the need to go to the embassy in BKK except for when was returning from Oz, so always good to know that I don't have to go to BKK, and the embassy in Laos are really friendly and accommodating, leaving their counterparts for dead.  

 

Cheers

That is only good for documents used outside of Thailand. Anything done for use here will need to be stamped by the embassy in Bangkok.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is only good for documents used outside of Thailand. Anything done for use here will need to be stamped by the embassy in Bangkok.

I learn something everyday, your a freak Joe, I say that in the nicest possible way.

 

So anything for Thailand, has to be done in house, anything out that has nothing to do with Thailand, Laos is ok, suffice to say the docs were to certify who I was and some property related docs for back in Oz, i.e. Transfer of title, application for Certificate of Title replacement, Statutory Declaration.

 

This Xpat who told me about Laos, also advised he also got his passport renewed there, so a good option to have as opposed to going BKK, so, as you advised, if its for external stuff only, i.e. nothing to do with Thailand, go to Laos, otherwise its BKK for stuff to do with Thailand.

 

I would have thought an Australian Embassy from anywhere would be excepted, weird ?

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

I would have thought an Australian Embassy from anywhere would be excepted, weird ?

Not for anything official done here. It has to be done at the embassy here.

For example immigration would not accept a statutory declaration to prove your income to get an extension of stay done at the embassy in Laos.

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not for anything official done here. It has to be done at the embassy here.

For example immigration would not accept a statutory declaration to prove your income to get an extension of stay done at the embassy in Laos.

Fortunately for me, I don't have that problem, but its comforting to know the ins and outs i.e. what's acceptable and what's not accepted with everybody's input here on TVF

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is only good for documents used outside of Thailand. Anything done for use here will need to be stamped by the embassy in Bangkok.

I have been through that bullshit and found out the only Aust embassy people to help you are Thais after the so called Aussies refuse to do so if in Gov. I would sack a few of them if they don't want to live in Thailand, and help Aussies in Thailand, send them home

We lucky Aussies now get the same standard of service abroad as we do at home. Complete inclusivity.


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We get outreach visits in Chiang Mai. Presumably Issan is not as attractive a destination for the overnight stay.

I've always thought the term "Australian public servant" is an oxymoron.

I have dealt with the Australian Embassy in Bangkok and when they visit Chiang Mai

I have had excellent service from both the Australian and Thai staff

42 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

I have dealt with the Australian Embassy in Bangkok and when they visit Chiang Mai

I have had excellent service from both the Australian and Thai staff

Concur. Three visits  to the Aussie Embassy this year to get documents witnessed / notarized  were a pleasure with excellent service and very friendly staff.

41 minutes ago, newatthis said:

Concur. Three visits  to the Aussie Embassy this year to get documents witnessed / notarized  were a pleasure with excellent service and very friendly staff.

I entirely agree. I suspect the people who have difficulties with Aussie bureaucrats are the same people who have problems with Thai bureaucrats, and for the same reasons.

4 hours ago, mfd101 said:

I entirely agree. I suspect the people who have difficulties with Aussie bureaucrats are the same people who have problems with Thai bureaucrats, and for the same reasons.

For the record I have never had a problem with the Australian Embassy in BKK, I was merely stating the convenience of going to Laos, but only if its for external use purposes, as Joe pointed out, no internal purposes, i.e. in Thailand.

 

Personally never had a problem with any embassy, or immigration department, however was a little nervous reading reviews on the Australian Embassy in BKK and they were not very nice, not having been for a while.

We get outreach visits in Chiang Mai. Presumably Issan is not as attractive a destination for the overnight stay.
I've always thought the term "Australian public servant" is an oxymoron.

Yeah nah, take a sicky mate.


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