I've got a friend here from Finland on a 30-day exempt entry who is going to do a visa run to Vientiane. His passport is expiring in under 6 months, so he acquired a new one in Bangkok and got it today.

Does he need to get the stamp transferred to the new passport at Chaengwattana before exiting? Or would he be able to exit with both passports (stamp in old one) and apply for a Lao visa + new TRV with the new one?

 

So what he would do is:

 

1. Exit Thailand, show old passport on the way out
2. Enter Laos (Vientiane by air), give them the new passport for Lao visa (+ show old one in case they ask to see Thailand stamps)

3. Apply for a new TRV in Laos to new passport, enter Thailand with new passport. 

If he only has the visa exempt entry with no extension Chaeng Wattana would tell him to do it on departure from the country.

1. He will show both passports on departure from the country. Immigration will transfer his entry stamp to the new passport and stamp him out of the country in it.

2. Enter Laos using only the new passport.

3. Correct

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If he only has the visa exempt entry with no extension Chaeng Wattana would tell him to do it on departure from the country.

1. He will show both passports on departure from the country. Immigration will transfer his entry stamp to the new passport and stamp him out of the country in it.

2. Enter Laos using only the new passport.

3. Correct

Thanks. Forgot to mention that he has a 30 day extension from Chaengwattana. 

1 minute ago, SS1 said:

Thanks. Forgot to mention that he has a 30 day extension from Chaengwattana.

Best to have the stamps transferred there to save time on departure from the country.

The crossing Nong Khai will often send people to the nearby immigration office to ahve the stamp transfer done.

Just now, ubonjoe said:

Best to have the stamps transferred there to save time on departure from the country.

The crossing Nong Khai will often send people to the nearby immigration office to ahve the stamp transfer done.

Thanks for the advice. He is going to Vientiane by Air. However I asked also in one Facebook group where a known, knowledgeable member said: "nope, won't make any difference at all. Just present both passports when he goes to stamp out of the country. they'll stamp him out on the new one and that's the one he uses from then on."

1 minute ago, SS1 said:

Thanks for the advice. He is going to Vientiane by Air.

They will do at an airport without a problem.