Travelling to Laos with Thailand blacklist stamp?

[BlindCanuck]

Curious, any experience with flying into Vientiane with a 5 year Thailand blacklist stamp in your passport? 

 

I received a 5 year blacklist stamp on March 25th, 2019 in Nong Khai.  We were moving to Vientiane, I exited Thailand without issue, but was refused entry into Laos, forced to go back to Thailand where I was detained and deported back to Canada.  The police in Nong Khai said it was only because I travelled via land that I was refused entry, and if I would have flown into Vientiane, I would have been granted entry.

 

My passport is just a 2 year limited validity passport, and I tried to have a new one issued here in Canada, but since it was more than 12 months validity, they refusse to issue a new passport until February of next year.  Not sure why, but basically because they're <deleted>.

 

I need to somehow get into Laos.  I was curious, any experience with flying from a western country like Canada to Vientiane with that Thailand blacklist stamp in your passport?  If I try, will I just be turned away at the border again, and once again deported back to Canada?  Or will I be granted entry for 30 days?

 

If I can get to Vientiane, I have a 1 year business VISA lined up, and by the time that expires, I will have a new passport without the blacklist stamp.  Any past experiences from others will be extremely helpful.

 

Please no cussing me out for overstaying, or suggestions to damage or "lose" my passport.  Trust me, all options have been considered.  Unfortunately, Canadain passport officers are total dicks, and I'm not chancing it.

 

 

6

 

[stevenl]

You're blacklisted from Thailand from I presume 2018, not from Laos. What is the problem?

[overherebc]

I would never suggest it but what would happen if somene flew to another country and lost their Canadian passport.  Surely the Embassy there would issue a replacement.

[BritTim]

22 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You're blacklisted from Thailand from I presume 2018, not from Laos. What is the problem?

Laos has been reported to deny entry to travelers who have overstayed in Thailand. Frankly, I would not trust the claim by Nong Khai police that Laos would admit the OP if traveling by air.

[BlindCanuck]

26 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You're blacklisted from Thailand from I presume 2018, not from Laos. What is the problem?

 

 

Yes, blacklisted from Thailand until April 2023, and that's fine with me.  However, was also refused entry at the Nong Khai border as we were travelling by land as we had two dogs with us, plus were only travelling from Khon Kaen.  Was refused due to that blacklist stamp.

 

I know there's many times different immigration rules all over the world depending on whether you travel via land or air.  I'm just wondering if anyone has experience flying into Vientiane from a western country like Canada with that Thailand blacklist stamp in their passport?

 

I really don't want to wait until February 2019 to get a new passport before I can get my family back together.  However, if I fly out there and get turned away, all in it's going to cost about $3500 just to fly all the way there, hang out in a holding cell for a couple days, and fly back to Canada.

 

Anyone have experience?

 

 

[Goethe]

It is unfair to criticise Canadian passport officials for simply doing their job and following regulations. 

 

In 1968 James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King in Memphis, Tennessee. He then fled north to Toronto, Canada, where he falsely acquired a Canadian passport. After his eventual arrest (at London airport) and the discovery of his false passport, Canadian passport regulations were tightened and became very stringent -- understandably so. It is now not possible to acquire a new passport before the expiry date of the old one simply because you would like to have a new one: there must be a valid reason. "I don't like this 'blacklisted' stamp" is unfortunately not a valid reason...

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Laos has been reported to deny entry to travelers who have overstayed in Thailand. Frankly, I would not trust the claim by Nong Khai police that Laos would admit the OP if traveling by air.

That was some time ago when the blacklisting for overstays sometime ago and Lao airways were making a problem about it.

I think the problem at the land border crossing is that he had just go the banning stamp done when he left Thailand at the bridge.

Flying in from another country may be safe since he has also been back to his home country.

[BlindCanuck]

31 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I would never suggest it but what would happen if somene flew to another country and lost their Canadian passport.  Surely the Embassy there would issue a replacement.

 

Maybe I could just do that.  I am blind afterall, so could pretty easily have a "blind moment" in Mexico, and lose my passport.  But then a whole RCMP investigation gets opened, and you get scolded to no end my passport officers, etc.  Could be 6 months before I get a new passport, or if they by chance recorded by two previous tries to get a new passport issued, they could just be dicks say "we believe you lost it intentionally", and refuse me passport services for 5 or 10 years.

 

Would prefer not to chance it.

 

[BlindCanuck]

6 minutes ago, Goethe said:

It is unfair to criticise Canadian passport officials for simply doing their job and following regulations. 

 

In 1968 James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King in Memphis, Tennessee. He then fled north to Toronto, Canada, where he falsely acquired a Canadian passport. After his eventual arrest (at London airport) and the discovery of his false passport, Canadian passport regulations were tightened and became very stringent -- understandably so. It is now not possible to acquire a new passport before the expiry date of the old one simply because you would like to have a new one: there must be a valid reason. "I don't like this 'blacklisted' stamp" is unfortunately not a valid reason...

 

 

I've read accounts on the internet from Canadians who have had that 12 month validity rule lifted simply because they wanted to sync up their expiry date with their wife's passport, and they had no problem.

 

How about the fact I went blind in Sept 2016, and my caretaker is in Laos?  I figure that should be a pretty valid reason, but I guess not.  Tried explaining to them that me wandering around Canada blind and alone probably isn't going to listen, and even provided loads of proof of genuine relationship, letter from eye specialist in Khon Kaen couching that he is indeed my caretaker, etc.  They don't give a shit though, and are actually going to make us sit around on different continents for 8 more months just because they can.

 

[holy cow cm]

I am blind after all means what? 

[BlindCanuck]

29 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

I am blind after all means what? 

Nothing, except it's really easy to lose things like a passport if you're blind.

 

Telling a passport officer you lost your passport because you're blind is more of a valid reason than because I' an idiot, I figure. :)

 

Nonetheless, really don't want to go that route, as that could open up a whole new can of unwanted worms.

 

 

[Caldera]

Unfortunately, passports end up in washing machines by accident all the time. If that were to happen to the OP's passport, I'd assume he could apply for a new one right away.

[FritsSikkink]

9 minutes ago, BlindCanuck said:

Nothing, except it's really easy to lose things like a passport if you're blind.

 

Telling a passport officer you lost your passport because you're blind is more of a valid reason than because I' an idiot, I figure. ?

 

Nonetheless, really don't want to go that route, as that could open up a whole new can of unwanted worms.

 

 

You can read pretty good for a blind person.

[holy cow cm]

5 minutes ago, BlindCanuck said:

Nothing, except it's really easy to lose things like a passport if you're blind.

 

Telling a passport officer you lost your passport because you're blind is more of a valid reason than because I' an idiot, I figure. ?

 

Nonetheless, really don't want to go that route, as that could open up a whole new can of unwanted worms.

 

 

Unless it is true then you are falling in the category of supplying false or mis leading information and going to be subject to being arrested. Not a valid reason, and Fraud will get you jail time. 

[holy cow cm]

Take your chances and fly to Laos. If cannot then wait. Not much more than that. 

[BlindCanuck]

10 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Unless it is true then you are falling in the category of supplying false or mis leading information and going to be subject to being arrested. Not a valid reason, and Fraud will get you jail time. 

 

Yeah, that's why I'm not willing to go the "lose" my passport route.  Wouldn't get arrested, but chance they could deny me passport services for 5 or 10 years, making the situation much worse.  Right now, I'm only being denied passport services for another 8 months.

 

Oh, you mean the blind thing?  Yep, I am actually blind.  Took a fall in my backyard in Khon Kaen back in 2016, damaged my optic nerve, and blood leaked from behind my eyes up through the lesions.  Have letters from eye specialists in both Canada and Khon Kaen confirming that I am indeed blind, and the one from Khon Kaen vouches that my Laos partner is indeed my caretaker and acts as my eyes in this world.

 

That's what aggravates me about Canada making me wait 8 months to issue a new passport.  What a bunch of cold hearted dicks.  In my mind, that's the equivalent of denying me access to my caretaker, hence denying me quality of life.  What's the point of making us wait 8 months, other than the fact they can and just feel like being dicks?

 

[BlindCanuck]

17 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Take your chances and fly to Laos. If cannot then wait. Not much more than that. 

 

Yeah, looks like it.  Was just taking a chance with this thread, hoping for some first hand experiences with the same situation.  There must be someone out there with a Thailand blacklist stamp who tried to fly into Vientiane.  So far it's just been opinion and conjecture.

 

[holy cow cm]

Nothing is guaranteed. The officials can do what they want when they want. It can be they see you and like you and all ok, or, they see you and middle of the road, or, they see you and you are denied. Leave it up to fickleness. More than likely you should be ok flying. 

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

Laos has been reported to deny entry to travelers who have overstayed in Thailand. Frankly, I would not trust the claim by Nong Khai police that Laos would admit the OP if traveling by air.

AFAIK the only issues exist with people wanting to fly Lao Air after having overstayed.

[Evilbaz]

Maybe apply for a Laos visa before leaving Canada - it may help.

[mstevens]

Be careful with your morning coffee....would be a tragedy if you were to knock the pot over the passport, stain it through and render it useless.  I imagine that when presented with a passport in such state they would be willing to issue a new one.

[chippendale]

Canada is a much better country for blind and disabled people, with better facilities, care, etc.

 

Don't roll the dice on a possible second denial of entry in Laos. Buy a guide dog and live comfortably in Canada.

[BlindCanuck]

17 minutes ago, mstevens said:

Be careful with your morning coffee....would be a tragedy if you were to knock the pot over the passport, stain it through and render it useless.  I imagine that when presented with a passport in such state they would be willing to issue a new one.

 

heh, I actually tried that.  After getting denied a second time in Vancouver, the next morning at my hotel I got a large black coffee from the lobby, went up to my room, and poured it all over the photo page.  Didn't damage the passport at all, and it's still perfectly usable.  So I can't really show up with a damaged passport, because if I do, I obviously did something seriously wrong.

 

I figured that would be a perfectly plausible explanation though.  Someone was helping me fill out a form, I didn't know they moved their large cup of coffee, and accidentally spilt it over onto the passport.

 

[chippendale]

1 minute ago, BlindCanuck said:

 

heh, I actually tried that.  After getting denied a second time in Vancouver, the next morning at my hotel I got a large black coffee from the lobby, went up to my room, and poured it all over the photo page.  Didn't damage the passport at all, and it's still perfectly usable.  So I can't really show up with a damaged passport, because if I do, I obviously did something seriously wrong.

 

I figured that would be a perfectly plausible explanation though.  Someone was helping me fill out a form, I didn't know they moved their large cup of coffee, and accidentally spilt it over onto the passport.

 

Chew up your passport. You mistook it for a biscuit.

[BlindCanuck]

25 minutes ago, chippendale said:

Canada is a much better country for blind and disabled people, with better facilities, care, etc.

 

Don't roll the dice on a possible second denial of entry in Laos. Buy a guide dog and live comfortably in Canada.

 

Without hacing to write a 6 page dossier, I can promise you that places like Thailand and Laos are 1000x better for blind people than Canada.  Simply because Canada is WAY too isolating of a society, and due to all the "stranger danger" that exists here, among may other things.  At least in Thailand I was able to easily tool around the local shops and markets by myself, if I ever needed assistance it was all of 30 seconds before a random stranger was helping me, and much more.  Not to mention, I have my loving husband and dogs in Laos, and were all screwed if I don't get back.

 

So no first hand experiences from anyone?  Damn, I was hoping at least one person has been through this before.

 

I'll just give a try anyway.  Worst case scenario, I lose about $3500 and spend a couple days in a holding cell.  Don't care about the holding cell, as had my share of that at the IDC.

 

[Monomial]

4 hours ago, BlindCanuck said:

 

Maybe I could just do that.  I am blind afterall, so could pretty easily have a "blind moment" in Mexico, and lose my passport.  But then a whole RCMP investigation gets opened, and you get scolded to no end my passport officers, etc.  Could be 6 months before I get a new passport, or if they by chance recorded by two previous tries to get a new passport issued, they could just be dicks say "we believe you lost it intentionally", and refuse me passport services for 5 or 10 years.

 

Would prefer not to chance it.

 

 

Mutilated passports are also replaced. Just run it through the washing machine.

 

Oops. Dopey me. Can you replace my mutilated passport kind sir? Yes, I know. It was my maid. She just didn't look through the pockets before doing the laundry....

 

I seriously doubt you will have a problem.

 

You can also spill cough syrup on it, or some other sticky goo....lots of ways to get a new passport that don't require lying about losing it.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[rak sa_ngop]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

You can read pretty good for a blind person.

I used to teach English at a Blind Institute in Hanoi. The students used to have this great software called Jaws (I think) that allowed them to navigate round windows and read anything on the screen. Used to speak out commands and select options in a terrible American accent!

[Colabamumbai]

How do you get a Canadian passport with a 2 year validity, they are issued for 5 and 10 years.?

[BlindCanuck]

35 minutes ago, rak sa_ngop said:

I used to teach English at a Blind Institute in Hanoi. The students used to have this great software called Jaws (I think) that allowed them to navigate round windows and read anything on the screen. Used to speak out commands and select options in a terrible American accent!

 

Yeom HAWS us a oioykar commercial screen reader for Windows.  I use Orca myself as I'm a LINUX software developer, but same thing.  That's why there's so many typos in these posts of mine.  I haven't been proof reading them much. :)