Should I get me a new Visa in Vientiane or do border run at Bridge Chiang Khong 4th Friendship bridge ?.

[nuckyt77]

This month (the 26yh of November 2018) my Tourist Visa Single Entry issued by the Thai Consulate in Amsterdam expires and as i can/want to stay until 20th January 2019 (when I will fly back to Holland where I will work again for the next 4 months freelance) work there. I see two options for me. I would like your advice of what would be the best option for me.                                                                                                             A) I could go to Vientiane an get me a new Tourist visa for the two remaining months. I stay at Chiang Mai so it is a long trip. I have at the moment two previous visas from Vientiane in my passport (one dating 25 August 2017/Flight out 2 October 2017...one dating 7 March 2018/ flight out 5 May 2018) so I presume a third one will not be a problem. Should I bring my ticket showing I fly out January 20th 2019 ?.  Any recent changes at Vientiane regarding Tourist visas I should be aware of ?.                                                                                                                                    B) As I am at Chiang Mai it would be easier to drive to Chiang Khong...cross the bridge ther into Laos and return. That would give me 30 days and after getting an extension at Chiang Mai with another 30 days it would safely bring me to the 20th of January too. My last border crossing in/out was at that bridge on January 4 2017 so I still have two allowed crossings by land left for 2018 BUT.....last time I did that I was stopped when I wanted to get back into Thailand.  Only by showing the officer my ticket out (dating 23 January 2017) I was finally allowed in. It is tempting to do it this way (saves me time and money) but it could mean trouble and that I want to avoid as much as possible.    Looking forward reading your comments/advice. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by nuckyt77

[JackThompson]

Most recent land-crossing reports indicate they only check to see if the 2x per-calendar-year limit has been reached.  I would guess you had a longer set of stays in Thailand just before that experience?

 

If that crossing is demanding tickets-out within 30-days, you might have to purchase one to make it work.  But you could try the one leaving within 60-days, then buy another ticket to Malaysia (1000 Baht or so) if that isn't accepted.  The fact your ticket is back to the NL would seem to carry some weight.  Any proof of your job waiting in the NL in Jan 2019 might also be helpful.

 

As to the TR Visa from Vientiane - they do not generally ask for air-tickets - just check for prior "red stamp" ("This person travels to Thailand frequently on tourist visas...") remarks on any Tourist Visa in your passport.   Denials w/o the "red stamp" are not being reported at that location.

 

You might be given the "red stamp" remark on your third visa from them, which would necessitate getting a new passport before returning - or from your Embassy here, if planning to get TR-Visas at nearby consulates on that trip.  A "red stamp" would probably not affect getting a TR-Visa at a Thai consulate in the NL.

[ubonjoe]

You should not have a problem doing a border hop at Chiang Khong for a visa exempt entry. No reports of them making any problems.

But you might want to consider doing it at Mai Sai to Myanmar. It is only 500 baht for a border pass verses 1500 baht for a Lao visa on arrival.

[JackThompson]

UJs idea of using Mai Sai is also good for another reason - Thai-immigration won't allow you to leave (unlikely, in your case), if they are not going to let you return.  Just do it a couple days early so you have plenty of time to react to anything unexpected. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by JackThompson

[sanemax]

You could even go to Maesai twice and come back on two visa exempts , save about 1000 Baht on a visa extension 

[nuckyt77]

Thank you all for your advice. I think I will try it at Maesai. Should that not work I'll try Chiang Khong. I have a car so I will not depend on Greenbus (quicker to move around). I will do it three days before my visa expires....would give me enough time ...should both fail......to travel to Nong Khai (which I not hope....lol).  The last time I was in Maesai is about 3 years ago....after that I read here that it was not easy for some time to do an in/out there with/after a tourist visa. So that changed ?.

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, nuckyt77 said:

The last time I was in Maesai is about 3 years ago....after that I read here that it was not easy for some time to do an in/out there with/after a tourist visa. So that changed ?.

Things changed at many border crossings when the 2 visa exempt entries per calendar rule went into effect.

Before it went into effect Mae Sai was not allowing a crossing for a visa exempt entry.

[nuckyt77]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Things changed at many border crossings when the 2 visa exempt entries per calendar rule went into effect.

Before it went into effect Mae Sai was not allowing a crossing for a visa exempt entry.

But now I have a fair chance yes ?......thanks Joe for your quick reply

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, nuckyt77 said:

But now I have a fair chance yes ?.

Not a problem at all now.

[nuckyt77]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not a problem at all now.

Thank you......Maesai it is then. Will save me a lot of time and yes...money too

[0815]

If you have to go to Laos, pay the visa in USD. It's 30 USD, around 1000THB then.

[CelticTam]

There is a ruling, though often not applied, that you cannot leave Thailand and return the same day, i.e. you are required to stay overnight in the country you enter having exited Thailand. This may be the reason you were questioned previously. So, you may also have to pay for over night accommodation at Houy Xai. 

[ubonjoe]

46 minutes ago, CelticTam said:

There is a ruling, though often not applied, that you cannot leave Thailand and return the same day, i.e. you are required to stay overnight in the country you enter having exited Thailand. This may be the reason you were questioned previously. So, you may also have to pay for over night accommodation at Houy Xai. 

There is no rule that states you cannot leave and re-enter the country on the same day.

There have been reports of some crossings to Malaysia stating you had to stay overnight but that might be a requirement for Malaysia that is largely not enforced.

Neither of the crossings mentioned in this topic prohits returning on the same day you leave.

[nuckyt77]

6 hours ago, CelticTam said:

There is a ruling, though often not applied, that you cannot leave Thailand and return the same day, i.e. you are required to stay overnight in the country you enter having exited Thailand. This may be the reason you were questioned previously. So, you may also have to pay for over night accommodation at Houy Xai. 

The reason I was questioned at Chiang Khong was that .......the immigration officer told me .....I did use the 30 days option too much then. (I did then never get a visa but only moved in and out twice each stay). Since January 2017 I always got myself a visa so since then I never entered Thailand without a Tourist visa from Amsterdam...followed by one from Vientiane before returning again to Holland for 4 to 5 months to work. Now it will be the first time since january 2017 that I will try the 30 days option again.