Chong Mek update 9th August

[SteveK]

Hi guys, I just got back home from Chong Mek immigration. I wanted to post an update because of the posts on here recently about someone being able to exit Thailand at Chong Mek, then going straight back into immigration without buying a Laos visa, thereby saving $35 or 1800 baht. Notice the ridiculous difference in price depending on currency which I think is scandalous.

 

When I arrived at Chong Mek, I went to get stamped out of Thailand. The female IO spent at least 10 minutes going through every single page of my passport, making tutting noises and waving her hand at me as if to say I had done something wrong, but she didn't actually say anything to me. My passport is 2 years old, and has 3 TVs with extensions, two VE entries, and a ME non-O with 2 entries (one with extension), which is the visa I am currently on. When I first met my wife, I was using tourist visas to visit her, as there is no visit your fiance visa. She kept bashing her keyboard and looking at the screen and then looking at my passport over and over again. Eventually her face changed and she eventually stamped me out and handed the passport back without a word - I think she was looking at the time I have spent in Thailand since this passport was printed, about 16 of the last 24 months roughly. Then she must have realised that I am on a non-O, but it was still a bit unsettling, especially when leaving Thailand.

 

So I walked through the tunnel into the transit area, there is a few hundred meters between leaving Thailand and Laos immigration. It is a bit chaotic, so thought I would at least see if there was any possibility of being able to not have to apply, pay for, and wait for a Laos visa just for 1 minute's use. So I followed the sign that says enter Thailand, and it takes you to a fairly narrow little pathway with a desk at the entrance. There were 2 Laos soldiers sitting down and one standing up, they were scrutinising people's passports. I presented the passport and the soldier, who was very friendly and helpful and spoke perfect English, told me that he could not let me back into Chong Mek immigration without an exit stamp from Laos first, and pointed me to the Laos immigration. I said that I had no real interest in visiting Laos and just wanted to re-enter Thailand, and he politely told me that it was impossible, they were checking passports to prevent people from doing exactly this as it would mean lost revenue to the Laos authorities, and he would get in trouble for allowing me through without it.

 

So I did my paperwork and got my visa (I changed my baht into dollars at a currency exchange there and paid with dollars - this meant that I got new crisp notes and paid several hundred less than the price in Baht). After I collected my passport, I immediately went to the next window and asked to be stamped out of Laos, the guy was a bit disgruntled and insisted on 50 Baht for same day exit, which I thought was odd but 50 baht is cheaper than being forced to spend a night in Pakse with hotel and taxi costs etc.

 

Then went back to see the soldier, who was all smiles and waved me through, and I went into the nicest immigration centre in Thailand I have ever been to. There was an IO sitting down who was laughing and joking with all the people in there, and he joked with me about why farangs always love to eat hamburgers and french fries (I guess he just took one look at my belly, but he wasn't so slim himself). Took 2 minutes to get stamped back into Thailand with another 90 day stay, will be using this checkpoint again for sure. Air conditioned throughout, no queues at all. Free water machine and free pens. It was like Christmas had come early after going to Mukdahan so many times.

 

Zero chance of being able to dodge the Laos visa fee, however.

[FarFlungFalang]

Glad it went smoothly.I've never been asked to pay the 50 baht same day exit fee though.