30 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

You can fly direct for buttons.

My journey is from London -> KL -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

Or alternative is London -> Transit Bkk -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

 

So after Thai Border I will take taxi to Udon Thani Airport to fly to Bangkok.

The thing iam kind of iffy about is from Vientiane immigration take taxi to friendship bridge, then from friendship bridge take the shuttle bus across land border get off and board again during laos immigration?  Is there a time schedule for the shuttle bus?  Planning to get everything out of the way ASAP

 

My Itinerary

 

- Depart LHR 11.10 Transit in BKK for 3 hours then take Flight 9.30am to Vientiane and arrive 10.40am (Thai Airways and Thai Smile so operated same airline)

- Depart Udon Thani 4.25pm - Arrive Bkk 5.30pm

 

Opinions?

 

 

3 hours ago, pantsonfire said:

My journey is from London -> KL -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

Or alternative is London -> Transit Bkk -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

 

So after Thai Border I will take taxi to Udon Thani Airport to fly to Bangkok.

The thing iam kind of iffy about is from Vientiane immigration take taxi to friendship bridge, then from friendship bridge take the shuttle bus across land border get off and board again during laos immigration?  Is there a time schedule for the shuttle bus?  Planning to get everything out of the way ASAP

 

My Itinerary

 

- Depart LHR 11.10 Transit in BKK for 3 hours then take Flight 9.30am to Vientiane and arrive 10.40am (Thai Airways and Thai Smile so operated same airline)

- Depart Udon Thani 4.25pm - Arrive Bkk 5.30pm

 

Opinions?

The taxi from Vientiane airport to the border will drop you at Laos immigration by the bridge. You only need to board the shuttle bus once, after stamping out of Laos, to cross the bridge. The shuttle buses are frequent. At busy times, you may need to stand, but the trip only takes about five minutes.

 

You have plenty of time for your transfer from Vientiane to Udon Thani unless the flight to Vientiane is over two hours late. If you have the Lao visa on arrival form filled out in advance, this can save you some time at Vientiane airport.

My Itinerary
 
- Depart LHR 11.10 Transit in BKK for 3 hours then take Flight 9.30am to Vientiane and arrive 10.40am (Thai Airways and Thai Smile so operated same airline)
- Depart Udon Thani 4.25pm - Arrive Bkk 5.30pm
 
Opinions?
 
 

Your luggage will be booked all the way to Vientiane so no need for Bangkok immigration?

i think your chances are getting a new visa is 50-50, entering into thailand is kinda 20

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can.

I can do all this straight away? I mean go out and then come straight back in again?

what's it like, is it worth staying over?

6 minutes ago, Imajica said:

I can do all this straight away? I mean go out and then come straight back in again?

what's it like, is it worth staying over?

All you need to is go through Thai immigration, get a Lao visa on arrival, enter Laos then turn around and come back.

Not much on the Lao side of the crossing. You could go little further into Laos to Pakse and find more things to do.

A inflammatory post and replies to it have been removed.

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

Your luggage will be booked all the way to Vientiane so no need for Bangkok immigration?

 

Appears to be 

Appears to be 

you'd want to be 100% sure otherwise potential for denied entry at Bangkok and back to UK you go

13 hours ago, pantsonfire said:

My journey is from London -> KL -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

Or alternative is London -> Transit Bkk -> Vientiane -> Land Border Crossing -> Udon Thani -> Bangkok

 

So after Thai Border I will take taxi to Udon Thani Airport to fly to Bangkok.

The thing iam kind of iffy about is from Vientiane immigration take taxi to friendship bridge, then from friendship bridge take the shuttle bus across land border get off and board again during laos immigration?  Is there a time schedule for the shuttle bus?  Planning to get everything out of the way ASAP

 

My Itinerary

 

- Depart LHR 11.10 Transit in BKK for 3 hours then take Flight 9.30am to Vientiane and arrive 10.40am (Thai Airways and Thai Smile so operated same airline)

- Depart Udon Thani 4.25pm - Arrive Bkk 5.30pm

 

Opinions?

 

 

@BritTim 's answer is good but I can match and raise it. From Vientiane airport, take a taxi direct to the Friendship bridge. Clear Laos exit immigration. Don't buy a shuttle bus ticket. Take a share taxi from the Laos side direct to Udon. There will be others going. It will cost you 300 Baht per person max and they will drop you wherever you want in Udon. By doing this you won't have to wait for the shuttle bus, you won't have to lug your luggage around and you will go through the car checkpoint into Thailand as opposed to the pedestrian checkpoint which bus passengers have to use. Much quicker and less hassle.

The risk that you take is that you can be refused entry even at any land crossing if the I/O deems that you are trying to live in Thailand using tourist visas. There is no strictly written law but if you have previously used a tourist visa then extended it then left Thailand for a week the re entered Thailand on a new tourist visa and extended that one then it is possible that the I/O will deem that you are trying to live in Thailand on tourists visas and refuse you entry. The risk is yours but do not complain if you are refused entry because it would appear that you are abusing the tourist visa system. Like a case not long ago where the person used tourist visas to live in Thailand for 5 months out of 6 months this year plus another tourist visa at the end of last year and he was refused entry when he arrived with another tourist visa.

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

3 hours ago, pantsonfire said:

Appears to be 

you'd want to be 100% sure otherwise potential for denied entry at Bangkok and back to UK you go

Based on SkyScanner it doesnt mention it.  I guess i can devalue the risk by exiting at KL and then checking in again to go to Laos.

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

@BritTim 's answer is good but I can match and raise it. From Vientiane airport, take a taxi direct to the Friendship bridge. Clear Laos exit immigration. Don't buy a shuttle bus ticket. Take a share taxi from the Laos side direct to Udon. There will be others going. It will cost you 300 Baht per person max and they will drop you wherever you want in Udon. By doing this you won't have to wait for the shuttle bus, you won't have to lug your luggage around and you will go through the car checkpoint into Thailand as opposed to the pedestrian checkpoint which bus passengers have to use. Much quicker and less hassle.

Is this shared taxi quite obvious?  Another thing is not having been to Laos can i pay by Baht?  As not sure how much Kip i need to carry

Based on SkyScanner it doesnt mention it.  I guess i can devalue the risk by exiting at KL and then checking in again to go to Laos.

It's worth a phone call to check your luggage goes straight through, if so then nothing to worry about. Just make sure the operator isn't guessing

 

3 Tourist Visas in a row. Is this allowed, I cannot find anywhere online that say no you cannot.

Rubbish, what you read online means nothing, if any IO or his boss says you cannot, then

you cannot. End of story.

1 hour ago, pantsonfire said:

Is this shared taxi quite obvious?  Another thing is not having been to Laos can i pay by Baht?  As not sure how much Kip i need to carry

There is no need for kip. You should have both US$ and baht. The US$ are better for paying for the Lao visa on arrival. For taxis and the shuttle bus, you can use either currency, but baht is more common.

 

I have never taken a shared taxi from the Lao side. You will probably be approached by drivers offering it if you look around before Lao immigration. Also, your taxi from the airport can probably connect you with someone. I personally rarely use shared taxis as I find them uncomfortable with usually as many people crammed in as is physically feasible. However, the run to Udon Thani airport is not too long, and the simpler trip through immigration might make it worthwhile in this case.

7 hours ago, problemfarang said:

i think your chances are getting a new visa is 50-50, entering into thailand is kinda 20

It's really down to 20 percent chance of entering via land border if you've spent 6-plus months in Thailand 2019 ??

3 hours ago, pantsonfire said:

Is this shared taxi quite obvious?  Another thing is not having been to Laos can i pay by Baht?  As not sure how much Kip i need to carry

Yes, the taxi drivers will ask you when you clear Laos immigration. They hang around the shuttle bus ticket office. Yes, pay in baht, absolutely fine.

Pants, go with BritTim advice re min minibus. They leave very often. Perhaps you wait 15 min. 50 baht to central plaza udon or they also of course go to udon airport. Very flat straight run.

2 hours ago, BananaBandit said:

It's really down to 20 percent chance of entering via land border if you've spent 6-plus months in Thailand 2019 ??

Say what. If you have your visa exempt entry available (2 per calendar yr) no problem. Back that post up banana. 

Lets assume I used 2 SETV "on-top of each other" for 1 Jan - 31 May 2019 - (5 months of that year). Lets further assume I try to enter 1 december 2019 on a SETV, some 6 months later leaving Thailand. Should I expect a denied entry?

I'm trying to understand the "unofficial" 180day rule/SETV limitation; are they 'triggered' by total stay per year with SETV's or are they most likely triggered by the "on-top of each other". 

Of course you can't say for sure, but what are your beliefs? 

22 hours ago, BritTim said:

Just take a taxi from Vientiane airport to the bridge, stamp out of Laos, take a shuttle bus across the bridge, stamp into Thailand, and look for a van or taxi to Udon Thani airport. It is busy, but quite straightforward.

 

I'm curious how much will it cost going from Vientiane Airport using the taxi to Friendship bridge to prevent being ripped off? And do you get it at the ground floor inside the airport or do you go outside and haul a taxi from the street?

3 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Yes, the taxi drivers will ask you when you clear Laos immigration. They hang around the shuttle bus ticket office. Yes, pay in baht, absolutely fine.

also when going to laos i need to get a return flight for the visa.  Any ideas on what i can show for this?

6 hours ago, BananaBandit said:

It's really down to 20 percent chance of entering via land border if you've spent 6-plus months in Thailand 2019 ??

Entering by land (with the exception of Aran/Poipet and Padang Besar) is virtually guaranteed with a visa (or visa exempt if you have no more than one previous land visa exempt in 2019).

 

Consulates have a lot of discretion in whether to issue visas. At most entry points, Immigration still follows the laws as written. There is a major issue at some airports and at two land crossings, but elsewhere your visa will be honoured.

On 10/27/2019 at 3:33 PM, pantsonfire said:

also when going to laos i need to get a return flight for the visa.  Any ideas on what i can show for this?

For the Laos visa?? Who told you that? I have entered Laos many times and each time I have received a visa on arrival and never had to show a return flight to receive my Laos visa on arrival.

21 hours ago, Briggsy said:

For the Laos visa?? Who told you that? I have entered Laos many times and each time I have received a visa on arrival and never had to show a return flight to receive my Laos visa on arrival.

Some STA agent

46 minutes ago, pantsonfire said:

Some STA agent

Balderdash!