Changing Passport Entering Laos (Non-B Visa and Work Permit)

[Optimodo]

Hey I am currently in the process of receiving a Work Permit in Thailand. 

 

My problem is that a few months ago I went to Savhanaket, Laos and received a Non-B visa in my passport. However my company was unable to finish the Work permit paperwork in time and my Non-B expired. I returned to Savhanaket and they wouldn't issue me another Non-B because I had no work permit. I understand that is the system. However I am now stuck in a catch 22 situation. I cannot get a work permit without a Non-B visa and I cannot get a Non-B visa (with the same company) without a Work Permit. I was forced to return to Thailand after being refused my 2nd Non-B visa and enter on a 30 day exempt visa at the border. My company then attempted to get that visa changed into a Non-B within Thailand. However we only discovered on the last day before my 15 days left on my visa that my degree needs to be Notarized which the British Embassy in Bangkok wont do so I would have had to send it to the UK. We ran out of time due to the ASEAN closing of immigration etc...

 

Long story short I am now needing to leave Thailand again and attempt to get a Non-B once more. I have 2 valid UK passports as I have previously worked in Africa and sometimes visa applications took a long time to process so I had a 2nd passport to be able to travel while my other passport was receiving a visa. My question is does Laos specifically have any rules on entering the country while flying and requiring the exit stamp from the previous country? My plan is to start the work permit application process again with my 2nd passport. Get a Non-B in my 2nd passport and then hope this time my company can complete all the paperwork in time.

 

I have a friend who tried to enter Laos at Savhanaket by land and change passports after leaving Thailand. He tried to enter Laos on a new empty passport and they asked where his exit stamp from Thailand was and made him enter Laos on his old passport which he just exited Thailand with. I have previously flew to Vietnam and changed passports 'in the air' as it were and was able to enter Vietnam on my empty passport without issue at the beginning of this year. 

 

What I want to know is if I fly from Thailand to Laos - Savanakhet will they allow me to enter Laos on a passport that has not got the exit stamp from my recent visit to Thailand in it? (the passport is not empty however and does have previous Thai visa in it from about 9 months ago - dating back from then several years - mostly education visas). 

 

If I can enter on my 2nd passport then I can apply for my Business Visa again like my first time and then I plan on exiting over the land Border back to Thailand and flying Internally back to Bangkok.

 

Alternatively I could just fly to Vietnam where I know I can change passports In the air. However the cost associated with that compared to doing it in Laos are substantially more which is why I want to see if Laos is an option first.

 

Thanks for any help!

Mike