Anyone done a visa run from Chiang Rai recently?

[Chalky0w]

Has anyone got recent experience of doing a land border run to Laos or Myanmar from Chiang Rai please?

 

Immigration officer didn’t want to know about a Covid extension to my tourist visa and having construction work on my U.K. home at the moment so can’t go back just yet.

 

Thanks!

 

[OneeyedJohn]

My wife is helping a friend today who was blanked by Immigration trying to extend her tourist visa, she now has a letter showing her employment and has gone to Chiang Rai as Maesai is closed.

Immigration can be helpful one minute and unhelpful the next, you never know.

[freedomnow]

I read after asking the other day, that foreigners cannot at the moment use Mae Sai/Tachilek.

 

You can go north-east from there and go over to Laos from Chiang Khong..it will cost you $40 visa on arrival though...small basic town on other side. 

Plus side..big bottles Beer Lao fot 40 baht !

[Chalky0w]

Chiang Khong sounds like the way to go then. I don’t mind the visa fee (or the beer Lao ????).

 

I’ve got vaccine certificate, anything else needed?

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, Chalky0w said:

Chiang Khong sounds like the way to go then. I don’t mind the visa fee (or the beer Lao ????).

 

I’ve got vaccine certificate, anything else needed?

Nothing else. Just make sure you have US dollars. If you want to pay for the visa on arrival using any other currency, it is much more expensive.

[hakancnx]

18 hours ago, BritTim said:

Nothing else. Just make sure you have US dollars. If you want to pay for the visa on arrival using any other currency, it is much more expensive.

And see to that the dollar bills are in perfect shape otherwise they don't take them. 

 

I did the border run 2 weeks ago. You can do it on the same day. No problem. 

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

@hakancnx excellent report. Pics always very helpful. 

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, hakancnx said:

I did the border run 2 weeks ago.

Thank you for the excellent photos of the modern Immigration Offices at Chiang Khong. So different from my days living in Lanna almost 20 years ago. There was no "Friendship Bridge", only a vehicle/passenger ferry across the Mekong. The Immigration Office was in town and in those days, for a "fee" one could extend one's visa without leaving Thailand although one's passport was stamped entry to and exit from Laos, courtesy of a Thai/Laos Immigration "agent". I used to sit in a Thai restaurant watching the ferry sailing between both countries - happy days!!

Photo - an old ferry crossing at Chiang Khong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ginkas]

On 7/13/2022 at 1:17 PM, Burma Bill said:

Thank you for the excellent photos of the modern Immigration Offices at Chiang Khong. So different from my days living in Lanna almost 20 years ago. There was no "Friendship Bridge", only a vehicle/passenger ferry across the Mekong. The Immigration Office was in town and in those days, for a "fee" one could extend one's visa without leaving Thailand although one's passport was stamped entry to and exit from Laos, courtesy of a Thai/Laos Immigration "agent". I used to sit in a Thai restaurant watching the ferry sailing between both countries - happy days!!

Photo - an old ferry crossing at Chiang Khong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh memories!

I remember those days, that 'new' office looks so different.

There was one occasion I went with the lady agent and her 14 year old son to the Immigration office.

No one there, at lunch.

The boy went behind a desk, opened the drawer and took out various stamps, stamp pads and forms.

He proceeded to fill in and stamp the forms and then stamped my passport!

I was somewhat concerned but his mother said he does it whenever the officers are absent.

When I got my passport back the stamps showed I had exited Thailand, entered Laos, exited Laos and entered Thailand.

All official Thai and Laos stamps.

Was wary when I next left Thailand but nothing said and no problems!!

Those were indeed 'the days'. Everything so relaxed.

[Burma Bill]

1 hour ago, Ginkas said:

Everything so relaxed.

Yes indeed - hassle free Thailand and like your good self, I was never ever questioned by other Immigration Officers/Offices when presenting my passport - all appeared "above board"!

[Chalky0w]

As follow-up, I did the border run at Chiang Khong today.

• Boat crossing is closed so used the bridge.
• To get into Laos - needed passport, 40 US dollars, passport photo and completed a visa on arrival form.
• To get into Thailand (visa exempt) - needed passport, vaccine certificate and completed a TM6.

 

Not busy and no real problems but was told to stay at least one night next time by Thai IO

 

Thanks to everyone that provided advice!

[yannie]

On 7/13/2022 at 9:59 AM, DrJack54 said:

@hakancnx excellent report. Pics always very helpful. 

do you have any agency?

 

[yannie]

did you go there with agency for visa run?

[night_rider]

I did a border run to Chiang Khong yesterday from Chiang Mai. Tips and changes follow.

 

• Greenbus from Chiang Mai was 622 baht round trip.
  • The phone app was the best English buying experience
  • They will automatically add insurances for Covid but you can remove them to subtract the premiums
  • Outbound 9:30am-4:30pm. Inbound the same
  • 30 minute layover in Phayao outbound. There is a 5-Star Chicken place a few blocks if you're hungry. Google it.
  • Route terminates at Chiang Khong market but they will let you off right at the intersection of 1020 and 1356. (see map)
• Tuk Tuk from 1020/1356 interchange to Thailand Departure station is 50 baht for 2 or more passengers. Prices clearly posted. Nice guys and no scams.
• Thailand Immigration station is open till 10pm per Google. Laos Immigration open till 12:15am per Google.
• Bridge bus was 25 baht (after 4pm I think). Schedule can be slow but it's probably too far to walk in the heat. Just relax.
• Laos Immigration
  • pickup two forms in basket, fill them out and turn in at Window 1
  • They will collect 40 baht or USD $1 for an after 4pm surcharge
  • pickup passport and visa at window 2
  • proceed to pay fee at the back
  • The Scam
    • Posters are not kidding about having crisp currency. Your $20 bills should be pristine. They rejected one of mine due to a fold in the middle like you get from a wallet.
    • I was then quoted 900 baht to cover the USD $20 bill. 45 baht to the dollar. Spot rate was 38.21 at the time.
    • I politely dickered and talked her down to 800 baht or 40 baht to the dollar. It helped there was a line of wide eyed farang behind me getting a preview of the scam.
    • If her boss was not over her shoulder I could have gotten her to accept the $20.
    • This is nothing more than a scam but bear in mind it's not a lot of money in the end.
    • Recommendation: bring lots of pristine $20 bills and offer to exchange with the foreigners with 'bad' currency just to frustrate their scam.
    • Expansion of Laos eVisa program to this border check will hopefully eliminate this.
  • Laos Departure no questions asked. No recommendation to spend the night in country.
• Thailand Arrival Immigration I entered visa exempt. 
  • NO vaccination information was requested
  • Did receive 45 day stamp
• Transport back into Chiang Khong town is 100 baht in a group or 200 baht solo. Prices clearly marked.
  • Nice lady. Even gave me a bunch of bananas as she was closing up for the day.
• Overnight at Namkhong Guesthouse for 200 baht. Clean room. Soft bed. Pool. Shared toilet/shower. Fan room (no AC needed this time of year)
  • Definitely a recommend for clean, simple accommodation
  • Tried to make Bamboo Mexican restaurant but they close at 7pm.
• Greenbus return bus the next morning at 9:30 am.
  • You can walk to the pickup in 10 minutes. Use Google Maps not Apple Maps to find it.
• Chiang Mai Bus Terminal 3 about 4:30pm. Bolt home. I didn't want to leave my motorbike overnight at the station.

Changes

• Next time may rent a car. May try to car pool with others.  I did consider taking my bike but was concerned about the timing of this weekends cyclone
• Next time I think I'll try a tourist visa using the new Thai eVisa system instead of visa exempt. Pop over the border and then produce the eVisa coming back. I don't think this counts against your 2 border runs.

 

Travel in Thailand is BOTH the currency scam and the kindness of strangers giving you bunches of bananas. Deal with the first but focus on the latter.