So far.  I needed to go to Laos to get my non b visa. only had one page left in my passport . went to Bangkok to get an emergency travel document. got that. British Embassy says now go to Immigration where you live and have them transfer your visa exempt to your ETD. So I go to Nakhon Phanom immigration and they say we cant do that ? go to savannakhet, in Laos and see if they will do it. ....... My original passport is now declared unavailable. How can I leave Thailand without a stamp from immigration saying I was here legally... I still have my original passport with visa exempt. but it comes up invalid passport on their system..  My apologies not great photos 

 

 

I have removed the image of the passport photograph page due to personal privacy concerns. 

doesn't really answer any of my questions though, does it ?    no malice friend    My passport photo is my old fb photo from a few months ago. all they British Embassy  ask for on line for an ETD is a recent photo, and they crop it themselves . as they have access to my original passport photo.

    

I am surprised that you cannot use your old passport with its stamps as proof of your previous valid immigration status, and leave on the ETD. I appreciate that they cannot transfer some of the stamps from your old passport, but transferring the current permission to stay stamp should be possible.

 

I think the problem is that Nakhon Phanom immigration really does not know what they are allowed to do, and simply refuses to do anything as the simplest solution.

 

Assuming you can navigate the situation sufficiently to exit Thailand, the next question will be whether Savannakhet will agree to affix a multiple entry Non O into your ETD. One problem might be the validity period of the ETD (in which case a single entry would probably be OK) but they might have other objections.

 

The issue with leaving Thailand could probably be overcome by flying out. Airport immigration has much more experience at dealing with these edge cases. However, I think you need to be clear about what will happen once you are out of Thailand. Maybe, easiest will be to return visa exempt, and switch back to Non O visas when you receive your replacement ordinary passport.

Disregard your embassy's advice to do anything at immigration where you live. As you're in Thailand visa exempt, you can just leave with your old passport AND the ETD. Immigration at the border will transfer your entry stamp to the ETD and stamp you out in the ETD.

 

The catch might be Laos, no idea if they accept British ETDs for inbound travel. Personally and to be on the safe side, I'd go to the Lao embassy in Bangkok and apply for a visa. If they agree to put a visa in your ETD, you should be good to go.

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

The catch might be Laos, no idea if they accept British ETDs for inbound travel. Personally and to be on the safe side, I'd go to the Lao embassy in Bangkok and apply for a visa. If they agree to put a visa in your ETD, you should be good to go.

Although I do not always have much respect for UK consular services, I cannot imagine they would be unaware of the countries that will accept their emergency passports for entry. More of a problem, I think, is liable to be the Thai consulate in Savannakhet, and their policy on stamping visas into such passports.

 

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Disregard your embassy's advice to do anything at immigration where you live. As you're in Thailand visa exempt, you can just leave with your old passport AND the ETD. Immigration at the border will transfer your entry stamp to the ETD and stamp you out in the ETD.

At land borders, care is needed on this. It should be possible in general (as should transferring the entry stamp at Nakhon Phanom immigration) but transferring stamps at minor land crossings can be tricky, especially if senior officials are not available. Better, as I suggested earlier, would be if the OP could fly out from a Bangkok airport. There, it is certain that they would be able to promptly accomplish what is necessary.

Three months ago I had a similar problem the embassy and Bangkok was on a work slow and I had to leave the country with two months left on my original passport I flew to another country to get a temporary passport so it’s good for two years flew back on arrival showed both passports and the next day I went to immigration where they transferred all my stamps to my new temporary passport and then called the embassy in Bangkok to ask when I can come with my temporary passport and receive a new passport and they told me to wait till after the new year they said maybe they’d be able to issue me a new passport at that time it was a terrible mess  I wish you all the best luck TIT