Chiang Khong Border Bounce on 13th DEC 2023 - Report

[FARANG KIWI]

This morning at 09:30 made a Border Bounce at Chiang Khong.

 

It went fast very very fast - Over and Back in 35 minutes.

 

Plenty of Free parking on the left as soon as you enter the border area.

 

25 Baht for the One Way Bus ticket over to Laos side.

 

Bus was waiting and took off soon after boarding.

 

No queues at the Laos Visa on Arrival office.

 

Two forms to fill out an Arrival Card plus a 2nd Visa on Arrival form ( plus the usual form which I had pre-downloaded and filled out, the one with with your 1 x photo on )

 

The Laos officer asked my "how long you stay" I replied 10 minutes in Laos - he returned passport and pointed to the bus and said ""Buy Ticket"

 

Again the bus left very promptly.

 

No issues on arrival at Thai Immigration.   

 

Stamped with another 30 day Thai stay.

 

Thanks to those that assisted my questions earlier about the $US fee.

 

$US 40= if crisp new notes was offered to the Laos office and taken with a smile.

 

All in all could not have been faster or easier.

)  

[Nick Carter icp]

If you are just staying in Lao for a few minutes, then you don't have to fill the visa forms out or anything like that .

   You just hand your passport into the window with the money and a few minutes later they give the passport back with visas and in out stamps .

   No need to fill out any forms in Laos

You can buy ice cold Beer Lao for 40 Baht from a kiosk 

The last bus out of Chiang Kong is 3 PM

[dcalaska]

27 November I went there and they wanted 1,900 B or $50 US. for a U-turn stamp.

I negotiated and got it down to $40. US PLUS 200 B. Grift. 

[FARANG KIWI]

20 minutes ago, dcalaska said:

27 November I went there and they wanted 1,900 B or $50 US. for a U-turn stamp.

I negotiated and got it down to $40. US PLUS 200 B. Grift. 

27th Nov 2023 was a Laos Holiday.

 

They do charge more at Weekends and on Thai \ Laos holiday days...

 https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/lao/2023

[Iamloki]

On 12/13/2023 at 11:40 AM, dcalaska said:

27 November I went there and they wanted 1,900 B or $50 US. for a U-turn stamp.

I negotiated and got it down to $40. US PLUS 200 B. Grift. 

Saved yourself about $5... How long did the negotiation take?

[kelboy]

Just did it today, went very smooth 1900tb, just tell them it's a visa run and no forms to fill in.

[Everything Picture]

On 12/13/2023 at 11:17 AM, FARANG KIWI said:

This morning at 09:30 made a Border Bounce at Chiang Khong.

 

It went fast very very fast - Over and Back in 35 minutes.

 

Plenty of Free parking on the left as soon as you enter the border area.

 

25 Baht for the One Way Bus ticket over to Laos side.

 

Bus was waiting and took off soon after boarding.

 

No queues at the Laos Visa on Arrival office.

 

Two forms to fill out an Arrival Card plus a 2nd Visa on Arrival form ( plus the usual form which I had pre-downloaded and filled out, the one with with your 1 x photo on )

 

The Laos officer asked my "how long you stay" I replied 10 minutes in Laos - he returned passport and pointed to the bus and said ""Buy Ticket"

 

Again the bus left very promptly.

 

No issues on arrival at Thai Immigration.   

 

Stamped with another 30 day Thai stay.

 

Thanks to those that assisted my questions earlier about the $US fee.

 

$US 40= if crisp new notes was offered to the Laos office and taken with a smile.

 

All in all could not have been faster or easier.

)  

There is no request to see a flight ticket leaving Thailand in the next 30 days?

[FARANG KIWI]

49 minutes ago, Everything Picture said:

There is no request to see a flight ticket leaving Thailand in the next 30 days?

Exactly.   Never mentioned never asked for.

Same experience at Chong Mek.  

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, Everything Picture said:

There is no request to see a flight ticket leaving Thailand in the next 30 days?

 

   Immigration  once did ask me at Chiang kong for a ticket out the Country when I arrived at immigration , I told them that I live in Chiang kong and walk to the border to exit  and so I cannot show a ticket out of Thailand , because I will be walking to the border to leave 

[cubism001]

On 12/13/2023 at 11:17 AM, FARANG KIWI said:

This morning at 09:30 made a Border Bounce at Chiang Khong.

 

It went fast very very fast - Over and Back in 35 minutes.

 

Plenty of Free parking on the left as soon as you enter the border area.

 

25 Baht for the One Way Bus ticket over to Laos side.

 

Bus was waiting and took off soon after boarding.

 

No queues at the Laos Visa on Arrival office.

 

Two forms to fill out an Arrival Card plus a 2nd Visa on Arrival form ( plus the usual form which I had pre-downloaded and filled out, the one with with your 1 x photo on )

 

The Laos officer asked my "how long you stay" I replied 10 minutes in Laos - he returned passport and pointed to the bus and said ""Buy Ticket"

 

Again the bus left very promptly.

 

No issues on arrival at Thai Immigration.   

 

Stamped with another 30 day Thai stay.

 

Thanks to those that assisted my questions earlier about the $US fee.

 

$US 40= if crisp new notes was offered to the Laos office and taken with a smile.

 

All in all could not have been faster or easier.

)  

 

[cubism001]

I'm out of land crossings for 2023 but need one more stamp; my Thai visa expires Jan 1 2024. (The immigration police at Vientiane crossing reminded me before sending me back to Lao.) Is there an airport in Chiang Khong?

 

Thanks.

[FARANG KIWI]

6 minutes ago, cubism001 said:

I'm out of land crossings for 2023 but need one more stamp; my Thai visa expires Jan 1 2024. (The immigration police at Vientiane crossing reminded me before sending me back to Lao.) Is there an airport in Chiang Khong?

 

Thanks.

Is there a reason that you cannot do your Land Crossing on 01st Jan 2024?

 

No Airport at Chiang Khong....   I guess Chiang Rai would be the closest.

[bbi1]

On 12/13/2023 at 11:24 AM, Nick Carter icp said:

If you are just staying in Lao for a few minutes, then you don't have to fill the visa forms out or anything like that .

   You just hand your passport into the window with the money and a few minutes later they give the passport back with visas and in out stamps .

   No need to fill out any forms in Laos

 

Is that the same with the Nong Khai border (Friendship Bridge 1)?

 

A completed Laos arrival and departure card is still needed, correct?

[bbi1]

On 12/13/2023 at 12:01 PM, FARANG KIWI said:

27th Nov 2023 was a Laos Holiday.

 

They do charge more at Weekends and on Thai \ Laos holiday days...

 https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/lao/2023

They charge a $1 extra fee only.

[bbi1]

On 12/14/2023 at 6:14 PM, kelboy said:

Just did it today, went very smooth 1900tb, just tell them it's a visa run and no forms to fill in.

But you still need to do a completed Laos arrival and departure card is still needed, correct?

[Nick Carter icp]

21 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Is that the same with the Nong Khai border (Friendship Bridge 1)?

 

A completed Laos arrival and departure card is still needed, correct?

 

   I don't know

[kelboy]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

But you still need to do a completed Laos arrival and departure card is still needed, correct?

No just hand your passport over with 1900tb and go to the next window to get it back, 5 mind max.

[bbi1]

24 minutes ago, kelboy said:

No just hand your passport over with 1900tb and go to the next window to get it back, 5 mind max.

Is this the same with the Nong Khai border too?

[Everything Picture]

I had my trip today and as confirmed above, Laos forms not necessary when informing going straight back to Thailand.

They wouldn't let me pay with $ and insisted on 1,900 baht.

Heading back to Thailand, IO asked a couple of questions about my long stay in Thailand but I never felt I was in danger of not being allowed entry.  I was not asked to prove accommodation but this might have been because I put a house address and not a hotel.