Visa run at Nong Khai: new things I should know?

[Jack1988]

37 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

 

So from where did you leave from to Nong Khai and back for 1800 baht? How much did you pay your agent for the Laos Visa?

 

 

The last time I paid 3700 thb, everything included 

[Cameroni]

3 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

I used to buy dollars from the money-exchanges before my Lao visa runs.

 

Yes, I did that. It was completely pointless because Laos immigration accept Thai Baht.

[Pattaya57]

Now that the train goes from Bangkok all the way to Vientiane I'd be doing the sleeper train there and back if I needed a visa exempt (but then again I dont like flying)

 

I'd hope they worked out a smooth border crossing process with all visa stuff sorted on the train?

[Rob Browder]

23 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Yes, I did that. It was completely pointless because Laos immigration accept Thai Baht.

It wasn't pointless when I did it, because it saved a significant sum over Lao Immigration's "conversion" rate.   That is why folks did it.

[DrJack54]

The OP did not ask about border run agents.

Some replies have covered that option.

Further posts removed re agents 

[DrJack54]

Just now, Rob Browder said:

It wasn't pointless when I did it, because it saved a significant sum over Lao Immigration's "conversion" rate.   That is why folks did it.

So to advise others what was the "significant sum" 

[transam]

3 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

Why do you have to make a passport photo and fill the Lao visa form? I did a border run last time, I didn't do anything, just pay and come back to Thailand the same day 

Are you sure about that.....?   🤭

[Enoon]

4 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

Thanks for the tip, but I've read about the e-visa and I won't apply online: it's most expensive - $50 instead of $40 - and some people claim their e-visa wasn't recorded in the system and they had to pay again at the border.

Too bad, I could pay $50 instead of $40 to avoid to loose one page on my passport... but taking the risk to pay $50 + $40...

BTW, did things have changed at Padang Besar since July 15? If I remember correctly, someone told me on this forum that now people weren't allowed to come back on the same day and have to stay one night in Malaysia. Padang Besar = $0 visa and very little stamp on your passport.

 

I went to Laos in January to get an SETV for Thailand.

 

I used a Laos e-visa.

 

I had a print out of the approved e-visa to show at the border when I got there........did the people who claim they had to pay twice have one?

 

I did not have to pay again.

 

 

 

 

[Rob Browder]

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So to advise others what was the "significant sum" 

A "significant portion of the total cost" would be a better description.  I do not remember exactly, but was hundreds of baht, which I would rather spend on lunch or similar - plus the satisfaction of not being "ripped off" on an exchange-rate by crooks.

[Cameroni]

7 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

A "significant portion of the total cost" would be a better description.  I do not remember exactly, but was hundreds of baht, which I would rather spend on lunch or similar - plus the satisfaction of not being "ripped off" on an exchange-rate by crooks.

 

Hundreds of baht on exchanging 50 dollars? Are you quite sure about that?

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

So to advise others what was the "significant sum" 

For UK citizens, it's US$35 or 1500 baht for a Laos visa. That's a 42.86 exchange rate whereas todays rate on the street is about 35, or $35 = 1225 baht. That's a difference of 275 baht

 

Note: if you have to buy $35 that might be at 36 rate so could be 1260 baht. Still a saving of 240 baht.

 

Not a huge amount but should buy a nice lunch 😀

 

[anotherfarangishere]

3 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

Not if your account is in Euro, genius. Not everyone's American.

My account is in Euro. You've never heard of currency exchange, Albert?

[Cameroni]

6 minutes ago, anotherfarangishere said:

My account is in Euro. You've never heard of currency exchange, Albert?

 

How is it easier to go to a currency exchange, get USD with Euros, when you live in Thailand, have Baht and the Laos immigration accepts Baht?

[anotherfarangishere]

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

I had a print out of the approved e-visa to show at the border when I got there........did the people who claim they had to pay twice have one?

 

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

For what I read and understood, yes.

I didn't say "all people", I said "some people". The fact that you personally have not had problems does not change the fact that others may have had them.

 

 

[anotherfarangishere]

4 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

How is it easier to go to a currency exchange, get USD with Euros, when you live in Thailand, have Baht and the Laos immigration accepts Baht?

? What is your problem man? You can get US dollars from Thai baht everywhere in Thailand.

[Cameroni]

4 minutes ago, anotherfarangishere said:

? What is your problem man? You can get US dollars from Thai baht everywhere in Thailand.

 

Why would I bother if I can go to Laos immigration and can pay in Baht?

 

 

[anotherfarangishere]

4 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

I used to buy dollars from the money-exchanges before my Lao visa runs.

So did I.

[Pattaya57]

So OP started another thread. I guess he's done with this one 😆 

[Rob Browder]

On 8/9/2024 at 8:55 PM, Cameroni said:

Why would I bother if I can go to Laos immigration and can pay in Baht?

Because they rip you off if you do it that way. 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, Rob Browder said:

Because they rip you off if you do it that way. 

 

It's a bit unkind to word it this way. The official Lao visa fees are set in USD. If you don't have USD at hand, Lao immigration officers kindly accept your THB instead, and charge you a service fee for the currency exchange service they provide to you. They could just send you back to get USD.

 

While you're obviously well advised to get USD to avoid paying extra, I wouldn't call it a rip-off as the choice is yours.

[anotherfarangishere]

17 hours ago, Caldera said:

While you're obviously well advised to get USD to avoid paying extra...

Coming by night train from Bangkok, I should arrive at the border before 8:00 o'clock, so I should be charged 1 more dollar. I guess if you don't have a 1 dollar banknote:
- they don't have change from 10 or 5 dollars?
- they kindly charge you 100 bahts instead of 30/40 or even 50?

[BakedPanda]

If you do a visa run you can tell them at most places to Laos at the desk, i that case you usally just give them the money and not need to fill in any paperwork. They stamp you in and out right away then too so you can go back to TH. At least that is how it is at the borders up north.

[KhaoNiaw]

On 8/9/2024 at 7:28 PM, Pattaya57 said:

For UK citizens, it's US$35 or 1500 baht for a Laos visa. That's a 42.86 exchange rate whereas todays rate on the street is about 35, or $35 = 1225 baht. That's a difference of 275 baht

 

Note: if you have to buy $35 that might be at 36 rate so could be 1260 baht. Still a saving of 240 baht.

 

Not a huge amount but should buy a nice lunch 😀

 

 

It's US$40 these days or 1800 baht (not sure, maybe 1700). 
I was behind a couple of Koreans recently and one of them paid with a $100 note for both of them. They really had to make a stand to get any change back. 

[BakedPanda]

15 minutes ago, anotherfarangishere said:

Coming by night train from Bangkok, I should arrive at the border before 8:00 o'clock, so I should be charged 1 more dollar. I guess if you don't have a 1 dollar banknote:
- they don't have change from 10 or 5 dollars?
- they kindly charge you 100 bahts instead of 30/40 or even 50?

They are not some western world and exchange shop, 1 dollar is often useless to them too as it costs more + is hard to exchange for them. They want new bills, so it is likely either 40 USD or else in THB. I would always carry at least 10K baht anyway when crossing into Laos etc, its remote there.

[anotherfarangishere]

3 hours ago, BakedPanda said:

They are not some western world and exchange shop, 1 dollar is often useless to them too as it costs more + is hard to exchange for them. They want new bills, so it is likely either 40 USD or else in THB. I would always carry at least 10K baht anyway when crossing into Laos etc, its remote there.

Sure, they ask 1 dollar because they want to loose money! BTW, "they" is not the people working at the border but the Lao government.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 8/9/2024 at 5:43 PM, Pattaya57 said:

Now that the train goes from Bangkok all the way to Vientiane I'd be doing the sleeper train there and back if I needed a visa exempt (but then again I dont like flying)

 

I'd hope they worked out a smooth border crossing process with all visa stuff sorted on the train?

 

Apparently, the train stops for immigration on the Thai side for 40 minutes. Is said to be smooth. Lao immigration is after you alight from the train. 

[Tomtomtom69]

5 hours ago, anotherfarangishere said:

Coming by night train from Bangkok, I should arrive at the border before 8:00 o'clock, so I should be charged 1 more dollar. I guess if you don't have a 1 dollar banknote:
- they don't have change from 10 or 5 dollars?
- they kindly charge you 100 bahts instead of 30/40 or even 50?

 

For the overtime fee, it is expected you pay this in Kip or Baht. Don't pay it in USD.

 

The main 40 USD for the visa fee is payable in USD otherwise you'll get charged extra but the overtime fee, if any, which in my experience is not always charged during the hours they say it's applicable (often yes but not always) shouldn't be volunteered unless they tell you.

 

It should be 40 Baht or equivalent in Kip.

[Tomtomtom69]

5 hours ago, BakedPanda said:

They are not some western world and exchange shop, 1 dollar is often useless to them too as it costs more + is hard to exchange for them. They want new bills, so it is likely either 40 USD or else in THB. I would always carry at least 10K baht anyway when crossing into Laos etc, its remote there.

 

Yeah 1 USD is simply local speak for 40 THB or whatever it is in Kip nowadays. Such little charges are, unofficially at least, expected to be paid in either Kip or Baht.

 

Only the actual visa fee of 40 USD is set in stone and in USD, unless you pay the higher THB price of 1800 Baht or another Kip price, which is lower than the THB one but a little higher than the USD one.

[anotherfarangishere]

6 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

For the overtime fee, it is expected you pay this in Kip or Baht. Don't pay it in USD.

 

The main 40 USD for the visa fee is payable in USD otherwise you'll get charged extra but the overtime fee, if any, which in my experience is not always charged during the hours they say it's applicable (often yes but not always) shouldn't be volunteered unless they tell you.

 

It should be 40 Baht or equivalent in Kip.

Thanks. I just make change and was lucky enough to get a 1 dollar banknote.

[stratocaster]

Here's my rant. Came across a Farang utuber's, "I know everything about Thailand" channel, who posted with the clickbait title "Thai visa run to Vientiane".

Was curious to find out if there was still anyone  applying for  a visa, how long to get an appointment etc, if you can just get 60 days cost free VE. As suspected after watching 15 minutes of this total  drivel it turns out he is actually doing a border bounce using the Nong Khai crossing.

Another rant. Another Thailand guru has posted his trip using the new Bangkok Vientiane direct train. Unfortunately he only says that you clear Thai immigration at Nong Khai. No mention of if you have to leave the train. How long the stop is. If you have an overstay to pay is it possible to pay. If you have an Evisa for Laos is there a Laos check point to get stamped in thereby saving time to head directly to Vientiane instead of staying with the train and heading 20 kilos north of town. And of utmost concern when entering Thailand what is the customs routine. What are the chances of a couple of suitcase of Beer Lao going unchecked.