Is the Vientiane border allowing same day turnarounds / Border bounces?

[spambot]

I am approaching the first 60 days on my Visa exempt on a UK passport and the last time I was in Thailand was eighteen months ago while also on a Tourist visa. I will be in Nong Khai on the last day of my exemption and intend to do a border bounce at the Vientiane side without actually going into Vientiane.

 

From past experience this border has always been mostly forgiving, but I have never attempted an actual bounce at the border nor have I used the border since the 60 day exemption increase.

 

Is a bounce likely to succeed or is there some new unwritten rule requiring you to spend a night in Vientiane or perhaps the border bounce is only realistically possible through the use of an agent. I am guessing from past previous experiences that it will be possible to do this solo and without staying in Vientiane overnight, but stuff changes and any recent experiences from anyone doing the same would be useful. 

[DrJack54]

Same day bounce yes. 

Not personal experience however no reports of any issue at Nong Khai re overnight stay required

[spambot]

Thanks DrJack - Identifying that there is a lack of reports of any such problems occurring is useful to know - Thanks

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, spambot said:

Thanks DrJack - Identifying that there is a lack of reports of any such problems occurring is useful to know - Thanks

Keep in mind that even if that location changes policy, a simple smallish donation would be asked for.

If you had been asking about Cambodia then would have suggested agent minivan run. 

[thaitom]

I actually just did a border bounce at nongkhai last night,  not one question was asked of me by the immigration officer.

 

[spambot]

39 minutes ago, thaitom said:

I actually just did a border bounce at nongkhai last night,  not one question was asked of me by the immigration officer.

 

Ahh - Brilliant - So no issues to report - Just turn up with $35, passport, paperwork, photo, 30Thb bus fare and back to Nong Khai for coffee - Thanks for that thaitom

[thaitom]

9 minutes ago, spambot said:

Ahh - Brilliant - So no issues to report - Just turn up with $35, passport, paperwork, photo, 30Thb bus fare and back to Nong Khai for coffee - Thanks for that thaitom

I'm a USA citizen, they asked for 40. dollars or 1700. baht.    I just noticed that laos stamped me in for 2 months instead of the usual 1 month, is this something new ?  

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, thaitom said:

I just noticed that laos stamped me in for 2 months instead of the usual 1 month, is this something new ?  

Yep....introduced earlier this year.

Let's hope it remains at 60.

30 day extension still available 

 

Edit: @thaitom misunderstood your post

[spambot]

52 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Keep in mind that even if that location changes policy, a simple smallish donation would be asked for.

If you had been asking about Cambodia then would have suggested agent minivan run. 

Yup - Cambodia - Even If using the more friendly border crossings Ban Laem Border - If doing this without own transport its even uneconomically  trying to save on the trip once you are faced with the added complexity of transport - So either way its better to use an organised agent bus / van border bounce if ever going through Cambodian borders. I did the Aranyaprathet/Poipet  eighteen months ago for a bounce and with the amount of drama involved - I think I could have produced a three hour movie.

 

[thaitom]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Yep....introduced earlier this year.

Let's hope it remains at 60.

30 day extension still available 

Yes, i'm aware of the Thai side is 60 day visa exempt now, but now the Laos is or gave me 60 days instead of 30 days entry with the visa on arrival.. 

[DrJack54]

33 minutes ago, spambot said:

I did the Aranyaprathet/Poipet  eighteen months ago for a bounce and with the amount of drama involved

I believe that the border run minivan agents do NOT run to Poipet

[spambot]

21 minutes ago, thaitom said:

I'm a USA citizen, they asked for 40. dollars or 1700. baht.    I just noticed that laos stamped me in for 2 months instead of the usual 1 month, is this something new ?  

Mnnn - Looks like I am behind the curve - Yes just founds sites showing same as you are reporting USA/European/UK it is $40 at the border  (at airports there is also a $1 processing fee) The other option is $50 by getting the evisa online before getting there.

[spambot]

30 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I believe that the border run minivan agents do NOT run to Poipet

Right - And if I ever I have no choice in the future and must do that particular border crossing - Then I will always use an agent - No question.

 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, spambot said:

Right - And if I ever I have no choice in the future and must do that particular border crossing - Then I will always use an agent - No question.

 

I left out an important word in my post (fixed now) ......

"I believe that the border run minivan agents do NOT run to Poipet"

 

[spambot]

Ha - Yup - That was an important word - It did have me thinking for a while - The border is not even friendly to agents.

 

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, thaitom said:

I actually just did a border bounce at nongkhai last night,  not one question was asked of me by the immigration officer.

So nothing has changed. My experience is from July 2022.

I spent time for a Lao Gold before returning
Duty free is quite useless.

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, thaitom said:

Yes, i'm aware of the Thai side is 60 day visa exempt now, but now the Laos is or gave me 60 days instead of 30 days entry with the visa on arrival.. 

 

Are you sure about that? Usually the Lao visa on arrival is valid for two months (yes, that's as funny as it sounds, as people use it immediately), but the ENTRY is for 30 days only.

[thaitom]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

 

Are you sure about that? Usually the Lao visa on arrival is valid for two months (yes, that's as funny as it sounds, as people use it immediately), but the ENTRY is for 30 days only.

 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, thaitom said:

 

 

Amazing, thanks!

[pub2022]

On 12/14/2024 at 12:58 PM, thaitom said:

I'm a USA citizen, they asked for 40. dollars or 1700. baht.    I just noticed that laos stamped me in for 2 months instead of the usual 1 month, is this something new ?  

 

Still one full page visa sticker for Laos?

[thaitom]

16 hours ago, pub2022 said:

 

Still one full page visa sticker for Laos?

Yes sir

[Tod Daniels]

reports are coming in (quite regularly) that people are getting hung up comin' back in at the Nong Khai border now (where as previously that was the softest touch border in the country)

Several people this week were all turned back at the bridge had to go back to Lao, get their exit stamp cancelled and then either wait until the following day to try to get back in OR were told they needed to fly in. 
AND
it also appears, if you push the subject after they told you to go back, they will put a denial of entry stamp in your passport (where as usually they just send you back to Lao without anything).  Then you CAN'T get in at that border with out "help" and even flying in you get pulled aside and asked WTF you think you're doing living here on free stamp entries..

This only came about the last couple of weeks at Nong Khai and as a rule only for the "border bouncers" who try to get out and right back in on a new 60 day free entry stamp after having maxed a 60 day stamp w/30day extension out previously.    
 

[Shwaman]

So out of curiosity, how will the new electonic system affect a same day border bounce after January 1. I'm doing the Nong Khai bit early February. Last I read the E visa requirement wasn't mandatory until June. As the OP mentioned anything can be in flux at any given time.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, Shwaman said:

So out of curiosity, how will the new electonic system affect a same day border bounce after January 1. I'm doing the Nong Khai bit early February. Last I read the E visa requirement wasn't mandatory until June. As the OP mentioned anything can be in flux at any given time.

Two completely separate things.

The folk wanting eVisa would be for a Visa eg Non O marriage/retirement.

 

A border bounce for 60 day stamp from visa exempt entry is a different animal.

Unrelated

[Shwaman]

Got it! Thanks.

[Rob Browder]

On 12/21/2024 at 11:57 AM, Tod Daniels said:

reports are coming in (quite regularly) that people are getting hung up comin' back in at the Nong Khai border now (where as previously that was the softest touch border in the country)

Several people this week were all turned back at the bridge had to go back to Lao, get their exit stamp cancelled and then either wait until the following day to try to get back in OR were told they needed to fly in. 

So, "one night out" rule - like the Lao-crossings near Chiang Mai.  That's not so bad, really.

 

Looking forward to a report on how much the agent-fee is for same-day return; it took a couple weeks to see that reported at a crossing near Chiang Mai - cheaper to just spend the night.