Visa Exempt, third friendship bridge

[Eibot]

Hi all,

 

Quick question. I'm between visas at the moment. My situation;

 

I live in Phuket, have been on a marriage visa from 2019 until October last year. Working on getting my Non B through my own company. Meanwhile I have been doing VOA at Ranong - Myanmar without any problems. For Songkran I'm in Nakon Phanom at the moment for Songran, and want to do a Visa run. Looking up some information and I read Laos required a night sleep, and new rules (2025) say you can only do twice of the runs in a year (I hope a calender year).

 

Is this true?

 

Can I bypass this with an agent?

 

My agent in Ranong says he can fix me up, but I drove all the way here, and would like to do it here.

 

Any help appreciated!!

[BrandonJT]

Yes, many of the Laos borders now require either 1 or 2 nights in Laos.

 

No, there is no new rule that says 2 times per year.  2 times per year was an old rule that went away in July 2024.

 

If you've been in Thailand since October on border bounces, then you'll want to use a border bounce agency. They will ensure you can get out and back without any issues, and that you can bypass any overnight requirements.

[Lite Beer]

I don't think you ate asking about VOA.

Probably a Visa exempt entry. Two different things.

[DrJack54]

OP, short recent thread here.....

https://aseannow.com/topic/1353200-nong-khai-visa-run/

 

 

In the thread @Tod Daniels gives good overview. 

Not sure of any agents in Udon Thani that do border bounces to NK.

Plan re money/clothes a possible 1-2 night stay. 

 

Edit: changed thread title..

 

 

[Rob Browder]

I haven't seen any recent reports about the Nakon Phanom / Laos crossing.  I also doubt any border-run agents do that route.  It is possible that due to not many foreigners using that crossing, they have not instituted a multi-night stay rule - but no way to know without a recent report.

 

You would be looking at a fairly long trip to get to where agent-assisted same-day runs would be guaranteed - Cambodia probably the closest.

 

Unless a 2-night stay in Laos be a deal-breaker, it might be the easiest way to go.  You can ask on your way out of Thailand if it is OK to return that evening - see what they say.   

[Tod Daniels]

That is a pretty back water border up in a "Nakhon Nowhere" province and gets few foreigners bouncing out and back

Even if they say you have to stay out overnight, like Chiang Saen and Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai Province does (and now Nong Khai it seems) I would bet dollars to durian there's a way to "grease the wheel" at that b/s border and get right back in 😛 

I know that people who bounced at Chong Mek/Vang Tao in Ubon, and people who bounced at Mukdahan/Savannakhet in Lao got out and back with minimal 'wheel greasing' sometimes with none 😉