Double Entry Thai Visa

[aussieboi]

I have just returned from Laos, with the free Double entry tourist visa, an easy experience. But, there is a strange twist to this. I happened to chat to 2 guys who were also there to get the same thing, they had previously had a paid for Double entry from the Thai consulate in Cambodia, and this is the story they told me when they went to activate the second entry.

They crossed the border, from Aranyaphatet, to Poipet, but instead of going through Poipet Immigration, they crossed directly to a couple of casinos, and spent several hours playing the pokies, then returned to Thai Immigration, where they were stamped back in for the normal 2 months..

This somewhat confused me, so they also showed me their passports, and I could see the exit/entry from/to Thailand, but no Cambodian entry/exit, and I checked each page carefully.

So, am I missing something here, this is the first time I have ever had a double entry, so I will have to acvtivate my second one in 3 months, (after my one month Bangkok Immi. extension) and it seems just too easy do what they have done???

Any thoughts.

[Lite Beer]

Legally you have to enter / exit another country. So I do not know what happened there.

[aussieboi]

Legally you have to enter / exit another country. So I do not know what happened there.

Yes, maybe something overlooked by Thai Immi, I wonder if they will get into trouble for this..

NONG KHAI TO LAOS BY TRAIN..

I should also add, and sorry for not doing it when I wrote this post, as I have not seen much about it here, ( and admitedly I am not a regular viewer here,) how simple my trip to Laos was this time, on April 29th.

I took the overnight sleeper from Bkk to Nong Khai, and it arrived pretty much on time at just after 8.45 am. I walked the few steps to the rail office, and bought a ticket from there, to Thanaleng, Laos, for 10am, and paid 50 baht.

The new Immi offices are there, and would open at 9.30 they told me. And they did open on time, I went through Immi. in mere minutes, as I was the only farang, apart from some Chinese and Korean tourists. The train arrived empty, and I boarded at 5 minutes to 10, and it left the station, again pretty much on time.

I was stamped out of Thailand. The trip was slow, and about 15 minutes later arrived in Thanaleng, got off the train, and paid, and received my Laos visa, again in about 10 minutes. I barely had time to take photos, it was all so quick, unlike the normal bridge Immigration where there is a wait of hours to get through both sides sometimes.

There was one of the Thai/Laos bus waiting to take all 12 of us into Vientienne, for the small sum of 40 baht. No annoying tuk tuk drivers anywhere to be seen !!

Now I highly recommend this, so quick, uncrowded (for now) and easy, and none of those tuk tuk drivers trying to hassle you.

Hope this is in the correct section, the moderators are welcome to move it if not.

[Maestro]

It is certainly in the correct forum, Aussiboi, and it is such good news that I am copying it into this other topic, where other members will hopefully also report their experience with this new mode of travel to Vientiane:

Vientiane Laos for Thai Visa, continuing updates

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Maestro