Double Entry Tourist Visa Question

[Thaigift]

I am a student at CMU that got their visa cancelled. I am going to Vientianne this next week to get a dual entry tourist visa. I have one or two questions: Can they deny me a visa? Before getting my ED visa cancelled, I was in Thailand for almost a year straight on tourist visas. I heard awhile back that they were really cracking down on farang living here on tourist visas. Another question: If they see my ED visa that was validated in June, would they have any questions for me as to why I am requesting a tourist visa instead of an extension?

I know I'm probably being paranoid but I just want to know. Thanks to all that reply!

[Lite Beer]

Paranoid I think.

You should be ok.

[MartinBKK]

Paranoid I think.

You should be ok.

I am also wanting to go from CM to Vientiane soon to get a double entry tourist. Do you know the most comfortable way to travel? If someone could post their experience of the various options and approximate costs i would be very grateful.

[Thaigift]

Paranoid I think.

You should be ok.

I am also wanting to go from CM to Vientiane soon to get a double entry tourist. Do you know the most comfortable way to travel? If someone could post their experience of the various options and approximate costs i would be very grateful.

just go to any travel agent on the moat and ask them for a vientianne visa run and that you want to come back to CM. private van 2 way was like 1,800 roundtrip?

[MartinBKK]

Paranoid I think.

You should be ok.

I am also wanting to go from CM to Vientiane soon to get a double entry tourist. Do you know the most comfortable way to travel? If someone could post their experience of the various options and approximate costs i would be very grateful.

just go to any travel agent on the moat and ask them for a vientianne visa run and that you want to come back to CM. private van 2 way was like 1,800 roundtrip?

Hi Thaigift. Thanks for posting do you know what the roads are like? It's just i get quite travel sick and if the roads are quite windy i might look for an alternative.

Cheers

[CMExpat79]

I get rather travel sick also, and I find that the smaller buses make this worse. Last year I took the large VIP coach from the arcade bus station to Udon Thani, then a taxi across to friendship bridge. The bus was a double decker type bus, and I got seats upstairs right at the front, it leaves at around 8pm and takes about 12 hours and I felt fine - not sure if its the size of the bus or the route or whatever but was a moot drive - ie not too many bumps so my tummy could stand it, plus I managed to sleep through most of it.

Can't recall the exact price but sure it was around 1000bt or so each way...allthough like I say not too sure what the price was

[orang37]

I am also wanting to go from CM to Vientiane soon to get a double entry tourist. Do you know the most comfortable way to travel? If someone could post their experience of the various options and approximate costs i would be very grateful.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun MartinBKK,

There has been lots of discussion on the two bus companies ... on the Chiang Mai forum ... that operate buses from CM<=>Udon Thani from the Arcade bus station (off the west side of the SuperHighway, and not far from where Thanon Kaew Nawarat intersects the Superhighway and becomes the road to Doi Saket ... just about "due west" of the Carrefour on the other side of the Superhighway).

If you go to the CM forum and search on "Oosuksatour," "Chakrapong," and "Udon Thani," you'll find lots of info and, of course, some debate.

Last time I went, in April this year, I went Oosuksatour,1320 baht VIP for the round trip. A few years ago there was strong agreement, in my opinion, on the CM Forum that Chakrapong's buses were greatly inferior to Oosuksatour's. Now, we hear that Chakrapong have upgraded their buses.

The two companies usually, and as of last April, alternated days in terms of providing the night bus from CM to UT, and the reverse.

I am going to the Arcade station soon to check on the recent info and costs, and will report back on this thread.

Personally, I'd never do the mini-van thing unless I knew it was virtually empty, and I could stretch out. The newer giant China-made buses VIP seats are very comfortable, but, imho, nowhere near as big as on the CM to Mae Sai VIP buses, and the ride much easier, imho.

Hints:

1. on exit in Udon Thani see if you can organize some other travellers to join with you in renting a truck or taxi direct to the Friendship Bridge outside Nong Khai.

2. if you do have to go into UT, and take a bus to the Friendship Bridge, be sure and make sure you say you want the bus to the Bridge, NOT the bus to Vientiane: people with advance approved visas for Laos can take a bus direct from Nongkhai to Vientiane, and that's at a different bus station than the dump by the side of the highway where you take the miserable quality bus to the Friendship Bridge !

best, ~o:37;

Edited October 10, 2010 by orang37