Hi,

can't find anything later than 2007 in the archives, and most deal with going to burma, but are there any all inclusive visa run companies to Laos from Chiang Mai?

I was living in Pattaya and could get all included to Cambodia for 2,500 bht there, but now living in Uttaradit.

I could go to Mukdahan and do it myself, but haven't been to CM for years and thought it might be a good excuse for a visit.

Thanks for any help.

Edited July 6, 201115 yr by thaibeachlovers

I found a company the other week.... Opposite the train station (Rod Fai Road) right hand side, before Bossotel. Think it's called AYA travel. They do a mini van service from Chiangmai to Vientiene for 1650 RETURN! Girl in shop said no changing of vans, think you get to the border about 6am and stop there for an hour or two for breakfast til immigration opens. Obv this price doesn't include the cost of the Laos visa, not sure on the leg room in a mini van either for such a long trip. But seems like a decently priced and only direct service I've heard of here.

I found a company the other week.... Opposite the train station (Rod Fai Road) right hand side, before Bossotel. Think it's called AYA travel. They do a mini van service from Chiangmai to Vientiene for 1650 RETURN! Girl in shop said no changing of vans, think you get to the border about 6am and stop there for an hour or two for breakfast til immigration opens. Obv this price doesn't include the cost of the Laos visa, not sure on the leg room in a mini van either for such a long trip. But seems like a decently priced and only direct service I've heard of here.

Thanks for that.

I found a company the other week.... Opposite the train station (Rod Fai Road) right hand side, before Bossotel. Think it's called AYA travel. They do a mini van service from Chiangmai to Vientiene for 1650 RETURN! Girl in shop said no changing of vans, think you get to the border about 6am and stop there for an hour or two for breakfast til immigration opens. Obv this price doesn't include the cost of the Laos visa, not sure on the leg room in a mini van either for such a long trip. But seems like a decently priced and only direct service I've heard of here.

Does anyone have any recent updates on this? Is it still around?

Thx

SM

Don't know why anybody would go from CM to Vientiane for a Visa run. That has to be around 20 hours round trip (more if you stop for meals & breaks).

You can get a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, which only takes 4.5 - 5 hours one way. Walk over the bridge, do a Visa on arrival, shop 15 minutes at the border market, walk back over the bridge, have a meal and return to Chiang Mai.

Aya is still in service. believe their round trip "visa-run" service is still about 1500B. that includes van to bridge, then to Vientiane. and the ride back from the bridge to CM. You need to get back to the bridge on your own.

Don't know why anybody would go from CM to Vientiane for a Visa run. That has to be around 20 hours round trip (more if you stop for meals & breaks).

You can get a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, which only takes 4.5 - 5 hours one way. Walk over the bridge, do a Visa on arrival, shop 15 minutes at the border market, walk back over the bridge, have a meal and return to Chiang Mai.

Because you can not get a tourist visa at Mai Sai only a 2 week stamp ,right ?

Well, i got impatient and booked a flight on NOK air. 3500 big ones. No doubt this can be had for cheaper if one were to actually plan it out instead of buying that last seat on the plane.

Then in a perfect moment of irony, I went into town and happened upon an advertisement for the "Vientiane Visa Run"

VIP Service

VIP Hotel

10 seater van leaving daily

No waiting in line

Phone: 089-5574243, 080-5017618

(no mention of price - I have a pic of the advert but cant figure out how to post it...)

Hope that helps someone... I'll still enjoy flying

Rgs

SM

Edited January 13, 201313 yr by STUDMEYER

re.

Does anyone have any recent updates

this firm were advertising on rimpings board 3 dec 12 : )

dave2

re.

Does anyone have any recent updates

this firm were advertising on rimpings board 3 dec 12 : )

dave2

Yup same flyer I saw posted today...

Don't know why anybody would go from CM to Vientiane for a Visa run. That has to be around 20 hours round trip (more if you stop for meals & breaks).

You can get a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, which only takes 4.5 - 5 hours one way. Walk over the bridge, do a Visa on arrival, shop 15 minutes at the border market, walk back over the bridge, have a meal and return to Chiang Mai.

Because you can not get a tourist visa at Mai Sai only a 2 week stamp ,right ?

I believe that Mae Sai Immigration will give you a 15-day (only) Tourist Visa upon your return from Tachilek (Burma). Does Nong Khai Immigration give you a 30-day Tourist Visa upon arrival from Laos? What about Chiang Khong Immigration (opposite Houayxay, Laos)?

Don't know why anybody would go from CM to Vientiane for a Visa run. That has to be around 20 hours round trip (more if you stop for meals & breaks).

You can get a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, which only takes 4.5 - 5 hours one way. Walk over the bridge, do a Visa on arrival, shop 15 minutes at the border market, walk back over the bridge, have a meal and return to Chiang Mai.

Because you can not get a tourist visa at Mai Sai only a 2 week stamp ,right ?

I believe that Mae Sai Immigration will give you a 15-day (only) Tourist Visa upon your return from Tachilek (Burma). Does Nong Khai Immigration give you a 30-day Tourist Visa upon arrival from Laos? What about Chiang Khong Immigration (opposite Houayxay, Laos)?

No Nong Khai immigration will only give you 15days entry also as you are crossing the border by land. ( if you are not already in possession of a valid visa ). The best way to get a 30 day stamp on arrival is to fly out and just fly back. The good thing about doing the Nong Khai - Laos trip is that it seems to be a little easier to get visas there. X2 entry tourist visa 2000 THB (total 6 months). But with this you get stamped as below-

1) Upon enty back in Thailand you get stamped for 2 month.

2) Have to goto thai immigration after that and get stamped for 1 extra month (1900thb) same visa

3) after that month is up, need to cross any land border, and will be stamped for another 2 months

4) Have to goto thai immigration after that and get stamped for 1 extra month (1900thb) same visa

total 6 months.

Don't know why anybody would go from CM to Vientiane for a Visa run. That has to be around 20 hours round trip (more if you stop for meals & breaks).

You can get a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station to Mae Sai on the Myanmar border in Chiang Rai Province, which only takes 4.5 - 5 hours one way. Walk over the bridge, do a Visa on arrival, shop 15 minutes at the border market, walk back over the bridge, have a meal and return to Chiang Mai.

Because you can not get a tourist visa at Mai Sai only a 2 week stamp ,right ?

I believe that Mae Sai Immigration will give you a 15-day (only) Tourist Visa upon your return from Tachilek (Burma). Does Nong Khai Immigration give you a 30-day Tourist Visa upon arrival from Laos? What about Chiang Khong Immigration (opposite Houayxay, Laos)?

You cannot get a visa of any kind at Mae Sai because there is no embassy or consulate there. You can get a 15 day visa exempt stamp on reentry to Thailand - they are not the same thing. You can only get Tourist Visa (60 per entry plus one 30 extension from local immigration) from an Embassy or Consulate, visa and visa exempt are differnt things. The consul office in Vientiane (a separate building from the actual embassy) can issue Visas of all sorts, AYA will take you right to the front door to drop off you app. The trip to Mae Sai is used to activate the second (or third if you have) Tourist Visa or to get a 15 day visa exempt. You can only get 15 day visa exempt at Nong Khai as well, or any land crossing for that matter, they all work by the same rules (most of the time or if you have a little too much attitude). You get a 30 day visa exempt coming in by air but you will need an onward ticket to do that. Visa (of any sort), visa exempt, permission to stay, extention of stay are all different things. You would be helping yourself a great deal by studying what each one is. It will help you clear up your concerns.