Need Kind Advice Re Getting A Tourist Visa In Vientiane

[Flashpacker888]

My partner and I are on a sabatical. He is Japanese and I m an American. We had entered Thailand by air with 30 day exemption twice.(we left Samui to Penang then came to Bkk). We are planning to stay another 6 wks in Thailand so we would like to get a 60 day tourist visa nearby. It seems Vientiane might be a good option in terms of cost and from some of the posts in this forum.

Below is our plan:

Dec 19, 01: get Laos visa at Bkk embassy for me. Japanese can enter visa free to Laos for stays not exceeding 15 days

Dec 27, 01: Fly to Udon Thani by Nokair 1st flight available (@1290b nett) then transfer to Nong khai by airport bus then get crossing border bus over friendship bridge

Hire taxi to go to embassy and have driver wait for us (@150b) then take us to hotel

Dec 28, 01: Pick up visa in the afternoon

Dec 29, 01: Go by tuktuk or bus back to Nongkhai. Then take air con Vip 24 seats bus back to Mo Chit Station

We would appreciate any help re:

- Is the embassy in Vientiann still granting tourist visas for pick up the next day? Any recent experience there

- is it necessary to have hotel booking in Thailand a well as departure flight outbid Thailand? (If so we plan to book free cancellation hotel & flight)

- any advice/ suggestion to our above plan?

- what is the bus schedule back to bkk and how do we book tickets?

Many thanks in advance!

[Benz4me]

No problem to get tourist visa in Vientiane , take the bus International bus to Nongkhai from the bus station in Vientiane.

- Is the embassy in Vientiann still granting tourist visas for pick up the next day? Any recent experience there Yes they do so

- is it necessary to have hotel booking in Thailand a well as departure flight outbid Thailand? (If so we plan to book free cancellation hotel & flight) No

- any advice/ suggestion to our above plan?

- what is the bus schedule back to bkk and how do we book tickets? Cal bus comp like Changtour and book but no bigger probl to buy in Nongkhai