Visa Run Vientiane Laos October 14 - 17

[stoneyboy]

Ok so I shall proceed to share my recent experience in the hope that it may assist others who are less familiar than myself.

After starting a contract in Cape Town South Africa in early August and crossing the Indian Ocean completing the journey in Dampier Western Australia mid September,I decided to head back home to Phetchabun Thailand after a long 7 week contract.

The company I work for,a large international Oil and Gas service provider would arrange my travel from Perth to Bangkok,given that I am not married,retired or studying I knew it was likely that there would be issues with travelling to Bangkok without a return ticket,and as a UK national I would receive the standard 30 day visa exemption,usually this is all I require as I head back to work after a 4 week break.

True to the word my employer told me that without proof of onward travel the airline (Singapore Airlines ) in this case wouldn't let them book the ticket,so I proceeded to scan the Internet for a cheap ticket to a neighbouring country,as I've travelled to Laos before I decided if i did need to get a new visa I would book a one way ticket to Wattay Vientiane,the ticket cost me roughly 6000 baht and my employer was able to arrange my return to Thailand from Australia.

I had no intention of using the one way ticket to Laos as I was expecting to return to work after 3 or 4 weeks but as this is the O & G industry,things don't always go to plan.

After arriving back home safe and well and relaxing for a few weeks the dreaded email comes telling me that my services are not required for a while so I need to arrange a new visa post haste.

Sunday 14-10-12 I decide to head to Bangkok as my flight,the back up which allowed my entry in Thailand in the first instance is the next day at 11.45 am,I take the dreaded 7 hour bus ride from Phetchabun to Mor Chit Bangkok cost 322 Baht,it's an uneventful journey that I have taken more times than I care to mention,I continue my journey to the Sinsuvarn Airport Suite Hotel Lat Krabang,taxi 250 Baht with tolls,I have stayed at this hotel many times and for the price roughly 900 Baht including breakfast and free transfer,internet,friendly staff and adequate food I will continue to use it in the future.

Monday 15-10-12 in no hurry to get to the airport I sleep in until 9 am proceed to have my breakfast and wait for my free transfer to Suvarnabhumi which as usual takes a mere 10 minutes and is hassle free.

I find my gate and proceed to check in wondering if proof of onward travel will be required by the airline staff as I am travelling to Laos without a visa,in this instance my flight is with Lao Airlines which happens to be a code share with Thai Airways so in effect I am travelling with Thai,after handing the woman my passport she proceeds to quiz me about my intended stay and method of departing Laos,which I duly tell her I will be departing by bus from Vientiane to Khon Kaen,this seems to suffice and I am on my merry way.

Extremely surprised by the speed at which I proceeded through the X-ray machines and immigration,roughly 20 minutes and very quiet given it was a Monday morning.

The flight was around 10 minutes late departing and near full capacity,inflight food and drinks were very sufficient given we were only in the air for just over an hour and I would have no problems using this service again.

As the flight was near full the number of foreign nationals needing the Laos visa on arrival was many,knowing the procedure I had already changed my Thai Baht to $ US 35 as I am a UK passport holder,the fee is different for nationals of other countries,its possible to pay 1500 Thai Baht which works out more expensive,after about 30 minutes I was through immigration with my 30 day visa and heading for the door,very efficient service.

I went to the small taxi counter in the airport which has set rates which you pay before you leave,in this instance it was $ US 6,no doubts there are cheaper ways to get into Vientiane but I just want to get in and out of there as fast as possible.

I'm pre booked into the Best Western Vientiane which was $ 74 per night including breakfast,it has a swimming pool and fitness room etc etc,many many cheaper options but I prefer a little comfort and the location is pretty good,a few beers and an Indian curry later it's time to hit the hay ready for the Thai Embassy in the morning.

Tuesday 16-10-12 Visa applications can only be submitted between 08.30 and 12.00 and will be available for collection the following day between 13.00 and 15.00,i pony up 150 baht for a return tuk tuk and arrive at the embassy around 8.45, surprisingly few people there and I proceed to the ticket machine and am number 46,I had previously downloaded the application form and had my two photographs in hand prior to arriving,it makes life much easier and you won't need to pay over the odds for a dodgy looking picture,after around 45 minutes my number is called and i hand in my passport and application form along with scanned copies of the passport photograph page and current Laos Visa and head of to pay my 1000 baht as I am applying for a single entry tourist visa,I relax for the rest of the day and eagerly await the return of my passport so I can get back home.

Wednesday 17-10-12 I lay in until around 9.30 am as I met a friend and we ended up having a few beers but not to many as Tony Blair is in town and security and police presence is clearly visible and the bars were to shut at 11.30 pm,just my luck that.

So I head to the Thai Embassy around 12.30 and am surprised to see a relatively small line of people waiting for the gates to open,we stand in the blistering sun for roughly 20 minutes and then proceed to get our number,36 today so not to long to wait,such a relief to get in that air conditioned room,slowly the numbers are called and then it's my go,this is the first time I've applied for a tourist visa in Vientiane so I expect no problems although I have around 5 or 6 previous tourist visas issued from Hull in the UK spanning the last 3 or 4 years.

Number 36 comes and so does my passport and single entry tourist visa,extremely happy and all in all a pretty efficient and stress free visa run,I'm guessing that this embassy can get a lot busier and therefor a lot more stressful.

I jump in my awaiting tuk tuk and am dropped of at the bus terminal,as luck would have it I am able to catch the 14.45 international bus to Khon Kaen price 50,000 kip or 190 Thai Baht,I am the only foreigner on the bus and the bus was very quiet and relaxing for once,no music no video nothing,after 40 minutes we arrive at the friendship bridge and proceed through immigration where by I get stamped out of Laos and stamped in for another 60 days with the possibility of extending for another 30 here in LOS.

After 4 hours we arrive in Khon Kaen where by I need to change busses to get to Lom Sak Phetchabun,as luck would have it I have only a 15 minute wait and the comfort of the VIP Chiang Mai bus which cost me 182 baht,before boarding this particular bus I am aware of the route and duration and won't normally travel at night for obvious reasons,and I wasn't disappointed,any one who has had the pleasure of this route will know that once you pass Chum Phae it's literally all up and down hill through the Phetchabun mountains until you pass through Nam Nao national park,it was like a roller coaster ride and at times it was rough,alas after 3 hours and 45 minutes we were out of the mountains and on level ground and I was relieved to see familiar sights.

My good lady came and got me after I was abandoned on highway 12 at 11.00 pm and I proceeded to my waiting bed which I was very happy to see.

All in all I am safe and well but relieved to be back home,I could have cut the costs by choosing cheaper accommodation and the like but all in all it probably cost me in the region of 20,000 baht.

[smokie36]

Useful info. Thanks stoneyboy!

[Tomtomtom69]

Stoneyboy, unlike Thailand, as far as I'm aware Laos does NOT require proof of outbound travel for most nationalities. The check-in agent shouldn't have even asked you about your planned departure method, but since she did you were right to mention the bus. I have flown to Phnom Penh on one way tickets as well and as with Laos, no requirement for outbound tickets exists. In fact, I wasn't even asked for any proof at the check-in counter in Bangkok.

[mtone9317]

I live in Laos. I wanted to go to Thailand for a couple of months in December. I went over to the Thai Consulate and paid $30 to get a Thai Visa, I waited for 3 hours. I came back the next day and waited 2 hours. When I went to cross the border I had a tourist visa good for 30 days (so I thought). At Thai immigration on the Friendship bridge the sign said tourist visa 60 days. The Thai immigration officer gave me a dirty look--I am over 65 years old-- and stamped my visa, after he crossed out all of my Visas, Laos and Thailand. When I got on the bus to Udonthani I looked at my stamp--he gave me 15 days expiring on the 2nd of Jan. I flew to Chiang Mai and the US consulate was closed without appointment. I had to fly to BKK and take the 3rd class overnight train to get back to Udonthani, where on Dec 27 I crossed back into Laos and happily paid my $35 Visa fee. The officer smiled at me, I spoke my best Laos to him--he gave me 30 days. A renewal for a retired person here in Laos is $3.00 for 30 days. Read carefuly, it is Three dollars. I will not ever go to Thailand in the near future for a visit.

For me it is Scamland--I've heard if you fly in you can get 30days on arrival and can renew. But right now I do not trust Thai immigration. I was told that the 15day overland stamp is to cut down on the riff-raff the low budget traveler. Well, if a retired person from the UK, Canada, or the US. then we can go to Malaysia for better treatment.

[Totster]

I live in Laos. I wanted to go to Thailand for a couple of months in December. I went over to the Thai Consulate and paid $30 to get a Thai Visa, I waited for 3 hours. I came back the next day and waited 2 hours. When I went to cross the border I had a tourist visa good for 30 days (so I thought). At Thai immigration on the Friendship bridge the sign said tourist visa 60 days. The Thai immigration officer gave me a dirty look--I am over 65 years old-- and stamped my visa, after he crossed out all of my Visas, Laos and Thailand. When I got on the bus to Udonthani I looked at my stamp--he gave me 15 days expiring on the 2nd of Jan. I flew to Chiang Mai and the US consulate was closed without appointment. I had to fly to BKK and take the 3rd class overnight train to get back to Udonthani, where on Dec 27 I crossed back into Laos and happily paid my $35 Visa fee. The officer smiled at me, I spoke my best Laos to him--he gave me 30 days. A renewal for a retired person here in Laos is $3.00 for 30 days. Read carefuly, it is Three dollars. I will not ever go to Thailand in the near future for a visit.

For me it is Scamland--I've heard if you fly in you can get 30days on arrival and can renew. But right now I do not trust Thai immigration. I was told that the 15day overland stamp is to cut down on the riff-raff the low budget traveler. Well, if a retired person from the UK, Canada, or the US. then we can go to Malaysia for better treatment.

don't understand... a tourist visa is 60 days (at 1000 per entry) . From looking on their website it looks like you may have got a transit visa ??

totster