Vientianne Visa Run April 2,3 (Very Detailed Itenerary)

[hercdogules]

Since this site is so helpful, I need to give back.

Monday, April 1 BKK - Laos
I chose to go a day early so I could sleep and get up early to go to embassy for visa next morning. Also didn't want to compete with the bus loads on a Monday.

• Nok Air to Udon Thani
  • 7300 baht RT for two people
  • around an hour flight time
• Van to friendship bridge
  • Limousine Services right at exit door (waiting 10 minutes to leave)
  • 08-1544-3622, 042-411530
  • 200 baht each
  • 50 minutes
  • place for bagagge in back (was my concern, but plenty room)
• Over friendship bridge
  • large bus
  • no a/c, super hot
  • in line with semi trucks
  • 15 baht
  • duration 45 minutes (actually conducted business call - it took that long)
• Thai border exit fast no problems
• Laos entry
  • When you get off the bus, you will see tables and two windows on the very left of the booths. go to the second to left to get your form. come back fill it out at table and glue on our pictures (nice to have glue stick). go to the window on very left and hand in form. pay give passport and form and walk around to right past second window to receive passport and visa
  • duration 15 minutes
  • USD 35 or 1500 baht - easy to figure out this math (Take Dollars!!)
  • take your photos and a glue stick to glue your picture on
  • you will be hassled by "helpers"
  • *** thais don't need visa form. they get a visa "card" which works in and out. 40 baht.
  • walk to booth, process visa
• Transpo to town
  • you will be hassled IMMENSELY - same drill as aggressive tuk tuk driver BS in Thailand. i felt i was followed around by angry puppies biting me.
  • by the grace of God, I met a very kind gentleman and shared his van with another guy. i have his permission to post his info. more on him on next day...
    • Mr. Boonpasert Phaphakdee
    • +856-20-9885-2166
    • speaks english
    • 200 baht split 50/50
• Stayed two nights at Beau Rivage Mekong: www.hbrm.com
  • Room 303 superior double twin room overlooking "river" which was a giant sand dune this time of year
  • 57 USD per night
  • 2nd night AC quit, Gordon immediately brought me keys to another room, said I could have both.
  • hotel is down road from everything. you will either walk a long way or pay 100 baht tuk tuk. hotel has free bike. it is very quiet and away from everything if that is what you want.
  • restaurant next door. continental breakfast included. roll and juice and cereal i think.
  • scooter rentals in main drag want your passport - that's a no for me.

Tuesday, April 2 Visa drop off day

• Thai embassy
  • ***Note the location of the embassy for Visa's on the website - don't go to the wrong place. I think some people did.*** print the map.
  • Mr. Boonpasert picked us up at hotel at 7:30 (he was waiting for us outside)
  • queue was minimal. i picked a Tuesday for this.
  • 8:30 gate opens
  • walk or run to the chairs in the back on the right side, get queue number
  • have forms ready filled out with picture glued on and copy of passport photo page
  • turn in paperwork, go inside to building on left and queue to pay
  • pay take receipt for next day
  • duration 1 hour
  • *** got singe entry visa for 1000 baht, enter before July 1, 2013 ***
• Site seeing
  • This is where Mr. Boonpasert comes in. He is very patient, calm and drives the same. He kept bringing us an umbrella for the sun. He will take you to the places you agree to in the "program" and he will drop you and wait patiently for you to return. What I mean by agree and "program" is he will have ideas and will be patient with you to your needs and desires.
  • Places we went that day:
    • Sisaket Museum (5000 kip each for farang)
    • Phra That Laung Museum (5000 kip each for farang)
    • 3 separate Wats/temples (5000 kip each for farang)
    • city monument (3000 kip each for farang)
    • xiengkuane buddha park (5000 kip each for farang)
    • this was my favorite. 30 kilos back past friendship bridge. last 3 kilos are washboard dirt/gravel. Buddha park has all the statues you see on the web. they are really big. you can go inside and on top of the one that is hell and heaven.
  • back to the huge open and covered market. this can be a skip - same as Thai markets
• 7:30 - 17:00
• price 1500 baht (includes his gas) - we tipped him on top.
• *** ask him to take you to get a Khao jii pa-teh, which is what we call a "Vietnamese" sandwich like from Lee's sandwiches in California = french roll, pork liver pat ay, pickled carrots and daikon, pork, pickled cucumber.

Wednesday, April 3 Visa pick up day and Laos - BKK

• Mr. Boonpasert was waiting for us at 12:00, took us to get more Khao jii pa-teh and we ate at restaurant across from Thai embassy.
• Thai embassy
  • Gates opened at 13:10
  • Same drill to queue as before, get number, wait for 13:30, doors open and go inside to get passport
  • Duration 30 minutes
• To friendship bridge
  • Mr Boonpasert waited at embassy and took us to border
  • we gave him 500 baht - he deserved more
• At Laos border control
  • ***VERY IMPORTANT. many people got pissed off. follow these steps:
    • ***find the "customs" booth on the right. go there first. you don't pay, just get a receipt and a visa plastic card for the gate later***
    • go to border control booth, stamp out
    • go to gate and walk through
• Across friendship bridge
  • after walking through gate, look to left in booth to get bus ticket across bridge for 15 baht
  • *** people were really piling on the bus ready to get out of dodge and it was a little ugly
• Thai border control
  • It would be advantageous to have a departure card handy and filled out
  • pass through
• Transpo to airport
  • tuk tuk/sang tao or whatever to van office that brought us to border from airport (see info above). kept telling them NO to airport, yes 30 baht to van office and here is the address on the reciept that I kept from the first trip.
    • 30 baht each
    • duration: wait 15 minutes, trip 20
  • van to airport
    • waited at office 20 minutes then departed 3:30
    • duration 50 minutes
    • 150 baht this time for each
• Nok Air back to Don Mueang and back home

I hope this help people as much as all the research on here I do helps me. Thanks so much!

Edited April 5, 2013 by hercdogules

[DennyEagle]

You have to think, the touts are just trying to make a living it does not mean You have to ride with them, just be nice them and they will be nice to You, it is called free market economics which the world needs and the US does again. I am in Nong Khai, wonderful place.

Edited April 5, 2013 by DennyEagle

[Eddy B]

A well writen article. Clear information which some people will need now and in the future. Thank you for this.:-)

[callao]

Ive had it wih the getting down to Udon Thani to get to Bangkok, Lao Central flys straight to BKK for $80, add up the time and money involved specially if you're headed to or from BKK, it usually cost me about 800 baht to get from Laos to Udon and 500 baht from DM to BKK, Laos immigration is really easy too at the airport, VTE BKK 800am BKK VTE 1000am, no online booking thou you can buy at VTE airport, its never full and they serve food,

[lopburi3]

Its been a few years but my recollection of food was two slices of white bread with butter between them on these flights.

[callao]

hot fried rice with chicken, oj coffee

[SteveMav]

This is very helpful! I will print it out. My only question is, why you didn't fly into Vientianne airport? Will this make a difference on the type of visa?

[stoneyboy]

This is very helpful! I will print it out. My only question is, why you didn't fly into Vientianne airport? Will this make a difference on the type of visa?

One can assume cost,it's rather expensive Bangkok to Vientiane last time I went I paid over 6000 baht one way.

[ubonjoe]

It's all about the cost of the trip.

Flying to Vientiane can cost several times more than flight to Udon.

Nok air has flights to Vientiane that is fly/bus via Udon.

[Scarpolo]

Ive had it wih the getting down to Udon Thani to get to Bangkok, Lao Central flys straight to BKK for $80, add up the time and money involved specially if you're headed to or from BKK, it usually cost me about 800 baht to get from Laos to Udon and 500 baht from DM to BKK, Laos immigration is really easy too at the airport, VTE BKK 800am BKK VTE 1000am, no online booking thou you can buy at VTE airport, its never full and they serve food,

Things have changed for Jan 2014

It is now a 9:35 AM Flight, arriving 10:40 AM, so it is a roll of the dice to get to the Consulate before 11:30 AM,

The Fare is now $350 round trip, or $175 each way......

and if there is a plane that just landed ahead of you, expect a long line at immigration at VTE, to enter,

leaving is a breeze,

In all, this is still better than the route you advise against, and as I am going w a Thai national, expect no trouble, anywhere:

You did grossly over pay for Tuk Tuks though, they didnt get away w that with me, but they did try: All it takes is pretending to walk away and they agree to whatever you offer

[mataleo]

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/docs/Tourist%20Visa%202013.pdf

[ubonjoe]

http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/docs/Tourist%20Visa%202013.pdf

That is a warning for those working here illegally on tourist visas.

You will not a have a problem because you do not have a history of multiple tourist visas,

I suggest that those with lots of tourist visas to attach proof of funds coming into Thailand from abroad to overcome the perception that your are working illegally.