Hi

I'm quite short of time and wanted to get the latest on the visa situation in savannakhet and going to there. I've just read the TV post but it's very old. I have been there before but some years ago. My tourist visa runs out on sat 12 oct. I know i've got to get a Lao visa first. What's the current price for a British national and do they still offer a express same day service for 200B?

Once this is sorted i will either go by bus or drive to Mukdahan (driven here before). Regarding this, with the current floods in mind, has anybody experienced delays due to flooding? I ask because if i go quite late i don't want my tourist visa to run out before i've left the country!

I take the thai-lao bus from Mukdahan bus station, once in Savannakhet go to Thai Embassy - the applications have to be in before 12pm.

Does it still take two days to process as i have read (is that two days as in apply one day, collect the next, or two full days? e.g collect three days later?) With my visa expiring saturday, does the embassy only operate mon-fri? In which case i would not start the process till monday, or do they accept applications on saturday. I've got other important stuff going on a the moment so i would like to leave thailand on the saturday.

What are the current costs for a 2 month tourist visa? If i decide to go by bus, is the VIP bus a lot better than the air-con one? Can anyone recommend a good cheapy in Savanakhet. The place i stayed at last time wasn't that great. I don't mind basic, just clean.

All help much appreciated. Thanks.

Just back from Sket yesterday. No floods to be seen but the river was fairly high. Application for visa to be made between 9am and 12pm, back the following day after 2pm.

I get the impression the consulate are not as easy going as they used to be. My mate got his single entry tourist visa but not before a few questions about the two previous t visas in his pp. I got my non imm o visa with all the correct paperwork but as I said, with the new boss in charge there it may get a little tougher I fear.

Good luck. JJ.

Thanks for that. Interesting they seem to be tightening up somewhat. When i went here a few years back they seemed pretty chilled compared to other places i've been over the years. I'm only on my first 2 month tourist visa this time (i have a previous visit in my PP) and have extended it for a further month, so i presume there would be no issues as it's the first one. If you say they seem to be a bit firmer, i could perhaps understand a few questions if you've done 2 or 3 tourist visas already.

Can anyone clarify if they are open and accept applications on a Saturday. It would be best for me if i exited Thailand on the Saturday and went straight to SK. Even if i went any earlier which i don't really want to i would still have to wait till the beginning of the next week to get my visa. Or alternatively, if i went early on Friday to the consulate, are they open to return visas on the saturday so that i would not have to stay in SK all w/e?

Also, i presume the borders open everyday as i can't remember if i've crossed on a w/e before.

Thanks

They are not open on the weekends.

Close weekend and they open from 9 to 11am to pick up passport and you get visa next day after 2pm.

Plenty of hotel nearby embassy. Just ask people.