Vientiane Thai Embassy - Changes and Observations from Week of 20OCT13

davevi · October 27, 2013

Last week i was in Vientiane to get my second double entry Tourist visa.

I wanted to share some observations and changes that others might be interested in.

I drove from CM to Vientiane with an overnight there and back in Udon Thani. I used the parking lot area a few minutes walk from the border to park my car @ 100 baht per day. There is a post in this forum you can search for regarding detailed instructions on how to find this lot (the sign is only in Thai).

The embassy in Vientiane has changed the queuing process - so be aware of this on your arrival and during your wait. When you arrive there is now a pair of people sitting at one of the forward tables who will first check your passport (but not your documents), write your passport number on the back of the ticket, and hand it to you. Then you start to wait. On the day I was there the queue took about 90 minutes to get to me. I arrived at #45 and I was #150. Both windows were open and taking passports and paperwork. They've installed electronic numbers above each window -- they no longer call a bunch of people at a time by sticking their head out the door -- the queue system is managed by the same electronic announcement system you'll find at every Thai government office - announcement in Thai and English. When they call your number you must go to the window with your number above it. Much easier and much less trouble than before when people crowded the windows and jumped queue and caused havoc! After submission of your documents and passport you still go the interior of the building next door and wait for your (same) number to be called to pay. A new addition is that on your queue ticket they write in the type of Visa you applied for, number of entries, and the total price you will pay (in a kind of shorthand). Another good change to their system. After you pay you leave and come back the next day.

On your return the next day the queuing process is again different than before. Do not go straight to the interior of the building where you paid -- instead you need to go outside and get a number from a stack left in front of the (now closed) window where you submitted your passport and application. There are no staff there to hand out the numbers, just a stack of numbered tickets. Take a number and go back to the interior of the other building and wait to be called. When I arrived there were about 160 people in front of me based on the current queue number and the number I held. They call about 5 numbers at a time for passport pick-up, and you need to just queue up behind window #5 and a moment later you'll get your passport returned. In my experience they got through the 160 people in queue before my number in a bit less than 30 minutes. I arrived at 1:30, just as it said on the receipt, but based on the large crowd already waiting I'd say they opened the doors at 1:00 or 1:15 to start the queue.

I was successful in obtaining a second double-entry tourist visa. I was very apprehensive (quite worried actually) about whether I'd get another double-entry tourist visa, or instead that I would be turned down and offered a single entry or other shorter term visa type. It was a stressful half hour waiting there for my passport to be returned on pick-up day. This will be my last double-entry tourist visa -- I think a third round would be pushing it. It's time to start my company (yeah, I know, that's a whole other story with its own complications).

Lastly, I find Vientiane to be expensive compared to other parts of Thailand, but especially for transportation. I ended up using the hotel's driver and paying their (more expensive) fees rather than hassling with the various forms of transport waiting near the border, Thai embassy and around town, and having to keep up my guard from getting ripped off. My last visit I was with my Thai partner who told me that the drivers delighted in telling him about how much they were able to rip off westerners and that it was sport among the drivers to see who could get the most money for a short trip. Using the hotel's driver kept my stress level low and I never worried if I'd be ripped off (since the price was set) or that I wouldn't arrive at my proper destination.

Also, one more thing about getting around. I stayed near the night market by the river and the walk from the Thai embassy took about 30 minutes and wasn't bad at all. If the weather is nice, or you don't mind walking, you can get to/from the Thai embassy pretty easily if you have a smartphone and either a cached copy of Google maps or a data connection that works in Laos.

I hope this new information helps.

Ulysses G. · October 27, 2013

"Lastly, I find Vientiane to be expensive compared to other parts of Thailand".

That is because Vientiane is in a different country- Laos.

Mapguy · October 27, 2013

OP, terrifically helpful report!

Has anyone used an agent In Vientiane?

Microwave · October 27, 2013

Thanks for this quite helpful report!

CMfoodie · October 27, 2013

I was also in Vientiane to renew my visa last week. Just a few comments to the OP’s very informative report.

Visas are processed at the Thai Consulate, a different location than the Thai Embassy in Vientiane.

From the riverside hotel district a tuk-tuk wanted 60,000 Kip for the 15 minute ride. A hotel employee bargained him down to 30,000 Kip.

When I arrived at 8:45am I was handed number 160 and was not able to leave until 12:45pm. Next time I will arrive at 7:30am.

Photo and copies can be made across the street – 8 photos: 170 baht, photocopies: 20 baht per page. These guys also offer to process your documents for a fee but that is up to you if you feel you want to hand over your passport to a stranger.

At about 10am five minivans loaded with farangs arrived from an overnight drive from Bangkok. Their “agent” bypassed the lines and within 30 minutes they were off to their hotel.

Amazingly there were only 3 Thai employees to process and collect fees on the first day. The cutoff that day was when they reached 280 applicants at 10:45am.

After payment and only in Thai baht you must return the following day to collect your passport. There are no same day visas issued.

It is a great place to people watch during the waiting. So many farangs trying to find shortcuts, cutting in line to reach the window. So many reeked of body odor and others appeared to have just arrived from a Full Moon party. If a dress code and personal hygiene were added to the requirements for an entry visa 50% would have been denied.

Vientiane is not a bargain location anymore. The van ride up from Udon Thani airport was 200 baht to the Friendship Bridge. The taxi from the bridge to my Vientiane hotel was 300 baht, the taxi ride back to the bridge a few days later was 700 baht. The taxi ride from the bridge back to Udon Thani airport was 1,000 baht. Thankfully don’t have to do this again for another year.

CMKiwi · October 28, 2013

I hate to say it CMFoodie, but I think you got right royally ripped off re your transport charges. I too recently did a double entry visa from Vientaine. Initially when still on the Thai side of the bridge a 'hawker/tout' approached us and said he could take up into the consulate once we were across the bridge and thru Laos immigration. His fare of 200 baht sounded good as I had read a normal fare to be around 300 baht from the bridge to the consulate.

Funny how things change or are lost in translation... on the Laos side we were then told 200 baht each! But hey, it was just the 2 of us in a mini van so that was cool. Arrival at the consulate was met with the usual crowd of touts trying to get your attention (And your money), I always bypass these clowns.

After all the formalities were done for the day we headed into town to our hotel, big festival last week when we were there.... tuk tuk charged us 200 baht. This seemed to be the going rate at the time although I commented it was a bit steep. Return to the consulate the following day was again 200 baht but from the consulate back to the Friendship bridge was just 100 baht.

It does appear that timings are everything, sometimes you can get a cheap fare but other times they charge like a wounded bull. I believe the last run (Or later in the afternoon) from Vientaine to the bridge can be the more costly...unless you find a driver who resides in that area.

Maybe it is just a hit or miss affair? As was said before somewhere, the drivers (Like the touts) try every trick in the book to extract money from you. Luckily my Thai GF picks up on what they say or try to do so we dont get stitched up too often....but occassionally they do get lucky.

PMak · October 28, 2013

Careful with people outside embassy trying to sell you services like photocopy, application etc. Photocopy service onsite upstairs. Pictures you can buy next door at mini mart. Everything in Baht.

Also careful mentioning Singapore Business College to tuk tuk driver. They think singapore embassy. Best to have your phone with map and gps to make sure they go the right way. Tuk tuk driver wont read map…

Queue is long. Bring a book or have your phone charged. Refreshments st reasonable prices next door mini mart.