Visa run to Savanakhet - any service?

[tingtongteesood]

First off, I don't wish to rant however I wish people in internet land would stop calling 'Border runs' 'Visa runs' - these are NOT the same damn thing and just irritate when you are looking for actual Visa Runs..

Anyway my third tourist visa from Vientienne will expire soon and I can't go back there now as I have 3 already. There is the option of the trip to Savanakhet. However I can find no service that will offer a visa run there. I know I can go by myself and have read up on it but I am somewhat lazy about these things and would rather pay the extra 1000 baht to have someone from Bangkok take me there and deal with all the transport and connections and hotel etc....

Does anyone known if there is such a service at the moment ? If so please do enlighten me.

Thank you all.

[Jay Sata]

You've posted in the wrong forum.

Sounds to me like you're in Issan. What's wrong with getting a bus or driving to Mukdahan? Stay the night in the Ploy Palace and cross the bridge the next morning.

Are you a baby or what?

[Khun Jean]

Not a baby, but he stated he is lazy.

A perfectly good excuse to go look for a service provider.

I used SavanVegas, but that is almost a year ago. Not sure if they still do it.

[tingtongteesood]

I should have said I am in Bangkok. I want a van from Bangkok that will take me there and bring me back and deal with connecting taxis and booking hotels and all that boring crap to save me the hassle of having to deal with any of it. Same as the service I use to go to Vientienne but as stated I can't go there this time.

[Jay Sata]

Yes I've just read his post again and see he is in Bangkok. There must be plenty of firms that will do it.

[tingtongteesood]

You would have thought so but it seems not, so if any of you know something I don't....

[bobo42]

I was just looking for this myself, I was unable to locate any kind of organized service, and ended up just going myself. I personally found it to be easier and less stessfull than Vientiane to just do it yourself.

[ubonjoe]

Moved to Thai visa forum.

[ubonjoe]

Savannakhet is a do it yourself location.

From Bangkok you can get a VIP bus to Mukdahan and then get a bus to Savannakhet that will wait for you while you go through immigration on both sides of bridge and take you into the city. Then you can get a Tuk Tuk to consulate. There are several hotels within walking distance of consulate.

You can also fly to Nakon Phanom and get transport to bridge. Nok Air has fly/ride service to Mukdahan.

You can find reports here that will give you more info:

[tingtongteesood]

I know all that but I don't want to do it myself, but it seems I have no choice....

[Ackybang]

Hey tingtongteesood -

I was there recently, apprehensive after reading a post on a visa refusal there by another TV'er, after the visa scam scandal.

I am on a new passport, but had a carry over from my old passport + 3 tourist visas in there (have been on Tourist Visas for around 3 Years now).

I would advise you to take an updated copy of a bankbook, to provide financial evidence for your further stay, and support your application, along with a nice 'wai' and some good manners - made my application hassle free. They were very polite in return - and very happy with the voluntarily produced copy. I did say to them also (in Thai), if they needed anything else, I would be happy to provide whatever they needed, to facilitate visa application.

Wasn't asked for insurance / proof of onward journey, etc.

I think I'll be getting married before this one runs out - I feel there will be changes afoot.

Good luck.

[Asiantravel]

If you are somewhat lazy you don't even have to bother with flying part of the way and then use land transport.

You could fly all the way to Savannakhet from Bangkok ( Suvarnabhumi ). It's a short and easy journey

http://www.laoairlines.com

[kurtmartens]

From BKK you can fly direct to Saavan on Laos Air. I did that when I lived in BKK and its a quick and easy flight. Taxi to the hotel, Consulate next morning, home next day ... easy. Quicker and nicer than a bus!

[Hawkman]

Hey tingtongteesood -

I was there recently, apprehensive after reading a post on a visa refusal there by another TV'er, after the visa scam scandal.

I am on a new passport, but had a carry over from my old passport + 3 tourist visas in there (have been on Tourist Visas for around 3 Years now).

I would advise you to take an updated copy of a bankbook, to provide financial evidence for your further stay, and support your application, along with a nice 'wai' and some good manners - made my application hassle free. They were very polite in return - and very happy with the voluntarily produced copy. I did say to them also (in Thai), if they needed anything else, I would be happy to provide whatever they needed, to facilitate visa application.

Wasn't asked for insurance / proof of onward journey, etc.

I think I'll be getting married before this one runs out - I feel there will be changes afoot.

Good luck.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

Just out of interest, did you have to show your old passport too? I'm on a new passport and my current Non-B is in that one but I have to go onto a Tourist Visa for a few months but I'm worried about the previous Tourist ones in my old passport. I was just hoping to show my old passport at the border but not at the consulate.

Cheers.

[ubonjoe]

You should not need to show old passport at border unless it is the first time you have used it and have not had stamps transfered over at immigration.

I wouldn't show it at consulate unless they asked which is very unlikely they would.

[Ackybang]

Hey tingtongteesood -

I was there recently, apprehensive after reading a post on a visa refusal there by another TV'er, after the visa scam scandal.

I am on a new passport, but had a carry over from my old passport + 3 tourist visas in there (have been on Tourist Visas for around 3 Years now).

I would advise you to take an updated copy of a bankbook, to provide financial evidence for your further stay, and support your application, along with a nice 'wai' and some good manners - made my application hassle free. They were very polite in return - and very happy with the voluntarily produced copy. I did say to them also (in Thai), if they needed anything else, I would be happy to provide whatever they needed, to facilitate visa application.

Wasn't asked for insurance / proof of onward journey, etc.

I think I'll be getting married before this one runs out - I feel there will be changes afoot.

Good luck.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

Just out of interest, did you have to show your old passport too? I'm on a new passport and my current Non-B is in that one but I have to go onto a Tourist Visa for a few months but I'm worried about the previous Tourist ones in my old passport. I was just hoping to show my old passport at the border but not at the consulate.

Cheers.

Didn't need to, mate - have never been asked for it. I would just use your current passport for the consulate.

I'm a little fuzzy on your explanation - is your current non-b in your old or new passport ?

I am of course presuming your visa has been transferred over, or indeed your non b is in your current new passport.

Take your old one for the border if your current non-b is in it, but make sure they stamp your exit from Thailand / entry to Laos into your new one.

When I went through immigration for the last time on my old passport, my tourist visa was due to expire on the day, and with a brief explanation, they stamped my exit stamp into my new one, as the old one had run out of pages. Coming back into Thailand, I wasn't asked for the old passport atall by immigration either - they just stamped me through.

Good luck.

[Hawkman]

Hey tingtongteesood -

I was there recently, apprehensive after reading a post on a visa refusal there by another TV'er, after the visa scam scandal.

I am on a new passport, but had a carry over from my old passport + 3 tourist visas in there (have been on Tourist Visas for around 3 Years now).

I would advise you to take an updated copy of a bankbook, to provide financial evidence for your further stay, and support your application, along with a nice 'wai' and some good manners - made my application hassle free. They were very polite in return - and very happy with the voluntarily produced copy. I did say to them also (in Thai), if they needed anything else, I would be happy to provide whatever they needed, to facilitate visa application.

Wasn't asked for insurance / proof of onward journey, etc.

I think I'll be getting married before this one runs out - I feel there will be changes afoot.

Good luck.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

Just out of interest, did you have to show your old passport too? I'm on a new passport and my current Non-B is in that one but I have to go onto a Tourist Visa for a few months but I'm worried about the previous Tourist ones in my old passport. I was just hoping to show my old passport at the border but not at the consulate.

Cheers.

Didn't need to, mate - have never been asked for it. I would just use your current passport for the consulate.

I'm a little fuzzy on your explanation - is your current non-b in your old or new passport ?

I am of course presuming your visa has been transferred over, or indeed your non b is in your current new passport.

Take your old one for the border if your current non-b is in it, but make sure they stamp your exit from Thailand / entry to Laos into your new one.

When I went through immigration for the last time on my old passport, my tourist visa was due to expire on the day, and with a brief explanation, they stamped my exit stamp into my new one, as the old one had run out of pages. Coming back into Thailand, I wasn't asked for the old passport atall by immigration either - they just stamped me through.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Yes, apologies for the explanation.

I have a new passport which is completely blank. And I have my current one with the last page showing my Non-B, I haven't transferred it to my new passport as reading on here it seems like you don't need to.

I was thinking of going for a 30 day border run first before getting the TV, but if no need, I will just go to Vientiene for a Tourist Visa and not show my old passport.

Cheers for your help.

[ubonjoe]

Is it non-b visa you have or an extension of stay from immigration that you have.

[Hawkman]

Is it non-b visa you have or an extension of stay from immigration that you have.

Non-b, no extension just a 3 month non-b.

I'm just trying to look what's the best option for me -

1. Get the confirmation letter re new passport from embassy and then Transfer my non-b to my new passport before visa run but I'm hoping they won't transfer all my other stamps too.

2. Don't do the transfer but take both passports to the border and let the border official do the stamp - though will the consulate will want to see my old passport if this is the case, but hopefully not the case as with other poster's post.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ubonjoe]

A visa cannot be transfered. Just show both passports when you leave and they will stamp your last entry stamp and departure stamp into new passport (nothing more than those).

[Hawkman]

A visa cannot be transfered. Just show both passports when you leave and they will stamp your last entry stamp and departure stamp into new passport (nothing more than those).

Appreciate your reply UbonJoe thank you.

This will save me a lot of hassle. I was told I had to get a confirmation letter from the embassy and transfer stamps before but if I can do at border then timewise it's easier for myself as I have to leave Thailand on a Thai holiday so I've saved myself a day.

Also, without sounding like a "hey look at me" type, I will probably have a friend coming along who's high up in the Thai police around that area, so any difficulty at the border I've got him to help out. Though by the sounds of it probably won't need it.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[ubonjoe]

You only the letter from embassy at an immigration office. On departure at bridge in Mukdahan no problem.