I have this problem with the sister of my Filipina wife. Filipinas get 30 days on arrival and then we have to go out of the country for a multiple entry tourist visa. We have been to Vientiane and Savannakhet before and each has its own virtues.

Vientiane is easier to get to from Chiang Mai by car. I don't like the place, but you can always find something to do of an evening. There's also agents whom you can employ to avoid the queues. Not cheap, but worth it. The only problem was the last time we went, there was some new guy in charge and he would only grant a single entry.

Savannakhet. It is further to travel to from Chiang Mai. The Consulate (last time anyway) had no queue, thus no need to employ any agents. Friendly, no hassle staff. Got visa no problem. We stayed at the casino, but we found no advantage with doing so. It is remote from the town and the casino let's the local taxis take the piss. The town is really quite and laid back but there is not much of an atmosphere in an evening.

The situations in Vientiane is fluid and I am not sure right now if we should head there or go the extra miles to Savannakhet. Anyone any comments? If anyone has the mobile number of an agent there I would be grateful as we don't have the last agent's number.

Maybe even Savannakhet is not as easy as it used to be.

Either is the same for getting tourist visas.

To help get a 2 entry showing financial proof of income from outside Thailand to prove that she is not working here. That is the primary reason for rejecting visa applications.

Savannakhet has some decent hotels near the consulate.

I just never found anything much to do of an evening in the town. We were bored to death in that Casino place.

Probably we'll head to Vientiane, but it will be a waste of time if they don't give her two entries. Hopefully I'll get a mobile number of an agent.

I had heard from somewhere that due to Filipinos/as finding out that Savannakhet was easy, they were heading there in increasing numbers to the point that the Consulate were clamping down. Any comments on this?

Either is the same for getting tourist visas. To help get a 2 entry showing financial proof of income from outside Thailand to prove that she is not working here. That is the primary reason for rejecting visa applications. Savannakhet has some decent hotels near the consulate.

Edited December 23, 201312 yr by SPIKECM

I'll stick a warning on here about the Vientiane "visa agents". DON'T USE THEM. They are just an absolute con. I'll expand if requested.

Edited January 19, 201412 yr by SPIKECM

Can I ask if anyone has recent knowledge of whether Vientiane is still OK for the non-imm O (Thai spouse in my case)? I have to do one soon and was wondering if VNE has been tightened up like some others (eg KL and SIN).

Re Savannakhet, it may be significant that the casino's own 'visa service' has shut down - they used to do a vis-run accompanying service but not since about November.

Can I ask if anyone has recent knowledge of whether Vientiane is still OK for the non-imm O (Thai spouse in my case)? I have to do one soon and was wondering if VNE has been tightened up like some others (eg KL and SIN).

Re Savannakhet, it may be significant that the casino's own 'visa service' has shut down - they used to do a vis-run accompanying service but not since about November.

Vientiane only does single entry non-o visas.

Savannakhet is the only nearby location doing multiple entry visas based upon marriage.

Savan Vegas shutdown their visa service after the consulate would no longer allow them to do the applications without the applicant being present.

There has been a report about Savannakhet doing the visa this week. See: Worry-Free Non-O-Visa Savannakhet