What time does the queue start to form at Thai Consulate in Vientiane ?

[marcusmarsh]

Just about to pop over to Laos to hopefully pick up my ED visa. I have done it once before and remember the queue being horrifically long. Anyone know what time that queue starts to form please ?

It seems the place opens at 8.30am though im guessing 6.30am ish is when it all starts ?

Any other wee tips appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

About 8 am is a good time. Most of the crowd gets there later.

[rct99q]

Sorry to say this but depends on the day. Some will say get there by 6am and others like me who really are in no rush show up before 11am. Never had a problem. There have been the odd days when they have not been able to process everybody in line before 12noon but rarely.

So up to you if you want to be one of the first to get in and get done you need to be there earlier. Possibly as early as 7am. Many local touts get advanced queue tickets so you can possibly buy one from them for a low number without having to be there very early.

There are plenty of threads on this so have a quick look. One hint is as soon as you get your number (queue ticket)head upstairs to get your photo copy of the Laos visa page and any others you may need. The guy and girls that offer the photo copy service are very good at putting all your documents together in the right order and photo copying what you need. all for less than 5,000KIP (last time I went it was 3,000KIP).

Here is an example of a recent thread started december 13th 2013.....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/689584-vientiane-trip-report-education-visa-process-issues/

[justaphase]

Monday and Thursday are the busiest by far because this is when most of the 'death-van' agencies do their twice weekly runs. Best advice is get the 24 seater vip bus up to Nong khai on Monday night, arrive there 6am Tues.. get an agent in NK to coffee u up, get your Laos visa and take u to the Thai embassy.. lovely and quiet compared to Monday.

Pick the visa up the next afternoon and they get the train at 6.20pm back to Bkk.

I would anyway.

Edited January 11, 2014 by justaphase

[DavidMavec]

I got there 7:45 and was about no. 30... didn't have to wait long. I would recommend getting there by 7:45 or earlier because the crowds really came by 8:00.

[RussellBirtwistle]

To be honest..what ever time you get there...say 7.45./..you wait 45 mins in the que.,..then you get a shitload que jumping as soon as the gates open...I was once number 5 in the que...after the rush when the gates open...I was 22...Its a joke.. Bad mannered and selfish people is the order of the day there. Take a brolly too...cos when you go at 1 pm next day...Gets very hot..and uncomfortable..then you have the rush again at 1pm..!!

[edwardandtubs]

As Russell said, totally shameless people start hanging around the gates near opening time and then jump the queue when it opens. Most of them Filipinos it has to be said.

[thailandbeachisland]

What people don't understand is that going there at 11am after the queue is a lot smarter...

[ubonjoe]

What people don't understand is that going there at 11am after the queue is a lot smarter...

That is not true everyday. I have read reports of people getting there that late and not getting a number until they had called all the other numbers leaving the person that made the report worrying that they would have to come back the next day until they got a number.

If you arrive early or have spent the night before in Vientiane it is best to go early.

As said Tuesday and Wednesday are the least busy days.

[sceadugenga]

Was there on Thursday, I spent the night in Vientiane to make an early start and was there before 8am, being about 3rd or 4th in when the gate opened at 8.30.

I must have trampled someone in the rush because I ended up with ticket number 2.

When I left about 9.30 I suppose there were about 50 people waiting.

Edited January 12, 2014 by sceadugenga

[sceadugenga]

What people don't understand is that going there at 11am after the queue is a lot smarter...

I got there late a few years back and was lucky to get my application in that day, an Embassy official made an exception on my behalf.

When I left there was an extremely angry American demanding entry.

No exception was made for him though...

[siamsina]

Since 2005 it was only one time when I experienced really, really long queue day (first Monday after a week-long closure), yet consular staff managed to process all those who obtain their numbers before a certain time (apparently, 11 AM), though even the number machine went out of order several times and three sets of same numbers from 001 to 299 didn't help to organize that mess. And by the time I left the consulate (4 PM - yes, my lucky day) several more lucky guys were still submitting their papers. Anyway, in general, as it was said here, if you appear before 11 AM, you will be processed same day. As for the time when it's get started, 6:30 AM seems to be too early, even for bad, bad Monday. Even with my luck 8 AM was always just fine.

[dighambara]

About 8 am is a good time. Most of the crowd gets there later.

I have done this twice over 6 years ago, but 8AM was a good time to be finished by noon and pickup the following morning..

[marcusmarsh]

Many thanks for all the replies - very helpful. Getting the bus down to Udon tonight and will do the visa gig Tuesday morning.

I now remember the last time I did this the queue jumping was horrid. One of the very few things I miss about England is the orderliness of queueing ! Even in 7/11 here it winds me up when a old lady sneaks in around the side of me. But yes I know its not a major thing and there are FAR worse things in life. Does wind me up a tad though.

[isawasnake]

This is the big secret, I don't know though, I guess to each their own, I actually can't remember the exact time, because I have not done this in a while, but I used to get there about 30 minutes before they closed. I would get there at 130 or 200?? (cant rem exactly), and just walk right in and right out. Why wait in all that heat/sun and with all those people for nothing? You can do all this with no waiting in a line whatsoever. Everyone will tell you I am wrong, but I am right I believe you can do this upon applying and picking up, that is get there late and just be in and out. I had it down ironically, but cant remember anymore, too many leo's but i think get there about 1200 to apply, no lines then, and get there late around 230 or 3 to pickup (something like this. ) if you want the "scenic route, which I insist on when i go to that place.

Edited January 12, 2014 by isawasnake

[thailandbeachisland]

What people don't understand is that going there at 11am after the queue is a lot smarter...

That is not true everyday. I have read reports of people getting there that late and not getting a number until they had called all the other numbers leaving the person that made the report worrying that they would have to come back the next day until they got a number.

If you arrive early or have spent the night before in Vientiane it is best to go early.

As said Tuesday and Wednesday are the least busy days.

Thank you ! Thanks to this kind of good advice that you give to others the consulate is never crowded when I go after 10 am !

Edited January 12, 2014 by thailandbeachisland

[sceadugenga]

Well why are you advising people to go late as well?

Methinks you have a cunning plan to reduce the embassy queue early for your own advantage!

[crazydrummerpauly]

Many thanks for all the replies - very helpful. Getting the bus down to Udon tonight and will do the visa gig Tuesday morning.

I now remember the last time I did this the queue jumping was horrid. One of the very few things I miss about England is the orderliness of queueing ! Even in 7/11 here it winds me up when a old lady sneaks in around the side of me. But yes I know its not a major thing and there are FAR worse things in life. Does wind me up a tad though.

Here here. Fair-play is one of the greatest values given to the world by Anglos. The last time i had to board the bus back from the Laos side of the N.Khai friendship bridge, i got caught up in the local version of a 'rush hour', and the melee to leap on board the bus was so huge that i found myself half way up the steps with my feet actually off the ground, my bag wrapped around someone else's neck, and strangely, my leading hand around some woman's hair, presumably because i'd started to fall backwards ! Every man, woman, child, granny and grandad for themselves. My mistake - my usual crossing time is between 7 and 9 pm - only $1 more for relative peace and quiet and no queues, or mobs!

[faith0813]

I don't know how I got by in Thailand before finding this forum - great info here, thanks everybody!

[jed1234]

Ugh I wish I had found this thread before spending several days figuring out the answer myself. Thanks