40 hour visa run Kanchanaburi to Savanaket.

[BigRick]

Wed

150baht 4pm Van picks me up at my house in Kanchanaburi

7:45pm Arrive at Mo Chit 2(Heavy traffic expected why I left so early)

3rd floor to the left counters 90-100 has a myriad of options for transportation ranging from the low 600's for simple VIP up to 829 for the works.

8:30pm departed Bangkok for Mukahtan

6:30am arrive in Mukatan

50baht ticket for the 7am International bus to the Thai and Laotian crossing.

First stop Thai exit immigration short lines and efficient most of the people on the bus are Asian so use the other windows. Board the bus again.

Bus drops you off at the Laotian border 35US/1500baht for a visa on arrival(Nice to use the home currency for that 500baht discount).Did not get charged an additional 40baht out of there by 8 at the latest. 200baht tuk tuk(Split) to the new Consul(Note its not on the waterfront anymore) A very nice building almost as nice as Vien Tien with 600 less people. 60 baht to fill out my paperwork for a Non-O marriage visa out front. 9am the gates open the mob of 10 people all amble in because seriously no one is there. I was the first window handed him the required paperwork Taban Ban,Wifes ID passport,Marriage cert and copies 5000baht 3 minutes later here is a ticket (001) come back at 3:30. Very polite and friendly. Met a couple people decided why stay the night when you can just split (380baht Leena guest house)a room to take showers and store your stuff while you explore a 1950's Asian version of Cuba. We walked around what can only be described as a very underwhelming city with friendly people. We had lunch at Lynns cafe great prices great service and the staff is very helpful. Its hard to spot because its no bigger than a Thai noodle shop but worth a visit.

3pm Tuk tuk picked us up at the Leena guest house. 3 of us split 360baht total to the Embassy then to the border. The gave our passports back early again professional staff at the Thai consulate very polite and efficient. Got to the Laotian border about 3:45pm crossed out of immigration 50baht International bus to the Thai border.Out of the Thai side by around 4:30 5-10 people in line max and the ladies doing paperwork we kind enough to let me go through the Asian line because I gave them a polite smile back. The International bus take your to the Mukathan bus station

6:30pm 621baht VIP bus to Bangkok comfortable.

5:30am Arrive at Mo Chit 2

25m to the van terminal 150baht 5:50am to Kanchanburi

8:45am dropped off at my front door.

Now how does this Non Immigration O work? I see its good for one year and has an M for number of enters. I have an additional stamp that says I must exit on Dec 16th. Does that mean I exit on the 16th come back in another 90 days repeat until the last day on the 1 year visa extending it past a year?

[Mario2008]

Your visa is good for 1 year and during the period the visa is valid you can enter an unlimited number of times and each entry is for 90 days max (unless you get an extension).

By leaving and entering just before the visa itself expires you get a new 90 day stay and so almost 15 months out of it.

[BigRick]

So is there any financial penalty associated with crossing into different countries other than the destinations visa cost? I like that idea of being able to go in and out like that because I live close to Burma. So say I go for on a trip 60 days in I get another 90 on entry all the way up until the last day(Day before) on the visa? The periods can be any length as long as they are under 90 days and within the validity of the visa? Lastly is this the same visa you can use to get a Thai drivers license and discounts at National parks? I already have a bank account.

Edited September 19, 2014 by BigRick

[ubonjoe]

What kind of financial penalty could there be? Thailand does not charge for entering the country.

With a multiple entry non immigrant visa you can enter the country as many times as you want. Leave when you want as long it is within the 90 day entry. You can stay out as long your want up to the date your visa expires and get a new 90 day entry.

You can get a Thai drivers license with any visa. Having a Thai drivers license does guarantee you will be able to enter a national park at a Thai rate.

You do not need financial proof to get a multiple entry non-o visa based upon marriage in Savannakhet.

[BigRick]

Lovely it sure beats the 2 passports 2 red stamps 6 TV's 3x30dayx2 +20 extension I had. I am guessing one or both of you already took the Thai driving test? Is it common sense? I actually look forward to giving it a go I wonder if they are like the US and have it in 50 languages?

Hopefully I won't turn into one of these smug unsympathetic people who revels in others misfortune with the crackdown on visas. The fact that I can go in and out whenever as long as its under 90 days really makes me happy. Now I can enjoy the region without being set on dates and entrees. Thanks for the replies.

[paz]

Thai driver license test has become harder and is no small task anymore. Check in the relevant forums here. It could marginally help if you had an International Driver Permit from the US. These are very easy to obtain even by mail.

[Nebula]

About the discount at parks with thai driving license... I actually had to use only once I think to get thai rate. The rest of the times I just spoke thai and they were happy enough to talk to me and let me in paying the thai rate. That includes Pattaya where I expected they wont. In Krabi, last year the lady at the entrance of one of the parks refused to even look at the driving license, saying everybody can get one so I must pay full foreigner price. So I guess not all places will give this discount.

[BigRick]

I have an expired international drivers license from three years ago but they really are not that hard to get its 35$ and your US drivers license. I also have my current US license. I had heard the test was not easy anymore but not easy to them might be common sense for us. I have read varied reports including one about needing a health report.

[ubonjoe]

I have an expired international drivers license from three years ago but they really are not that hard to get its 35$ and your US drivers license. I also have my current US license. I had heard the test was not easy anymore but not easy to them might be common sense for us. I have read varied reports including one about needing a health report.

You need a certificate of residence from immigration or your embassy. You also need a medical certificate.

Info here: Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving Licences

[keeniau96]

The drivers test has three parts: eye test, written and road driving test. Eye test is quite rigorous, including depth perception and peripheral vision, thus far more rigorous than my USA tests. The writted is fairly common road safety, available in Thai or English. Must watch a 1-hour video first, which has most of the items covered. The road test is on their own track and does the usual turns, signals, stopping on a hill etc. Also a parking test which is not so easy for most drivers. Passing all those gets yo the 1-year license. Before expiration of that one you can apply for the 5-year license which is really just a renewal with no testing.

[Grauwulf]

Just for info I went to get my Thai licence I needed passport, proof of residency which the transport people did not accept because it was not in Thai so I had to get a Thai version from the district office. My driving licence + copy again translated into Thai, but again I feel that this was a case of staff at the issue centre not understanding English and not wanting to admit it! Medical cert which was just pay 150 b and there you are sir. Colour blindness test depth perception test take my photo 250 b and voila. Lot of running around and frustrating conversations but again I feel it was more because of staff at this centre did not read English documents and didn't want to admit it.

[Moonlover]

Hi BigRick.

Thank you for taking the time to tell us all of your experiences. I am coming to live in Sakon Nakhon soon with my Thai wife. Although I would qualify for an extension either by marriage or retirement, it seems, from what I’ve been reading, it is so much easier to pop across to Laos.

You obviously consider it worthwhile to make that long journey so for me to make the relatively short hop from Sakon Nakhon really does make sense. I also like the multi entry aspect as I shall have travel frequently anyway.

Well done and I wish you success with you driving license app. That will be my next challenge also.

[BigRick]

It was easy for what it entailed. Nothing will be as easy as Ban Phu Nam was for me a 1 hour ride through the beautiful countryside to the Myanmar border a quick cross over home in under 3 hours. I like that this went better than planned you always have to be prepared and its a relief when things go perfectly. Not having to stay the night is really convenient. You have to suffer a bus ride anyway so what does it matter if its 12 hours later. VIP is comfortable and they really don't stop. The low number of people also really makes it really easy you don't have to wait for a mob of people to do their stuff. This O beats my tourist visa. You are lucky that is a motorbike ride away almost from where you are at. Maybe 10 hours out of your day. Where am I suppose to get this doctors note for the driving test? IS there a guy with amulets all over him selling doctors inspections out front?