For Anyone interested, I very recently just successfully applied and received my Non O visa (Volunteer) in Phnom Penh. As the Thai Embassy there is undergoing renovation the only way of contact is through a slot counter window on the street side. I submitted all the necessary documents including a current bank statement before 11am, I was told to wait for 15mins for the consul verdict, after 10 they were back saying its been approved, I paid the $80 fee and was told to pick it up in the afternoon in two days time. I went back early and was the only one there, they handed me my passport back no problems. I only got a single Entry as I will extend in country here, so not sure if they are issuing multiple entries in this category. Simple and painless - I had to go myself as Agents such as Lucky Lucky wouldn't process this one.

I went through the same procedure for the same visa 3 years ago and the whole process was a nightmare, I had to go back every day for 5 days before the visa was issued, the staff were rude and unhelpful, so it was a nice surprise when this went so smoothly.

The Thai Embassy is at 196 Norodom Boulevard right after the Japanese Embassy heading south.

Extensions based on volunteering are now for maximum 1 year only, then you have to leave the country and apply for a new non-O visa.

How much money in the bank did you need to show?

I only needed 20,000bt in my account so no issue there.

Bit of a shit about having to leave for renewal after one year, for the past two years I have been able to renew at immigration in Chiang Mai without having to leave the country. At least there are more trips to Cambodia or elsewhere to look forward to , although it is a bit inconvenient. So have they just recently scrapped renewing a volunteer visa in country? It would be good to know as there are others working in our organisation to whom this will apply.

Same as for students at language schools they now as of 29th of August require volunteers to apply for an extension every 90 days and to apply for a new visa abroad after 1 year.

See also: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/popup_anounce.html

i hardly think waiting 2 days for a visa is efficient

i hardly think waiting 2 days for a visa is efficient

Its about as good as it gets, they don't state it will be any quicker for a visa in that category.

Mario2008, thanks for the link.