Your comment that "Maybe some consulates are going to be more strict than others" is an almost guaranteed truth. One can probably hazard a decent guess as to what category certain consular office locations will fall.

I've only had experience personally with 2 consulates: Manila and Penang.

Manila was a waste of time and I didn't bother to apply because they were too nosey and I just didn't have the time.

Penang I used an agent and didn't need to personally face anyone at the consulate and it was a breeze (August) to obtain a 3-entry tourist visa.

Ovenman, I don't know your level of experience, but it would be a great help if you, or someone else here could rate the consulates in neighboring countries on say a 1-10 scale as to tourist visa friendliness.

Hi all,

Well,nothing was mentioned at the embassy regarding getting a TR visa then doing 3 back to back runs to a border.maybe this is what people will do.

I was told I can go to immigration at Suan Phlu to change my TR visa into a NON-B without any prolems providing the paperwork was in order.

The info I posted before was given by the guy who hands back the passports after visas have been issued.Time will tell if this info is true!

Overall,no questions were asked at Vientianne and the process was the same as ever.There were however warnings about the back to back 30day VOAs at the border in Nong Khai.

I was told I can go to immigration at Suan Phlu to change my TR visa into a NON-B without any prolems providing the paperwork was in order.

A virtual mountain of paperwork is required to change to a non-'B' within Thailand. Don't have the list at hand but it's been posted on here before. My impression was that is would be easier to go outside the country and obtain a new visa but then again, your tolerance for the paper chase may be much greater than mine.

Hi all,

Just returned from Laos getting my Tourist visa.60days as before,now with a red stamp remarking:

"The holder of this passport travels to Thailand on a Tourist visa several times which may result in refusal of a visa in the future:

The info I posted before was given by the guy who hands back the passports after visas have been issued.Time will tell if this info is true!

now you have this stamp in your passport or not ??

and when you got it from the embassy or checkpoint ?

I think I made it clear the 1st time Ive got the red stamp in my passport.From the embassy!