After failing to get back-to-back tourist visas for me and my (European) GF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (report here), we bough tickets to Penang and tried our luck there. As described by fellow forum members, Penang visa process is indeed way more laid back than in KL. Went there on 9am, maybe 10 people in front of us. Got the application form from security guard, filled them and in 15 minutes got to the window. We had prepared all kinds of stuff, but only the form, 2 photos, passport and 150 ringitt payment were requested. Gave us a numbered paper slip in return and told to come back at 2pm next day. We were very encouraged by this and fully expected to get our visas and be on our way, so bought bus tickets back to KL on 3.30pm.

Next day we were at the Royal Thai Consulate few minutes before 2pm, and there were already 20 people around. Numbers on the paper slips had absolutely no meaning - there was a live queue, which moved quite fast. Got to the window and - surprise, were asked to provide forward plane ticket from Thailand as well as hotel booking for the whole 60 day stay we indicated on our forms. Thankfully we had the tickets and our apartment rental agreement, so they studied those for 15 minutes and in the end gave us the visas, but not before scolding me for not providing the tickets and booking info in the first place, although when I gave those docs in the first day they did not take them. I assume this was because of our back-to-back visas, one other Russian couple got the same treatment, everyone else got their visas visas with no issues. Anyway, it took us 20 minutes more than expected, but we even made it to our bus. Flying back to Chiang Mai tomorrow.

P.S. Don't know about other embassies, but Penang Consulate has this nasty habit of stapling stuff to your passport. Currently I have receipt for visa payment stapled to one of the pages, and there are 4 mysterious staple holes on the back cover. Never seen this before, although I've visited at least 60 countries.

Edited January 8, 201610 yr by LatvianAce

Everything gets stapled in Thailand. I hate the look of my passport's last page

Well they didn't staple my Departure Card the last time on arrival at BKK and I lost it !

Well they didn't staple my Departure Card the last time on arrival at BKK and I lost it !

Got you beat. They DID staple my departure card last time I entered, then Phuket Immigration removed it, then THEY lost it and tried to CHARGE ME for a new one. I refused, they relented.

Well they didn't staple my Departure Card the last time on arrival at BKK and I lost it !

Got you beat. They DID staple my departure card last time I entered, then Phuket Immigration removed it, then THEY lost it and tried to CHARGE ME for a new one. I refused, they relented.

Some one told me it will cost 2000 baht for a new one ?

Everything gets stapled in Thailand. I hate the look of my passport's last page

Hate ?? Surely, the most you could give it is mild irritation. How often do you have these feelings? There is no problem of any kind that arises from stapling. Although still not THAT important, my 10 year British passport after only six months of little use had the entire script of the front cover rubbed off from "wear". And yes, I am mildly irritated.

Edited January 9, 201610 yr by ChrisKC

Got to the window and - surprise, were asked to provide forward plane ticket from Thailand as well as hotel booking for the whole 60 day stay we indicated on our forms.

Does anybody knows, is this normal for other european passports there or maby this applies only to baltic states or something like that?

Got to the window and - surprise, were asked to provide forward plane ticket from Thailand as well as hotel booking for the whole 60 day stay we indicated on our forms.

Does anybody knows, is this normal for other european passports there or maby this applies only to baltic states or something like that?

I think it may only apply for people from countries that do not get visa exempt entries. Latvians can only get a 15 day visa on arrival,

Everything gets stapled in Thailand. I hate the look of my passport's last page

Hate ?? Surely, the most you could give it is mild irritation. How often do you have these feelings? There is no problem of any kind that arises from stapling. Although still not THAT important, my 10 year British passport after only six months of little use had the entire script of the front cover rubbed off from "wear". And yes, I am mildly irritated.

Same with Canadian passport.

Must be Commonwealth printer.