Visa Run Warning For South Africans - Laos

[kurtdhis]

I had to do a visa run recently, and the school that I work at advised me to go to Vientiane to get it. I booked a trip at the last minute (Songkran), and was able to get a bus up there. When I arrived I payed for my Laos visa (1500 baht) and took a taxi to the Thai embassy. On arrival, I was coaxed by a group of men sitting outside the embassy gates to hand over my passport, documentation from the school and photos, as well as an extra 40 baht just to have one of them fill in my visa application form. This is something I could have done myself and when I mentioned this to them they became a little unfriendly. Then it was off to the "gardens" of the embassy to hand my documentation over to staff member who had set up office outside. From there I was given a "number" and told to wait inside the embassy. This I did, and sat around waiting for about an hour just to have the lady behind the counter inform me, that as I am South African , there was no way possible for me to get a non immagrant B visa, and that I was considered to be in the ranks of Iraquis and Iranians. Although I tried to explain to this lady that I had no problems getting the same type of visa in Malaysia, she was adamant that she would not issue one to me, and proceeded to inform me that I needed to get "permission" from the Minister of Foreign Affairs before I could get a non immagrant visa in Laos.

I know that I should have at least found out before the time that I needed this so called permission" from the Minister, but what amazes and confuses me at the same time is what the difference is between one Thai embassy and another. So, the option that is left to me is Cambodia, which I am wondering, if they issue non immagrant B visa's at all or the trip to Malaysia, which the idea I am not fond of at the moment because of al the violence going on down South. And advice would be appreciated. Besides that, there is Singapore, but because I have had to lay out a good deal of money for the trip to Laos, I am left a little short changed.

[astral]

Dare I ask what colour your skin is?

I am not being racist, but the Thai's may be?

The Thai embassy in Jo'burg will issue Non-Immigrant visa's

so there must be some other factor here!!

[keestha]

It should not be a problem for you to take a train to Penang, Malaysia, where there is a Thai Consulate. The violence in southern Thailand is restricted to just three provinces, and the train to Penang does not pass through any of these.

[unbiasbob]

I had to do a visa run recently, and the school that I work at advised me to go to Vientiane to get it. I booked a trip at the last minute (Songkran), and was able to get a bus up there. When I arrived I payed for my Laos visa (1500 baht) and took a taxi to the Thai embassy. On arrival, I was coaxed by a group of men sitting outside the embassy gates to hand over my passport, documentation from the school and photos, as well as an extra 40 baht just to have one of them fill in my visa application form. This is something I could have done myself and when I mentioned this to them they became a little unfriendly. Then it was off to the "gardens" of the embassy to hand my documentation over to staff member who had set up office outside. From there I was given a "number" and told to wait inside the embassy. This I did, and sat around waiting for about an hour just to have the lady behind the counter inform me, that as I am South African , there was no way possible for me to get a non immagrant B visa, and that I was considered to be in the ranks of Iraquis and Iranians. Although I tried to explain to this lady that I had no problems getting the same type of visa in Malaysia, she was adamant that she would not issue one to me, and proceeded to inform me that I needed to get "permission" from the Minister of Foreign Affairs before I could get a non immagrant visa in Laos.

I know that I should have at least found out before the time that I needed this so called permission" from the Minister, but what amazes and confuses me at the same time is what the difference is between one Thai embassy and another. So, the option that is left to me is Cambodia, which I am wondering, if they issue non immagrant B visa's at all or the trip to Malaysia, which the idea I am not fond of at the moment because of al the violence going on down South. And advice would be appreciated. Besides that, there is Singapore, but because I have had to lay out a good deal of money for the trip to Laos, I am left a little short changed.

Dude, whatever you do do not try to get the non imm B in Cambodia. This is the worst embassy to go to now

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Dare I ask what colour your skin is?

I am not being racist, but the Thai's may be?

The Thai embassy in Jo'burg will issue Non-Immigrant visa's

so there must be some other factor here!!

I think you might have hit the nail on the head Astral. There are no regulations that I am aware of that forbid the issuance of a non-immigrant visa to a South African citizen.

[kurtdhis]

I guess that I should have mentioned that I am caucasian and not black. I realise that there is a huge problem as such for black South African's but I am white and I don't see why they should refuse me a visa. However, thank for the advice on Malaysia and also the warning not to go to Cambodia. I guess that the train to Penang seems the best bet, but there was a news report a few days ago about the pins being pulled out of the railway tracks down in Hat Yai. That was my concern and the main reason why I didn't want to travel by train. I'm not sure how accurate that report was as it was explained to me in broken English by a Thai friend.

[kenkannif]

I got a multi Non-imm B for a SA teacher from SA only two or three months ago.

Bear in mind that from what I've heard the lady in Vientianne can be a bit of a pain and differ in what she says from day to day!

[p_brownstone]

I would guess they don't post the brightest of Civil Servants to the Thai Embassy in Laos (if that's what she is).

They won't get many South Africans there too, and it could well be that she's working on an Exclusion List which discriminates against the South Africa of the apartheid era

[lopburi3]

news report a few days ago about the pins being pulled out of the railway tracks down in Hat Yai

That was on the other line South-east of Hat Yai and not on track you would take to Penang. Nothing is 100% in life but it should be as safe as a motor bike ride across Bangkok (although that might not be too much comfort).