Hi everyone, thanks in advance for any help with this topic.

 

I am unable to get a METV now, due to the criteria changes.  I am a UK resident and spend about 9-10 months of the year in Thailand.  On my current visit I was granted a SETV, which expired last week so I took a 1 week trip to Cambodia (by plane), in order to get a new SETV.  

 

My issue with this is firstly the overall cost, but more so the inconvenience.  Can anyone suggest some alternatives for me to consider?  Someone mentioned to me previously that I could enter Laos and get a SETV instantly.  Can someone clarify whether this is the case, and any other relevant details/information.

 

Thanks!

Dave

 

When people talk about getting a "visa" instantly with a border hop, they usually mean that you can get a visa exempt entry. If you are a UK national, you would get 30 days if entering Thailand either by air or land without a visa. However, you would probably only be able to do this a limited number of times. Depending on where you are living, traveling to Laos for a visa exempt entry is probably not cost effective or convenient. From Bangkok, the most convenient way of getting a visa exempt entry is a same day flight to Kuala Lumpur and back (no visa costs and inexpensive if booked far enough in advance).

 

If looking to get an actual visa, Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos and Penang in Malaysia are normally suggested as the best places. With any of these places, you are faced with cost and some inconvenience if you do not actually enjoy traveling.

Instead of going to Cambodia you could of traveled overland to Vientiane Laos and gotten a single entry tourist visa with only a overnight stay there. Apply the morning of one day and pickup the next afternoon.
 

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

Are you aware of any limit on the number of times I could travel to Laos and do simultaneous SETV's?

 

Thanks again!