From Bangkok, I wanted to go again to Padang Besar but due to flood problems in the south, there are no trains from Bangkok to Hat Yai.

 

So, I'm in Udon Thani and tomorrow I'll go to Nong Khai border : did somebody go and back immediately recently ?

 

For my three previous entries in Thailand, I have gone and back in Padang Besar, then get a 30 days extensions in Bangkok for the last one. So I'm a little afraid they make me problem in Nong Khai... But I hate Vientiane and after loosing one page on my passport with the Lao Visa, the Thai visa will eat an other one... So I prefer by far go and back immediately and furthemore, I'm 90% sure to fly outside Thailand in the next weeks.

 

Thanks to people who can share their recent experience at this border point.

Since you don't appear to of done any this year you can do one at Nong Khai without a problem.

After that one you will only get one more visa exempt entry at a land border crossing this year under the new rules.

35 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Since you don't appear to of done any this year you can do one at Nong Khai without a problem.

After that one you will only get one more visa exempt entry at a land border crossing this year under the new rules.

Many thanks for your answer ubonjoe :) Seems good : you think they look the number of visa exempt entries by calendar year ?

4 minutes ago, anotherfarangishere said:

Many thanks for your answer ubonjoe :) Seems good : you think they look the number of visa exempt entries by calendar year ?

 

  New rules came into effect a few days ago that you can only have two VES per calender year

16 minutes ago, sanemax said:

New rules came into effect a few days ago that you can only have two VES per calender year

You forgot to include that rule only applies at land border crossings.

Thanks sanemax and ubonjoe. I'm in Nong Khai now and will go to the border in two hours and let you know what happen !

Ok, done ! So, everything gone well and smoothly :

- nobody at the thai border (3 people !)

- nobody at the lao border (just one guy before me) and after ten years with an unfriendly guy, for what should be my last time, eventually a charming and frienly lady to take my form and my passport !

- 5 minutes or less to leave the laos

- nobody at the thai border (2 people) and no question about the fact I didn't have a visa and had just left Thailand 40 minutes ago : I didn't hear the sound of the voice of the border man.

 

Only one problem : from Nong Khai center, I didn't take a tuk-tuk to go or to back to/from the border and as usual I have to take care about some unfriendly dogs (really a pain in the ass in Thailand, even if in ten years I wasn't bite).

 

Thanks again to ubonjoe and sanemax : I hope it's going to be as easy for everybody.

anotherfarangishere How many days did you get for Thailand ?

 

15 minutes ago, laochef said:

anotherfarangishere How many days did you get for Thailand ?

 

I am sure it was 30 days since there is no longer 15 day visa exempt entries being done.

Thanks Ubonjoe. I was just asking, as I've only seen 1 post about the new rules, so far.

The rule about only 2 border passes in a year, with VSE, is, if enforced a disaster for expats living here in Laos... (3 years ago I had nearly 60 border crossing VTE - Nong Khai, in a single year...)

Cheers, Chris

6 minutes ago, laochef said:

Thanks Ubonjoe. I was just asking, as I've only seen 1 post about the new rules, so far.

The rule about only 2 border passes in a year, with VSE, is, if enforced a disaster for expats living here in Laos... (3 years ago I had nearly 60 border crossing VTE - Nong Khai, in a single year...)

Cheers, Chris

 

Back in the 90's I was working on a large  construction project in Malaysia adjacent to the Thai border. We had upwards of 100 expats, mainly Brits,  on a mix of single and married status contracts. Many of the singles headed for the border most weekends and a good few of the marrieds as well. Having this new regulation in place at that time would have made for interesting times as I expect a number of our more adventurous (desperate?) expats would have found ways to pass through the rather porous border regardless. Over a 5 year period I racked up in excess of 300 crossings, others managed even more!! Luckily those were the days of the jumbo UK passport, but still went through 2 or 3 in that time.

 

Good luck for a fix to your predicament.

17 minutes ago, dabhand said:

 

Back in the 90's I was working on a large  construction project in Malaysia adjacent to the Thai border. We had upwards of 100 expats, mainly Brits,  on a mix of single and married status contracts. Many of the singles headed for the border most weekends and a good few of the marrieds as well. Having this new regulation in place at that time would have made for interesting times as I expect a number of our more adventurous (desperate?) expats would have found ways to pass through the rather porous border regardless. Over a 5 year period I racked up in excess of 300 crossings, others managed even more!! Luckily those were the days of the jumbo UK passport, but still went through 2 or 3 in that time.

 

Good luck for a fix to your predicament.

 

I guess those people would need a METV. But that might probably not be available for them in Malaysia.

On ‎1‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 4:15 PM, eisfeld said:

 

I guess those people would need a METV. But that might probably not be available for them in Malaysia.

 

They would be if living in Malaysia officially on a proper visa, just like an METV is available for expats living in Laos on "proper" work visas. So-called expats that reside in Laos on tourist visas are tourists in the eyes of the law and not eligible for METV for Thailand.

Please note that the METV will expire when your Lao visa/workpermit expire. So, as you only get 2 METV, per year ( valid for 6 months, each) your best option is to get the METV immediately after you have renewed you Lao visa/workpermit. And note, you also have to have 200,000 THB (or equivalent) in a bank account (Lao, Thai is OK), and a letter from your CEO, verified, that you have the company's permission to cross the border... as well as copies of every single possible document... i.e. Passport, Lao Visa, Entry Stamp, Workpermit, Lao Foreign ID Book, Fresh Bank Statement, Employer's Letter; Photos and 5,000 THB (per person, NO Family discount...)...