The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

kingwilly

you're allowed to run across it when you compete in the Nong Khai to Vientienne marathon...

no visa required !

peterpan

you can actually walk across it without a problem, I have done so a more than one occasion.

Khun Sabai

Well as I live in Udon 60 kms away, I have done this trip many many times. 2 items I disagree with.

1. If you go over the top with wines, spirits, and ciggies you are Watched "big time". on the road back you will be stopped 90% of the time as they have your reg number. Did nobody see a checkpoint I.E. 3 lanes cordoned off to 1 lane on the way back????????? surprise the hell out of me if you didnt, the purpose of which is to slow down the motorway traffic, pick out the bold boys as they have been radiod ahead. Next step take all your goodies including your allowed duty free, fine you 500 to 1000 and off on your way.

This happened to me 3 times in a Udon reg car, only 600 cigs and usually 6 bottles of wine, so be careful.

2. The Thai immigration hate anybody filling in the forms for you and giving them to you to forward on to customs. These are the little immigration shops that are situated on the left 1/4 of a mile before the bridge, that charge you for the service. There is always a chap at the Thai immigration initial hatch. he will sit down beside you at the hatch and help you fill in the form 50 Baht. hand in docs to hatch on left and receive them from hatch on right, (Same Guy).

They put my name on computer for using the companies that help with visa on the left before the bridge.

He said "who fill out form? I said I did, not my writing........... Who give you US dollars?? You from Europe!!!!!!!!!! Shit name on computer. I dont Know what his beef was. He said people at company rob your money, not let them rob your money.


The above happened to a few of my mates from Udon as well. Even some who managed to buy cigs from touts at the Laos border opened up the 200 cig packs to find, foam filled empty boxes (same weight).


Hope the above helps.

kingwilly

good advice., cheers for the info mate.

melvbot

Ive just been through the Nong Khai crossing and theres been a change




If you get your visa on arrival i.e you fill out your forms and pay at the window you now just walk straight through the immigration channels as they stamp you in at the same time when processing the visa.
Hand over your cash and your passport comes back with visa and stamp ready to enter Laos.

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The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth

Mr Pot

I'm going to the border tomorrow with a 4 day overstay already bagged up; there should no problems I hope; just a simple stamp, payment and then cross over

benlovesnuk

That looks like arabic hang - on christophers ranting hasnt come true has it, and the muslims have take over checkpoints already???????

Firstly never speak to colombians on the train, although generally this could apply to any farang. He just offered to me to sit next to him, whn he starts shouting off about the king, then i got the impression he was into drug smuggling (not because he was Colombian) and we were both being stared down by security!!!!!!!!!!

i said good night and left him to it.....................................

I went a week or so ago, one word of warning never do it by train with no stop over in laos from bangkok - im not old by any means but i was knackered for days after!!!!!!

got some little lao beer shirts for the newborn, and had a quick laobeer myself before going from vientienne to the bridge - cost me 80000 kip as i was by myself and i needed to get the train quickly. theyve all got a bit more stingy on negotiations i found maybe a lack of tourists, though i came out even cause i managed to blag a ride into vientienne off another guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i hate vietienne generally bloody boring, no decent shops for books, gifts or otherwise just some nice food. prefer other places to stay!

on the way back from nong khai to krungthep i was in the restaurant cabin whilst they were blasting out, by some russian teen travelers request that thai reggae song over and over again. maybe i was just unlucky but before ive enjoyed a nice beer by moon light which has made that trip something special.........

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im hot its so hot today.......milk was a bad choice!

The Gentleman Scamp

I have to go tomorrow, and I'm about to get a taxi to Lak Si station to buy my ticket for tomorrow - it may even be to late to get a fan car lower bunk.

If only there was some way of booking online or calling a number to reserve my seat.

Marmite the Dog

My travel agent has booked rail tickets for me before the days of AirAsia.

But, I guess that would be too easy, eh?

Fast Eddie

I just got back from two weeks there on Friday, after the boat racing festival, and have to disagree.

When i first went there six years ago it was very quiet with little to do. A year and a half ago when i went back it was a little more lively, but still a place i couldn't imagine myself living in.

This time things seemed different. The whole front of the mekong is a throng of people, particularly in the evening, with various stalls selling rubbish. The number of bars and restaurants seems to have increased, and the nightclubs have got livelier.

I met, and got to know somewhat, a lot of nice people, and it's actually become a possible alternative location for me if i ever tire of Bangkok and Thailand.

Little Black Duck

OK Guys in simple terms, What is required if I front up at the border to do a Exit re-entry with a Multiple entry Tourist visa ??

Rigger

If you are planing to bring back more than a few bottles their a few tricks you need to know, I am sure if you ask the guys that bring back large amounts they might tell you, but I am not about to write it on the net

Never had a problem with immigration and have been using their the car service and fill in the form for years and bring in a few cigs and a couple of bottles

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Work to ride & ride to work.

peterpan

yea, Its worth while using the car service if you want a few bottles extra.
In fact the car service is worth it anyway for a quick dash, the Thai entry side is chock a block these days, used to be in a short queue and away but the last 3 occasions have been 1 to 1.5 hours to get thru, bloody woeful.

Floridathunderstorm

I have read through most of the messages regarding visa processing via the Friendship Bridge Immigration, Nong Khai. Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine specifically how the processing proceeds.

There are 4 of us that will be processing at the border point. Two of us have Thai passports (also have American passports) and the other two, myself and a 4 year old, have only American passports. Myself and the 4 year old will need to renew our intitial 30 Thai visas received after flying into Thailand from the states. From what I ascertain on this board, the two Thai passport holders do not require departure stamps, entry visas to Laos, and re-entry visas back into Thailand. The two of us that have American passports require departure stamps, entry visas to Laos, and re-entry visas back into Thailand.

The question that I have is, can one depart Thailand, enter Laos, and immediately re-enter Thailand without basically leaving the bridge area? We don't want to stay in Laos if we don't have to. If we are able to do it this way can we only get another 30 day visa or can we get a 60 day visa also? Or, do we have to go through the Thai Consulate in Vientiane for a 60 day visa?

Can someone please walk me through this so that even I can understand? Thanks!

dirtydog

Coming into Thailand from land borders you will get a 15 day visa exempt stamp, no more 30 days unless your Malaysian, you can come straight back into Thailand no problem, if you need longer than 15 days then probably best to go to Vientiane and get a 60 day tourist visa at the Thai embassy/consulate.

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Floridathunderstorm

Thank you. That is what we will do. Stay in Vientiane for a couple of days and get 60 day visas at the Thai Consulate.

Below are 4 hotels that I picked out of the group in Vientiane. Which would you recommend for a family?

City Inn
Lao Orchid
Green Park
Parkview Executive Suites

Floridathunderstorm

Do you know the name and telephone number of a reliable broker in NongKhai. I am flying into Udon Thani from Bangkok and would like to have a broker ready to go when I arrive. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

peterpan

Don't quite know what you mean by broker, if you want someone to help you with the form filling and transport there are a dozen or so agents on both sides of the Road just before the bridge.
For a small fee they walk you all thru it, worth while for a 1st timer I think. Not much to choose from they all seem to be OK, although I have used the 1st one on the left hand side a couple of times.

Floridathunderstorm

My understanding is that there are brokers that will package the whole process; border crossings (over and back), forms, photos, transportation, Thai Visa, etc. You personally do not have to deal with Laos and Thai immigration and do not have to stand in line at the Thai consulate. Believe that they have vans to transport you. Being a world traveler most of my life I have learned the hard way not to handle these processes myself in foreign countries and especially in a Marxist country like Laos. I flew into Thailand and received a 30 day stamp at the airport. Now need to obtain a 60 day tourist visa (or extension) from the Thai Consulate in Vientiane as my 30 days will be up April 4th.

Any additional and specific info would be most appreciated.

peterpan

We are a both talking about the same thing, but they are known as agents, not heard of any that you prearrange with, there is probably 20 of them located in the shophouses either side of the road immediately prior top the friendship bridge.
Coincidentally I have to do a Laos run on april the 4th as well.

Just reread and saw this bit: I don't know of anyone that can do that for you, even those that go on organized packed "Visa tours" have to apply in person for their own visas.