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paulspad2002 · 24-03-2009, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by English Noodles

Okay a summary of events and costs.

Caught the VIP bus from Bangkok to Nongkhai on wednesday night at a cost of Less than B500 (huge seats, prety much like business seat on a long haul flight with 3 setting massage etc).

Tuk-tuk to friendship bridge - B50

Visa for Laos - 35USD

Tuk-tuk from border to Thai Embassy in Vientiane - B50 (thats the price for locals and Thai people, speak good Thai and be confident of the price and you will get it too) or you can just get ripped off and pay B200 like it says on the sign.

And that was that, I was in the Embassy at 8.40am thursday morning filling out my form for a double entry TR Visa, I could have got there well befor they opened at 8.30 if I had wished but breakfast had been calling.

Visa fee for double entry tourist visa - B0.00, yep the visa fee was zero, so that was that, and off I went to the town centre with instructions to return the following day after 1pm to collect my passport.

Tuk-tuk in to town from Embassy to my guest house - 8,000 Kip (less than 1USD)

I stayed at the Vayakorn House 091 Norkeo Kuman Street Vientiane, Tel (00856-21) 241 911 email vayakone[at]laotel.com

This place was recomended in another thread by that guy with the helicopter in his AV, Memock or something?

Anyway, very very clean place, nice wooden floors throughout, hot shower, AC, Sat TV, free in room guest WIFI, friendly and helpful but not slimey staff, fully stocked fridge of beer downstairs.

Room was rather small but extremly clean, bed was very comfortable and the sheets were fresh, clean and had a very nice smell to them.

Great location, 2 - 3 mins stroll to the fountain area.

I paid 17 USD for the room, on a one to ten rating I would probably give it a 8/10 with the only real letdown being size of room.

I will stay there again the next time I visit.

Time for a sleep and then of out to get some food, went to a restaurant called 'India restaurant' across from Lao Plaza Hotel just around the corner from the fountain, now this is more your upscale place and not for the cheap-skates, don't be suprised to find your bill per person reaching the dizzying hights of 10 - 11 USD.

I had a very good Chicken Tikka Massala, just like a British Indian Curry, infact is was not very good, it was excellent, I had it served with Jasmin rice, nan bread, japati (sp) vegetable raita and some Vegetable Samosas, the total bill was 11 USD.

The following day I had breakfast at the Scandanavian bakery and sat around using the WIFI there before heading off to the Thai embassy, Scando Bakery is located beside the fountain, open from 7am - 7pm and serves some great fresh breads and pastries recomended for an early morning breakfast or mid afternoon bite to eat, they also serve an excellent Laos coffee at less than 1 USD.

Here is a map of WIFI coverage in downtown Vientiane.

This map shows coverage by a company called Cyberia.

After a few more Laos coffees it was time to catch a tuk-tuk back to the embassy to collect my passport, the short journey cost 10,000 kip this time, which was a little harsh in my opinion though the sign says it should be 40,000 Kip

A 30 min wait for my passport in the embassy and it was returned with a DOUBLE ENTRY TOURIST VISA, this visa was issued free of charge and is good to last me six months in Thailand with doing a quick border run to Cambodia in the middle, for those that don't understand, heres how it works.

Number of entries is 2, you get 60 days on each entry, you can extend each entry by a further 30 days at an imigration office.

Yesterday entered in to Thailand and recieved 60 days, when the 60 days is due to expire I will go to Imigration in Bangkok and extend for 30 days, this will cost me B1,900 but save me a visa run, Now you have to be careful, check the date your Visa is valid for and leave before that date 'ENTER BEFORE DATE', not the new date you have been given by imigration, this will ensure you get another 60 days on your re-entry in to Thailand and then you can extend this again for 30 days the same way as before.

So B50 tuk-tuk back to the border, B10 over the bridge and away in to Thailand, I met a couple of Brits at the border who live in Udon Thani, they gave me a lift there and I stopped around for drinks in Jo-Jo's or something, caught a VIP with all the trimmings back to Bangkok at 8.30pm friday for a cost of B412 and got home this morning at 4am.

Not a bad trip at all.

B500 to Nong Khai
B50 to border
Loas Visa B1300
Bus B10
Tuk-Tuk to embassy B50
Thai TR x 2 Fee ZERO
Tuk-tuk to guest house B30
Guest House B600
Tuk-tuk Back to embassy B40
Tuk-tuk to border B50
Bus over bridge B10
Bus from Udon after being given free lift there B412

Total for all Transport, Visa and Shelter B3052.

ok im set on the tourist x 2.....is this being given all over he world..im in new zealand but no info on freebies here.....also i have a few questions..

1. do u have to get the 30 day extension or can u just go out again and come back to get the other 60 days

2. when u say leave before the date and enter before the date...do u still get the extra 60 days contimuing from when the 1st 60 days finish or is it on the re entry date ...because im coming for 4 full months so i may need to calculate this into my dates ...........i actually thought that it was only single entries that were being given

English Noodles · 24-03-2009, 10:04 AM

^There is a sign at the embassy in Laos that says 'Do not pay any money for visa, visa fee waivered world wide between (such and such dates).'

You dont need to extend for 30 days if you don't wish to do so, Torist visa X 2 is good for 60 days then leave the country and re-enter and you get another 60 days from the day you re-enter.

Maybe best to give your embassy a call and ask them but it is the policy that right now the visa is free.

benbaaa · 24-03-2009, 10:47 AM

^ So on that visa, Noods, it says Enter before 18 Jun 2009. On the second one, what does it say about entry?

Edit: Or is it just one visa with 2 entries? In which case, do you need to enter the second time also before 18 June?

English Noodles · 24-03-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbaaa

Edit: Or is it just one visa with 2 entries? In which case, do you need to enter the second time also before 18 June?

Correct, it is one visa with 2 entries, so after the first 60 days I will go to imigration in Bangkok and extend for 30 days but make sure I leave and re-enter on or before 18th of June to get another 60 days on entry which can be extended again for another 30 days.

Thus giving me close enough to 6 months from this visa with a same day walk over border run to Cambodia in the middle.

benbaaa · 24-03-2009, 11:16 AM

^ Gotcha. Thanks for the info, anyway. Never know when it might come in handy.

dirtydog · 24-03-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbaaa

Or is it just one visa with 2 entries?

I would have thought that on the picture where it says number of entry and underneath that has the figure 2 would be a bit of a give away.

pompeybloke · 24-03-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by English Noodles

There is a sign at the embassy in Laos that says 'Do not pay any money for visa, visa fee waivered world wide between (such and such dates).

Noodles, any idea when this free double entry tourist visa offer is valid to? Did you have to show a bank book with a certain balance? Last time I got one I needed to.....stupid really but it was required, as why would someone wanting a tourist visa want or need a Thai bank account? Did they need any paperwork? cheers

English Noodles · 25-03-2009, 10:22 AM

^They have been giving out free tourist visas since the 5th March and will continue to do so until the 4th of June, nothing required apart from 2 passport photos, 2 photocopies from passport and of course your passport.

pompeybloke · 25-03-2009, 10:34 AM

^cheers

English Noodles · 25-03-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulspad2002

is this being given all over he world..im in new zealand but no info on freebies here.

Like I said, check the Thai embassy website for New Zealand and this is what it says.

Quote:

Please be informed that all foreigners who apply for tourist visa at the Royal Thai Embassies/Royal Thai Consulates General/Honorary Consulates General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa On Arrival at designated checkpoints, will be exempted from Tourist Visa Fee from 5 March - 4 June 2009

http://www.thaiembassynz.org.nz/PDFs/Announcement%20Tourist%20Visa%20Fee%20Exemption%20 as%20of%2030309.pdf

baldrick · 27-03-2009, 09:18 PM

was the VIP bus you caught an UdonAir bus ? was the massage just you rubbing your own cock ?

Uffe · 29-03-2009, 04:08 PM

Hmm, guess I am a bit 'daft' , I have some trouble understanding this bit
" Now you have to be careful, check the date your Visa is valid for and leave before that date 'ENTER BEFORE DATE', not the new date you have been given by imigration, this will ensure you get another 60 days on your re-entry in to Thailand and then you can extend this again for 30 days the same way as before.
"
Could you please explain that bit closer? If your extension (the 30 days) is valid until a certain date, why is there an *Enter before date* on that ,I mean you are already in LOS right?, or is that on the second visa period (the following 60 days) paper? As you probably understand I havent tried this before but am much interested ....to learn.

Uffe · 29-03-2009, 04:13 PM

Sorry Noodles, when I posted my last question , the page updated and I discovered that my question had already been answered, some other bloke asked the same. Thanks for clear and understandable information, might be useful, cheers

Thetyim · 29-03-2009, 04:15 PM

One is your "Permission to Stay"
You must leave LOS before this date (or get an extension)

The other is your Visa expiration date
You must use the visa (ie enter LOS) before this date

paulspad2002 · 07-04-2009, 06:34 AM

cheers noodles......actually i emailed the new zealand embassy and yes i can get the tourist x 2 ......i am actually leaving nz on or around 4/8 th june so i hope this doesnt mean that i have to enter before the 4th june...

im staying 4 months which is about 123/4 days......june 8th - july august sept leave oct 8th.....with about 2/3 nights somewhere outside LOS to renew the next 60 days....curently my schedule looks something liek this
enter LOS 8th june.....
leave LOS 6th august
re enter 10th august
leave LOS 8th oct

this gives me 120 days and with the 3 days outside LOS enables me to fully utilize my 4 month apartment rental.....

any objections...or am i ok to do this

English Noodles · 07-04-2009, 11:29 AM

^Perfect.

peterpan · 19-04-2009, 06:39 AM

Noodles. I have DL'd the Visa application form for the Lao/ Thai embassy it just says tourist visa, it give no options for writing in what you requirements are.
How do you indicate what is required? the obvious answer is ask for it, but I know how unhelful these people are, if its not written down they will give you the bare minimum.

Thanking you in advance,
Yr Humble servant PP

English Noodles · 19-04-2009, 11:59 AM

Just put an X2 beside where it says 'tourist', if not, wait and get the form outside the embassy in Vientiane.

good2bhappy · 19-04-2009, 12:15 PM

what about flying in?

English Noodles · 19-04-2009, 01:07 PM

^What about it?

24-03-2009, 10:04 AM	#22 (permalink)
English Noodles www.toughtickets.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Internet Posts: 9,863	^There is a sign at the embassy in Laos that says 'Do not pay any money for visa, visa fee waivered world wide between (such and such dates).' You dont need to extend for 30 days if you don't wish to do so, Torist visa X 2 is good for 60 days then leave the country and re-enter and you get another 60 days from the day you re-enter. Maybe best to give your embassy a call and ask them but it is the policy that right now the visa is free. __________________ Go to google.com type in 'french military victories' and click the 'I'm feeling lucky' button. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by English Noodles : 24-03-2009 at 10:12 AM.

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24-03-2009, 10:47 AM	#23 (permalink)
benbaaa Whopping Member Last Online: Yesterday 07:11 PM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chiang Mai Posts: 3,868	^ So on that visa, Noods, it says Enter before 18 Jun 2009. On the second one, what does it say about entry? Edit: Or is it just one visa with 2 entries? In which case, do you need to enter the second time also before 18 June?

24-03-2009, 11:16 AM	#25 (permalink)
benbaaa Whopping Member Last Online: Yesterday 07:11 PM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chiang Mai Posts: 3,868	^ Gotcha. Thanks for the info, anyway. Never know when it might come in handy.

25-03-2009, 10:22 AM	#28 (permalink)
English Noodles www.toughtickets.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Internet Posts: 9,863	^They have been giving out free tourist visas since the 5th March and will continue to do so until the 4th of June, nothing required apart from 2 passport photos, 2 photocopies from passport and of course your passport.

25-03-2009, 10:34 AM	#29 (permalink)
pompeybloke Chao Phraya Last Online: Today 04:16 AM Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: buriram sticks Posts: 776	^cheers

27-03-2009, 09:18 PM	#31 (permalink)
baldrick disturbance in the Turnip Last Online: Today 08:44 AM Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lord Black Adders gutter Posts: 5,816	was the VIP bus you caught an UdonAir bus ? was the massage just you rubbing your own cock ?

29-03-2009, 04:08 PM	#32 (permalink)
Uffe Pattaya Last Online: 22-02-2010 12:59 PM Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Currently in Sweden Posts: 6	Hmm, guess I am a bit 'daft' , I have some trouble understanding this bit " Now you have to be careful, check the date your Visa is valid for and leave before that date 'ENTER BEFORE DATE', not the new date you have been given by imigration, this will ensure you get another 60 days on your re-entry in to Thailand and then you can extend this again for 30 days the same way as before. " Could you please explain that bit closer? If your extension (the 30 days) is valid until a certain date, why is there an Enter before date on that ,I mean you are already in LOS right?, or is that on the second visa period (the following 60 days) paper? As you probably understand I havent tried this before but am much interested ....to learn.

29-03-2009, 04:13 PM	#33 (permalink)
Uffe Pattaya Last Online: 22-02-2010 12:59 PM Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Currently in Sweden Posts: 6	Sorry Noodles, when I posted my last question , the page updated and I discovered that my question had already been answered, some other bloke asked the same. Thanks for clear and understandable information, might be useful, cheers

29-03-2009, 04:15 PM	#34 (permalink)
Thetyim ssshhhhh Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mousehole Posts: 15,509	One is your "Permission to Stay" You must leave LOS before this date (or get an extension) The other is your Visa expiration date You must use the visa (ie enter LOS) before this date

07-04-2009, 06:34 AM	#35 (permalink)
paulspad2002 Khon Kaen Last Online: 31-08-2009 08:15 PM Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 114	cheers noodles......actually i emailed the new zealand embassy and yes i can get the tourist x 2 ......i am actually leaving nz on or around 4/8 th june so i hope this doesnt mean that i have to enter before the 4th june... im staying 4 months which is about 123/4 days......june 8th - july august sept leave oct 8th.....with about 2/3 nights somewhere outside LOS to renew the next 60 days....curently my schedule looks something liek this enter LOS 8th june..... leave LOS 6th august re enter 10th august leave LOS 8th oct this gives me 120 days and with the 3 days outside LOS enables me to fully utilize my 4 month apartment rental..... any objections...or am i ok to do this

07-04-2009, 11:29 AM	#36 (permalink)
English Noodles www.toughtickets.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Internet Posts: 9,863	^Perfect.

19-04-2009, 06:39 AM	#37 (permalink)
peterpan Limp member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pleasantville Posts: 6,339	Noodles. I have DL'd the Visa application form for the Lao/ Thai embassy it just says tourist visa, it give no options for writing in what you requirements are. How do you indicate what is required? the obvious answer is ask for it, but I know how unhelful these people are, if its not written down they will give you the bare minimum. Thanking you in advance, Yr Humble servant PP

19-04-2009, 11:59 AM	#38 (permalink)
English Noodles www.toughtickets.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Internet Posts: 9,863	Just put an X2 beside where it says 'tourist', if not, wait and get the form outside the embassy in Vientiane.

19-04-2009, 12:15 PM	#39 (permalink)
good2bhappy Thailand Travel Forum Last Online: Today 12:04 AM Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Klong Samwa Posts: 11,836	what about flying in?

19-04-2009, 01:07 PM	#40 (permalink)
English Noodles www.toughtickets.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Internet Posts: 9,863	^What about it?

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