Thailand -> Laos -> Thailand Visa Question

Frisbee

Planning on heading to Thailand in the summer however we want to do tubing in Laos aswell.
The way we were looking at it was fly into Bangkok, hit Laos, then back down through Chiang Mai to the Islands etc.

So we have our Visa for Thailand.
Then we get the Laos Visa on the border, as we're only planning on staying a few days.

I'm assuming it's ok for us to cross back into Thailand after with the Thailand Visa's we already have?


This strikes me as a stupid question but the Lonely Planet didn't really give anything up to me here.

Cheers

Thomas_S_Hunterson

From what I hear, they're fairly easy on the visas.

The one you get on the way in is a 30 day one. If you want to stay longer than 30 days you just go to the border and then go in and out and they renew the visa afaik.

I'd say you'll be fine.

Gav104

If you're crossing a land border into Thailand you can only recieve a 15 day visa.

You can only re-enter Thailand on the same visa if it is a Double entry Tourist visa AFAIK.

Seán_B

If your irish, you don't need any visas for Thailand if your just on holiday It's Visa on arrival. When you go into Laos and come back to Thailand you'll get another 90 day tourist visa for free!!! Laos visa will set you back around $35!

Gav104

If you go to the thorn tree thailand page it should tell you what you need to know but its definitely only 15 days at a land border although you could apply for a thai tourist visa for 60 days in Vientiane in Laos

S.M.B.

The recent change in visa rules where you only get a 15-day visa if you enter Thailand by land has complicated things a little.

Without getting any visa prior to arriving in Thailand you'd be given an initial 30 day stay. When you return from Laos you'd only be given 15 days which wouldn't give you enough time to do the north and the islands.

The most hassle free solution is to apply for a double entry tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in Ireland. This would give you a 60 day stay when you first arrive and another 60 days when you arrive back from Laos. The only downside is that it'll cost you €80.

Frisbee

S.M.B. wrote: »

The most hassle free solution is to apply for a double entry tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in Ireland. This would give you a 60 day stay when you first arrive and another 60 days when you arrive back from Laos. The only downside is that it'll cost you €80.

I reckon this is the best thing to do tbh.
I don't mind shelling out the 80 quid too much as it will be worth it.


Cheers for all the replies

Frisbee

Think we've decided to circumvent this by just getting the 30 day visa on arrival, leaving after 29 to do Laos and then coming back into Thailand, getting the 15 day Visa, and heading straight to Bangkok to head home.

So new question.

What's the easiest point of entry when crossing into Laos?

Want to hit Luang Prabang first then head down to Vang Vieng.

So what would be the easiest place to enter Laos to get to Luang Prabang (There's a two day slow boat along the Mekong afaik? Anyone got this? And where from?)

Then we'd be leaving Laos from Vang Vieng, so what's the easiest way to get from there to Bangkok?


Cheers and a 'Thanks' to anyone who can answer these ridiculously fiddly questions for me

lady_j

The flight from chang mai takes 50 mins. But it is with Loa-airways (the one they scare you about in LP). http://www.laoairlines.com/ Loads of hostels arrange bus boat bus to Luang prabang costs about half the price of the flight but takes two days. Depends how much time and patience you have really.

S.M.B.

Easiest way to enter Laos by land from Bangkok is the train to Vientianne. You'd have to travel south to Vang Vien and then north to Luang Prabang or Vice Versa.

If in Chiang Mai then the slowboat from Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang would be the best option. Then go down to Vang Vien and leave Laos from Vientianne.

Or you could just fly if you're short on days....

Frisbee

lady_j wrote: »

Loads of hostels arrange bus boat bus to Luang prabang costs about half the price of the flight but takes two days.

S.M.B. wrote: »

If in Chiang Mai then the slowboat from Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang would be the best option. Then go down to Vang Vien and leave Laos from Vientianne.

Think we're gonna go with the slow boat.

Cheers

duffmagic

I'm planning a similar trip. I'm flying to bangkok and heading north after only a few days. After a few more I'm heading into Laos. I then intend to go on to vietnam, cambodia and then re-enter Thailand for a flight from bangkok to Bali 5 weeks after my flight into bangkok.

Upon my first arrival into bangkok, i'll have no ticket out within 30 days. This means I need to either get a dummy flight ticket out or a single entry visa (as the second time i arrive in thailand should be within 30 days of my flight to Bali).

I'm wondering what qualifies as proof that I'm leaving Thailand within 30 days? Would a bus/boat/train ticket from Chiang Mai to Laos border cut it? Would I be able to get this in advance of entry to bangkok? If not, perhaps getting a train ticket from bangkok directly to Vientianne would?

thanks in advance

S.M.B.

duffmagic wrote: »

I'm planning a similar trip. I'm flying to bangkok and heading north after only a few days. After a few more I'm heading into Laos. I then intend to go on to vietnam, cambodia and then re-enter Thailand for a flight from bangkok to Bali 5 weeks after my flight into bangkok.

Upon my first arrival into bangkok, i'll have no ticket out within 30 days. This means I need to either get a dummy flight ticket out or a single entry visa (as the second time i arrive in thailand should be within 30 days of my flight to Bali).

I'm wondering what qualifies as proof that I'm leaving Thailand within 30 days? Would a bus/boat/train ticket from Chiang Mai to Laos border cut it? Would I be able to get this in advance of entry to bangkok? If not, perhaps getting a train ticket from bangkok directly to Vientianne would?

thanks in advance

There's probably a 99% chance that you won't need to show this information on arrival.

And are you flying back into thailand the second time?

duffmagic

I'd say I'll be getting a bus or train from Siem Reap across a land border to BKK. I'll have my BKK-BALI ticket on me though.

S.M.B.

You'll only get a 15 day visa when you arrive back in from cambodia though, do you plan on staying any longer than this?

I've flown into BKK 4 times without a visa or an outward ticket and never got any hassle. I'd imagine that given the current economic climate they'd now be less likely to turn anyone away at the immigration counter.

lrdisco

The link below might help..


http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2490

bmcgov86

its a joke, i was all worried about isa's going over last year but a few of my mates didnt get any, even for thailand, but rather paid when they got there. and guess what....it worked out cheaper for them!