A few days ago I made my first visa run to Laos, with the bus.
I usually go to Singapore to get a 60-day tourist visa, but the last time I went, they refused to give me a 60-day visa, because I have an open e-ticket back to Canada. They now want to confirm a ticket and will not accept an open ticket. That's stupid if you ask me. I told the lady at the reception that if the violence in Bangkok is bad, I can Air Canada phone and on the road the next day, so an open ticket is much betteras a ticket for a specific date. No chance. So I had to fly back to Bangkok and get the usual 30-day entry at the airport. The entire trip cost me 18,000 baht, including hotels, flights, meals, taxis, etc. What a waste.
I have a few visa runs by bus to Cambodia, and find that pain in the butt because you have only 14 days and do it again, and it costs 2000 baht each time.
So this time I signed up for the bus to Vientiane.
I must say that the service by theVisa-run company was excellent, the bus (a 40-seater) was full, and it was the same comfortable bus, she runs to Cambodia, with the same driver. The driver is relatively conservative, seems to be aware of the fact that he has 40 farangs on board and is as careful a driver as you want it.
The bus left PB Tower on Sukhumvit Soi 71 exactly at 8.30 clock.
It was a pee break about an hour later at a service center, and then 2 hours later, and so on, throughout theNight. This gave the driver a chance, something I thought was a good idea to relax.
Unfortunately, I have never been able to sleep on a bus or plane, and this trip was no exception. While my seat mate was snoring happily away in the night, I was sitting there and sad eyes, shifting in my seat at regular intervals, as my butt is sore. I guess the rest as well.
A DVD movie was played at the beginning of the trip, but after it was finished, it was after 11 clock, so that no more films were shown.
Weat the border early to come before 6:30. I saw the sun rise. We had to sit for a while, opened up the border office, and then a bus company of the ladies have worked all our passports. She had earlier gathered at the bus.
After he punched from Thailand, we have 3 mini-buses (vans) across the bridge (Mekong River) in Laos, where we again waited while the lady has processed our passports from Lao immigration. In less than an hour, we haveMini-buses in Vientiane, and came to the streets for the Thai embassy about 7.30am or 7.40 clock. There were already lined up at least 200 people on the sidewalk, and it was hot.
The message on the gates Clock 8.15, and we all wind up in the embassy compound opened. It was a ticket machine at the front, and we joined the queue.
However, our former leading lady visa us run up the stairs into an air conditioned room and given to low-numbered cards from the machine. Our figuresabout 95 starts, while the people were numbered in the ticket vending machines, more than 350 cards. So I guess they had some contacts in Vientiane, which stood at the beginning of the line outside the gates at an early hour, and then the tickets went to her when she came an hour later.
Lot numbers were called over the PA system in both Thai and English, and again repeated: "Ticket number 37, please go to number 2 counter.
I soon realized that itno pause in the number of legend, the announcements came non-stop, and soon reached the 80s. We all rushed down to the counter and were there when our numbers came up. But the numbers only on rolling by on hold. Our Lady collected our passports and tickets, and fed them all up on the counter, and then told us to wait to go in the other building.
There, we found there were four other counters, numbered 3 to 6, but only one, count 4, was active, and there were at least100 people are waiting to sit on chairs. The waiting room was air conditioned.
Again, the numbers were called, but this time there were large gaps between, and there was a significant pause after each number was called. If a number was called, was a person up to 4 meters, you will receive a written confirmation, and then leave to leave the stage.
After each batch of 10 or 12 numbers, there was a 5 or 6 minutes delay. That was when I realized that the Thai lady was behind the counter pressure fromand then the separation of revenue. It appeared that the passports and applications in the other buildings are processed, entered into a computer and then the receipt has been printed in this building at the meter 4th
After about 30 or 40 minutes, my number was called, I went to leave the bar, and got my receipt. The man next to me had a lower number, but the number was not called, he got a little excited and went to the counter where the woman told him to wait.
I went toterminate, and it was my visa run lady collection of revenue, and then ushers us through one of the vans. My entrance had shown "double-entry tourist visa 60 days" and "Fee: $ 0", so I was happy.
The van has led us to a local restaurant, where we are a Thai / Lao food breakfast or brunch of fried rice and did whatever. This was free, paid for the stay-run companies, but soft drinks were 20 Baht extra.
In Laos, you can use them interchangeably kip, Thai baht and the dollar. If you pay in ThaiBaht, you get change in Thai Baht. If you pay in U.S. dollars, you get change in Kip, which, like Cambodia's currency, a very high denominations and of no value. A Pepsi was 20 baht, which was reasonable, but not diet drinks were available. By the way, losing only ATMs in Laos Kip.
After breakfast, we were by van to the hotel, which is acceptable as a right, may be 2,5 Stars. There was no pool, only one room, but there was a large room with private bath and cable orSatellite TV with many Thai, Lao, and some a couple of movie channels including HBO and Star Movies.
The bathroom was typical Thai style, without a shower or bath, shower and head against the wall. There was a flash water heater that works, and was the toilet. The towels were big, red, soft, and of course new.
I had an extra 200 baht at the reception for a private room. The visa run in the amount of 5000 baht includes a shared room (2 per room). The fee increases to 6000 bahtafter the free tourist visa support ends 5th June.
In the bed of 1PM in the afternoon, I slept for several hours, got up, showered, watched a movie, then went in search of food. I walked up and down the main street nearby, but there was nothing attractive. However, the office complex was 20 meters from the hotel has a restaurant, so I went and found in 5 other farangs from visa requirements to run there. The food was good and the prices were not expensive, and I could pay in ThaiBaht. The young lady behind the counter was probably the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen have, and I have been to Thailand from and for 20 years. It made me wish I were 25 again.
The next day I had breakfast at the same restaurant, and then around 1pm, we piled into the van again and were taken to the border. There are a lot of "duty free" shops at the border. We waited about 45 minutes or so, and then run the visa lady showed up, and we all went through immigration with theBorder with Laos people just looking at us, not about our passports, the visa had the lady running to see.
Back over the bridge to Thailand, where we waited another 45 minutes or so, then it was back in the bus for the trip. Within an hour, we stopped at a restaurant, where we have another Thai meal, again free, drinks, 20 baht.
The return trip was much faster, since a couple of DVD movies were played, which occupies the time and spirit.
We came back inBangkok at 1.30 clock. You can always get voted out again along the route, some rely on Ramkhamhaeng. I waited until the end, which is right next Ekamai BTS station, where I was closed quickly discovered that the BTS. A 80-baht taxi ride later I was back home.
Would I do it again? In any case, yes. The whole process was pretty much automatic. The company took care of everything. You have to book a seat in advance though. A seemingly Farang called to find out the price and the timeshowed up and was angry that there is no place for him. But he had not reserved a room that was not his name or phone number, there was no luck. Of course, he had left it until the last day of his visa, he must cover the next day, somehow, and would pay the 500 baht.
Let's summarize: you go at 8.30 clock, spend a night on the bus. It will then wait half a day, included with brunch. Check in to hotel, sleep a little, or, if you explore the stamina to Vientiane.Not much there, though. Eating, sleeping one night in a hotel. The next day, waiting to for a morning or visit Vientiane, then return by bus to Bangkok, arriving about 1:30 clock.
If you want to do it himself, was the company I used "Quick Thai Visa Run", 6 Floor, PB Tower, 71 Sukhumvit Soi. The contact is Phillip, who speaks perfect English on 02-713-2498 (office hours) or 09-0245-255 (24 hours). ThaiVisaRun.com you have a website, but it has not been updated for a while, and onlyCambodia said its run, run do not Laos.
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