Trip Report - Queen Vic Pattaya Vientiane Visa Run

[ASIA_SEXPAT]

I just did my first visa run from Pattaya to Vientiane to get a double entry tourist visa, so I thought I'd post a bit of a trip report and some photos of the trip. 

 

I had a couple of people offer to set up a meeting with someone at immigration, make a payment and get the visa without having to do the trip. I guess this method is quite a common now, but I know of many people in The Philippines that have got themselves into trouble getting visas this way, so I decided to do it the right way. 

 

I made a booking with The Queen Vic's '1st Class Visa Runs' which is located on Sexy Soi 6. Turns out they are just an agent for another company that has a bunch of vans. You might like to try booking through them directly to get a discount - Sea Air Land Tours (SAL)

 

The driver from SAL picked us up from our residence in Jomtien at about 6:30pm. He had called to say he was 5 minutes away, but then didn't arrive for 25 minutes - (Delay #1). We then went and picked up a bunch of Russians in the Pratumak Hill area and none were ready to leave - (Delay #2).

 

The van was a performance enhanced diesel ten seater Toyota Hiace. It was fairly comfortable inside. Seating is luck of the draw. If you are picked up last you'll get whatever seat is left. If you are solo I suggest the front passenger seat. 

 

SAL Visa Service:

 

 

I have two main criticisms of the SAL visa service:

 

1. The drivers drive like they're on drugs. I've been living in Asia for a number of years now, so I'm not a stranger to crazy driving, but these guys were doing stupid shit like flying up the inside lane and driving straight through red traffic lights at full speed with their hazard lights on. Most of the time we were doing 130Km/h but only because the van wouldn't go any faster. 

Four vans travelled together most of the way. They would drive at high speed like a stunt team only meters apart. If suddenly one had to stop the others behind would brake and swerve. It obviously hadn't occurred to these idiots what might happen if they weren't able to swerve? 

They have these LED light bars mounted on the dash that flash blue/red/white as if they're police. They use them to intimidate other drivers by tailgating them with the colored lights flashing. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. These guys seem to think they have special road privileges because they're doing visa runs.. WTF?

 

2. They weren't at all organized and didn't communicate anything to the passengers about the trip plan. I asked the driver when we were leaving Pattaya which way we were going and then what time we'd be stopping for dinner only to realize he didn't speak any English. When we did stop it was about midnight and it was at a gas station with a 7eleven. We were there for 45 minutes while these idiots filled in the visa application forms. That could have been done before we left - (Delay #3). There was nothing to eat there except microwave 7eleven food. Not ten minutes down the road there was a big 24 hour restaurant complex. It was the same for every stop - always at 7eleven. 

 

We arrived at the Thai Laos border around 4:45am. All that crazy driving and we sat and waited for a full hour for the border gates to open - (Delay #4). I had assumed we were taking the van in to Laos, so when I went to go through immigration I left my bag in the van. I noticed other people carrying theirs, so I went back and got mine only to find out the van was staying in Thailand. I had a change of clothes, toiletries, my laptop and iPad in the bag. I would have been very upset if it was left in a hot van in the sun for 30+ hours.  

 

There was more waiting at the border while the immigration officials had their morning meeting - (Delay #5). Then we had to wait 25 minutes for a bus to take us over the Meekong river bridge - (Delay #6). Be warned you'll be attacked by hundreds mosquitos at this point and there's no escape. Bring some repellant. 

 

When we arrived at the Lao immigration side we had to wait for about an hour for our Lao visas to be processed - (Delay #7). By this time everyone was tired of the delays and many were getting grumpy, including me. It seemed there would be no delay at all of we didn't have to wait for the SAL staff to pay bribe money to the Laos immigration staff. Other people were just paying and walking right through. 

 

All of the Russians were called through a long time before the rest of us, which meant they were first in line at the Thai embassy. At this point the SAL Visa staff also separated my Filipina girlfriend from me by sending her with another group. She was separated because she is a different nationality to me, but it wasn't necessary. There was no communication in regards to this, which annoyed me because my girlfriend had no money or anything and our Thai SIM cards didn't work in Laos. 

 

When we arrived at the Thai embassy it wasn't even open - (Delay #8). It was unclear if we were supposed to join the queue because again there was no communication from the SAL staff. Some more people started to arrive, so after I located my girlfriend I decided it was a good idea to join the queue. We bought some coffee from a vendor for 20 baht and it tasted like mud. 

 

Suddenly the gates of the Thai embassy swung open and everyone started rushing in to get to the front of the queue. The SAL staff still had my passport and visa application forms, so there was no point in me getting too close to the front of the line. A few minutes later one of the Russian girls in the group arrives with a bunch of our passports and started handing them out. I thought this was one of the most unprofessional acts so far by the SAL staff. They seem unaware of how important a person's passport is and what a difficult situation they would be placing me in if mine was lost. There was more than 200 people there at this stage and passport and visa applications were being passed about everywhere. 

 

We had to queue up to get a number to queue up - (Delay #9). Then we sat and waited for our number to be called so that we could submit our applications - (Delay #10). After that we waited again for the entire group to submit all of their applications - (Delay #11). Then we piled into some vans and at last headed for the hotel.

 

The hotel had a breakfast waiting for us of canned frankfurt sausages and stone cold fried eggs with salad. I was ready for a shower and a sleep, but I was told our rooms were not yet ready, so again I had to WAIT! (Delay #12). 

 

The one great thing about this trip was the hotel. We scored a huge suite room that had two air-cons, a shower and a bath, full lounge area.. it was the biggest hotel room I've eve stayed in. Our meals at the hotel were included and they were decent. We just ordered off the menu. I really wanted to go out to explore Vientiane, but there was no motorbikes for rent anywhere near the hotel and it was too far from anywhere to walk. There was a tuk tuk available, but it was 200 baht minimum to go anywhere (one way). 

 

The trip back was just more delays. We had to wait at Lao immigration for 2 hours! Then when we crossed into Thailand it took the driver another hour until he had the van ready to go. I can see now why many say they would never do this trip again. Next time I'll just fly somewhere.   

 

 

The High Performance Toyota Racing Car

 

 

 

The Racing Harnesses

 

 

 

The Thai Laos Border

 

 

 

Waiting For Thai Immigration to Open

 

 

 

Boarding the Bus Over the Mighty Meekong River

 

 

 

It's a Big River

 

 

 

Waiting Outside The Thai Embassy

 

 

 

Queuing for a number to queue

 

 

 

Waiting to lodge the Visa Application

 

 

 

The fancy hotel (from Google)

 

 

[socrates]

Sounds like a total waste of time besides the actual visa and the hotel

[ASIA_SEXPAT]

Sounds like a total waste of time besides the actual visa and the hotel

 

Yes you are correct.. but I did get my double entry, so I'm good for 2x 3month stays here now. 

 

What I forgot to mention was that my GF was only given a single entry, so now she needs to go get another visa after 3 months. Most annoying part was that the SAL Visa guy told us the following day that we should have told the Thai embassy we were traveling together and they might have given my girl a double entry.

 

These guys are 'the experts' and he told me he just forgot to tell me. 

[yugot]

Sounds like a nightmare. And that's a heck of a drive to Vientiane. Isn't Poipet a lot closer?

[Bear194]

Thanks for the report - glad you survived the ordeal...

[ASIA_SEXPAT]

Sounds like a nightmare. And that's a heck of a drive to Vientiane. Isn't Poipet a lot closer?

 

Yes but you need to visit a Thai embassy to get the double entry visa. You'll only get 15 days now by going to the Cambodian border. 

[socrates]

Yes but you need to visit a Thai embassy to get the double entry visa. You'll only get 15 days now by going to the Cambodian border. 

 

Actually you get 30 days the RULES changed last year - if I remember correctly (for certain nationalities)

 

30 days for holders of passports from UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and Italy 

 

BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Immigration Bureau has confirmed to Thaivisa.com that holders of passports of UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and Italy are since November 1, 2013 given 30 days at land borders instead of previously only 15 days.

[dave01]

Actually you get 30 days the rules changed last year - if I remember correctly (for certain nationalities)

Not for an Aussie