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The Fastest & Most Comfortable Visa Run Under 3,000 Baht [In 10 Easy Steps]

This visa run option can be done from any airport where Nok Air has a flight into Udon Thani, which includes Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

I first used this method because my 90-day stay was up on my Non-Immigrant O Visa. I wanted another 90 days and needed to leave and return to get a stamp.

However, this visa run is applicable to anyone who needs to stamp in and out on any visa.

Since first writing this post things have changed slightly, so I'm updating this post for 2024 with the latest details.

Basically, the original post used the Nok Air Fly n' Ride service. But since the Covid restrictions ended the airline hasn't reinstated this service, which used to take you all the way to Vientiane.

They may reinstate the route at any time, so do check first.

If not, no worries; it's just as easy to recreate the route yourself.

There are two options for this trip, to do it in one day or stay overnight.

Get Your Visa for Laos

Just a quickie before we start, because you don't want to forget this important requirement.

The likelihood is that you will need a visa to enter Laos. I do and I'm from the UK.

To save time at the border and avoid having to fill out forms and hang about, you can get a visa before you go.

Simply go to iVisa and do your application online. You'll get a single entry tourist visa, valid for 60 days.

+ Go to the iVisa website

Fastest Thai Visa Run Under 3,000 Baht

thailand-visa-run

Under 3,000 Baht return!

Option 1: Same Day Return

Not only is the fastest visa run possible, it is also the most comfortable and one of the cheapest.

It costs less than 3,000 Baht, and you don't have to sit cooped up in a minivan with a mad driver risking your life for 10-12 hours of the day.

I'm traveling out of Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, so I'll write this post from that point of view.

Documents, Money, Tools Required:

  • Departure card (filled in).
  • 30 Baht for bus ticket across the bridge (15 Baht each way).
  • 1x photo for Laos immigration.
  • $35 for Laos immigration (you can change your money up at the airport, but best to be organized and have it beforehand). You won't need this if you have already got an eVisa.
  • Pen (for filling out forms).
  • Lunch and snacks.

Step 1:

Book a Fly n' Ride ticket to Udon Thani with Nok Air.

If they don't have the Fly n' Ride option available, book to Udon Thani instead.

If you want to do this trip in a day then the latest flight you can book is the 13.20 pm flight.

But that's pushing it. You're better off going with the 7.50 am out of Don Mueang airport.

If you go for the 6 am flight, you could even be back in Bangkok, or wherever you flew in from, before lunchtime.

Step 2:

Take a taxi to Don Mueang airport, or, if outside of Bangkok to wherever your local airport is.

It's a domestic flight, so you can check in one hour before. I always do so two hours before, regardless. No risks taken.

Just get to the airport earlier than you need to, as you never know what delay you might run into on the way there.

Step 3:

You won't need an over night bag, so you'll have no luggage to check-in. This also makes your flight cheaper.

If you were able to book the Fly n' Ride route, you'll be given a sticker at check-in that tells the staff when you land that you are transferring to Vientiane (see the image below).

Go straight to the departure lounge and take advantage of the free WIFI while you wait. Connect to “Nok Wifi” and enter your Nok Air booking ID to login.

nok-air-Vientiane

Step 4:

You'll land in Udon Thani at 9 am.

As you make your way to arrivals, you'll see a toilet on the right-hand side before you go down the stairs. Use this toilet to go for a wee. You'll be in the mini-van for 45 minutes and the driver won't be making a gas station stop on the way.

Step 5:

Go down the stairs and look for the Nok Air rep with the clipboard. He/she will be waiting for you by the door. Follow the staff member to the minivan.

The van they use is usually a modern one. It has seat belts and air-con vents throughout. The driver tends to drive safely because he is representing the airline.

If you were only able to book to Udon Thani because the Fly n' Ride option wasn't available, don't worry.

Simply go to the Udon Kaew Tour company desk in arrivals. You can get a mini-van ticket from there for your trip to the border, which is called Friendship Bridge. Yhe cost should be no more than 200 Baht.

Step 6:

If you haven't already done so, make sure you have filled out your departure card. This will save you time when you get to Thai immigration at the border.

Be careful not to get out of the van too early. The van usually stops at a travel agents and at a shopping mall fairly near the border. A few people depart here.

Your stop is the final stop, as pictured below:

nong khai immigration

I didn't want to get too close while taking pictures at Thai immigration because you're not allowed.

Step 7.

Jump out at the checkpoint and make your way straight to immigration.

Collect a new arrival card to fill in while you are in Laos (for your return journey).

Once through Thai immigration, buy your 15 Baht bus ticket from the nice lady.

This bus will take you across the Friendship Bridge to Laos.

Ask if it’s the correct bus before you get on!

Don’t bother sitting if you don’t have to; it’s only a few minute’s ride.

bus across friendship bridge

The buses across the bridge tend to be old and full.

Step 8:

Jump off the bus and walk straight to ‘window 1' to get your forms.

Don’t bother downloading your form from a site to fill in before your journey. I did this last time and it was refused. Gutted!

Refuse all touts offering you a taxi or to help you fill in your forms.

Sit down on the bench and fill in your forms.

Watch your bag at all times!

Go back to ‘window 1' and give in your forms, passport, photo and $35. (Never pay in Baht, you will pay more that way).

Now go and wait by ‘window 3' to get your passport back.

Step 9:

Collect your passport and walk through to show it at the immigration checkpoint.

On the other side, a member of Nok Air staff will be waiting to meet you. There's a big Nok Air sign; you can't miss it.

If you have booked a flight back to Bangkok on the same day, you will need to sign to refuse the transfer to Vientiane and let the Nok Air staff know you are going back to Thailand straight away.

If you didn't book Fly n' Ride, you can just turn around and proceed to go back to Thailand.

Step 10:

Simply turn around and go back through immigration. Buy a bus ticket for 15 Baht (or 4,000 Kip) and repeat the process in reverse.

You will now need a minivan back to Udon Thani airport. If you booked the a same day Fly n' Ride return you will most likely be too early for the van, so you'll have to jump in an independent minivan.

And if you didn't book Fly n' Ride and instead a return to Udon Thai airport, you'll need a minivan anyway.

There is always a van or two filling up with people. I jumped in one for 200 Baht last time I did this in one day.

Option 2: Stay Overnight in Vientiane

I really prefer this option because it means less traveling in one day, and I get to see the sunset over the Mekong, have dinner in Laos, and do some shopping at the night market.

Oh, and grab a foot massage, if I have time.

So, it's all the same steps as Option 1, except at ‘Step 9' you jump in the Nok Air minivan and go through to Vientiane.

If your hotel is on the way, the van will happily drop you off. If not, you will be taken to a travel agent in town named Trans-Express.

This is the official Nok Air drop off and pick-up point.

You then have to make your way to your hotel, which will be walkable if you use one of my hotel recommendations below.

Hotel Recommendation 1: IBIS Nam Phu

I’ve stayed at the Ibis Nam Phu three times. I go back because it’s reliable.

I know what I’m getting and it has been a wonderful experience every time.

It's clean, nicely decorated, good WIFI, and great customer service.

The staff all speak English (front desk) and are super-helpful.

Here’s a quick pros and cons breakdown for you:

ibis hotel vientiane

The Ibis rooms are clean and modern.

Pros:

  • Centrally located.
  • Can walk to and from the Nok Air drop-off/pick-up point.
  • Very clean (international chain hotels have standards to adhere to).
  • 15-minute problem solving policy (they solve any issue within 15 minutes).
  • Wonderful lobby for relaxing/working.
  • Close to the night market.
  • Next door to Nam Phu (music, restaurant and bar).
  • Close to everything: temples, shops, restaurants, etc.
  • Comfortable bed.
  • Flat screen TV with international news channels.
  • Work desk in room.
  • Great WIFI.
  • Good breakfast options.
  • Bar and restaurant open all day.

Cons:

  • Not that cheap at around $70 per night, but for the location and the quality you can’t go wrong – there won’t be any unwanted surprises!
  • Some rooms are smaller than others.
  • Breakfast is not usually included in the price. You can get a full breakfast for $8, or the smaller cereal, fruit, coffee breakfast for $5. Don’t sweat this, though; there are three cafés, all serving great food, within walking distance.
ibis hotel vientiane

The lobby and restaurant are open plan. There's a long desk for working and sofas to chill out. There's also a bar (not pictured).

+ Check out prices for the Ibis here

Hotel Recommendation 2: Lao Orchid

My second recommendation is the Lao Orchid Hotel.

I’ve stayed here twice and you won’t be disappointed with this choice either.

laos orchid vientiane

Pros:

  • Fantastic location, opposite a lovely temple and right next to the night market.
  • Lovely staff.
  • Wonderful lobby for chilling.
  • Great restaurant: Open-plan means you can chill there in the daytime.
  • Has parking if you want to hire a car.
  • Great breakfast buffet.
  • Bar and restaurant open all day.
  • Clean, spacious rooms.
  • Good WIFI.

Cons:

  • Can be a tad noisy, though good sleepers won't be affected. On my first visit I experienced dogs barking until 2 AM. I assume they were in the temple grounds.
  • The night market goes on until 9/10 PM, so it's a solid 11 PM before everyone has gone home to bed. It's a pretty sleepy town though, and there isn't much road noise at all after 11 PM.
  • Not cheap in comparison to “backpacker” hostels, but mid-priced compared to the Salana and the Dhavara.

+ Check out prices for the Laos Orchid here

Last Steps – Back to Thailand

Step 11:

Okay, this brings us to the last step in this Thai visa run process.

Remember, you need to meet at the Nok Air meeting point, which as I mentioned previously is currently the Trans-Express travel agents.

Arrive here a solid 15 minutes before departure time.

Go inside and sit down on the bench provided. The driver will arrive with a clip-board to check you in. He will leave sharply, so don't be late.

trans express vientiane

You'll know you're at the right place because the office looks like something out of the 1970s. They still had a Golf Tour brochure on display from 1995!

Step 12:

If you haven't done so already, fill out your Laos departure card before you leave to save time when going through immigration.

If you remembered to pick one up on the way in, fill out your Thai immigration arrival card too.

Step 13:

You will be dropped off by the minivan at immigration (border control).

Once through, you need the bus ticket to cross the bridge. This costs 4,000 Kip, so make sure you save some kip. You can pay in Baht, but having Kip saves time.

*NOTE: Don’t change up too much Kip. You can’t change it back to Baht in Thailand or anywhere else for that matter. No one wants this currency!

+ Read my Laos money guide here

Don’t sit down on the bus. Stand at the front so that you can be one of the first to get off.

Once you’ve arrived at Thai immigration, get straight into the queue; the last thing you want is a bus-load of border runners getting in front of you – this could cost you 45 mins or more.

Step 14:

On the other side, walk straight ahead until you see a bench next to a Nok Air sign.

Now, PAY ATTENTION!

DO NOT listen to the touts telling you that you have missed the Nok Air bus.

If in doubt, call the number provided on the sign. These touts are trying to trick you into taking a taxi/van with them, which will set you back in excess of 300 Baht.

The minivan will arrive. Sign your name and seat belt up for the ride.

You’ll probably have a couple of hours to kill at Udon Thani airport.

There’s a restaurant on the second floor, before you clear security to go into the waiting lounge. There’s also a coffee shop and gift shops on the first floor.

Inside the lounge is a Black Canyon Coffee shop and some snack shops. Being an airport, expect to pay premium prices for snacks.

That’s it! You’re done.

Get on the flight and return to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket or wherever you came from or are going to.

udon thani airport

Boarding the plane at 6.35 PM Udon Thani Airport

Need a Tourist / Non O Visa From the Vientiane Thai Embassy?

It may be the case that you want to go over the border and visit the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane.

To do that, you can apply the same steps using the information above, but bear in mind that you will most likely need to stay overnight, unless you take a very early morning flight.

You have to make an appointment to visit the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane to obtain a Tourist Visa or Non Immigrant Visa. You can't just turn up.

Before submitting the visa application in person at the Embassy, you will first need to schedule an online appointment.

Recently there have been reports of no available appointments for 2 weeks, so you may need to plan in advance.

The online booking platform can be found here.

If you're in a pickle and need that visa much faster, you'll need to think about another embassy; perhaps consider Vietnam (Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh).

You can usually get one done in a day there. Or try Penang, Malaysia, though get there early as they only accept 100 applicants per day.

And don't forget your visa for Laos!

More Tips for a Better Life in Thailand

Send Money to Thailand:

Use Transferwise. It is fast, cheap, and gives you the market exchange rate. Me and the majority of my readers are using it.

Get Good Health Insurance:

Start with a quick quote from Cigna. Then compare my other recommendations here.

Improve Your Thai Skills:

Learning Thai makes life here easier and more fun. I use Thaipod101. It is free to get started & easy to use.

Protect Your Online Privacy:

A VPN protects you against hackers and government snooping. I always use one. You should too. Read why here.



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  2. Rachel says

    Hi!

    This was very helpful, thank you! My partner and I both got the 30 day stubs at the airport so we want to make a little trip (2-3 days) across the border to Laos and get another 30 days on the way back-

    Just to double check - this is an option again right? The border is open for land-crossings again, right? And I'm looking at the tickets to Udon Thani and its not under the "fly n'ride" section - after buying those tickets are we automatically signed up for the free shuttle service to Vientiane?

    Thank you thank you!
    Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          I just had a look. The few links I tried are not found if you click book from that page. However, if you go to the home page and select a flight itinerary the Vientiane fly & ride option isn't there. However, the Nong Khai one is (Nong Khai is the border town close to Laos). It says the driver can drop you at the bridge, where you need to cross the border. However, that isn't letting me select dates! I have a feeling that they haven't opened up some of the routes yet since Covid. You could call and ask, or email...Orwhat you can do is this: Select Udon Thani instead. When you arrive you can take a minivan or a taxi to Nong Khai to the border. It takes under and hour. That's basically what the fly and ride is anyway. At Udon Thani airport, as you come into arrivals, there is a company based there that offer transport to the border. On the other side of the border you can take a taxi or minivan to into Vientiane. I've done this trip without fly and ride and this is how I did it. There is always mini van transport taking people from the airport to Nong Khai, and on the other side taking people into Vientiane. Should be no more than 200 Baht per person in the Minivan. A taxi will obviously be more.
          Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      She can apply for a further 30 days before her entry stamp expires. Even though there is a COVID-19 visa extension scheme for those stranded in Thailand, she didn't enter on a visa so I don't think she'll qualify for any further extension. She wouldn't be considered stranded. If she's desperate for 60 days, she might consider trying an agent to "assist" in the process.
      Reply

  4. Cal says

    Hi Peter,

    I hope you're well,

    I am a student in the UK hoping to move to Bangkok on a tourist visa and stay as long as I can. This year, many of the students on my course are working remotely and the lectures are all uploaded online - so I realised I don't need to be in the UK, I could spend time in SE Asia and pay a fraction of what I am paying here in the UK for my accommodation and food whilst doing all of my uni work and exams online.

    Do you know if this tourist run is working currently or will be soon? I am hoping to move on the 6th of January. I am hoping to spend all of my time in Bangkok but would Your opinion on how long I might realistically be able to stay would be invaluable to me as there is so much information online at the moment which is incredibly complicated.

    Many thanks in advance,

    Cal
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Cal, yes, you can get a tourist visa. The borders aren't open yet but they are planning to allow some transit soon. You should be able to get a multiple entry tourist visa (last 6 months but you have to leave every 60 days and re-enter to activate a further 60-day stay. You can extend one stay by 30 days, giving you 90). Even a single entry visa gives you 60 days straight. You can then extend inside the country for 30 days, giving you 90 days in one go.More on the tourist visa here: https://www.thethailandlife.com/thailand-tourist-visa Latest on COVID travel requirements here: https://www.thethailandlife.com/thailand-travel-restrictions
      Reply

    • JamesE says

      One thing to consider, as well, is to enroll in a college or university in Thailand and take a course or two a session to maintain a student visa. You might be able to arrange things so that the credits you get in Thailand can be transferred to your uni in the UK and the costs (I'm guessing here) would be in the same range as the border runs your planning. Currently the ED visa is being restricted to students in accredited institutions so the "language school scam" is not available. Local courses would also get you out of the house...
      Reply

  5. Rasmus says

    Hi Peter,

    Hope you are well and safe. Thanks for sharing this great guide. Very helpful!

    We are a family of four travelling Thailand for half a year on a multiple entry visa. The time for a border run is fast approaching, and we are considering how to best do this. We are currently in Phuket.

    Do you know whether the fly n' ride approach is viable again, i.e. if the border to Laos is open? I looked at the Nok Air web site but was unable to find the option.

    Alternatively, we were considering a quick return flight to Kuala Lumpur, i.e. fly out from Phuket on day 1, stay at a transit hotel at Kuala Lumpur airport for a night, and then fly back the next day. We would do this after the quarantine requirements for Thailand are lifted on November 1, hopefully. What would be your thoughts on this approach?

    Any additional approaches you can recommend?

    Hoping to hear from you. Any input would be highly appreciated.

    Thanks.

    BR, Rasmus
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Rasmus, the Laos border is not open for tourist crossings. You can go to an immigration office and get a 60-day Covid visa extension. This option is available until November 26. The cost will be 1,900 Baht per person. I don't know if this will change after Nov 1, but this scheme was extended back in September to run until November 26.
      Reply

      • Rasmus says

        Hi Peter,

        Thanks for the quick reply, and confirming that Laos is not an option at this point.

        I actually went to the immigration a couple of days back to get some advice on the best approach, given that we would be staying for a total 153 days (yes, I know now 150 days (60+30+60) would have been ideal but I missed that when planning the trip). A very friendly man at the info counter told me that I would need to register my address with the government to be eligible for the 60-day COVID extension that runs until November 26. Since we are living a month at a time in places rented through Airbnb, this seemed like too much paperwork for our landlords to get involved in when we are only staying short-term. Please let me know if you believe the address requirement is false. I will then check again with them.

        Another question, if you can please bear with me; I saw in one of your other posts that you can only do the 30-day extension on multiple entry tourist visas once. I was hoping to get to the 153 days mentioned above through two extensions and one border run, i.e. 60+30+60+30 days. Have I understood it correctly that I can actually only do 60+30+60 days, meaning I need to leave three days earlier than originally planned? Should I consider "intentional overstay" and pay the fine, or is that just poor form?

        Again, thanks for your help. Invaluable for someone without experience with Thai visa system!

        BR, Rasmus
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          The address reporting is required by law anyway, and should be done by the landlord. Please see her: https://www.thethailandlife.com/tm30-guideOnce that is done you can get your extension.That's correct, you can only extend once on a visa. I'd go for the COVID extension. If the landlord is being awkward about it, which they shouldn't because it is a legal requirement, perhaps go to an agent and get them to sort it for you.3 days overstay won't be a big deal. Just say one of you had the runs and you had to delay the flight. I don't advise people to do this but if you're stuck with no choice then...
          Reply

          • Rasmus says

            Hi Peter,

            I am really learning here, thanks! Too bad about the extension only being available once, but your post on TM30 on the other hand made me realize how simple the address thing is. I will check with the landlord again to get it done. I see that Airbnb has an article on Responsible Hosting in Thailand, also mentioning the requirement so I can refer to that too.

            Final question (hopefully); We are moving to a new place a couple of days after the end of our initial 60 day visa period but before the deadline on November 26 for the 60 day COVID extension. If my landlord ends up being awkward about the TM30 and I decide to avoid the conflict, could I then instead extend the initial 60 days with the regular 30 days to get me to the new place AND THEN go for the COVID extension after securing the TM30, thus getting 60+30+60 days in total? Or does the COVID extension "overrule" the regular 30 day extension, meaning I end up with something like 60+10+60 days in total?

            The 60+30+"60 COVID days" approach would get me to 150 days without a border run, meaning a substantial saving if I indeed otherwise had to go to Kuala Lumpur and back by air. I might just shorten our trip by a handful of days to stay within the 150 days and avoid the overstay.

            BR, Rasmus
            Reply

    • Jerry Scanlon says

      Don't forget it's a two way crossing, i.e. you cross into Laos with the intention of coming back to Thailand.
      Even when Laos opens the border there will ( I have been informed, quarantine procedures to follow and you may well have to book a quarantine hotel and stay there two weeks before you can move around ( yes even to the embassy).
      Just saying, check requirements for both Countries before you set off.
      Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      The borders to Laos were supposed to open yesterday but I didn't hear anything in news. Unsurprisingly, given the current situation in Thailand, I'm sure they will remain closed for now.
      Reply

  7. John Alderman says

    Thanks Peter,
    For your update. I am stuck on the Penal Colony down under since 14 January 2020. My new family are in Kathu. Missing them so much. I tried for an Aussie exemption to no avail. The Foreign Affairs delegate believes that Health Risk comes before Family Matters. I would like to put delegate in the same lonely position I and many others are in. Cheers John
    Reply

  8. Jeremiah Scanlon says

    Thailand Life, thanks for the updates. Married 24 years and live in Sakon Nakhon. Currently stuck in UK for one year now so following your posts in anticipation of the news that the borders are open again.
    Reply

      • Hugh says

        Poor sad Gooners,Is there any news about Thailand re-opening its borders to the dirty tourists yet?I'm nearly a year from being apart from my G.F and our 2 boys.What a mess. What's the news on us being allowed back in without restrictions?G.F has got a UK visa now so the clock is ticking but now the U.K (B.A) have blocked their flight here until next year.I was hoping to fly out to BKK and help them move and fly back with them.Ground Hog day all year.Hugh
        Reply

          • Hugh says

            Hi sad gooner,
            I get the Thai restrictions via the HM Government website thanks.
            My question was :- is there any credible news in Thailand about the current thailand entry restrictions being lifted?
            Also the "edited" version of my original quote came from the official Thai Health Minister concerning Westerners being responsible for the spread of Covid, and his comments were well documented in UK and other Western newspapers.
            Reply

            • TheThailandLife says

              Hi Huge, what do you mean sad gooner?No credible news, just rumour. The general consensus is that Thailand won't be opening up properly until 2021, hopefully before April. My guess is they, like others, are holding out for a vaccine. Who knows, perhaps vaccination will be a requirement for entry.
              Reply

              • Hugh says

                Sad Gooner. a) bottom half of the league b) 1 win in 5, c) 1 goal in 5, d) fights on the training pitch, 2 x sent home e) fighting (head but) opposition after 8 minutes (red card) f) Mezul Ozil £350,000 a week for what? g) keep banging on about the Wenger glory days in pubs h) shitty away strips i) refusal to put decent youngsters into starting 1st team regularly i.e Eddie Nketi (stick with the under performing big names, Lacazette), j) most expensive home tickets in Premiership for past 10 years, k) least amount of strikes on goal of top 6 L) all your players wear gloves, m) a tw@t supporter who makes millions by having his you-tube supporters channel talking b@ll@x, (now moaning coz he can't get to the games) n) David Dien o) sacked Gunnersaurous and all the tea ladies etc, p) still boring q) players not giving 2 fingers to the fans like they used to r) Ian Wright doing Christmas adverts on T.V s) Tony adams moaning in the papers why Arsse nel won't give him a top coaching position at the emershytes t) & Tottenham are top of the league. I'm sure I've missed some other items off this list, but something for you to consider in your 30'C November weather.
                The G.F and the boys were booked on a B.A flight to here for next month. Cancelled. Trying now for January. I'd like to come back and help her move, but £2k to sit in a hotel under Stazi conditions is not a viable option. Plus 72 hour tests. You can't get a test in UK don't believe the hype. Plus grovel to the Thai UK Embassy for "permission" to fly, I'm sure that would include a brown envelope or 4. I hear there is more Covid cases in Bkk but just not getting reported. Perhaps the pollution kills Covid. Perhaps the vaccine is all in vain, it's pollution we need. Anyway UK signed a deal with Thailand to supply vaccines last month.
                Rant Over. Mwahs
                Reply

                • TheThailandLife says

                  Haha. I didn't know you knew I supported Arsenal. I don't disagree with your analogy. This season doesn't count IMO. Without the crowd it just feels weird. The restrictions are a nightmare. What can we do though? People are at the mercy of this. I hope you get it sorted for January.
                  Reply

                    • Hugh says

                      Hi again,
                      Re:- my g.f's flight etc I booked with B.A to bring her +2 sons over coz B.A were saying they had resumed regular LHR - BKK - LHR services from December ? 1st ? onwards. So I booked. Went into lockdown here and flight gets cancelled. B.A now saying the service will resume on Jan 11th 2021. I'm assuming they were talking to the Thai Junta / government. So we will need to see what happens. But I feel they do now want to resurrect their doomed tourist industry. However, their offensive comments about us might have done more damage than covid.

  9. geoff sloman says

    Thank you for this comprehensive article. I have never done a border run. Lived in Thailand for 17 years after arriving on a non O-A visa. because of the new health insurance requirement for OPD cover to do my one year extension i want to eventually change my visa to an O to avoid the expensive OPD premium. I am 77 years old. However i guess your article was written pre COVID as i understand all borders are still closed ? Am i correct ?
    Reply

  10. Dino says

    Thanks for the article. Current situation is this, so any help would be greatly appreciated:

    I'm a teacher in Thailand and I am starting a new job/employer in May. I need to leave the country after cancelling my work permit and Non-B and return as a tourist (60 days ideally) so I can then upgrade it back to the Non-B and new work permit.

    Is this still possible anywhere with the new restrictions with visa on arrivals because of the coronavirus?

    Thanks in advance!
    Reply

    • Louise says

      I’m in the exact same position and wondering the same thing. I’ve heard that in Vientiane you have to make an appointment but the next available appointment isn’t until 3rd April.. would we still need to make an appointment if we go through this method? I also thought with the 60 day we had to stay overnight but if it is possible to do in a day that would be more ideal as I’m worried about getting stuck in Laos with the corona situation.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        If you need a tourist visa, you will need to book an appointment at the embassy in Vientiane. If you stamp in and out you will get 30 days. Why not do that, then extend at immigration for a further 30 days near the time the 30-day stamp runs out.
        Reply

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