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Is it legal to do a same-day border run from Thailand to Laos and back for a new 45-day entry stamp?

visa border run Thailand immigration Laos border crossing visa regulations NON-O visa entry stamp multiple entry visa visa exempt Chiang Khong

Nov 18, 2022

2 years ago

Nadeem ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi.  I would like to complete a visa border run without any hired assistance.  I plan to drive a hire car with my family to the Chiang Khong region on the border with Laos.  At that point I plan to leave the car on the Thai border and then get a bus to the Laos border, cross over (fill out the forms, pay my Laos visa fees) and then come back and enter Thailand (get my 45 day entry stamp) all in the same hour/day.  

Will the Thai border immigration officials have no issue with seeing me leave (giving me the exit stamp) and then seeing me come back same day shortly to get your new 45 days arrival stamp visa?  Is it legal to do this?  I am being told I might need a multiple entry visa to do this…

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user plans to conduct a same-day border run from Thailand to Laos, leaving their rental car at the Thai border and crossing on foot to obtain a new 45-day entry stamp upon re-entry to Thailand. Responses indicate that others have successfully done similar border runs without issues, but caution is given regarding the limits on land border crossings, typically two per year. Overall, advice suggests that the planned border run is legally permissible.

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Nadeem ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks everyone for your responses. Sounds like an overwhelming thumbs up for me to make a same day Laos land crossing and back into Thailand again with no issues.

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Nick ************

Presumably you dont have a current Visa but a previous 45 day Visa exempt. Why not extend locally 30 days then do border run as planned or have you done that already? I did this several times at the Mukdahan border crossing no problems but only twice in one year.

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Robert *********

Living the dream 😉

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Steve ********

Laos borders are very straightforward. I've only used Chong Mek. I just left my car on the Thai side, walked through the tunnel under the car park and entered Laos. Had a coffee, picked up some duty free wine and walked back into Thailand. No bus, no hassles. Very easy

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Steve ********

Francis Walugembe Uganda you need to apply for a visa from an embassy or consulate before coming into Thailand. The border bounce 45 day entry is for visa exempt countries

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Steve ********

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Jeremy ********

no problems at all, just make sure you can still do land border crossings, you can only do 2 per year...

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Nadeem ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jeremy *******

that’s reassuring that you and Martin have had no issue. This will be our first land border crossing. Did you encounter the issue that Martin describes in his post about people pestering him?

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Jeremy ********

@Nadeem *******

its super simple, just make sure you are nice to the I/O...with land border crossings unless the policy has changed you only get 30 days on a visa waiver, if you fly in you get the 45 days visa waiver stamp....just FYI so you are not disappointed...

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Roberto *********

@Jeremy *******

He's on visa exempt not visa waiver. It's 45 days entry stamp at all borders, land, air or sea

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Steve ********

@Jeremy *******

You get 45 days for visa exempt at all borders. There was no change to the visa waiver

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Nigel *********

@Jeremy *******

it's visa exempt and it's 45 days land border or air. Extendable

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Nigel *********

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Martin *********

I've done this i encountered no problems

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Nadeem ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Martin ********

that’s reassuring to know Martin. You left and came back on the same day with no issues.

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Martin *********

@Nadeem *******

it took about 40 min only problem was there's a lot of horrible people trying to do your visa for you to get back across unfortunately it seemed we had to pay a small price 😕 and go with the flow.

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Nadeem ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Martin ********

so I can understand what you mean there…. After we have passed through Laos immigration and get the bus back to the Thai border, we will have a lot of people offering to help us in some capacity? And want to be paid for it?

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Martin *********

@Nadeem *******

basically. Yes 👍

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Martin *********

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