Be careful for the Laos immigration.
Me and +- 20 people needed an VOA it's 40 dollar or 1700 baht.
I was the last in the row and we did standing very close to each other.
I could see around 80% of their payments.
Everybody did pay with 2 x 1000 baht.
NOBODY DID GET THEIR 300 BAHT CHANGE BACK.
2 people infront of me from French did complain together with me. And asked for the 300 baht change. Immigration did act like they have no idea what we talk about.
After 3 times telling the same stort they did understand it.
They had to look for 10 minutes for 2x 300 baht.
And for me there was no 300 baht but only 500baht so I did pay 200 baht and did get back 500 baht.
The immigration did keep at least 300 baht from 1500 people!
Be careful when you go to laos.
(I did go 3 days for border run)
TLDR : Answer Summary
The post shares a cautionary experience regarding Laos immigration when paying for a visa on arrival (VOA). The author, along with others, reports that they were not given their full change after paying the visa fee, leading to suspicions of embezzlement by border officials. Comments from readers add insights into the proper currency for payment—preferably pristine US dollars due to poor exchange rates—and describe similar experiences of corruption and challenges at various border crossings into Laos. Overall, the thread emphasizes the importance of being aware of potential scams and the correct procedures when crossing the border.