When can I expect to retrieve my visa after visiting the Thai embassy in Vientiane?

Yes Tod because they are too lapse in how they do business. It's time they were pulled in to line. They are very obviously in it for the money.

It's just that they're the ONLY thai consulate in the area that DOESN'T require any of the 3-proof-ofz. ;)

Took the 6 am flight from Chiangmai but had to go to the immigration office in Nong Khai before I could cross the border. Was at the consulate 9:30ish. Got no 865. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz but yeah it was a Monday too

Carsten yes that is one thing to bear in mind, they give the passports back in the same order that they get the applications and Vientiane has become much busier now as the other consulates are tightening up. So if you want to get the 18:00 flight need to get there relatively early on the first day so you will get your passport back relatively early the second. I used just go whenever the first day myself but more recently I have made sure to get there early-ish. I think my worst number has been 350-400 or so and I got the flight OK with that. They give them back at the rate of 200 or so per hour starting at 1pm so if your number is below 400 you should get before 15:00 and all OK.

I used to do that too. Get the 6:10 flight BUT. Just 12 days ago I was there at 10 am, at the consulate, and there was 500 people or so in front of me, when I finally got my receipt and number for my passport it was number 865, and yes they start at number 1. Sure enough the next day there was 865 people in front of me, and being as efficient as Thailand are they only had 1 window open for giving back passports. I got mine at 5 pm, and there was no way I would have made the 6 pm flight

@Jo**

I have done it three times now and each time I got the 18:00 flight back same day.