Advice for those presenting bills/notes to Thai Consulates and Laos Immigration abroad in Vientiane and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) for payment of visas: make sure your $USD are crisp and clean. I've had both experiences from Laos (Friendship Bridge in Laos) and the Thai Consulate in Saigon (HCM City) who wanted crisp and clean (no cuts or rips ) on the $USD currency.