We've just been refused permission to apply for a Tourist Visa for an Ethiopian citizen in the Thai embassy in Vientiane. Without a Tourist Visa we can't apply for our Education visa as that process takes 2-4 weeks Thai police report (and they hold your passport), 2-4 weeks Min of Education permission, then 2 weeks immigration (the last step at least we could do in Laos), and the Visa On Arrival only gives 30 days.

What is our best option? (Visa services won't help Ethiopians, lawyers don't seem to know.) Courier the Tourist Visa application to the Thai embassy in Kenya? How do we prove funds? Go back to Bangkok on our (second, by air) VOA and apply for Tourist visa there? Do Thai police report and maybe Min of Ed in BKK on VOA, then Ed visa in Laos? Elite takes 2-3 months so mightn't come until January anyway. We have a UK visit visa for her (I and our son are British). Any ideas I've missed?