Submitted my online application soft power medical just after midnight this morning in Vientiane. I had to change my Non B extension 6 weeks before the DTV was released, so I immediately changed to Non O based on being over 50. Went to the consulate to queue at 8am for the 9am opening and surprised to see only a Thai/Laos family in line ahead of me to get a passport for their daughter. I'm a bit pissed at myself for not realizing there was a QR Code to download and print off by clicking whatever it was I needed to click to take me to that QR code form. This was revealed to me by the gateman and as I turned around to find a printer a tout dragged me across the street to a canopy tent with a guy and a laptop ready to grease me for 50 baht to print one page. I walked down the street into an office building and saw a young lady exiting an office and queried her as to where I could get a page printed. She kindly got it done for me in a minute. Apparently the office is a learning center and she spoke great English. So back down the street to hand over the printout and pay my 10K. Walked into the main foyer inside and spoke with a friendly, kind, informative, office staffer who told me that likely I'd be called in for an interview/open banking app in person by Friday. By the time I was back at my hotel status went from pending payment to payment received and pending document check, by 2pm it went to pending approval. I waited till today to apply as it was exactly 3 months seasoning of the 500K in one account and another account with 500+K that had steady monthly incremental increases over a year. Drove my old car from Chiang Rai to Vientiane using a international car passport from Thai DLT and a mini-marathon of back and forth counter shuffling paperwork on both sides of the Nong Khai border, it was a bucket list, level up task I wanted to accomplish. Apparently first time is always extra duty and easier once you get the initial bar/QR code. Beer Laos is dirt cheap 32 baht a bottle, I'm going to bring a dozen home even tho I'm not a drinker. Will update this post as circumstances dictate.

Update 13/03 2pm

E-mail received for interview Monday morning, darn I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait through the weekend. But, on the other hand it's pretty much a done deal now. I came with 3.1 million Kip, only have half a million left, my biggest expense was 620,000 on a quality outdoor adventure type shirt. 100K on a massage and the rest on food and morning coffee, where the heck did it all go?