Yes, the Lao eVisa sticker is smaller than the regular Lao Visa sticker, but Lao eVisa price is about USD $52.-
And, of course, you still have to queue separately for the Lao eVisa sticker upon arrival and only able to enter Laos at 3 Land Border Gates along the Lao-Thai Border, or 2 Lao Airports with direct flights with Thailand that accept Lao eVisa.
when Lao Immigration accepts payment for the Lao VoA in Thai Baht instead of USD Dollars, then it will be at a 'very bad exchange rate'. Hence, the Baht price will not be the equivalent price of USD $40.- This has always been the case with the old prices for Lao VoA (was varied, depending on passport country). Pay in crisp, new, clean US Dollar banknotes for Lao VoA of USD $40.-
try including a copy of your Australia Post Mail Redirection Application form (date stamped) + Receipt, which would show your 'official' change of address from old to new addresses
For South Korean (RoK) passports and a few other countries who have BILATERAL visa waiver/visa exemption with Thailand, the 2 free land entries limit per calendar year never applied to them and could make more than 2 land entries into Thailand per calendar year.
A specified by various Royal Gazette Notices: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Burnei;
others: Laos, Vietnam, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and few others I don't recall at the moment
Expats in Laos (and others) regularly go to and from Thailand for day trips for various purposes besides tourism: medical visits, stock up on groceries, bring the odd equipment for repair to specialists/experienced in Thailand, source spare parts for household items, even just enjoying a family outing, etc.
That's why the restriction of 2 free land entries per calendar year to most of the tourist unilateral visa exemption countries starting in January 2017 was really a bummer for expats in Laos and even those Lao families with members holding foreign passports.
Because, getting the 6 month Thai METV was quite inconvenient, such as competing in the queue with all those doing Thai visa runs, et al just to do day trips across the bridge/border every so often (above the twice per year limit).
Notwithstanding all I have said, expats in Laos do support Laos and the Lao economy (buying and using local goods and services), but enjoying something different just a short drive across the bridge every so often more conveniently would be nice.
That's why it is great news that, along with expanding the tourist unilateral visa exemption to 60 days and 93 countries/territories, the 2 free per calendar year land crossing limit seems to be rescinded as well, but some Thai Immigration officers at various border posts along the Lao-Thai Border still say otherwise.
It is unfortunate that there is nothing yet published in the Royal Gazette nor any publicly seen or circulated Notices or Directives from the Thai Immigration Bureau (สตม) that would say the 2 free land entries limit has been "officially" rescinded.
