Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Thai Visa Runs specifically to Laos. Now as I have made other videos on this topic before and I know it's a bit of a semantic point but I view there being a difference between what's called a Border Run and a Visa Run. So when you are talking about a Border Run, I usually take that to mean you are just hopping over the border, coming back in to get lawful status on re-entry; you're not going to an Embassy basically. With Visa Runs, I view that as a trip to an Embassy to get a Visa. Again, I know that is a slightly semantic difference but I think it's pretty important because you're doing two different things. So when somebody says Border Run to me and they really mean a Visa Run, I don't know, in my mind I am thinking of a different thing, but I have done this so long maybe I make these tiny little distinctions like trying to separate fly poop from black pepper, but that's just what I do I guess. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thai Visa Runs to Laos: latest updates. Quoting directly: "The Thai Embassy in Laos has announced that applicants will need to show a Thai Bank book with at least 25,000 baht (around US$650) available for spending in Thailand. Most nationalities can apply for the 60 day Tourist Visa, but those from 29 countries (including China and Bangladesh) may be subject to significant delays as further identity checks are made." As we noted in another video, they are saying the same thing for Border Runs at the Cambodian border as well. Excessive ID checking, depending on nationality or depending on if you had somebody dealing with your case in advance, ID checking may result in delays on being able to get back across the border. Quoting further: "Double or multiple entries to Thailand are awarded only to Laos citizens or to foreigners with long stay residence rights." 

So first of all what are we talking about "long stay residence rights"? Non-Immigrant Visa status or above. If you are a Permanent Resident in Thailand, you are allowed to come back but if you are in like a Business Visa, an O Marriage Visa, an O Retirement Visa, O-A Retirement Visa, basically long-term visas, visas that allow you to stay for more than 90 days basically. That is what you are looking at with regard to an ability to go up to Laos, deal with your visa and come back. As we noted in other videos quite some time ago, there was a time when Vientiane, Laos was very, very popular for folks doing Visa Runs. That popularity drifted off a lot of few years ago when they started doing this online appointment system. It was no longer first come first served and you just saw the number of applications drop off dramatically so worth noting that there. But yeah interesting stuff going on. It looks like Laos is now a viable option for a Visa Run but that said there are caveats and there are restrictions associated with processing a Visa through the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos.