Lao Consulate

We were planning a trip to Vientiane, Laos, just 180 km north of Khon Kaen. So we paid a visit to the Lao consulate in town to arrange visas.

The consulate is a utilitarian place, just an empty concrete floored waiting area with a few tables and a little window behind which two rather curt gentlemen reside. Encouraging tourism is clearly not thier top priority judging from their less than helpful manner.

However, to be fair, getting a visa is easy and quick here. The same process in Bangkok would have involved a lot of travelling, a long queue and a lot more bullshit.

Australians pay a fee of 1400 baht for the express service (1 hour turnaround) or 1200 baht if you can wait 2 days. Most people from europe/usa/canada pay a similar fee though there is some variation. ASEAN passport holders pay no fee.

We handed over the money and two passport photos and went for a 45 minute walk. On our return the visas were ready!