For Spanish citizens — and most nationalities — entry to Thailand is free, whether you arrive by air or land. Cross a land border and you get 15 days; fly into an airport and they hand you 30 days on arrival.
Unfortunately, in this case I wasn't travelling alone, and my girlfriend isn't Spanish. Latvia isn't on the long list of countries with free entry to Thailand — something we'd already discovered the hard way when we flew from Singapore to Bangkok. On that first visit I got 30 days for free, while Ilze had to go through the visa on arrival process: nearly 30 dollars for just 15 days.
This time we were entering Thailand overland, specifically through Poipet, and we wanted to be prepared. We were planning a proper stretch of time in a country we'd loved — at least a couple of months, taking in mountains and islands, jungles and beaches.
So while we were still in Vientiane, Laos — a couple of months before — we sorted out the Thai visa.
Our first morning in Vientiane we headed to the Thai Embassy, though thanks to a hostel change we didn't get there until gone 1 in the afternoon. Unlike most embassies we'd dealt with, the Thai Embassy stops processing visas at 12 noon — so we ended up spending two more days in the capital. One to submit the application, another to collect the passport.
How much does a Thai visa cost?
The single-entry visa for Thailand, processed in Vientiane, cost 1,000 baht (around €25 at the time of writing). This visa lets you stay in the country for 2 months, with the option to extend by 30 days once you're inside Thailand.
There's also a double-entry visa at double the price: 2,000 baht (€50). The advantage is that each time you enter the country you get two months, plus the 30-day extension option each time.
With a double-entry visa it's possible to stay in Thailand legally for 6 months straight — all you need to do is a visa run, a quick dash to a nearby border and back to reset the entry stamp.
Where is the Thai Embassy in Vientiane?
When looking for the Thai Embassy, watch out with Google Maps — the address that comes up when you search manually is an official building of the Kingdom of Thailand, but it's not the right place to apply for a tourist visa.
The embassy where you apply for the Thai tourist visa is in Vientiane, Laos.
Thinking of heading to Thailand? Bargain flights do pop up!
So there you have it — get your passports sorted, work out which visa suits you best, and if you're Spanish, make the most of that free entry by air or land.
What you ask me most
- Do I need a visa to travel to Thailand?
As a Spanish (or most Western) tourist you don't need a visa for short stays: they stamp you in on arrival (30 days by air, 15 by land border). If you want to stay longer, you can enter without a visa and, when it's running out, cross to Vientiane (Laos) and get a double-entry visa there: they hand it over the next day and it's cheaper and faster than arranging it from home. Note: visa rules change often, so confirm the current ones before you travel.
- What is a 'visa run'?
Leaving the country and re-entering to get another batch of free days. For example, from southern Thailand you cross into Malaysia and on the way back they give you another 15 days. It's what many travellers do to extend their stay without arranging a visa.
