Warning: visa service fraud

[JimmyJ]

You are writing everything up and posting it, but do not name the agency?

[rott]

5 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

You are writing everything up and posting it, but do not name the agency?

TVF do not permit this.

[rott]

OP you had a very bad experience. No sympathy from these on here unfortunately, sadly they are right that there is nowt you can do about it.

[HuskerDo]

Did the driver have a Brooklyn accent? I might know him. ???? 

[Puchaiyank]

You may want to start a diary of disappointment...make sure it has a substantial number of pages to record your daily complaints...

 

This has been my personal experience...once money gets in Thai hands...it is NEVER returned...

 

You are alive and well...chalk this up as yet another exciting Asian experience...

 

Don't worry...be happy!   ????

[tingtongtourist]

Fair to say, some newcomer would be lost with these service if you expecting someone to lead you around holding your hand.

 

Often there is nobody at all to help, only the driver and the guys at the border collecting the passports and taking the money.

In this regard it is a bit false to advertise "we take care of everything" 

 

But I am a bit annoyed by people like this actually.

Especially Americans, starting the trip ranting and raving how they are the seasoned traveller and know it all about Thailand.. then at the border they get out of the van and its..

"<deleted>, where is the helper, what to do next?"

then it is on the other customers to help them all the way and NEVER any thanks!

 

Okay we get it is your first time, but WHO goes into these things doing ZERO research on what you must do?

 

Sounds to me like a pissed up Aussie who used to being spoonfed sorry to say

 

 

 

 

[dcnx]

You stayed in the van after you saw him drinking. If you don’t care about your life, no one else is going to care about it or the service you received.

[CharlieH]

I'll bet you do things different next time ! 

See, great learning experience for you and tales to tell when you get back home. ????

[tingtongtourist]

1 minute ago, dcnx said:

You stayed in the van after you saw him drinking. If you don’t care about your life, no one else is going to care about it or the service you received.

But did he really see him drinking?

He doesnt mention he saw the guy skulling cans of beer or whisky or whatever.

 

If he is that clueless about having to get an exit stamp then im not suprised if he assumed an EM-Roy bottle is Lao-khao

[sanemax]

6 hours ago, Goo61 said:

Additionally, our driver did not properly check to make sure we had all received exit stamps when leaving Thailand and I was left in limbo between Laos and Thailand with no agency representative to help me. In the end, the agency representative who, after 30 minutes, finally came to assist me, dropped me off at the Thai border again (which I had to pay for) and left me there, telling me I needed do everything again to cross the border again and then to pay for a taxi and find my own way to the Thai consulate in Laos. This is an absolute atrocity as I have paid your company 3,500 for assistance and I received none and had to pay additional money out of pocket to arrive at the embassy. 

That was all your own fault . You went through Thai immigration without getting stamped out .

  You really should know that you have to get stamped out .

What did you do ?

Just walk straight past the immigration booth without handing your passport in .

You had already caused a 30 minute delay and the driver needed to get the other passengers to the Consulate , cannot really blame him for not waiting for you and its only a 20 Baht  , 20 minute bus journey from the border to the Consulate ,

[CharlieH]

Derogatory/troll remarks removed.

[Tayaout]

6 hours ago, BuckBee said:

You got to be mad to waste money on any visa service in thailand ... easier and cheaper do it yourself and if make some effort rearch in advance it so so simple as you organised and all docs prepared in advance .

It can get more expensive. My first visa run via land border, I made the mistake to use Poipet. And I did my research but was not a member of this website. 

 

Since they did not let me come back the same day I had to find an hotel. Then the next day I wasted 1h when they put me aside for questioning.

 

When they eventually let me throught and I needed to find a bus nobody could speak English or understand my Thai. I eventually called my ex and learned the bus station was moved. 

 

It was an interesting experience since I'm still fit and young but was way more expensive than the Visa run service.

 

I used the same visa service twice since then and it has been much faster, easier and cheaper than doing it myself. If someone is using a minivan to Laos from BKK then it's probably cheaper and faster via a visa service.

 

The last time I tried to do it myself to Laos via airplane, I was denied on my way back in DMK. I eventually crossed at Nong Kai but yet again it got way more expensive and I risked being deported to Canada. 

 

Now doing it myself again in HMC but I'm now married (getting non-O and not SETV) and now I know which land border to use on my way back. Hopefully it will be easy this time. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Tayaout

[steven100]

Sabastian,  I don't think Thailand is the place for you ..... 

[lemonjelly]

Stopped using visa run services years ago because of these kind of scenarios. Much nicer to travel on public transport. I use this “Rome2Rio” app to help plan the journey 

[CharlieH]

Off topic removed.

[visarunner]

as the owner of said agency, I can guarantee that said driver does not drink or drive dangerously. If you feel or have evidence you are welcome to meet me in ON NUT or at Phrakanong Police Station. Said person will attend too. 

[steven100]

There you go OP .....  he's giving you a chance to back up your complaint.

 

we probably won't hear from the OP again

[CharlieH]

22 minutes ago, visarunner said:

as the owner of said agency, I can guarantee that said driver does not drink or drive dangerously. If you feel or have evidence you are welcome to meet me in ON NUT or at Phrakanong Police Station. Said person will attend too. 

Just curious, but how do you know the OP is talking about you ??

[Vacuum]

2 hours ago, tingtongtourist said:

But did he really see him drinking?

He doesnt mention he saw the guy skulling cans of beer or whisky or whatever.

 

If he is that clueless about having to get an exit stamp then im not suprised if he assumed an EM-Roy bottle is Lao-khao

This is not uncommon, they use empty M150 bottles and fill them with LK or a mix LK+M150.

[sanemax]

Just now, CharlieH said:

Just curious, but how do you know the OP is talking about you ??

Could be that he received the personal  E-mail from the OP ?

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Just curious, but how do you know the OP is talking about you ??

Probably due that company being the only ones (AFAIK) doing runs to Savannakhet.

 

A post flaming a member has been removed.

[sanemax]

35 minutes ago, steven100 said:

There you go OP .....  he's giving you a chance to back up your complaint.

 

we probably won't hear from the OP again

He should go and meet , he may get a full refund ?

[CharlieH]

Comment on Moderation removed as per forum rules.

[thaitero]

44 minutes ago, visarunner said:

as the owner of said agency, I can guarantee that said driver does not drink or drive dangerously. If you feel or have evidence you are welcome to meet me in ON NUT or at Phrakanong Police Station. Said person will attend too. 

Guarantee ?

How you can do that ? GPS-tracking or some other monitoring ?

[BritManToo]

Not really "VISA service fraud" as you appear to have returned with a VISA, so you got what you paid for.

Title should be "VISA trip not as smooth as I expected".

 

I always get the bus, and stay two nights, no need to pay anything like 3,500bht.

(the bus drivers are generally just as bad as your van driver)

600bht bus to Mukdahen, 50bht bus to Suvannakhet, 300bht hotel for the night.

Walk to and from the bus station/hotel to the consulate.

Edited May 27, 2019 by BritManToo

[JimmyJ]

2 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Stopped using visa run services years ago because of these kind of scenarios. Much nicer to travel on public transport. I use this “Rome2Rio” app to help plan the journey 

Downloading it now. Thanks for mentioning it.

Sounds great and the reviews are 4 and 5 stars (5 is best).

[ubonjoe]

And now some more off topic inflammatory posts and replies to them have been removed.

No further notice of removals will be given from now on.  

[visarunner]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Could be that he received the personal  E-mail from the OP ?

We received also the follow up Email: "Okay then I will proceed my lawyer. I will also make sure this story is known well among the expat community in Thailand via social media and make sure the police and tourist police are aware of your companies indiscretions and illegal behaviour. 

 

Thank you for your concern. I will send you the evidence of your driver, so that you can believe me, fire him, and save lives of future people on your trips. You will also be hearing from others from the trip shortly who share the same concerns.

 

Kind Regards" NAME REMOVED

[visarunner]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Just curious, but how do you know the OP is talking about you ??

Received the follow up Email from OP too: "Okay then I will proceed my lawyer. I will also make sure this story is known well among the expat community in Thailand via social media and make sure the police and tourist police are aware of your companies indiscretions and illegal behaviour. 

 

Thank you for your concern. I will send you the evidence of your driver, so that you can believe me, fire him, and save lives of future people on your trips. You will also be hearing from others from the trip shortly who share the same concerns.

 

Kind Regards" NAME REMOVED

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Just curious, but how do you know the OP is talking about you ??

The clue was in the title but it seems to have been changed now

Also as UJ said they are the only company that do the trips to Savan

 

OP I have used this company close to 10 times over the years - I would be highly surprised if one of their drivers was drinking - sometimes their drivers do tend to drive a little quickly for my liking but TiT

 

On the drive back, our driver was stopped 4 times by the police for reckless driving.

 

No he was probably stopped due to the numerous police checkpoints along that route - unless you speak fluent Thai how can you know what he was stopped for?

 

Firstly, our driver of Van number plate (please see attachment) stopped at every petrol station to drink alcohol (from a pick up truck that would park near us). 

 

Are you really saying that a pick up followed him all the way to Savan just to give him  drink?

 

Additionally, our driver did not properly check to make sure we had all received exit stamps when leaving Thailand

 

You are responsible to check your own PP - Not the driver - You

 

After using this Visa Service numerous times over the year and meeting the owner a few times  I'm calling BS on this - maybe a rival competitor trying to stir up trouble?