I had to go across the bridge today to enact another 90 days of the non-imm O visa I have.
There was a slight change in process on the Laos side. Now I am, obviously, not sure if this was just a "today" change or if this a new change in their proceedure.
Previously I used to get the Laos visa application & entry/depart card from the window. Fill both in, hand in visa application, passport, photo & dosh. Get back passport & fill in the visa number on the entry card & then go & queue to get an entry stamp & filled in on computer.
Today he actually asked me for my entry/exit card as well. When my passport came back I not only had the visa in my passport but also the entry stamp & just the exit portion was in the passport. I still had to show my passport and the place where they used to give out the entry stamp, but all he did was look at the stamp.
I am not sure if this will be quicker as today there were VERY few people waiting, but my passport came back out very quickly indeed, plus there was no queue at the booths. Again I am not sure if it was due to the new system or just a lack of customers...
I would be interested how other people experience the crossing in the next couple of weeks.

I went to Laos yesterday and came back this morning. It was my first time crossing over so I have nothing to compare it against. But it was quick. Total time through the Laos immigration was no more than 15 minutes.
Total time from leaving my home in Udon and checking into my hotel in Vientiane - 2 hours. Even quicker coming back.

Strange you should comment on small changes BH, two weeks ago they charged me the exit fee.
Only a few baht but they never did it before!
Entry fee every time but never the exit fee, is there something in the wind????

Roy - I paid a 10 THB entry fee going into Lao. No exit fee when I returned.

No Roy I didn't pay an exit fee either. There is a booth for that, but I think only Laos people are suppose to pay. They have always just waved me through it.
Yeah 10 baht entry fee, 50 baht for TG (extra because she is on a temporary passport I think Thai's with passports pay 10 baht as well).

Hmmm Maybe I looked particularly Laos that day but they were charging everybody. I walked past the booth as usual and was sent back