I think you'll find that separate z visas, foreign res and work permits are on the way out now. In at least some places there's just a single sticker in the passport now, but yeah, the word I've heard (if that counts for anything) is that you're supposed to have that organised before you get here. Who knows though? Stranger things have happened. It wouldn't be such a big investment to take a punt on it coming up from Laos. You never know your luck and if worse comes to worse it might just mean a trip to hk and you'd have to go there to fly back to the states anyway really...Laos is a bit short on international flight departures after all...but yeah...you probably should ascertain pretty quickly once you were here whether or not you were going to be provided with the proper docs for your own peace of mind...and this isn't meant to be advice - just another perspective on the situation.

hey cha, i don't know that all the "backpackers" are here for the free ride...most of the ones i've met were turning up for work pretty responsibly and weren't getting that much for their troubles...