user643543

went to makro chiangrai today - all prices same same yesterday -  they told me someone will tell them to increase the prices - they expect it monday or tuesday...! 

thanks for the reply - yes have already 7 months experience driving in vietnam - motorbike - and also walking in old city town hanoi...
watch here the video...!

hello - could not find any news - does somebody have any informations about travelling with own car with thai-plates (righthanded steerwheel) to VIETNAM?! (not in groups - no guided car - just alone!)

thanks - we are planning the trip for next year in march 2018 from thailand to laos then cambodia then vietnam or viceversa!

just made it back to TH via KOH KHONG to HAT LEK without any hassel - 12 days - almost 2000 km through cambodia from O'SMACH - no probs at all - almost only good roads with not much traffic - passed about 50 checkpoints/police-checks - not one stopped us - everywhere only friendly people - cheap beer - good food - good accomodation! we feel very comfortable travelling with own car in cambodia! not went to SV...stay in KEP beach for 2 nights - nice place! diesel is very cheap (some petrol-stations sell countryside 1 litre for 2000 riel or 50 us-cents = 17,5 thai-baht! in PP 3050 riel! cheap travelling! and very safe travelling - almost 6000 km in laos and cambodia - not one accident! - cambodian drive very carefully (nobody have an insurance...! ) like also the city-traffic in PP - good experience! and it seems to us that cambodians are very rich - almost more then 50 % of the cars are new LEXUS...! any model - then toyota - in PP also porsche cayenne and BMW and a lots more...! just wondering...!

ATM = automatic teller machine

UTM = Under the Table Money

....!!!!

????

I remember reading about you driving from CAMBODIA to LAOS some years ago and it was OK. I have been told many stories about Cambodia customs at the Lao-Cambodia border crossing not allowing any vehicles across, or only with restrictions. This even applies to Lao vehicles. Cambodian customs have mentioned things like 1) need a Lao driver 2) can not drive further than Stung Treng 3) must exit at the same border.

Very wild west there. Leaving Cambodia by car tends to be OK, but not entering, unless of course, your car has Cambodian plates. I would be keen on hearing from anyone who has recently DEPARTED Cambodia for Laos by car at this crossing. Since the rules seem to be interpreted differently by each official, only recent reports from the past year or so, please.

Information online is almost non-existent. Tried googling this many times.

yes we did it about more then 2 years ago - exit cambodia north of stung treng into laos south of paxse (for some UTM...!)

but this time we tried it the other way - no way - only with the paper from PP - so i ask the guy in cambodia, if it's possible again to cross it from cambodia to laos? - no - no way - only with proper paperwork - no UTM anymore...!

DO NOT drive ur car on Ekareaach street in shv,( main downtown street) with thai tags, you will be stopped and fined!!!

average fine $5-10/cop

i exited last trip ( nov ) at Hat lek ( had also entered there) i paid 100 baht/day when i entered but paid for 5 days and stayed 7, they charged me an extra 200 baht so be prepared to pay 100 baht./day u were in country.

tks pr - have english-plates - but will not drive there - is it not possible to drive just without a stop the cambodian customs in hat lek etc.? - nobody stops us in o'smach...! - will try anyway to get the "yellow paper" for our car in PP...if possible for longterm stay in cambodia (means entry several times...?) - any ideas?

short update: we just tried to enter VIETNAM with our THAI-car from LAOS (NAM PHAO) - the laotian immigrationpeople let us over to walk to the vietnam-side - but no way! only pre-arranged with guided tour (caravan they call this). all very friendly!

then we try to cross the border SOUTH of PAXSE into CAMBODIA - NO WAY - need yellow paper from phnom penh! all very friendly - but not possible to "arrange" some temporary paperwork on cambodia side!

so back to thailand (CHONG MEK) and then exit in CHONG CHOM (THAILAND-SURIN) to CAMBODIA (O'SMACH) - all very very friendly - personal visa on arrival for 30 days (swiss) for 1500 baht - they do NOT accept E-VISA made online - money for nothing! ! - check out our car with thai custom etc. - enter cambodia and drive on - not stop at immigration or custom for car! nobody will stop you! ....insurance is NOT possible - nobody in cambodia have insurance with their own cars...

now good roads from border to SIEM REAP - going on to PNOM PENH and drive back via beach (sihanoukville) to thailand (TRAT) - will see....!

I made that journey in January from Phu Reua to Tha Li then from Kaenthao along the Mekong river to Vientiane via Xanakham. Very dusty road on the left side of the Nam Heuang river. Ferry is a little cheaper if paid in Baht and like you I paid 500 Baht. Don't have a GPS for Laos so I just navigated using my map and already having an idea of which road to follow as I had been there 3 years earlier.

yes it is dusty - but not too much traffic...! - and i guess in the wet-season more difficult to drive! - for the ferry - i think we paid too much - because the ferry near PAKLAY we paid last year only 35000 KIP - about 150 baht this time - one car incl. 3 persons!

anyway it is a nice trip from LOEI to VIENTIANE along the NAMHUEANG and MEKHONG rivers on laos-side!

here the business-card from the brandnew guesthouse in XANAMKHAN

just made it today by car - start in the morning from CHIANG KHAN - cross the border north from THALI (Ban Na Kra Seng Border Check Point - Friendshipbridge over the Nam Hueang-River) - lunch in KENTHAO - then a bumpy dirt (laos)-road towards the ferry - 34 km in 95 minutes - the ferry a bit expensive (500 thai-baht! for car and 2 persons) - from the ferry to XANAMKHAN another 24 km in 35 minutes - good allweather-road! stay at brandnew guesthouse (PHONETIP) for 90'000 kip! tomorrow continue to VTE. here the track of today:

DELETED

In the posting I replied to, you said "but is legal here in SEA...", indicating that legality was not something you were looking for.

So, now it is? That's good news then. Why is a permit and "border service" so expensive, and are there any receipts?

i NEVER said/wrote "but is legal here in SEA..." ...!!!

i said/wrote:

"first - what is legit here in SEA for travelling...?!"

with "questionmark"!!!

anyway - if i would know all already, i would not post questions in this forum... ;-)

just get in contact yourself as i wrote before...

if i have other news later - i will post it again!

enjoy your day whereever you are...!

I was about to ask what is included in the US$ 1,500 - but since you imply it might not be legit (or you couldn't care less whether it is), I don't think I am interested any more. Risking to get arrested is not my idea of adventure.

Enjoy your trip.

just read my post before... but for you here again...so you have not to scroll...

"just get today very good news - it is now possible to enter and exit to vietnam from laos and travel FREE - without guide - without leading-car - just free travel - with thai-car!

first offer i got today is us dollars 1500 valid for 1 month in vietnam!

"The permit and border services only. You can drive by youself non Tour guide, non car lead."

just get today very good news - it is now possible to enter and exit to vietnam from laos and travel FREE - without guide - without leading-car - just free travel - with thai-car!

first offer i got today is us dollars 1500 valid for 1 month in vietnam!

"The permit and border services only. You can drive by youself non Tour guide, non car lead."

if interested PM me - so we can share the costs! we will start from laos/vietnam border about end april/begin mai 2016!

back via cambodia!

our routing will be about the following:

https://goo.gl/maps/jiyET8qZim12

1500 USD for one month. Now thats what I call a sucker scam.

@khwaibah - then please give me better advice with better deal - thanks!

If this so called deal is legit then post the details with contacts. Other wise I smell anchovy. There has been no formal announcement for any crossing of Thai vehicles into Vietnam.

first - what is legit here in SEA for travelling...?!

i got this contact while searching in the forums - he have good comments etc.

try to contact him here - just get him as a friend and then talk with him - you can also call him for free - him is using whatsapp and facetime etc.! living in saigon!

https://www.facebook.com/tuanjb?fref=ts

there you will find all infos!

just get today very good news - it is now possible to enter and exit to vietnam from laos and travel FREE - without guide - without leading-car - just free travel - with thai-car!

first offer i got today is us dollars 1500 valid for 1 month in vietnam!

"The permit and border services only. You can drive by youself non Tour guide, non car lead."

if interested PM me - so we can share the costs! we will start from laos/vietnam border about end april/begin mai 2016!

back via cambodia!

our routing will be about the following:

https://goo.gl/maps/jiyET8qZim12

1500 USD for one month. Now thats what I call a sucker scam.

@khwaibah - then please give me better advice with better deal - thanks!

just get today very good news - it is now possible to enter and exit to vietnam from laos and travel FREE - without guide - without leading-car - just free travel - with thai-car!

first offer i got today is us dollars 1500 valid for 1 month in vietnam!

"The permit and border services only. You can drive by youself non Tour guide, non car lead."

if interested PM me - so we can share the costs! we will start from laos/vietnam border about end april/begin mai 2016!

back via cambodia!

our routing will be about the following:

https://goo.gl/maps/jiyET8qZim12

They are not going to let the car into Vietnam, Pini.

now almost 2 years later - any news on this fact - there are new laws about ASEAN-countries - thanks to all - want still to drive our own thai-car-thai-numberplates with valid driving-license etc. etc. through laos into vietnam!

Thanks. I am waiting until it is clear what is allowed.

Absolutely, so am I. Anyway, you'll need to wait at least a year before it may be allowed. After having just come back from Vietnam where I was driving my friend's car, I can tell you driving in Vietnam is no picnic. I say that even though I have a number of years of driving experience over there. Average speeds are low and the number of motorcycles and scooters is mind blowing - you have to be constantly vigilant and your foot always has to be ready to brake at any moment. Parking spaces in cities are limited, particularly in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi and the government there actively discourages car ownership. I can only imagine they are dragging their feet at the concept of allowing Thais and other foreigners to drive their own cars into their country. I think without AEC 2015, they would probably not allow it for many more years.

xinchào and sawadee hello and bonjour

now - 2nd january 2016! - any news already to cross the border and drive into/in VIETNAM with thai-car with thai-plates?!

also what is changing positive into CHINA?!

do you know more @tomtomtom69 or all others?

thanks and talk 2u soon!

Gasohol 95

check also here or ask aunty google...

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/petrol-diesel-prices-down-10-sen-from-midnight

so I'm talking to the OP then, not you?

Malaysia's a doddle

what do you mean with "OP"?

we (edh69) are planning about the same routing - but "only" till SQ and back - no indonesia no oz no whatelse...

thanks

I've driven to Penang....absolutely no problems at all....I was told it is easier to go from Singapore to Indonesia

I would LOVE to hear how you get on getting into Indonesia....I've heard wide ranging tales of no carnets and huge deposits asked for.

As I would like to drive to Oz, your part of the route (Indonesia) is the most difficult.

malaysia will stick on a number plate for as part of the documentation service and insurance. (Gas was about 30 % CHEAPER in Malaysia than Thailand)

our plan is NOT to drive to indonesia and OZ...!

this was the original posting - but NOT from us...! from @tri

This number plate is no good as it doesn't have the city/Changwat that the car is registered in

sure - HKT means PHUKET!!!

(so phuket looks like this

AC 4422 HKT)

Id like to see his report when he gets back.

yes - will do that...

anyone have special secret places in malaysia/singapore?

- hotels - resorts - guesthouses

- beaches

- cities

- jungles

- islands

- special roads (we have 4x4-driven-car)

- must to see

- restaurants

- pubs

- bistros

thanks

@phuketrichard - are you at home - down in phuket in september/octobre?! for a beer or wine or water or so...?!

will start begin september for about 2 months!

edh69:

my planning is the following in 30 days

houay xai (laos - china - laos) - houay xai

better would be back via vietnam (hanoi) and laos - but it's not possible so far...?!

I hope you get to pull this off. Please do trip reports for us if you do. It will be an amazing trip.

no china now - just got the rates from one tour-operator - handling foreign self-driven-car-tour-groups...

as we are alone - no way...

here the original text...send PM, if you want to know what company...!

---

1. For vehicle CIQ deposit amount.

As I mentioned, each border will charge different amount of CIQ deposit, amount should be around 60%-120% of the clearance vehicle value. And if you enter from Mohan border, so far normally they require 50,000CNY each vehicle. this will be fully refund after your vehicle exit smoothly.

But if with present rules, you go with a guide, X will afford this part as one of our service conditions.

2. For your group price.

Here I can provide a reference price:

a. PART I: X service for paperwork/permit, CIQ process with CIQ deposit affording(the amount within 100,000CNY), license process for vehicle and riders, basic traffic insurance for vehicle, basic group travel insurance for guests, X form making, documents prepare and translation etc.

The price: 26,840CNY

For this part, I don’t’ think the new policy will change a lot, even they may simplify some process such as national permit applying, but it won’t cancel too much, we still need to do all the paper work as prepare all the documents and translate for border process, for license process etc. and the price also won’t cut too much.

So basically, I suggest we can almost ignore the changing effect on this part.

b. PART II: Tour guide, guide accommodation and meals etc.

The price: for 1 car, 2 guests, we normally supposed 640CNY for guide salary, accommodation and meals, if we supposed 25 days for your trip,

then price will bet: 640CNY*25D=16,000CNY

For this part, if the policy change and no guide requiring anymore:

-you don’t want to have guide anymore, we just cancel the related cost. And you need to pay the CIQ deposit on your own.

-if you still would accept the guide service and pay, X will still afford the CIQ deposit.

We will see how is the specific change if it really happen.

Hope all the information on above is clearly and satisfied.

.

---

yes - it is clearly...!

does anyone out there have better rates in this matter? found a link for example - chinese driving licence is about 100 us dollars - average wages in china are about 25 us dollars per day (365 days/year).

as for the 30 days, Kunming is about 650 km from the Laos border...I would expect to do the round trip in about 2 weeks and still have time to take in the scenery.

my planning is the following in 30 days

houay xai (laos - china - laos) - houay xai

better would be back via vietnam (hanoi) and laos - but it's not possible so far...?!

just remember that you cannot take your own Thai registered vehicle out of Thailand for more than 30 days or Thai customs will fine you 1,000 baht per day, maximum 10,000 and there is no getting an extension.

so what - where is the problem?