Can a Thai travel around Laos on just an ID card ?

[Joinaman]

Hi there

Not sure where to post this question so have put it here

I am looking for advice on taking Grandma and Uncle to Laos for 2 nights

Seems to be conflicting reports on what can and cannot be done while just on ID cards

Want to travel from Nakhon Phanom across the bridge by car, ( have car papers and passport) then go through the mountains and stay one night in there, then travel down to Savanna Resorts for one night

Some reports say ok, can travel around as long as only 2 nights, 3 days, others say no travel other than direct to cities while on ID cards

Wanting to go tomorrow if possible so would appreciate a quick reply from more knowledgeable people on here

Thanks

[NanLaew]

The last I heard was Thai's using only their ID cards to enter Laos are restricted to staying in the town or the nearest community to where they entered. My understanding is they are not permitted to travel internally unless they have a Thai passport.

Edited October 8, 2019 by NanLaew

[ChipButty]

No Shacking up in a hotel with your girlfriend in Laos 

[sandyf]

A couple of years ago my wife and I took her 2 nieces to Nong Khai and into Laos. As one of the nieces did not have a passport all three went into Laos on their ID cards. They went to the immigration office in Nong Khai the day before and did some paperwork and there was nothing said on any restrictions regarding the ID card.

[Joinaman]

19 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

No Shacking up in a hotel with your girlfriend in Laos 

??????

Well im not gunna share a room with Grandma either   

[Joinaman]

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The last I heard was Thai's using only their ID cards to enter Laos are restricted to staying in the town or the nearest community to where they entered. My understanding is they are not permitted to travel internally unless they have a Thai passport.

Thanks Nani

Some state this but other say its ok to travel too

But it seem to have lots of road checks by police too, so don't want to risk it

Not worth just going to Savaneket , wanted to show them the mountains and things they only see from the Thai side of the river

Might change to driving them down to Hua Hin , long drive, but they have never seen the sea or beaches either

Thanks for the quick replies, much appreciated

Will wait a little longer to see if the no travel is correct

[samran]

A Thai passport only costs 1000 baht and is a three day turn around, so it isn't a huge expense and they don't need visas for Laos.

[basatop]

We traveled many times in this way,it is called - border pass.

As you say - 3 days,2 nights.

Paperwork had been done on the border - one hour.Some fee- 50B　or 100B

We traveled and stayed in Pakse and 4000 Islands,no problems at all.

It was few years ago,now we have passports.One week waiting for passport.

Edited October 8, 2019 by basatop

[Joinaman]

11 minutes ago, samran said:

A Thai passport only costs 1000 baht and is a three day turn around, so it isn't a huge expense and they don't need visas for Laos.

Thanks samran

But grandma is over 90 yrs and uncle 72, so a bit late for passports

Think its  gunna be the seaside instead for them

I will go with the missus instead at a later date, rather than waste the car passport

But thanks for all the replies 

[KhunBENQ]

54 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

The last I heard was Thai's using only their ID cards to enter Laos are restricted to staying in the town or the nearest community to where they entered. My understanding is they are not permitted to travel internally unless they have a Thai passport.

Just stumbled through a thread in pantip (Thai language forum).

It's a three year old thread.

Posts clearly say that Thais are not allowed to travel away from the border town with the ID card/border pass.

If checked and caught, pay a fine.

[theoldgit]

7 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Posts clearly say that Thais are not allowed to travel away from the border town with the ID card/border pass.

If checked and caught, pay a fine.

I read a similar article in an English language newspaper published in Bangkok.
My only experience was also three years ago when my wife and I took her mum into Vientiene, mum didn't have a passport so we got her a three day border pass which was checked when we stayed at a hotel overnight.
I seem to recall a restriction as to travel being mentioned, but I can't remember the specifics.

[Joinaman]

54 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Just stumbled through a thread in pantip (Thai language forum).

It's a three year old thread.

Posts clearly say that Thais are not allowed to travel away from the border town with the ID card/border pass.

If checked and caught, pay a fine.

Thanks Khun

seems a bit crazy to restrict Thais, when Lao people can travel freely in Thailand

But looks like the sea side instead,

[Isaanbiker]

When I still had to leave LOS every 90 days, I took my wife to Laos and all she had to do was to apply for a border pass with her photograph on, 50 baht, or so using her ID card. 

 

  

 

     There's no restriction that we could only stay at a border town, btw, it's ASEAN.

 

There shouldn't be a problem for short stays, but if you're planning to travel through Laos for a week, or more, you ( they) should have a passport. 

 

  

Edited October 8, 2019 by Isaanbiker

[chash]

Here is the Office in Nong Khai where Thais can get papers for a border crossing to Laos. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=border+pass+office+nong+khai&oq=border+pass+office+nong+khai&aqs=chrome..69i57.26170j0j0&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[jackdd]

6 hours ago, Joinaman said:

seems a bit crazy to restrict Thais, when Lao people can travel freely in Thailand

Laos people are restricted in the same way, in general it looks like they are limited to the province in which they entered Thailand.

 

6 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

     There's no restriction that we could only stay at a border town, btw, it's ASEAN.

Just because it's not written on the border pass doesn't mean that it's not restricted.

 

 

To clarify the situation, here the official document regarding the border pass agreement between Thailand and Laos: http://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/upload/pdf/reference_agreements/cross-the-frontier.pdf

On page 13 is a list of where a Laos citizen entering Thailand is allowed to go

On page 14 and 15 is a list of where a Thai citizen entering Laos is allowed to go

 

A person entering with a border pass is restricted to some region close to the entry point, for the details see the above document.

Edited October 8, 2019 by jackdd

[Time Traveller]

Is it a magical flying ID card?

[Elzear]

Don’t know if this is the right place to write this, but since it is about entering Lao.. 
I have been made aware that foreigners wishing to enter Laos now need one entry only tourist visa, valid for 30 days. Cost depends on nationalities (Aussies USD46, for example.. or about A$70). 

Where it hurts is when you, as is my case, only arrive in Vientiane by plane to cross over to Thailand’s northern province, in effect a mere transit. In my case, 12 hours max: US$. When I leave a couple of month later, same way, across the bridge to VTE, fir less than 12 hours, that’ll be another US$46 ! 

I would like to bring my Thai wife across to Vientiane to take her for a romantic dinner in a French restaurant.. For that I’ll need a visa. 

So no me think, for those of us who need to go across so as to extend our stay in Thailand, we will have to that new expense into account.

Those countries are starting to get on my nerves. 

[brewsterbudgen]

Thanks Khun
seems a bit crazy to restrict Thais, when Lao people can travel freely in Thailand
But looks like the sea side instead,

If only! Lao people only get 30 days and need visas/Extensions to stay long term.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Caine]

On 10/8/2019 at 6:05 AM, Joinaman said:

Thanks Khun

seems a bit crazy to restrict Thais, when Lao people can travel freely in Thailand

But looks like the sea side instead,

Laotian people can’t travel freely in Thailand on an I.D. Card. They must remain in the Province they entered in. On a passport they can enter for 1 month exempt or a visa if want to stay longer. Same applies to Thais visiting Laos.