Chiangsaen Border crossing

[StevieAus]

My Thai wife and family want to make a day trip into Laos from the Chiangsaen river crossing in the Golden Triangle.

They get a day pass using their Thai ID card.

If I go can I get a visa on arrival or something similar to what used to apply at the Mae Sai crossing into Myanamar.

[Thailand]

The boat company retain your passport which does not get stamped but you get a paper from the Laos side which is simply a keepsake. Passport returned when you return to Chiang Saen side.

The Lao side is more of a special administrative zone and is mainly shops.

[DrJoy]

2 hours ago, StevieAus said:

Myanamar.

Myanmar has e visa for most nationalities -

 

https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/Home/NoticeToTourist?httproute=True

 

Fee = 50 USD

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 1/1/2023 at 2:39 PM, Thailand said:

The boat company retain your passport which does not get stamped but you get a paper from the Laos side which is simply a keepsake. Passport returned when you return to Chiang Saen side.

The Lao side is more of a special administrative zone and is mainly shops.

do you have to pay a visa fee on laos side?   which seems to be 1800 at other borders

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

do you have to pay a visa fee on laos side?   which seems to be 1800 at other borders

If there is no visa sticker plus entry and exit stamps, there will be no visa fee. You will be charged something for the day pass (I would guess about US$10 for foreigners). This also means you do not need to worry about Thai re-entry permits.

[Tod Daniels]

On 8/12/2023 at 10:50 PM, BritTim said:

If there is no visa sticker plus entry and exit stamps, there will be no visa fee. You will be charged something for the day pass (I would guess about US$10 for foreigners). This also means you do not need to worry about Thai re-entry permits.

I believe you're in error there with that advice..,

The Chiang Saen border with Lao DEFINITELY will sell you a Visa On Arrival for 1800baht, and not a "day pass for 10USD" <- which is what the BURMA borders do

The Chiang Saen border goes across to the Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino Complex), you take the boat across and back

It's not that much faster (or any cheaper) than the Chiang Khong border just a ways away that has the friendship bridge to cross into Lao

 

[BritTim]

20 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

I believe you're in error there with that advice..,

The Chiang Saen border with Lao DEFINITELY will sell you a Visa On Arrival for 1800baht, and not a "day pass for 10USD" <- which is what the BURMA borders do

The Chiang Saen border goes across to the Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino Complex), you take the boat across and back

It's not that much faster (or any cheaper) than the Chiang Khong border just a ways away that has the friendship bridge to cross into Lao

Thank you for your input. I was influenced by the poster indicating that no visa stickers or entry/exit stamps were placed in his passport, with him leaving his passport at immigration for his short visit. I cannot see how this could be compatible with a visa on arrival, entering and exiting Laos with the visa (which would surely also require exit and entry stamps on the Thai end). I wonder if he actually used a different crossing.

[Tod Daniels]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

Thank you for your input.

Okay just confirmed thru a border bounce service out of Chiang Mai (and having some one ask on a C/M f/b page) that the Lao crossing at Chiang Saen / Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino) breaks down like this;

• It's 100baht to get the boat across to the Lao side.
• On the Lao side they will ask 2000baht for the Lao Visa On Arrival <- (you HAVE TO BUY ONE),
  but if you just give them 1500 they will accept it ????
• Then the boat ride back is 200 baht ???? not much you can do other than swim back ????

So 1800baht all in AND it takes a full page plus entry/exit stamps because the lao visa sticker is one page..  

It is NOT a day pass 10USD anything to get in to Lao and back

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Tod Daniels said:

Okay just confirmed thru a border bounce service out of Chiang Mai (and having some one ask on a C/M f/b page) that the Lao crossing at Chiang Saen / Special Economic Zone (Kings Romans Casino) breaks down like this;

• It's 100baht to get the boat across to the Lao side.
• On the Lao side they will ask 2000baht for the Lao Visa On Arrival <- (you HAVE TO BUY ONE),
  but if you just give them 1500 they will accept it ????
• Then the boat ride back is 200 baht ???? not much you can do other than swim back ????

So 1800baht all in AND it takes a full page plus entry/exit stamps because the lao visa sticker is one page..  

It is NOT a day pass 10USD anything to get in to Lao and back

Thank you. That seems definitive (and I would never presume to doubt you). What do you think this meant?

On 1/1/2023 at 2:39 PM, Thailand said:

The boat company retain your passport which does not get stamped but you get a paper from the Laos side which is simply a keepsake. Passport returned when you return to Chiang Saen side.

The Lao side is more of a special administrative zone and is mainly shops.

 

[elektrified]

I'm interested in doing this border bounce as I'm getting a little tired of going to Chiang Khong. And the last time I went there was a very long detour because the road construction on the last leg of the road to CK was flooded from all the rain. I need to bounce this Sunday or next Monday the 30th.

 

Perhaps I'm not googling with the correct terms or something but I can't find anything about doing a border bounce there (exactly where to go to get the proper map route, where to park, where exactly the Thai Immigration checkpoint is, hours of operation and so forth).

 

Also I just read that there are 4 border checkpoints. Which is the correct place to go?

 

Could anyone share any web links that gives some information?

 

Thank you very much in advance.

Edited October 25, 2023 by elektrified

[my friend I]

5 hours ago, elektrified said:

I'm interested in doing this border bounce as I'm getting a little tired of going to Chiang Khong. And the last time I went there was a very long detour because the road construction on the last leg of the road to CK was flooded from all the rain. I need to bounce this Sunday or next Monday the 30th.

 

Perhaps I'm not googling with the correct terms or something but I can't find anything about doing a border bounce there (exactly where to go to get the proper map route, where to park, where exactly the Thai Immigration checkpoint is, hours of operation and so forth).

 

Also I just read that there are 4 border checkpoints. Which is the correct place to go?

 

Could anyone share any web links that gives some information?

 

Thank you very much in advance.

Ban Sop Ruak. Immigration about 500 metres east of the Golden Triangle viewpoint