Driving a Thailand registered car into Lao. Anyone done this recently?

[grain]

Next Nov I want to go to Pakse and 4000 Islands for approx 1 week. I'd like to drive my car from Ubon across into Lao, and return to Thailand the same way. I've never driven my car into Lao before but have taken it into Cambodia several times. It's my own car, registered in my name and I have the current documentation (blue book + insurance) So what's the procedure? Is it fairly straight forward (as it is for driving into Cambodia)? Anyway I need to know about in advance?

[flyingtlger]

You should have no problem as long as all your paperwork and insurance are up to date.

[stupidfarang]

You need to get paperwork from the Thai car department, where you pay your car tax, A car out passport. You need to buy car insurance on the Laos side of the border for the period the car is there.

 We were going to take our car but could not get an international driving license as I do not complete holding the Thai 5-year licence until July.

Many people just drive over on their Thai license, I was worried if I had an accident then insurance would not pay out.

Do be careful were you park, seen a car get clamped and the police did not release it until they were paid.

[grain]

1 hour ago, stupidfarang said:

You need to get paperwork from the Thai car department, where you pay your car tax, A car out passport. You need to buy car insurance on the Laos side of the border for the period the car is there.

 We were going to take our car but could not get an international driving license as I do not complete holding the Thai 5-year licence until July.

Many people just drive over on their Thai license, I was worried if I had an accident then insurance would not pay out.

Do be careful were you park, seen a car get clamped and the police did not release it until they were paid.

OK thanks, some useful info here. Now some further questions for you:

 

1) "the Thai car department, where you pay your car tax, A car out passport" Is this at the Thai border? What is the car tax? And how much is the car tax? How much does the car out PP cost?

 

2) I don't have an international driving license but do have a current Thailand D/L. So I believe that is legal for driving in Lao?

 

3) "Do be careful were you park" Careful where? At the border area or in Lao in general?

[paul1804]

8 hours ago, grain said:

Next Nov I want to go to Pakse and 4000 Islands for approx 1 week. I'd like to drive my car from Ubon across into Lao, and return to Thailand the same way. I've never driven my car into Lao before but have taken it into Cambodia several times. It's my own car, registered in my name and I have the current documentation (blue book + insurance) So what's the procedure? Is it fairly straight forward (as it is for driving into Cambodia)? Anyway I need to know about in advance?

Yes it is permissible but you realise they drive on the right side of the road in Laos. I am told it is a fairly straight forward procedure. 

[Chris BKK]

Any car with a Thai number plate will be stopped by Laos police and have to pay a bribe, almost standard

[Maejo Man]

40 minutes ago, Chris BKK said:

Any car with a Thai number plate will be stopped by Laos police and have to pay a bribe, almost standard

Utter rubbish! Never happened to me on the many trips I have driven into Vientienne from Udon, and never heard of it happening to others?  Where did you come by this little gem?

[grain]

3 hours ago, paul1804 said:

Yes it is permissible but you realise they drive on the right side of the road in Laos. I am told it is a fairly straight forward procedure. 

Same in Cambodia. Same in Vietnam. 

[brianthainess]

7 hours ago, grain said:

What is the car tax? And how much is the car tax?

It is that sticker on your windscreen. Or do you never pay road tax? 

[The Old Bull]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

It is that sticker on your windscreen. Or do you never pay road tax? 

You need the purple car passport ,you need your blue book to get that.Pay a bit for insurance when you get there.

[Guitar God]

On 3/2/2024 at 3:13 PM, Maejo Man said:

Utter rubbish! Never happened to me on the many trips I have driven into Vientienne from Udon, and never heard of it happening to others?  Where did you come by this little gem?

Not in my experience. Out of the last ten trips to Lao I’d had the cops try to shake me down for money many times. 
 

1-Driving with my headlights on at 5 pm. 
2- My tire touching the line before the crosswalk although three other Lao vehicles were all over the line. 
3-Not turning right at a stop light

4-Illegal parking, where there were Lao cars behind and in front of me in the same zone.  
5- Speeding while driving the same speed as Lao cars that weren’t stopped. 
 

If you’re a farang in Lao with Thai plates, just ask “how much?” when you’re stopped. 

[Sydebolle]

The car owner (holding the blue car registration book) needs to apply for an ITP (International Transport Permit); issued against a nominal fee and valid for a year at the Department of Land Transport (กรมขนส่ง). If the car is under finance, contact the finance company. 
Upon leaving the country for the first time, you need to get a bar code sticker into the ITP. Then you get a temporary export declaration - in duplicate - by the customs at the border post followed by a physical inspection to compare the paperwork with the car. This happens only on the very first time the car leaves Thailand. You have to return within 30 days or a fine of THB 1'000/day, max THB 10'000/incident applies. Why; don't know, it does not make sense but that's the way it is. 
Future exports require just the customs declaration form (in duplicate; as mentioned above). The ITP is valid for one year and can be extended for two more years, one year at a time. 
Apart from that, you need to complete:
TM2 - information of conveyance in duplicate (the duplicate is being handed over to immigration upon return)
TM3 - passenger list, listing all passengers EXCEPT the driver
TM4 - crew list, listing the driver
TM6 - arrival/departure immigration card, one each for every non-Thai; applies to land crossings only, i.e. if arriving/departing by air, this TM6 is obsolete. 
All these forms have to be issued in capital letters, signed with blue ink by either the car owner OR the person who has the power of attorney to drive the car (in case the car is under finance, this power of attorney needs to be issued by the finance company). If the car is in your wife's name and she is with you = fine; if you leave alone, she needs to issue a power of attorney with copy of house register and ID card. 

Sounds bureaucratic and, yes it is. I cross from Nong Khai to Vientiane every week hence I completed all the forms on the computer and just have to insert date and sign - and Bob's my uncle. 

Enclosed hereto please find the respective blank forms, don't forget TM2 in duplicate. If you fill it out once and you might hop off again in the future, then leave the date and signature open and run photocopies as you do not want to go and do this each and every time. And, do not be surprised, that nobody really looks at the forms and what is written on it but do not take chances. 

Hope that helps, otherwise contact me. 

In turn, what is the procedure into Cambodia and from all/which border posts when coming/returning to Thailand?

Cheers and good luck 😉 

Power of Attorney DLT.pdf

[Maejo Man]

12 hours ago, Guitar God said:

Not in my experience. Out of the last ten trips to Lao I’d had the cops try to shake me down for money many times. 
 

1-Driving with my headlights on at 5 pm. 
2- My tire touching the line before the crosswalk although three other Lao vehicles were all over the line. 
3-Not turning right at a stop light

4-Illegal parking, where there were Lao cars behind and in front of me in the same zone.  
5- Speeding while driving the same speed as Lao cars that weren’t stopped. 
 

If you’re a farang in Lao with Thai plates, just ask “how much?” when you’re stopped. 

Can I help it if you look like a drug dealer. There must be a reason why you are singled out and not me!

[grain]

4 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

The car owner (holding the blue car registration book) needs to apply for an ITP (International Transport Permit); issued against a nominal fee and valid for a year at the Department of Land Transport (กรมขนส่ง). If the car is under finance, contact the finance company. 
Upon leaving the country for the first time, you need to get a bar code sticker into the ITP. Then you get a temporary export declaration - in duplicate - by the customs at the border post followed by a physical inspection to compare the paperwork with the car. This happens only on the very first time the car leaves Thailand. You have to return within 30 days or a fine of THB 1'000/day, max THB 10'000/incident applies. Why; don't know, it does not make sense but that's the way it is. 
Future exports require just the customs declaration form (in duplicate; as mentioned above). The ITP is valid for one year and can be extended for two more years, one year at a time. 
Apart from that, you need to complete:
TM2 - information of conveyance in duplicate (the duplicate is being handed over to immigration upon return)
TM3 - passenger list, listing all passengers EXCEPT the driver
TM4 - crew list, listing the driver
TM6 - arrival/departure immigration card, one each for every non-Thai; applies to land crossings only, i.e. if arriving/departing by air, this TM6 is obsolete. 
All these forms have to be issued in capital letters, signed with blue ink by either the car owner OR the person who has the power of attorney to drive the car (in case the car is under finance, this power of attorney needs to be issued by the finance company). If the car is in your wife's name and she is with you = fine; if you leave alone, she needs to issue a power of attorney with copy of house register and ID card. 

Sounds bureaucratic and, yes it is. I cross from Nong Khai to Vientiane every week hence I completed all the forms on the computer and just have to insert date and sign - and Bob's my uncle. 

Enclosed hereto please find the respective blank forms, don't forget TM2 in duplicate. If you fill it out once and you might hop off again in the future, then leave the date and signature open and run photocopies as you do not want to go and do this each and every time. And, do not be surprised, that nobody really looks at the forms and what is written on it but do not take chances. 

Hope that helps, otherwise contact me. 

In turn, what is the procedure into Cambodia and from all/which border posts when coming/returning to Thailand?

Cheers and good luck 😉 

Power of Attorney DLT.pdf

Many thanks Sydebolle for all that very detailed information. Very much appreciated. I do own my car myself, it is in my name. My Thai partner will be traveling with me. There may be another couple, an Aussie with a Thai wife. But I don't see any need to include them in all the documentation. They can hop out the car and cross the border in the usual way and I'll met them after they have cleared immigration.

 

As for Cambodia. I've driven in several times in different cars at different points of entry. I entered 2 or 3 times from Trat to Koh Kong, and about 3 or 4 times from Surin to Siem Reap (via Osmach). The procedure is so simple compared to Lao. Last time I drove into Cambodia was probably about 1 year before the pandemic lockdowns, so unless there has been some changes, which I doubt, this is what one does.

 

At the Thai border there's an office that deals with motor vehicles, close to the office that does your passport. You need to get your exit stamp in your passport like usual, then go to the vehicle office with your PP and the car blue book. Fill in a form or 2, no charge that I can remember. Then you keep your copy of the vehicle export form as you'll need that when you return. All that took about 30 minutes last time I did it at Chong Chom. Then you drive down to the Cambodian border and do the same thing again. Fill in your forms for your PP to enter Cambodia and get your visa and pay the visa fee, then drive down a bit further to the vehicle office and show them your blue book and your form from Thailand and fill in some more forms there. Again I can't remember if I had to pay for this, I might have been asked for a tip and gave $5, can't remember. Then off you go.

 

Every time I drove into Cambodia I always returned via the same entry point. I was always asked by the Cambodians if I was coming back via the same border crossing and said that I was. I believe if you want to enter via one point and depart at another, then there may be extra forms. On this I'm not sure, but someone will no doubt post here soon explaining further. 

 

When it was time for me to return to Thailand I just drove back to the Cambodians and returned the form with them, got my PP stamped out, then drove to Thailand border and returned forms to them, did my PP and went home. Every time I drove into Cambodia it wasn't for long, usually we stayed about 1 week.

 

Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask. 

[grain]

12 hours ago, Guitar God said:

Not in my experience. Out of the last ten trips to Lao I’d had the cops try to shake me down for money many times. 
 

1-Driving with my headlights on at 5 pm. 
2- My tire touching the line before the crosswalk although three other Lao vehicles were all over the line. 
3-Not turning right at a stop light

4-Illegal parking, where there were Lao cars behind and in front of me in the same zone.  
5- Speeding while driving the same speed as Lao cars that weren’t stopped. 
 

If you’re a farang in Lao with Thai plates, just ask “how much?” when you’re stopped. 

You say: Out of the last ten trips to Lao I’d had the cops try to shake me down for money many times

 

So did they actually shake you down or did they merely try? If you did have to pay them money, then how much did you pay? I saw a video on FB recently of cops in Vientiane trying to shake down a couple of backpackers on a rented mc, it was an attempt by the cops, the 2 European backpackers argued the toss with the cops and after a few minutes the cops told them to piss off. So I get the feeling the Lao cops try this mickey mouse stuff but if you hold your ground they drop it fast.

[Sydebolle]

18 hours ago, grain said:

Many thanks Sydebolle for all that very detailed information. Very much appreciated. I do own my car myself, it is in my name. My Thai partner will be traveling with me. There may be another couple, an Aussie with a Thai wife. But I don't see any need to include them in all the documentation. They can hop out the car and cross the border in the usual way and I'll met them after they have cleared immigration.

 

As for Cambodia. I've driven in several times in different cars at different points of entry. I entered 2 or 3 times from Trat to Koh Kong, and about 3 or 4 times from Surin to Siem Reap (via Osmach). The procedure is so simple compared to Lao. Last time I drove into Cambodia was probably about 1 year before the pandemic lockdowns, so unless there has been some changes, which I doubt, this is what one does.

 

At the Thai border there's an office that deals with motor vehicles, close to the office that does your passport. You need to get your exit stamp in your passport like usual, then go to the vehicle office with your PP and the car blue book. Fill in a form or 2, no charge that I can remember. Then you keep your copy of the vehicle export form as you'll need that when you return. All that took about 30 minutes last time I did it at Chong Chom. Then you drive down to the Cambodian border and do the same thing again. Fill in your forms for your PP to enter Cambodia and get your visa and pay the visa fee, then drive down a bit further to the vehicle office and show them your blue book and your form from Thailand and fill in some more forms there. Again I can't remember if I had to pay for this, I might have been asked for a tip and gave $5, can't remember. Then off you go.

 

Every time I drove into Cambodia I always returned via the same entry point. I was always asked by the Cambodians if I was coming back via the same border crossing and said that I was. I believe if you want to enter via one point and depart at another, then there may be extra forms. On this I'm not sure, but someone will no doubt post here soon explaining further. 

 

When it was time for me to return to Thailand I just drove back to the Cambodians and returned the form with them, got my PP stamped out, then drove to Thailand border and returned forms to them, did my PP and went home. Every time I drove into Cambodia it wasn't for long, usually we stayed about 1 week.

 

Hope this helps. If you have any questions feel free to ask. 

 

Thanks, likewise, for your courtesy. One question remains - the insurance (which I did not touch in my yesterday's write-up). Laos requires car insurance, you can choose between various coverage packages and time frames; in my case I got a year-long coverage for +/- THB 1'200 or so. 
Is there something like that in Cambodia too; don't want to get skinned alive over a minor accident and no insurance 😉 Thank you 

[grain]

20 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

 

Thanks, likewise, for your courtesy. One question remains - the insurance (which I did not touch in my yesterday's write-up). Laos requires car insurance, you can choose between various coverage packages and time frames; in my case I got a year-long coverage for +/- THB 1'200 or so. 
Is there something like that in Cambodia too; don't want to get skinned alive over a minor accident and no insurance 😉 Thank you 

Insurance is not compulsory for Cambodia, I never had it for any of the trips I made. Whether it's available at the border as an option I don't know. Maybe someone else will know and give you the info.

 

BTW: after discussing taking a car into Lao with my wife I'm starting to go off the idea, it seems excessive rigmarole just for a one week trip, and it would be a one time only event, not something I'd be doing frequently. I do have a contact at Ubon city where I can safely leave my car for a few days, and we have done that in the past. So I think we'll just do that, then take the usual cross-border bus to Pakse. Pakse is small enough that you don't really need own transport to get about, and when we go to 4000 Is, there are organized travel/tour agents at Pakse, plus if there will be 4 of us we could look into booking a van just for ourselves. 

[stupidfarang]

On 3/2/2024 at 9:36 AM, grain said:

OK thanks, some useful info here. Now some further questions for you:

 

1) "the Thai car department, where you pay your car tax, A car out passport" Is this at the Thai border? What is the car tax? And how much is the car tax? How much does the car out PP cost?

 

2) I don't have an international driving license but do have a current Thailand D/L. So I believe that is legal for driving in Lao?

 

3) "Do be careful were you park" Careful where? At the border area or in Lao in general?

1) Local Thai Department of Land Transport

2) Need a car pasport that proves you own the car and it is not stolen and being taken to Laos to sell.

3) Not sure on the price of the car passport 50 to 100 baht maybe.

4) People do drive in Laos on just a Thai drivers license, I was being careful with having an International drivers license in case I had an accident and then the insurance would pay

5) Because I could not get a Intl license as have not had my thai 5 year license for a complete year, I did not take my car into Laos.

6) left my car in a secure parking compond on the left hand side of the road just before the Thai border checkpoint, cost 100 baht a day.

7) Car insurance you buy for Laos on the Laos side of the border at the office.

😎 parking illegally can lead to having the car wheel clamped, seen it happen in Luang Prabang, the police did not release the car until the local paid, they did give him a receipt. What is legal parking and what isn't I do not know in Laos.

 

[Sydebolle]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:18 AM, grain said:

Insurance is not compulsory for Cambodia, I never had it for any of the trips I made. Whether it's available at the border as an option I don't know. Maybe someone else will know and give you the info.

 

BTW: after discussing taking a car into Lao with my wife I'm starting to go off the idea, it seems excessive rigmarole just for a one week trip, and it would be a one time only event, not something I'd be doing frequently. I do have a contact at Ubon city where I can safely leave my car for a few days, and we have done that in the past. So I think we'll just do that, then take the usual cross-border bus to Pakse. Pakse is small enough that you don't really need own transport to get about, and when we go to 4000 Is, there are organized travel/tour agents at Pakse, plus if there will be 4 of us we could look into booking a van just for ourselves. 

 

It boils down to convenience and my wife and I love the absolute independence on a day-to-day basis. We like the place = we stay on, if we had it = we move on. The paperwork is done once and if you're organized, it boils down to a few photocopies. 

The South of Laos though is the most "civilized" part with roads and public transport. With a total number of four you might really opt for a minivan with driver, allows a swig or two of the excellent Beerlao Green (new stuff, worthwhile trying) for lunch. 

Your own vehicle is of more interest in the North and Northeast of the country, where the roads are seriously damaged - some of them to a status of destruction. Public transport, if available, sucks, overloaded unserviced busses racing through the provinces as if there is no tomorrow ..... I am getting too old for such "experiences" and hence use my 4WD truck, half the speed and absolute independence. 

Bon voyage through the South of Laos - yet another wonderful part of planet Earth, be it the Bolaven plateau upto Attapeu or the Southern-most provinces bordering Khonphapeng waterfalls ...... 

[grain]

5 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

 

It boils down to convenience and my wife and I love the absolute independence on a day-to-day basis. We like the place = we stay on, if we had it = we move on. The paperwork is done once and if you're organized, it boils down to a few photocopies. 

The South of Laos though is the most "civilized" part with roads and public transport. With a total number of four you might really opt for a minivan with driver, allows a swig or two of the excellent Beerlao Green (new stuff, worthwhile trying) for lunch. 

Your own vehicle is of more interest in the North and Northeast of the country, where the roads are seriously damaged - some of them to a status of destruction. Public transport, if available, sucks, overloaded unserviced busses racing through the provinces as if there is no tomorrow ..... I am getting too old for such "experiences" and hence use my 4WD truck, half the speed and absolute independence. 

Bon voyage through the South of Laos - yet another wonderful part of planet Earth, be it the Bolaven plateau upto Attapeu or the Southern-most provinces bordering Khonphapeng waterfalls ...... 

Cheers, I agree with you. I'll be looking into and see. It is definitely better to have your own vehicle. Thanks again.