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

[Tomtomtom69]

22 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Yes, green registration book is in my name. I beleive that I have to go the DLT in Thailand a get a vehicle passport. Any ideas on what is needed please?

 

 

Car passport (international transport permit) is ONLY issued to those holding BLUE registration booklets for cars.

 

Motorcycles only receive a "vehicle inspection certificate", which is issued in English (partly in Thai). Car drivers receive this too; for motorcycles, this paper (there are two actually) is used to show customs in the neighboring country. Make additional copies of these papers and don't lose them.

 

You'll need your passport and your original registration as well as relevant copies of your passport information page, visa and entry stamp and car or motorcycle registration page. Some DLT offices will also require you to present a certificate of residency or yellow booklet. If you don't have one of these, go to Chatuchak in Bangkok. They will NOT require one. 

[soi3eddie]

29 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Car passport (international transport permit) is ONLY issued to those holding BLUE registration booklets for cars.

 

Motorcycles only receive a "vehicle inspection certificate", which is issued in English (partly in Thai). Car drivers receive this too; for motorcycles, this paper (there are two actually) is used to show customs in the neighboring country. Make additional copies of these papers and don't lose them.

 

You'll need your passport and your original registration as well as relevant copies of your passport information page, visa and entry stamp and car or motorcycle registration page. Some DLT offices will also require you to present a certificate of residency or yellow booklet. If you don't have one of these, go to Chatuchak in Bangkok. They will NOT require one. 

 

Thanks! Very useful info. Morchit/Chatuchak DLT is my local office. I have yellow book too along with Non-O extension. Appreciate the advice.

 

[Sydebolle]

On 1/16/2025 at 12:10 PM, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

Hope my previous reply wasn't too long, I wanted to cover everything. A few more points I'd like to make (again, a bit lengthy, but very important to note):

 

1. For ENTRY to Cambodia (EXIT from Thailand), Poipet is a good border, but be prepared for lengthy immigration queues on the Cambodian side, easily exceeding 45 minutes. There is no dedicated channel for drivers of vehicles (there is on the Thai side, but ONLY for drivers, not their passengers). Even if you've already got a Cambodian visa and have crossed this border before, expect to spend 2 hours here in total (Thai and Cambodian sides combined) - of which the Thai side might take only 15-20 minutes, if you have the TM2, TM3 and TM4 forms filled out in advance and all necessary photocopies provided, otherwise, maybe 30-45 minutes, if you need to fill out the forms on site and/or make additional photocopies of your car registration. The Cambodian side will easily take you 90 minutes. You need 3 (THREE) sets of copies of your passport front page, car registration, tax information page and amendments page. Make like 5 or more copies just to be safe, but 3 will be required by Aranyaprathet customs and immigration. All other checkpoints I've ever crossed at, only require one copy and I've crossed at nearly every land border Thailand shares will all neighboring countries (except for Mae Sai and Kanchanaburi...where I didn't take my car across, although I've crossed on foot or with a Burmese car and driver on multiple occasions). Not relevant now, since those borders remain closed to foreigners (the latter is closed even to Thais at the moment). 

 

2. Do NOT use Poipet/Aranyaprathet for re-entry into Thailand, unless one of the following applies: a) you're driving by yourself, since you can stamp in outside, avoiding the notorious upstairs immigration hall for foreigners; b) you're the driver but are traveling with Thai nationals as passengers (they get stamped inside but using the Thai queue); c) you're willing to wait for your foreign passengers at a mall or coffee shop in Aranyaprathet possibly for hours BUT make sure they are in possession of long-term Thai visas (LTR, non-B with work permit, non-O marriage with or without work permit or retirement visas). Aranyaprathet should NOT be used by anyone on a tourist visa, exemption, visa-on-arrival, is a national of a poor, third world country such as Nigeria, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka or who has any sort of "questionable" immigration history (regardless of nationality), as entry is very likely to be refused. Even visa-exempt Vietnamese, Filipino and Indonesian nationals should be careful here. Some stories suggest that there is a 1000 Baht VIP queue. If this rumor is true, then pay the 1000 Baht and you'll be good to go, even as a tourist. If you don't and you're not on a long-stay permit, you will almost certainly be refused entry and made to fly back to Thailand from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Be warned. Aranyaprathet immigration is no joke. Has been this way since 2015. 

 

3. Ban Khao Din is a good border if you're leaving Thailand by car or motorcycle; as a border for exit and re-entering the same or if you re-enter, having exited at another border, provided the paperwork shows Ban Khao Din as the re-entry point. If not, customs will be upset and might try to force you to return through the border indicated on the form. It's a very friendly border, immigration-wise, hardly any people or vehicles will be crossing and it's only 50km south of Aranyprathet and maybe 70km from Poipet via the Cambodian road system. 

 

4. Do NOT use Ban Laem or Ban Pakkard for EXIT as there is that military form required, necessitating a 60km round-trip from Ban Pakkard (80km round-trip from Ban Laem) if you don't know about it beforehand and have to go back to get it. Cambodian customs, as of February last year, is 5km FROM the border at Kamrieng (Ban Laem) on the Cambodian side (unless they've since moved it), which makes it even more complicated. 

 

5. Do NOT use Ban Laem for re-entry into Thailand. Even though you'll be the only person with a car crossing and probably the only person in general, it may take immigration 45 minutes to stamp you in, because they'll keep bouncing you back and forth between the "health quarantine" channel (yes, health quarantine) where they stamp your car passenger documents. Customs is at another building 100m away. You'll also be told off if you park your vehicle anywhere but underneath the entry gate, even though you may be blocking Thai trucks from getting through. It's a very frustrating experience. 

 

6. Re-entry into Thailand via Ban Pakkard, after having exited Thailand elsewhere, is fine. Unlike Ban Laem, 22km to the north, it's relatively straightforward upon re-entry. Customs and immigration are located together and the military form isn't needed to enter. 

 

7. Hat Lek/Koh Kong is fine in either direction; it's very friendly, particularly on the Thai side. Beware the highway to Sre Ambel is under construction and parts of it are in poor condition (high clearance or 4WD vehicle or dirt bike highly recommended) BUT they're making tremendous progress, to the point that within 3 months, most of the mountainous section should be smooth tarmac and within 6-9 months, the whole project could be nearing completion. The contractor is Chinese (China Road and Bridge Construction Company).

 

8. Chong Chom/O'Smach and Chong Sa-Ngam/Choam are delightful border crossings, on both sides. Thai officials are particularly friendly here and especially at Chong Sa-Ngam. 

 

9. You may be required to show your driver's or motorcycle rider's license to Cambodian customs (also, upload a copy to the app). Ideally, you should possess a 5-year Thai license + IDP (though the IDP isn't expressly required, it's good to have) OR one from your home country + IDP (for example, US state license or Australian state license accompanied by the relevant 1 year 1949 IDP). 

 

10. Customs form MAY be requested to drive on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway. I was asked to show it yesterday. First time this has happened; previously, I was never asked for it. Only cars and bikes with stickers, showing they are 500cc and above are allowed to travel on the expressway. 

 

 

I just got the following reply concerning motorbikes heading to/from Cambodia (Osmach as given as example)

Quote
Cambodia maybe one of the easiest to cross, can enter and exit at any point, but you must tell them first. Passport picture and picture passport page and owners page from green book and you're good to go
unquote

Reliable source who did it less than a month ago - just in case 😉 

 

[Tomtomtom69]

3 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

 

 

I just got the following reply concerning motorbikes heading to/from Cambodia (Osmach as given as example)

Quote
Cambodia maybe one of the easiest to cross, can enter and exit at any point, but you must tell them first. Passport picture and picture passport page and owners page from green book and you're good to go
unquote

Reliable source who did it less than a month ago - just in case 😉 

 

 

Yes. You just designate the entry and exit points in the app. Same thing on the Thai side - tell customs where you want to exit.

 

You can enter or exit anywhere you want, as I have mentioned.

 

Poipet is better if you're coming from Bangkok as O'Smach is too far away.

[Sydebolle]

1 hour ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

Yes. You just designate the entry and exit points in the app. Same thing on the Thai side - tell customs where you want to exit.

 

You can enter or exit anywhere you want, as I have mentioned.

 

Poipet is better if you're coming from Bangkok as O'Smach is too far away.

Would you have the names of the respective Apps for iPhone by chance?