Pov To Laos

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Is there any problem with taking a Thai registered privately owned vehicle to Laos via Nong Khai-Thanaleng then departing via Houei Sai-Chiang Khong?

Would hate to get all the way to Houei Sai and find I had to back track to Vientiane to leave the country.

Mac

[samran]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1571652

I put this together when I went there last october. The answer is 'yes' though, as I recall asking and the Lao officials said that once they enter your cars details on their central database, you can depart wherever you want.

Having said that, I think the entry forms actually ask where you intend to depart from.

You'll need a car pasport as well remember.

[abdulrahman]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1571652

I put this together when I went there last october. The answer is 'yes' though, as I recall asking and the Lao officials said that once they enter your cars details on their central database, you can depart wherever you want.

Having said that, I think the entry forms actually ask where you intend to depart from.

You'll need a car pasport as well remember.

I'm driving to Lao regularly,since 3 Years now,but only crossed over in NongKhai or Savannakhet,it's possible to cross the Mekong,by car,at any other place?

If someone had the experience please tell!

Edited April 29, 2008 by abdulrahman

[technocracy]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1571652

I put this together when I went there last october. The answer is 'yes' though, as I recall asking and the Lao officials said that once they enter your cars details on their central database, you can depart wherever you want.

Having said that, I think the entry forms actually ask where you intend to depart from.

You'll need a car pasport as well remember.

I'm driving to Lao regularly,since 3 Years now,but only crossed over in NongKhai or Savannakhet,it's possible to cross the Mekong,by car,at any other place?

If someone had the experience please tell!

Well the last time I cross at Chiang Khong it was boat only . . . they do have small ferry vehicles on some stretches of water in Laos but I didn't see any there. Also I can't recall seeing a road/track to the waters edge.

There is apparently a 3rd Bridge in progress somewhere up in that region but the name of the place escapes me.

[samran]

you can cross at Chong Mek overland as well.

am planning at some stage a strip starting in the south at sii pan don and heading north.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1571652

I put this together when I went there last october. The answer is 'yes' though, as I recall asking and the Lao officials said that once they enter your cars details on their central database, you can depart wherever you want.

Having said that, I think the entry forms actually ask where you intend to depart from.

You'll need a car pasport as well remember.

I'm driving to Lao regularly,since 3 Years now,but only crossed over in NongKhai or Savannakhet,it's possible to cross the Mekong,by car,at any other place?

If someone had the experience please tell!

Well the last time I cross at Chiang Khong it was boat only . . . they do have small ferry vehicles on some stretches of water in Laos but I didn't see any there. Also I can't recall seeing a road/track to the waters edge.

There is apparently a 3rd Bridge in progress somewhere up in that region but the name of the place escapes me.

There's been a vehicular, like trucks, ferry between C. Khong & BHS since at least the 1960s when I used to live there.  Not the handiest thing to use and a bridge will certainly help.  

Just saw in the news that the bridge'll be downstream from the towns, I'd have thought it'd be upstream, but what do I know....

Mac

[sabaijai]

I've done it twice, no problem, just a bit of paperwork and relatively low fees.

[technocracy]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1571652

I put this together when I went there last october. The answer is 'yes' though, as I recall asking and the Lao officials said that once they enter your cars details on their central database, you can depart wherever you want.

Having said that, I think the entry forms actually ask where you intend to depart from.

You'll need a car pasport as well remember.

I'm driving to Lao regularly,since 3 Years now,but only crossed over in NongKhai or Savannakhet,it's possible to cross the Mekong,by car,at any other place?

If someone had the experience please tell!

Well the last time I cross at Chiang Khong it was boat only . . . they do have small ferry vehicles on some stretches of water in Laos but I didn't see any there. Also I can't recall seeing a road/track to the waters edge.

There is apparently a 3rd Bridge in progress somewhere up in that region but the name of the place escapes me.

There's been a vehicular, like trucks, ferry between C. Khong & BHS since at least the 1960s when I used to live there.  Not the handiest thing to use and a bridge will certainly help.  

Just saw in the news that the bridge'll be downstream from the towns, I'd have thought it'd be upstream, but what do I know....

Mac

I had a feeling they'd have them . . . I just didn't see them on my visit . . which to be fair I've only been over that Checkpoint once.

[crazyeddie]

That all sounds encouraging! I would like to take a road trip into Laos sometime in the near future. Some questions I have are: Where to get the "passport" for my vehicle? How about danger from banditos, car thieves, etc. there in Lao? Any restrictions on what all I can carry with me? Is my Thai drivers license valid there? How about insurance? Just saw that movie Sabaidee Luang Prabang, and it looks like some beautiful country and rivers there. Wife speaks Isaan/Lao so commo should be not much problem.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

That all sounds encouraging! I would like to take a road trip into Laos sometime in the near future. Some questions I have are: Where to get the "passport" for my vehicle? How about danger from banditos, car thieves, etc. there in Lao? Any restrictions on what all I can carry with me? Is my Thai drivers license valid there? How about insurance? Just saw that movie Sabaidee Luang Prabang, and it looks like some beautiful country and rivers there. Wife speaks Isaan/Lao so commo should be not much problem.

Get a car "passport" at your  local DMV, Land Transport Department office.

Banditos?  Might be some, sure didn't see any  last month on the run from Nong Khai to vientiane to Phon Savan to Nong Het, and back then up to LP, on to Oudom Xai, Nam tha, Houei Sai for exit to Chiang Khong.

Insurance buy cheap at crossing point, Thanaleng, for example, if going from Nong Khai.

Thai driver's license?  Probably OK, my buddy had one last month.  I also have U.S. AAA IDP.

Mac

[sabaijai]

I've driven in all 13 provinces of Laos, never came across any 'bandidos'. It used to be that a stretch of Route 13 around Kasi (between Luang Prabang and Vientiane) experienced regular robberies, but that was 10 years ago.