Border Crossings With Car/motorbike

[alesypalsy]

After reading on another site i recently saw it is quite easy to drive over to cambodia or vice versa and back,

From thailand to cambodia you need to have , passport, registration papers of vehicle or if the vehicle is hire or borrowed a letter with paper work stating the owner agrees to let you take the vehicle out of the country and insurance usually available just after you get across the border.

From cambodia to thailand, you need registration papers of the vehicle, fill out a tempory import of vehicle form available at the border and to purchase the minimum thai government insurance, does not look like much, passport of course,, the maximum you are allowed to keep the car in thailand is upto 6 months, after which it must be taken back out the way it came. If you want to leave via a different exit, e.g you enter one border and want to leave via another then you need to inform the customs as you enter so they can send the paper work to the border you want top exit from.

Overall it looks very easy to do and i intend to do on a motorbike in march/april, maybe even go as far as singapore when i got my 4x4 sorted.

[nokia]

How about border crossings to Laos with car/motorbike?

Is there a tempory import of vehicle form available at the border ?

Or is applying through a Laos travel agent and in a motor convoy the only legal method to cross Laos? Any experienced folks out there?

[silverhawk_usa]

How about border crossings to Laos with car/motorbike?

Is there a tempory import of vehicle form available at the border ?

Or is applying through a Laos travel agent  and in a motor convoy the only legal method to cross Laos? Any experienced folks out there?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crossing into Laos with a car is more difficult than with a motorbike. You need what is called an International Transit Permit (ITP) which must be obtained from the Thai motor vehicle department and some other paperwork.

I got lucky and found Tongwiset Tour which is located just before the Friendship Bridge (left hand side) in Nong Khai. 042-467578, 01-3922418. They took my vehicle book and passport and went to the Motor Vehicle Department (or whatever they call it), handled all the paperwork, obtained my permits, "T" stickers for the windows (which are required) and were back at the office in a matter of 2 hours.

They then had one of their staff actually ride across the bridge to the Lao side in my car, process all the paperwork and obtain my Laos Visas. It was about 2 years ago so I don't remember their fee, but I think it was about 500bt. I do remember that whatever I paid them was well worth it.

As for a motorcylce, the step by step process is explained on the GT-Rider Message Board Entry Procedures at Friendship Bridge.

edited by moderator (link wasn't working - now fixed)

Edited November 23, 2005 by samran

[wilko]

I'm still waiting for a posting from someone who has actually crossed into Cambodia from Thailand and back again in a Thai registered, farang owned vehicle. As yet it seems no one has made the jump from theory to reality!

[Cliff_Tan]

Hi

Has anyone crossed to Cambodia from Thailand (Aranya Prathet) side?

I plan to drive from Singapore.

Thanks

[astral]

I'm still waiting for a posting from someone who has actually crossed into Cambodia from Thailand and back again in a Thai registered, farang owned vehicle. As yet it seems no one has made the jump from theory to reality!

I have done this at Had Lek, which is 50km from Trat.

You need the car log book in your own name.

When you get you passport stamped tell immigration you are taking the car.

The will photocopy the log book and make note the fact in a book.

The go across the road to the customs post and fill in a form there to make

sure you can re-import the car.

Drive the car across the border.

On the Cambodian side, clear immigration and ask where the customs office is.

It has moved at least once.........

It used to be on the hill as you leave the border area, but lately was next to the

immigration office.

They will note the vehicle details and give you a temporary number plate to display in the

windscreen. The charge is about 100baht for each day you intend to stay.

Then off you go.

Remember to drive on the right.

Unless you make special arrangement you are un-insured!!

You are limited to the province where you crossed the border,

so travel to Sianhoukville and the like is not permitted.

[Cliff_Tan]

Hi Astral

So i guess if i enter from Aranya Prathet (Thai) to Poipet (Cambodia), i am restricted within the province and no way to cross over to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat?

Also, how can i buy insurance to enter Cambodia and Laos?

Thank you in advance

Cliff Tan

[wilko]

I'm still waiting for a posting from someone who has actually crossed into Cambodia from Thailand and back again in a Thai registered, farang owned vehicle. As yet it seems no one has made the jump from theory to reality!

I have done this at Had Lek, which is 50km from Trat.

You need the car log book in your own name.

When you get you passport stamped tell immigration you are taking the car.

The will photocopy the log book and make note the fact in a book.

The go across the road to the customs post and fill in a form there to make

sure you can re-import the car.

Drive the car across the border.

On the Cambodian side, clear immigration and ask where the customs office is.

It has moved at least once.........

It used to be on the hill as you leave the border area, but lately was next to the

immigration office.

They will note the vehicle details and give you a temporary number plate to display in the

windscreen. The charge is about 100baht for each day you intend to stay.

Then off you go.

Remember to drive on the right.

Unless you make special arrangement you are un-insured!!

You are limited to the province where you crossed the border,

so travel to Sianhoukville and the like is not permitted.

I've been casually investigating the possibility of driving to Siam Reap for over a year now...and have gleaned the odd snippet here and there but you appear to be about the only person who has actually crossed the border!

Two things....

1. I heard about the province restriction...this seems a bit strange and against the ASEAN treaty that allows for taking vehicles from one country to another.....there must be a way around this, surely?

2. I heard also that one has to buy some kind of insurance at the Cambodian border. Have you ever come across this?

Anyway at some point I intend to drive to Ankhor Wat. I think it will be best to do it in convoy...at least that way one has some support in the event of accident or breakdown.

[Sebastienenchine]

HI,

I am planning to cross at Aranya Prathet, with a Thai registrated car.

Anyone has done it?

About insurance?

Can I drive it to Siam Reap?

Thanks in advance for replies.

Sebastien.

[pop3]

Met an Australian guy at Aranyapratet a few years ago who had taken a Nissan urvan over to Phanom phenn, no problems at all taking it out but they wanted more than it was worth to bring it back, he couldent sell it for what ever reason it was so ended up leaving it at the border and comming back on our visa run minibuss, don't know if he ever saw it again ?

[Loz]

You'd think there would be a killing to be made hiring cars at the cambodian side of the border crossings. Can The Cambodian prices be that much more than thai prices? Less maybe? I went to Cambodia and parked up to walk across. For the sake of an easy life wouldn't you just hire a cambodian set of wheels?

[wilko]

You'd think there would be a killing to be made hiring cars at the cambodian side of the border crossings. Can The Cambodian prices be that much more than thai prices? Less maybe? I went to Cambodia and parked up to walk across. For the sake of an easy life wouldn't you just hire a cambodian set of wheels?

The piont of the posting is about taking one's own car to Cambodia....I know there are other ways...I've been to Cambodia twice before, but for me.... I like the idea of some kind of adventure...I've driven all over the world and this is just another challenge. BUT I don't want to go into it blind as there is a fair amount of risk involved. The object of the exercise is to leave my house and drive to Ankhor Wat...i've been there before but not in my own vehicle.

[percy2]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=86965

The bus company thats organizing the trip in the above topic would probably be able to help you out.