Thank you for the information received.

I took my Jeep upto Pattaya land transport office, they provided me with a car passport and decal's for 80 Baht even though It is registerd in Bangkok.

I had help at Vientiane immigration filling out all the paperwork and getting the insurance, the guy charged me 400 Baht the third party insurance, 14 day cover cost me 300 Baht. As you drive away from the Friendship bridge a new LPG gas station is all but finished so it would seem that it may be available in other Laos locations before long. We had no bother from the police at all.

On driving from Vang Vieng to Phonsavan to visit the plain of Jars employing the Sat Nav and map the route via Ban Naluang appeared the best bet, the sat nav giving us regular updates, the road was recently resurfaced at most, eventually it directed us up an unpaved road, after asking of the locals who said we could not go this way due to water, so we carried on along the main road which would bring us out at Phonsovan, this road was gated at a check point, we were told we could not go any further due to water, I assume a dam, so we made our way back to Vang Vieng then headed towards Luang Prabang onto Phonsovan, the road here being offten unpaved as well as being full of potholes.

I managed to buy another map which showes our original route, restricted area not always passable so around 300 kilometers was unduly travelled. Fuel regular is around 11200 kip per litre, 10000 kip about 40 Baht. We crossed over into Thailand at Hauy Xai the ferry cost 1500 Baht, normally 1000 more due to Song Cran Holiday, offical fees about 200Baht our Jeep was not inspected either end.

The GPS Laos map was bought in Tuk Com on a sd card for 700 Baht, the detail on the map is minimul most towns not being shown.

On chatting to An American Laos resident he informed me that you can now drive from Huay Xai to Pak Beng via Pha Oudom, the road being suitable for all car's.

Excellent report - thank you