Vientianne Border

[jauntyjohn]

I am heading to the border next month. Could anyone advise:

1. If I am able to pay for my Laos visa at the border and if so how much is it in US dollars...I am an aussie.

2. If my thai wife and child can cross into Laos with me...they have no passports....and if so what do they need to show.

3. How do we get from the border into the main area of the city. How much etc.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[WhizBang]

1. If I am able to pay for my Laos visa at the border and if so how much is it in US dollars...I am an aussie.

Don't know about US$, but it's 1500 Thai baht.

2. If my thai wife and child can cross into Laos with me...they have no passports....and if so what do they need to show.

Yes (I think). They will need suitable Thai ID and passport/ID photographs. There will also be a fee. Not sure how much.

Also not sure how far into Laos they can go. I have been told they would need to stay near the border crossing, but that should be verified from reliable sources.

3. How do we get from the border into the main area of the city. How much etc.

Taxi/Tuk-Tuk. Don't know how much. I hire a car and driver at my hotel and they take care of everything, well, mostly. You still have to present yourself at immigration, both coming and going.

You can also hire the car and driver and do a day tour of Vientienne. But you will need a Laos guide, or be prepared to be set upon by the local police who will demand tea money to allow you to proceed without a guide.

As for hiring a car and driver, check tour agencies in Nong Khai. I use the Pantawee Hotel.

Good luck.

[Colabamumbai]

Visa rates vary depending on nationality. Check the Lao Government website for rates. Pay in Dollars always less than Bhat. ie Canadian passport $42.00 or 1800 Bhat ($60) a dollar more on weekends and holidays. I think Aussies pay $35.00, but don't trust me.

Your wife will need a border pass if she has no passport, I think the child will to. You must obtain this at an immigration office not at the border, with I.D. ie the immigration office in Nong Khai.

Taxi into Vientiane about 200 Bhat per person, alone, less per person for more ie 150 Bhat they will ask more, Tuks about the same. Bus into city 20 Bhat. Find a guy who has to go into the city anyway, he will charge less.

[forgetit]

I don't know about vientianne border, but at savannakhet you can obtain the borderpass at the border station. at mukdahan/savannakhet there is a special building right before the border station.photographs will be taken there too.

[DowntownAl]

Funny thing, I've been there twice over the last year, wandered all over downtown, day and night and never, ever got hassled by anyone, except the tuk-tuk guys and the occasion working girl that is. it's a touristy town now and the local police leave you alone. Hell, I walked passed about a dozen of them on the river road last July, they were out grabbing a smoke, I guessed during a lunch break. Of the one who even bothered to look at me, half smiled politely and the others just ogled my cool Mexican t-shirt. It's a nice town, forget about the tea money stuff.

[ubonjoe]

Your will not get the border pass from immigration as previous poster stated. It is a function of the Interior Ministry.

There is a travel office at the bus station just before the bridge where buses operate from that cross the bridge where you can get border passes. The children will also need border passes. You will need photos for every bodies border pass. ID card is enough for wife but for the children you will need house book and birth certificate.

Edited September 10, 2012 by ubonjoe

[Gone]

Never heard of tea money in Laos also. Been there many times and never been hassled. Whoever says that the police want tea money has never been there. It is a Communist country and you think the police want to end up in jail?

Maybe you are thinking about crossing the boarder from Sathahip into Pattaya?

[seasia]

Hi

I recall paying US $ 35 for Lao visa, I`m British.

Approx 15-20 minutes wait for that to be issued at border.

Paid 300 bhat for taxi in to town, Riverside area, 2 passengers.

TGF had passport, fairly sure she paid nothing to enter Lao, if anything maybe 20 baht.

Enjoy your trip

[uty6543]

Laos border run Nong Khai

bus across bridge 20 baht (advise do not use your phone in Laos it costs BIG BIG MONEY) or it did on my phone

Visa on arrival at other side of bridge (bring your own pen!!!) US $35 or 1500 baht (best to pay in US $ which you can get at a bank or exchange place for about 1100 baht) saving 400 baht

I think you need 2 passport photos here

Taxi to Vientiane 300 baht for taxi not per person

if you share with others can save money and get info. on what to do where to stay

if you are just doing a border run all you need to do when get across the bridge is get visa to enter Laos walk around the block exit Laos 5 mins later and come back over the bridge. There is a large duty free place at the border crossing. Don’t listen to touts who tell say you have to go to Vientiane. you don’t. Your wife can enter Laos on her ID card (cost is 10 baht) and she can travel anywhere in Laos does not have to stay near the border. Sorry I do not know anything about travelling with children.

good luck

[Tomtomtom69]

1. If I am able to pay for my Laos visa at the border and if so how much is it in US dollars...I am an aussie.

Don't know about US$, but it's 1500 Thai baht.

2. If my thai wife and child can cross into Laos with me...they have no passports....and if so what do they need to show.

Yes (I think). They will need suitable Thai ID and passport/ID photographs. There will also be a fee. Not sure how much.

Also not sure how far into Laos they can go. I have been told they would need to stay near the border crossing, but that should be verified from reliable sources.

3. How do we get from the border into the main area of the city. How much etc.

Taxi/Tuk-Tuk. Don't know how much. I hire a car and driver at my hotel and they take care of everything, well, mostly. You still have to present yourself at immigration, both coming and going.

You can also hire the car and driver and do a day tour of Vientienne. But you will need a Laos guide, or be prepared to be set upon by the local police who will demand tea money to allow you to proceed without a guide.

As for hiring a car and driver, check tour agencies in Nong Khai. I use the Pantawee Hotel.

Good luck.

The last comment is garbage. There are innumerable numbers of ways of getting into Vientiane, including various cross-border bus services from Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Nakorn Ratchaseema. Alternatively, take a local bus, tuk tuk, taxi or even a Thai or Lao registered van or car that is willing to take you into the city. You don't need a Lao guide for anything unless you want one.

You can even drive a car yourself. Europcar Laos rents out cars with or without drivers which can even be taken into Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sipsongbanna region of southern Yunnan province, China.

[jackspratt]

Lao visa for Australians is US$30 - we paid for the bridge.

[Ivantheterrible]

I've got some questions on this topic as well.

I haven't done the border run to Lao in a few years now, and I am wondering if it's still as easy as it used to be.

Mostly what I mean by this is, is it still a matter of them only caring about getting the money, and not asking any questions.

I was never asked to show onward tickets from Thailand to another location, or to show proof of hotel bookings or any of that.

Is that still the case, that they won't ask any of those questions?

Even though it's a bit off topic, I'm curious about the Cambodian border at Poi Pet also. There it used to be the same way, no questions ask, still that easy now?

[Tomtomtom69]

The Nong Khai-Vientiane bus should cost 80? Baht per passenger but you would need to take this bus from the Nong Khai bus station. A local Lao registered bus into the city from the bridge should have only a very minimal cost but will take a while, at least 30 mins and you'd need to wait around for the bus to arrive. A taxi or tuk-tuk should cost 200 Baht for one passenger, try negotiating it to 300 for all of you, though 350 or 400 may be requested. Oh yeah and if you use the bus to cross the bridge between the Thai and Lao checkpoints there is a 20 Baht per passenger charge. If you use another form of transport, the bridge crossing fee is either charged to you directly, or is incorporated into the price of the transport you cross with.

To answer your other questions: it would be better if your wife (and child) had a passport since Thai citizens don't require a visa to enter Laos and entry would thus be free. With just an ID card, you go to one of the travel agencies near the border, where a 3-day 2-night border permit is available for about 120 Baht and takes about an hour to process. Take a couple of passport photos, or they will charge you for those too. The 3-day, 2-night border pass is only valid in Vientiane (I'm not sure if that means Vientiane city only i.e. Kampaeng Nakorn ກຳແພງນະຄອນ or if that applies to all of Vientiane province ວຽງຈັນ including both the city and the province). In any case, when I hired a car and drove together with some Thai friends (all of them had passports except one, whose passport was expired and thus was on a border pass) we had no problems going well into Vientiane province, and outside of the city portion. Since I have travelled extensively throughout Laos, I know that the police would only rarely (almost never) request documentation on a random basis, instead you would be fined at the border if attempting to cross at a different crossing or if over the time limit. Still, it's best to stay legal and if travel outside of Vientiane is required, all travellers should be in possession of a passport.

For the visa, Aussie citizens should pay US$30, or perhaps it's since gone up to US$35 for a 30-day Lao visa on arrival, but as a dual citizen, I only use my Swiss passport to enter Laos these days since I don't need a visa for 15 days (this visa exemption has been in force for Swiss and Luxembourg citizens since 2 or 3 years now). On an Aussie passport, I'd have to pay. Last time I used my Aussie passport to enter Laos I paid US$30, but that was back in 2007; there may also be a so-called "overtime fee" of US$1 added on top of the normal visa fee. Don't bring Thai Baht since they'll profit on the exchange rate and charge you 1500 Baht. So to be safe, bring about US$40 and you'll be fine. US$ are easy to purchase from Superrich in Bangkok (either Viphawadi-Rangsit road branch or the Patumwan branches opposite Central World Plaza) or at any international airport (Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai etc.) or from the Superrich branch in Khon Kaen. Forget about purchasing US$ from Thai banks, as the paperwork is lengthy, and they may have to order the $ from the main branch or somewhere else, so this would take time, possibly a couple of days.

In Laos, ATMs are available both at the bridge and in the city (and along the highway between the bridge and Vientiane city). They only allow withdrawals of 1 or max. 2 million Kip per transaction, which can seem quite low, but at least they can be found everywhere.

There is a large range of accommodation available in Vientiane to suit all budgets. I recommend the Chantapanya hotel, although these days it's no longer budget and the minimum room price has recently gone up from 400,000 to 500,000 Kip per night (about 1700 Baht). Plenty of much cheaper accommodation is still available though.

In general, both Lao Kip and Thai Baht can be used for all transactions in Laos; however, the government is now requiring all businesses to quote only in Kip and would prefer that only Kip were accepted, in reality, Thai Baht can still be used almost everywhere in Vientiane city at least. Some businesses, mostly tourist ones, will also accept US$ and even Euros (and occasionally AUD or other currencies that can easily be exchanged in Vientiane) but it's best to exchange your money to Kip; if you are carrying Baht, change half to Kip and keep the rest in Baht. Once back in Thailand, only a few moneychangers and banks (notably Bangkok Bank) will be willing to exchange your Kip and the exchange rate might not be very good, so it's best to return to Thailand with only Baht or another major currency.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Tomtomtom69

[Tomtomtom69]

I've got some questions on this topic as well.

I haven't done the border run to Lao in a few years now, and I am wondering if it's still as easy as it used to be.

Mostly what I mean by this is, is it still a matter of them only caring about getting the money, and not asking any questions.

I was never asked to show onward tickets from Thailand to another location, or to show proof of hotel bookings or any of that.

Is that still the case, that they won't ask any of those questions?

Even though it's a bit off topic, I'm curious about the Cambodian border at Poi Pet also. There it used to be the same way, no questions ask, still that easy now?

No questions are generally asked by the Thai authorities, but do be prepared to hold air tickets and/or cash/credit cards etc. if you are returning on your 3rd or 4th entry as a tourist, because the authorities will start to get grumpy if they sense someone is just doing visa runs to extend a holiday in Thailand. Hotel bookings have never been a requirement for a tourist in Thailand or for visa issuance so don't worry about that.

The Lao and Cambodian authorities have a completely different system and won't ask you any questions no matter how many times you enter their territories. The Cambodians in particular will just be glad to be getting your money. I would recommend a visa run to Laos rather than Cambodia since there are too many hassles such as pests (touts actually, but they are pests) that will constantly hassle you at the Poipet crossing, which is something that you won't find at any Lao crossings. These pests will constantly hassle you for assistance in applying for the Cambodian visa, will try to charge you 2 or more times the going rate and will take a lot longer than if you did it yourself. Unless you can handle the hassles, I'd suggest going to Laos. Vientiane is a border city anyway and you won't spend that much more time travelling there (even from Bangkok) than travelling to Poipet. Sure, Vientiane is more than twice the distance from the border, but if you fly to Udon or catch a bus or train and stay overnight for one night, you'll be doing a lot better than on the Poipet run and there are plenty of things to do in Vientiane, but almost nothing to do in Poipet except for a bit of gambling at some dodgy casinos. It's a filthy city and you don't want to go anywhere near that awfully polluted river or get your clothes dirty by staying there too long.

I had to do the Poipet run once to activate my work permit and despite knowing better, I got sucked into the scammers there. More recently, transporting goods via Cambodia to Vietnam I dismissed all the touts, but it was still a hassle. Never again. From now, it's Laos all the way.

[Tomtomtom69]

Laos border run Nong Khai

bus across bridge 20 baht (advise do not use your phone in Laos it costs BIG BIG MONEY) or it did on my phone

Visa on arrival at other side of bridge (bring your own pen!!!) US $35 or 1500 baht (best to pay in US $ which you can get at a bank or exchange place for about 1100 baht) saving 400 baht

I think you need 2 passport photos here

Taxi to Vientiane 300 baht for taxi not per person

if you share with others can save money and get info. on what to do where to stay

if you are just doing a border run all you need to do when get across the bridge is get visa to enter Laos walk around the block exit Laos 5 mins later and come back over the bridge. There is a large duty free place at the border crossing. Don’t listen to touts who tell say you have to go to Vientiane. you don’t. Your wife can enter Laos on her ID card (cost is 10 baht) and she can travel anywhere in Laos does not have to stay near the border. Sorry I do not know anything about travelling with children.

good luck

Where did you get this info from? You are wrong dude. There is no agreement for Thai citizens that allows them to enter Laos with only an ID card and thus being allowed to travel anywhere they want; Laos is not part of the EU nor does ASEAN have any agreement even remotely close to the Schengen agreement. Border passes only allow restricted travel in the province directly across from Thailand where they were issued and only for 3 days 2 nights maximum. Only a Thai citizen with a passport can travel anywhere they like for up to 30 days without a visa. I once travelled with a Thai citizen on a border pass who was inadvertedly issued a one day pass but we actually stayed 3 days and 2 nights. There was a threat of a large fine and a warning upon exiting. We paid a smaller fine, but the experience wasn't pleasent.

Oh and BTW the border pass costs 120 Baht not only 10 Baht. Even at the Mae Sai crossing, the border pass costs upwards of 50 Baht and that one is only valid for a day.

[jackspratt]

For the visa, Aussie citizens should pay US$30, or perhaps it's since gone up to US$35 for a 30-day Lao visa on arrival, but as a dual citizen, I only use my Swiss passport to enter Laos these days since I don't need a visa for 15 days (this visa exemption has been in force for Swiss and Luxembourg citizens since 2 or 3 years now). On an Aussie passport, I'd have to pay. Last time I used my Aussie passport to enter Laos I paid US$30, but that was back in 2007; there may also be a so-called "overtime fee" of US$1 added on top of the normal visa fee. Don't bring Thai Baht since they'll profit on the exchange rate and charge you 1500 Baht. So to be safe, bring about US$40 and you'll be fine. US$ are easy to purchase from Superrich in Bangkok (either Viphawadi-Rangsit road branch or the Patumwan branches opposite Central World Plaza) or at any international airport (Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai etc.) or from the Superrich branch in Khon Kaen. Forget about purchasing US$ from Thai banks, as the paperwork is lengthy, and they may have to order the $ from the main branch or somewhere else, so this would take time, possibly a couple of days.

As stated above in my earlier post, the visa cost for Australians is US$30.

I have purchased US$ over the counter with a minimum of paperwork and/or fuss at both the KTB Bank in the Tesco Centre, and Kasikorn Bank, both in Nong Khai. Just have your passport handy.

I also understand (though I have not done it myself), that you can also purchase $US from the Money Exchange on the Lao side, right in front of the Immigration windows.

Edited September 10, 2012 by jackspratt

[jauntyjohn]

Great info...thanks for all the response however there seems to be varying opinions here.

Basically my wife and 3 year old child do not hold a passports so I need to know if they can obtain a border pass at the border and if so can she stay overnight in Vientianne on this border pass. Anyone with first hand experience please advise.

[ubonjoe]

Please read my previous post.

I have traveled to Vientiane with my wife on a border pass more than once and Mukdahan with wife and daughter.

The normal time on a border pass is 3 days but it can be extended at Lao immigration. My wife overstayed one day in Savannakhet because of a Lao holiday at consulate and had to pay a small fine at with no big problem encountered.

I think the most we ever paid for a border pass was 30 or 40 baht at a travel agency.

[PattayaBeachBum]

Thanks guys great info as I have to go there in a couple of weeks.