Riding A Motorcycle To Vientiane

[Waffle]

Hi guys,

My friend will be visiting from Australia on the 17th of Feb, I asked him what he would like to do and he said he wants to travel to Vientiane

by bike, will we be able to cross the border by motorcycle and head on to Vienetiane or do we need any paperwork to cross the border, Im hoping

we can just pay for the Laos visa at the border and then pass through but not too sure.

Any advise about crossing the border on motorcycles would be appreciated.

Regards.

[anto]

You will need the bikes reg .(green book ).Doubt if you can take a hire bike in .Lots of info about that on gt-rider.com .

[Waffle]

You will need the bikes reg .(green book ).Doubt if you can take a hire bike in .Lots of info about that on gt-rider.com .

Thanks anto, I will check out that website now, thank you.

[CMSteve]

You have to be the registered owners of the bikes. Should be ok if you own both bikes. Can't do with hired bikes. You can get visa's on arrivals, usually between $30 - $35USD. You will also need to get insurance for Laos(at the bridge). There is also a document you need to get for the bike to travel. Much like a passport, forget the name.

[Waffle]

You have to be the registered owners of the bikes. Should be ok if you own both bikes. Can't do with hired bikes. You can get visa's on arrivals, usually between $30 - $35USD. You will also need to get insurance for Laos(at the bridge). There is also a document you need to get for the bike to travel. Much like a passport, forget the name.

Thanks CMSteve, I only have the 1 bike, my friend would have to rent, looks like its a no-go, thats ok, been meaning to check out Bang Saphan, maybe he ll like to visit there, will email and pass along the info,

Regards.

[qdinthailand]

You have the papers on one bike. Think about leaving the rental behind in Nong Khai - a secure parking lot or something, and entering Laos 2-up (or is that just two weird for you dudes!).

Maybe a TV reader in Nong Khai has a free spot for ya!

Edited January 29, 2013 by qdinthailand

[silverhawk_usa]

Thai registered motorcycles are not allowed to cross the Friendship Bridge from Nong Khai to Vientiane (there are occasionally some odd exceptions, but don't count on it). They are only allowed to exit from Laos at Vientiane .

International Transit Permits, the book mentioned above, have not been issued, or required, for motorcycles for a number of years. You do need to have your original Green Book and fill out documents for Customs and Immigration.

It is possible to take rental bikes across the border if the owner agrees and supplies the proper permission documents (rental companies that allow this are familiar with the procedure. There are only a couple who will do this).

It was possible to ride from Nong Khai east to Buen Kon about 130km, and crossover to Paxan, Laos and then ride back to Vientiane.

The most popular crossing into Laos is Chiang Khong to Huay Xai but you have a few days ride to Vientiane.

Currently the situation on the Thai/Lao border is very confusing. There are new regulations being put into effect over the last couple months, especially on groups of bikes of 4 or more, requiring permits and Lao guides.

At some border crossings, even single bikes are now being turned away apparently because of confusion on the new regulations. Even a couple bicyclists were turned back at Huay Kon (Nan),

Bottom line: If you are not experienced at crossing these border points, now is not the time to try it. Especially on a rental bike. Also, make sure the advice you take is from persons who have actually done it, and recently.

Yes, GT-Rider is your best reference.

Good Luck.

Edited January 29, 2013 by silverhawk_usa

[thruthehaze]

There is bike parking on the right hand side 200 meters before the border 30baht per 24hours.

[Waffle]

Thanks everybody for the good advices, you guys gave me a few ideas and options to think about.

Regards.

[silverhawk_usa]

Here is a link which gives more information on the current Laos border situation. Link

[Sydneycraig]

I have just crossed with my Thai bike into Malaysia ... I needed green book and to buy insurance which is standard wherever you go ... There were no export papers required at all Thai side to take the bike out and I asked at pretty much every point and person at the border ... If you don't have the green book you can get a permission from the owner but may be hard from a rental place ! I'm going to do Chiangmai to Laos next so please keep us posted if you go ...

[silverhawk_usa]

I have just crossed with my Thai bike into Malaysia ... I needed green book and to buy insurance which is standard wherever you go ... There were no export papers required at all Thai side to take the bike out and I asked at pretty much every point and person at the border ... If you don't have the green book you can get a permission from the owner but may be hard from a rental place ! I'm going to do Chiangmai to Laos next so please keep us posted if you go ...

Crossing to Laos is not crossing to Malaysia. Unfortunately not all International crossings use the same uniform procedures.

Crossing into Laos you will need two sets of Immigration and Customs forms, TM2 and TM4 and TM3 if you have passengers. Your Green Book and two copies of green book and your passport. Customs form- "Simplified Customs Declaration Form". The forms are available on line if you search, or you will get them at the border.

If taking a bike not registered in your name, you will need a special permission form with attached Tax Stamps (not just a letter from the owner), You will also need signed copies of the owners passport and registration book. If using a rental bike, be prepared to leave a hefty deposit also.

You will need to purchase insurance on the Lao Side.

Don't forget you will also need a re entry permit if you have a current Thai visa.

As stated above, and in the link, where you try to cross may determine whether you are successful or not. Don't go by old experiences and information, these are recent changes and difficulties.

My suggestions to the OP; tell your friend there are many, many, great motorcycling roads and loops in Thailand. Unless you have pending business in Laos, he should just try some of the fantastic riding in Thailand first.

[Waffle]

Hey Guys, we ended up taking the mini-van to vienteine, booked the ticket through Chinda house, 1600 baht return, the trip to Nongkhai was great, the driver stopped a couple of times at the 7-11 and was about an 11 hour trip to NongKhai, we switched buses 2 or 3 times before getting a tuk-tuk to the consulate, arrived there about 9.00am, it was empty, filled out the form, handed it in and then found out that they would be closed until Tuesday (Buddha day)

My ticket, I could not change the date but the missus called chinda house, spoke with the woman and agreed to pick us up on Tues evening at no extra cost, I thought to my self "this is a great little company, nice bus ride including transfer over the border, they'll even change my departure date"

Then came the ride back to CM, everything was going smooth until we got picked up by the mini-van in NongKhai, The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit, thank god the roads were dry, at one stage we ran over something, possibly a traffic cone, everyone was tense, my friend actually shouted "hey hey" at the driver, I was pissed myself and said to him in Thai "slow down, we have time" and my friend wants to use the bathroom at the 7-11"

We had been about 5-6 hours in the van and had passed maybe 10 seven-elevens but for some reason this guy decides to pull up outside an outhouse, there was a 7/11 a km back on the other side of the road but I guess it was too much trouble to pull in there.

The icing on the cake was from Lamphun into town he drove at 50km an hour, the whole highway we just crawled along at 50km, (I was looking at the speedometer) it must have taken us 2 hours just to get home from lampang alone, I thought it odd so turned to my friend and asked what he thought? He looked at me and said "because he's an a__hole"

When we got into CM and parked the spanish guy sitting in front of us, grabbed his bag, shouted some obscenities at the driver and we all went on our separate ways.

Next time I'll catch a plane...

Regards.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Waffle

[VETO72]

Hey Guys, we ended up taking the mini-van to vienteine, booked the ticket through Chinda house, 1600 baht return, the trip to Nongkhai was great, the driver stopped a couple of times at the 7-11 and was about an 11 hour trip to NongKhai, we switched buses 2 or 3 times before getting a tuk-tuk to the consulate, arrived there about 9.00am, it was empty, filled out the form, handed it in and then found out that they would be closed until Tuesday (Buddha day)

My ticket, I could not change the date but the missus called chinda house, spoke with the woman and agreed to pick us up on Tues evening at no extra cost, I thought to my self "this is a great little company, nice bus ride including transfer over the border, they'll even change my departure date"

Then came the ride back to CM, everything was going smooth until we got picked up by the mini-van in NongKhai, The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit, thank god the roads were dry, at one stage we ran over something, possibly a traffic cone, everyone was tense, my friend actually shouted "hey hey" at the driver, I was pissed myself and said to him in Thai "slow down, we have time" and my friend wants to use the bathroom at the 7-11"

We had been about 5-6 hours in the van and had passed maybe 10 seven-elevens but for some reason this guy decides to pull up outside an outhouse, there was a 7/11 a km back on the other side of the road but I guess it was too much trouble to pull in there.

The icing on the cake was from Lamphun into town he drove at 50km an hour, the whole highway we just crawled along at 50km, (I was looking at the speedometer) it must have taken us 2 hours just to get home from lampang alone, I thought it odd so turned to my friend and asked what he thought? He looked at me and said "because he's an a__hole"

When we got into CM and parked the spanish guy sitting in front of us, grabbed his bag, shouted some obscenities at the driver and we all went on our separate ways.

Next time I'll catch a plane...

Regards.

Or maybe it was the meth he smoked up before the trip ...wouldnt suprise me..

[rene123]

Hey Guys, we ended up taking the mini-van to vienteine, booked the ticket through Chinda house, 1600 baht return, the trip to Nongkhai was great, the driver stopped a couple of times at the 7-11 and was about an 11 hour trip to NongKhai, we switched buses 2 or 3 times before getting a tuk-tuk to the consulate, arrived there about 9.00am, it was empty, filled out the form, handed it in and then found out that they would be closed until Tuesday (Buddha day)

My ticket, I could not change the date but the missus called chinda house, spoke with the woman and agreed to pick us up on Tues evening at no extra cost, I thought to my self "this is a great little company, nice bus ride including transfer over the border, they'll even change my departure date"

Then came the ride back to CM, everything was going smooth until we got picked up by the mini-van in NongKhai, The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit, thank god the roads were dry, at one stage we ran over something, possibly a traffic cone, everyone was tense, my friend actually shouted "hey hey" at the driver, I was pissed myself and said to him in Thai "slow down, we have time" and my friend wants to use the bathroom at the 7-11"

We had been about 5-6 hours in the van and had passed maybe 10 seven-elevens but for some reason this guy decides to pull up outside an outhouse, there was a 7/11 a km back on the other side of the road but I guess it was too much trouble to pull in there.

The icing on the cake was from Lamphun into town he drove at 50km an hour, the whole highway we just crawled along at 50km, (I was looking at the speedometer) it must have taken us 2 hours just to get home from lampang alone, I thought it odd so turned to my friend and asked what he thought? He looked at me and said "because he's an a__hole"

When we got into CM and parked the spanish guy sitting in front of us, grabbed his bag, shouted some obscenities at the driver and we all went on our separate ways.

Next time I'll catch a plane...

Regards.

That does not surprise me about your van driver. Just because of the many bad experiences I've had with them during the 4 months I've been in Thailand I would never trust any of them. I just got back from Nan and on 2 separate occasions I was forced off the road by a van passing on a blind, narrow corner. Had I been driving or riding in a vehicle rather than on my motorbike we would have had a head on accident. I now hate vans with a passion.

[teacherofwoe]

Hey Guys, we ended up taking the mini-van to vienteine, booked the ticket through Chinda house, 1600 baht return, the trip to Nongkhai was great, the driver stopped a couple of times at the 7-11 and was about an 11 hour trip to NongKhai, we switched buses 2 or 3 times before getting a tuk-tuk to the consulate, arrived there about 9.00am, it was empty, filled out the form, handed it in and then found out that they would be closed until Tuesday (Buddha day)

My ticket, I could not change the date but the missus called chinda house, spoke with the woman and agreed to pick us up on Tues evening at no extra cost, I thought to my self "this is a great little company, nice bus ride including transfer over the border, they'll even change my departure date"

Then came the ride back to CM, everything was going smooth until we got picked up by the mini-van in NongKhai, The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit, thank god the roads were dry, at one stage we ran over something, possibly a traffic cone, everyone was tense, my friend actually shouted "hey hey" at the driver, I was pissed myself and said to him in Thai "slow down, we have time" and my friend wants to use the bathroom at the 7-11"

We had been about 5-6 hours in the van and had passed maybe 10 seven-elevens but for some reason this guy decides to pull up outside an outhouse, there was a 7/11 a km back on the other side of the road but I guess it was too much trouble to pull in there.

The icing on the cake was from Lamphun into town he drove at 50km an hour, the whole highway we just crawled along at 50km, (I was looking at the speedometer) it must have taken us 2 hours just to get home from lampang alone, I thought it odd so turned to my friend and asked what he thought? He looked at me and said "because he's an a__hole"

When we got into CM and parked the spanish guy sitting in front of us, grabbed his bag, shouted some obscenities at the driver and we all went on our separate ways.

Next time I'll catch a plane...

Regards.

Someone told me that if you take a car to Laos you get charged about B1,000 per day. Can you verify this? Thanks.

[Waffle]

Hey Guys, we ended up taking the mini-van to vienteine, booked the ticket through Chinda house, 1600 baht return, the trip to Nongkhai was great, the driver stopped a couple of times at the 7-11 and was about an 11 hour trip to NongKhai, we switched buses 2 or 3 times before getting a tuk-tuk to the consulate, arrived there about 9.00am, it was empty, filled out the form, handed it in and then found out that they would be closed until Tuesday (Buddha day)

My ticket, I could not change the date but the missus called chinda house, spoke with the woman and agreed to pick us up on Tues evening at no extra cost, I thought to my self "this is a great little company, nice bus ride including transfer over the border, they'll even change my departure date"

Then came the ride back to CM, everything was going smooth until we got picked up by the mini-van in NongKhai, The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit, thank god the roads were dry, at one stage we ran over something, possibly a traffic cone, everyone was tense, my friend actually shouted "hey hey" at the driver, I was pissed myself and said to him in Thai "slow down, we have time" and my friend wants to use the bathroom at the 7-11"

We had been about 5-6 hours in the van and had passed maybe 10 seven-elevens but for some reason this guy decides to pull up outside an outhouse, there was a 7/11 a km back on the other side of the road but I guess it was too much trouble to pull in there.

The icing on the cake was from Lamphun into town he drove at 50km an hour, the whole highway we just crawled along at 50km, (I was looking at the speedometer) it must have taken us 2 hours just to get home from lampang alone, I thought it odd so turned to my friend and asked what he thought? He looked at me and said "because he's an a__hole"

When we got into CM and parked the spanish guy sitting in front of us, grabbed his bag, shouted some obscenities at the driver and we all went on our separate ways.

Next time I'll catch a plane...

Regards.

Someone told me that if you take a car to Laos you get charged about B1,000 per day. Can you verify this? Thanks.

Hi, I don't know buddy, we just bought a return ticket through an agency, it was 1600 baht for the ticket, very cheap but the return ride back I'd like to forget, at the end of the day, you get what you pay for.. renting a car and driving there yourself... maybe someone else has some info on this.

Regards.

[HaleySabai]

The driver was doing 120km along the mountain roads and taking bends on like schumacher, I swear that van was being pushed to its limit.....

There was a recent thread concerning a fatal van accident down south,burning 7 people alive in a fiery crash -

these passenger vans are the single most dangerously driven vehicle on the road. I would ride a bike anywhere,any day of the week before getting aboard one of these tin can death-traps.

Do think twice next time.

Edited March 4, 2013 by HaleySabai