Drive Rented Car Into Laos?

[Gone]

Does anyone know if I can drive a rented car into Suvannakhet to do a Visa run? Thank you in advance for the help.

I have a IDP and a 5 year Thai license.

[ubonjoe]

Not possible.

Even taking your own car in it requires a lot of paperwork and certainly not worth the trouble for a visa run.

[ThaidDown]

I believe that the vehicle will need an International Vehicle Permit (Purple Book). To get this you will need Blue Reg book ,owners details and permission etc. etc. etc.

So for rental car , as said, not possible.

[pinball]

You cannot full stop

[Jay Sata]

Even if you could there would be insurance issues and of course the problem that Laos drives on the opposite side of the road to Thailand.

Why bother when you can just hop on the bus?

[samran]

funny thing is, Europcar in Vientiene has hire cars that can be driven over into Thailand.

[Dork]

funny thing is, Europcar in Vientiene has hire cars that can be driven over into Thailand.

Seems a bit odd, doesn't it?

A few years ago I was working with a Thai owned woodenware manufacturer in Nong Khai. They had another factory near Vientiane that did pre-processing of the raw material so were crossing the bridge like we would cross the Chao Phraya and had several Lao registered vehicles parked in NK for that purpose. When I asked why, they said it was much easier to cross the border than using a Thai registered vehicle.

Maybe it's a hangover from the days when a lot of stolen pick-ups & motorbikes would end up in Cambodia or Laos.

[Dork]

Back to the op's question...

Technically I think it would be possible as long as you had the renters co-operation. I say that because I have driven company owned cars across the border to both Malaysia and Cambodia. But as Ubonjoe suggests, it is a lot of paperwork.

As I recall, I needed the blue book, a letter on the company letterhead giving specific permission for that vehicle, crossing that border, driven by that person. Then other supporting documents showing that the company signatory was correct and current etc etc.

[Gone]

Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate it. I will just park in Mukhdahan then and bus it across. I have only ever rented a motorcycle in Suvannakhet and driven not to far outside of the town but thought it might be nice to do a little tour in the truck while I am there.

Oh well thanks again folks.

[phuketrichard]

Not possible.

Even taking your own car in it requires a lot of paperwork and certainly not worth the trouble for a visa run.

agree the car need to be in ur name

as to difficult, thats not true,

I have taken my car in twice,

You take your blue book to the transport l dept an get a purple book ( cost 50 baht) good for one year which is the english translation of the blue book ( it is required ONLY to go to Laos)

at the thai border they take ur information and enter it into a computer and give u the paperwork to temp export ur car, valid for 1 month

entering laos u give them the paperwork an purple book which they stamp, then u go buy insurance ( mine was 800 baht for 3 weeks) although the car is only allowed in for 14 days but can be extended.

Roads up north are bad BUT it is absolutely beautiful!!!

easy.