Can I Directly Drive To China From Laos Without Passing Thru Vietnam?

[volks2]

I would like to find out whether can i drive to China from Laos without the necessary to pass thru Vietnam?

Thank you

[my friend I]

Boten North Laos/China

[samran]

Laos does border China...

[volks2]

can trailand registered truck go to China via Laos? How is the road condition? How come I was advised to use Vietnam route in order to go into China?

[samran]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

[USNret]

LMGTFY:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=laos&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.320439,74.794922&t=m&hnear=Laos&z=5

[tingtongfarang]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

i know a few guys who drove trabants from germany...came across china-laos-thailand and then on to cambodia about 5-6 years ago...has something changed?

[Tywais]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

From this Chinese site they indicate you can get a temporary permit to drive there. Or is this something specific about a border crossing?

Do Foreigners Need a Drive Permit to Drive in China?

Yes.

Foreigners who have a driving license issued by their home countries can apply for a temporary driving license and drive in China without having to take related tests, according to a clause in a regulation issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

The regulation, which deals with the management of automobiles and foreigners that come to China for a short stay, stipulates that the valid period for the temporary driving license should not exceed the period marked in the entry and exit certificates, and the temporary license can be valid for three months at most. The valid period cannot be extended. In addition, the temporary driving license should be used together with the driving license issued at his or her home country and foreigners should always take these two licenses with them, in case traffic police ask them to show these licenses at any time.

Although foreigners who have obtained their driving license at home can get their temporary driving license in China without having to take related tests, they need to attend lessons to study Chinese road safety regulations, before they can drive in China. And they can only drive small cars or automatic-gear cars.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/LivinginChina/201154.htm

Wiki shows this but obviously would not work for cross border passage: " It is now possible to get a provisional driver's license very easily in major cities like Beijing. You can get one directly from the counters at Beijing Capital Airport without any tests."

[Squigy]

Pretty bad road..if you can call it that in Northern Lao! But you can do it.

[Kaviar]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

From this Chinese site they indicate you can get a temporary permit to drive there. Or is this something specific about a border crossing?

Do Foreigners Need a Drive Permit to Drive in China?

Yes.

Foreigners who have a driving license issued by their home countries can apply for a temporary driving license and drive in China without having to take related tests, according to a clause in a regulation issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

The regulation, which deals with the management of automobiles and foreigners that come to China for a short stay, stipulates that the valid period for the temporary driving license should not exceed the period marked in the entry and exit certificates, and the temporary license can be valid for three months at most. The valid period cannot be extended. In addition, the temporary driving license should be used together with the driving license issued at his or her home country and foreigners should always take these two licenses with them, in case traffic police ask them to show these licenses at any time.

Although foreigners who have obtained their driving license at home can get their temporary driving license in China without having to take related tests, they need to attend lessons to study Chinese road safety regulations, before they can drive in China. And they can only drive small cars or automatic-gear cars.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/LivinginChina/201154.htm

Wiki shows this but obviously would not work for cross border passage: " It is now possible to get a provisional driver's license very easily in major cities like Beijing. You can get one directly from the counters at Beijing Capital Airport without any tests."

I have lived in China for 13 years (been driving here for 10 years) and have never heard of a temporary licence to drive in China.

I asked a policeman friend of mine in the traffic bureau, he said no temporary licence in China, must have full chinese driving licence to drive in china.

[Tywais]

I have lived in China for 13 years (been driving here for 10 years) and have never heard of a temporary licence to drive in China.

I asked a policeman friend of mine in the traffic bureau, he said no temporary licence in China, must have full chinese driving licence to drive in china.

That was a Chinese org site but just noted the date was 2007. This from the Beijing Traffic Bureau for temporary entry driving permit.

A. The temporary arrived foreigner can drive his own vehicle or rent a Chinese vehicle.

Another site showing how to apply for a temporary license - Beijing Expat Service

[phuketrichard]

i was up in Northern Laos last year, Traveled to Muang Sing with my thai car, Crossed over at Chaing Khong. Ban Houay Sai

drove out to the Chinese border and was turned back about 5 kms before the border at Baan Pak Khong.

was told it is an open border IF have a Chinese visa but no way in hell would they allow u to drive with your car.

Roads in northern laos are pretty poor and rutted in spots but easily doable; would be great on a 250 motorcycle

My honda civic went everywhere an am heading back to do northern/eastern Laos this summer,

Edited May 2, 2013 by phuketrichard

[Tomtomtom69]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

Why? No you won't - you can drive yourself with a Chinese license.

[Tomtomtom69]

I don't know, who advised you to go to Vientam?

You can't take a Thai car into Vietnam unless it is LHD.

You can take a Thai car into China, with the right permits, but you'll need to hire a Chinese driver.

i know a few guys who drove trabants from germany...came across china-laos-thailand and then on to cambodia about 5-6 years ago...has something changed?

No it's still the same. But why shouldn't Thai cars be allowed to enter China unrestricted when Chinese cars can enter Thailand without much fuss? I think the Thai government should ban Chinese cars on traveling to Thailand except with a Thai guide in the car and on a caravan tour just like the Chinese government requires for Thai cars unless the two governments can come to a bilateral agreement on the rules for driving Chinese/Thai cars into each other's territory. It is not reasonable for the Thai government to allow crossings for the Chinese when the Chinese still treat Thai cars the same as other foreign registered vehicles. It doesn't make sense.

Incidentally, Lao cars can cross into Yunnan without any fuss but they require a Chinese guarantor or special permission to travel to other provinces.

[nonthaburial]

can trailand registered truck go to China via Laos? How is the road condition? How come I was advised to use Vietnam route in order to go into China?

Volks where is your intended destination in China ? I live, work and drive in China, roads conditions i.e Expressways are excellent but other roads rather worrying. I assume your vehicle is RHD ? if it is then I am convinced you will have problems as the driving standards here are abysmal

[Tomtomtom69]

can trailand registered truck go to China via Laos? How is the road condition? How come I was advised to use Vietnam route in order to go into China?

Currently, almost no vehicles cross the Vietnam/China border. Vietnam doesn't want Chinese tourists ripping up their roads or causing accidents (or so they claim) so refuses all Chinese cars from crossing except for limited travel to Sapa, which is near the Chinese border anyway and nowhere else. The Chinese probably employ a tit for tat as I have only ever seen Vietnamese vehicles in Hekou, next to the Vietnamese border but the completion of the Hanoi-Kunming expressway may change things in the near future. Getting a foreign registered vehicle across the Vietnam/Chinese border in either direction may be possible with advance notice, but it's probably very difficult so the advice given to you was in error.

The other issue is that Thai vehicles can only enter Vietnam in a caravan tour - even Lao vehicles are starting to be hit with restrictions as too many Vietnamese were buying them to avoid the steep taxes that Vietnamese purchased cars have.

Virtually 100% of all Thailand-China traffic goes via northern Laos as Laos easily allows entry to both Chinese and Thai vehicles. Myanmar may be another option in the future but right now Myanmar flat out refuses foreign registered vehicles, especially Chinese, from driving further than about 10km from the respective border checkpoint. Thai vehicles are also restricted except if they go in a tour, plus the Chinese/Myanmar border crossing at Daluo still isn't an international crossing.

I thought that Thai cars could travel to Sipsongbanna in Yunnan province up as far as Jinghong without special restrictions, just like Lao cars but in order to find out more, you'd better ask the Land Transport Department, preferably in Bangkok or perhaps even in Chiang Rai, which is close to that area geographically. Incidentally, there was a news report posted in a Thai newspaper earlier this year about Thais driving into neighboring countries (and how they should take car driving during the holiday period) with southern China mentioned as if it were somewhere that Thais regularly entered with their own vehicles. Last time I was in Sipsongbanna in 2012, I saw many Lao vehicles, both cars and trucks, but couldn't spot a single Thai car hence I'm not so sure about if what I heard about driving a Thai car into China and remaining in the border area is true or not.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[phuketrichard]

was in Luang Namtha in July and asked if u could travel to china and the answer was yes, if u have ur visa in advance

asked about taking my thai car and a big NO everywhere i asked

You can take a lao registered vehicle in.

I met a few Chinese bikers from china in Chaing Khong waiting for the ferry heading back to China an saw plenty of Chinese cars in Norther laos and actually met a Swedish guy living in Shang Hai traveling with his Thai gf on his Chinese motorcycle and side car in Vientaine.and he had been in Northern Thailand.

Cant wait for Burma to finish the road form The Thai/Burmese border near Prachup Khiri Khan as was told with advance permission you will be able to drive in.