Driving From Chiang Mai To Hanoi

[paco]

My friend living in Chiang Mai wants to drive his truck to Hanoi and check out the northern beaches as an alternative to the beaches of Thailand. He hopes the weather will be cooler there than in Thailand.

First, is this possible? Has anyone done it? If so, what about road conditions, visas, etc?

[davidgtr]

Getting into Laos is ok, but Vietnam is a problem. I don’t think that the Vietnamese will let him in with a right hand drive vehicle, unless he can gain special permission in advance. And how you get that I don’t know.

To get out of Thailand he should own the vehicle, or have the vehicle owners permission to temporary export the vehicle, plus have an International Transport Permit.

If you want to know about the legal international border crossing between Thailand / Laos / Vietnam go to crossing borders and Lao Viet Borders