Thai-Lao bridge border crossing set to speed up



BANGKOK: -- Officials overseeing the first Thailand-Laos Friendship Bridge border checkpoint have told the Asean Secretariat they will streamline procedures to speed up crossings between Vientiane and Thailand's Nong Khai province.

Representatives from the Asean Secretariat visited the checkpoint yesterday to track progress made for Asean connectivity ahead of the formation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

In 2012 almost 1.9 million people entered Laos at the bridge and more than 2.1 million people left Laos for Thailand the same way. With 36,958 vehicles coming in and 246,468 going out of Laos, the bridge has become noticeably more crowded in recent times.

Under a newly-drawn plan on how to address the crowding problem, the checkpoint will introduce a single-window system and parking spaces and roads will be expanded and improved.

Arrival and departure lanes specifically for trucks will be built, while old and unused buildings at the site will be demolished to clear space.

Officials will also improve coordination between immigration and customs units to better harmonise work.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thai-lao-bridge-border-crossing-set-speed/

-- Thai PBS 2013-11-29

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

The sign on the blue gate says Union of Myanmar.

But don't recognise the actual location.

Looks like Maesai / Tachileck.

The sign on the blue gate says Union of Myanmar.

But don't recognise the actual location.

Isn't it Mae Sai/Tachilek?

Yes, it is Mae Sai - Tachilek. I was there 2 weeks ago.

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

Definitely not, that was my first thought when taking a glance on it, looks more like Mae Hon Son.

Forget speeding up crossings, what these borders need are more flags.

Any improvement will be greatly appreciated. Go over often and depending on the day and time it can be a nightmare. I have lost track of how many times we have not had our passports stamped by Laos immigration. Not sure how it keeps happening but we always check our passports before leaving the Laos immigration area.

It is not a difficult process but the area was not built for the volume of traffic they experience every day.

This image solution is pretty unfortunately

Oh my God.

Just recognized.

Myanmar has annexed Lao.

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

Its the crossing from Mae Sai to Tachilek

A very smooth drive-through is in Sadao/Malaysia. Single window; passport only provided the car has an ITP and all-English plates. Passed through in less than 30 seconds with a single stamp in passport ;-)

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

You are right, that's the border crossing to MAE SAI, which is the Thailand-Myanmar border near Chiang Rai.

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

Might be the original thai laos bridge funded and built by Australia in the early 90's or any other the Government had a guilt trip on at that time. Could be Viet Nam or Burma. Not the first bridge built by Aussies in the last 75 years or so. But then they weren't built under award wages. Aussies will know what I mean.

Lest we Forget

I hope they speed up the passage into Loas via friendship bridge, I was there Monday morning 08-15 am......just got there seconds after a bus full of poles arrived, took me 2 hours to hand my passport in pay the $35 and get my passport back with a Loas visa....I kept myself amused by closing my eyes and listening to all the poles swearing and cursing in polish ...it was just like being back in Manchester in the UK....

I am curious, 36,958 vehicles in and 246.468 out? As the grey haired chap said "why is it so?"

One thing that would speed the crossing is the removal of tv sets in the immigration booths on the return to Thailand.

Thai immigration officers especially females seem glued to the soaps at the expense of the punters waiting to cross.

To all those fed up with delays at the Nong Khai friendship bridge - we never go before 5pm - sometimes as late as 8pm, which incurs the 'massive' overtime charge of $1, shock horror. It is open until 10pm, and in the evenings it can be almost deserted and a complete doddle to do the U-turn without any pushing & shoving or waiting in queues. EDIT : and during the hot times of year, much cooler after dark of course.

One thing that would speed the crossing is the removal of tv sets in the immigration booths on the return to Thailand.

Thai immigration officers especially females seem glued to the soaps at the expense of the punters waiting to cross.

Nice one, but remove our TVs !? To quote a certain tennis player, 'You cannot be serious!' You are dead right - glued to the things, even, to my amusement, in the Pharmacy of our local public hospital - double-check those drugs before taking i remind myself!

I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai.

Might be the original thai laos bridge funded and built by Australia in the early 90's or any other the Government had a guilt trip on at that time..

Lest we Forget

they must have widened the mekong when they built the current one too.

the new bridge at Chaing Khong to Laos will be opeing Dec 11th.

At this time motorcylces not be allowed to cross so assume the ferry will still run

I am curious, 36,958 vehicles in and 246.468 out? As the grey haired chap said "why is it so?"

You're right, but what these figures probably mean is that 36,958 Thai vehicles entered Laos here, but 246,468 Lao vehicles entered Thailand at the 1st Friendship Bridge. Given the much larger number of Lao vehicles you see travelling as far as Udon compared to Thai vehicles in the Vientiane vicinity, this doesn't surprise me. Equally it doesn't surprise me that there would be more Lao people travelling to Thailand than the other way round. For some bizarre reason, Thais just don't travel - it's always foreigners travelling to Thailand in much larger numbers than Thais travelling to foreign countries, even if those foreigners (in this case Laotians) come from a much poorer country than Thailand.

To all those fed up with delays at the Nong Khai friendship bridge - we never go before 5pm - sometimes as late as 8pm, which incurs the 'massive' overtime charge of $1, shock horror. It is open until 10pm, and in the evenings it can be almost deserted and a complete doddle to do the U-turn without any pushing & shoving or waiting in queues. EDIT : and during the hot times of year, much cooler after dark of course.

Last week I crossed from the Lao side back into Thailand around 9.45pm (I have crossed at this time in the past in both directions) and it was basically deserted. If you try to cross after 9.30pm or so, it's best you have your own vehicle or are prepared to ask for a ride in someone else's vehicle as buses stop running around 9.30pm.