webfact Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Thai-Lao bridge border crossing set to speed upBANGKOK: -- 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ubonjoe Posted November 29, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2013 I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 The sign on the blue gate says Union of Myanmar. But don't recognise the actual location. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Looks like Maesai / Tachileck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marioc Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 The sign on the blue gate says Union of Myanmar. But don't recognise the actual location. Isn't it Mae Sai/Tachilek? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob8891 Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Yes, it is Mae Sai - Tachilek. I was there 2 weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redhawk Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rkidlad Posted November 29, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted November 29, 2013 Forget speeding up crossings, what these borders need are more flags. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct99q Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loles Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 This image solution is pretty unfortunately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loles Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Oh my God. Just recognized. Myanmar has annexed Lao. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 I wonder where did the photo come from? That is not the bridge in Nong Kai. Its the crossing from Mae Sai to Tachilek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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 ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soomak Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcrab Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) 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 Edited November 29, 2013 by Mudcrab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nongsangcity Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FNQ Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 I am curious, 36,958 vehicles in and 246.468 out? As the grey haired chap said "why is it so?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Sata Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydrummerpauly Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) 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. Edited November 29, 2013 by crazydrummerpauly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydrummerpauly Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) 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! Edited November 29, 2013 by crazydrummerpauly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retarded tiny shlong Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) 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. Edited November 29, 2013 by retarded tiny shlong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtomtom69 Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtomtom69 Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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