Thali - Nam Hueang Border crossing

[GnTx]

We are crossing over into Laos with our car. Is it possible to cross over at Thali! I cannot find any definitive answer on the internet or Thai Visa other than regarding taking a motorcycle! Any information greatly appreciated

[wilcopops]

I've crossed into Laos at several different locations with my car, but i kind even find your crossing on the map.......do you have the map references?...or an alternative spelling?

[GnTx]

The check point on the Thai side is at Ban Nakaseng (Nakraseng ?) Tha Li District, Loei Province on the 2195 approximately 60 kilometres west of Chiang Khan crossing over the Nam Hueng (Heuang?) Friendship Bridge to Kaenthao in Xayabouli Province in Laos which I believe is on Highway 4.

Don't have the GPS coordinates but hope this clarification helps.

Edited June 24, 2014 by GnTx

[tomtaylor1]

Yes it is permissible to cross into Laos at Tha Li, have done it a couple of times, no problems, the last occasion was earlier this year, you will need a passport for your car from the land transport office, insurance can be bought on the Laos side,but not on Sundays.

Tom

[wilcopops]

"Tha LI"! - I haven't done that crossing bt it sounds interesting.

To the north, Nan Ngen (Chaloem Phra Kiat) I've done, which was deserted when I got there...it seems to be largely for trucks connected with dam workings. I had to toot my horn and wait for the Laos side to appear.

please post on how you get on....it looks quite convenient to me.

Edited June 25, 2014 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

I've just crossed it....very nice quiet crossing. Not sure if it gets busier at other times. Everybody very chatty and friendly on both sides and really good guest houses in Kenthao.

I bought my insurance in Kenthao as I couldn't find an office on the border.

[wilcopops]

I've just crossed it....very nice quiet crossing. Not sure if it gets busier at other times. Everybody very chatty and friendly on both sides and really good guest houses in Kenthao.

I bought my insurance in Kenthao as I couldn't find an office on the border.

[wilcopops]

I've just crossed it....very nice quiet crossing. Not sure if it gets busier at other times. Everybody very chatty and friendly on both sides and really good guest houses in Kenthao.

I bought my insurance in Kenthao as I couldn't find an office on the border.

[Tomtomtom69]

I've just crossed it....very nice quiet crossing. Not sure if it gets busier at other times. Everybody very chatty and friendly on both sides and really good guest houses in Kenthao.

I bought my insurance in Kenthao as I couldn't find an office on the border.

I stayed in Kenthao once and crossed that border the next day, but in the opposite direction and with a Lao registered car. Already had Thai insurance on the car so just a matter of getting my passport stamped and separately, the car passport and customs documents done. At the time, the Thai immigration and customs hall were under construction and immigration was done outside, while customs was done inside a trailer, had a very "trailer park" atmosphere to it. The Lao side was already completed, not sure about whether the Thai side has been finished yet?

Guesthouse in Kenthao was nothing special, but comfortable enough, 60,000 Kip a night I think. Couldn't find anything better than that one, no wifi or air-con either, just a TV and a fan, but there was hot water though.

[wilcopops]

Both sides of the border are complete now though there is no purpose built duty free compound.

Stayed at Minta guesthouse. About 115000 kip. Recently built with air - not used - wi-fi, hot water, LED TV,and basic restaurant next door, shortly to be upgraded.

They sorted my insurance and my SIM cards too. Best of all was a really good duvet and set of pillows!

There are at least 2 more similar establishments on the same road.

Edited January 8, 2015 by wilcopops

[Tomtomtom69]

Both sides of the border are complete now though there is no purpose built duty free compound.

Stayed at Minta guesthouse. About 115000 kip. Recently built with air - not used - wi-fi, hot water, LED TV,and basic restaurant next door, shortly to be upgraded.

They sorted my insurance and my SIM cards too. Best of all was a really good duvet and set of pillows!

There are at least 2 more similar establishments on the same road.

Things must have changed quite a bit since I went. I passed through in April 2012 and as mentioned couldn't find anything more than very basic guesthouses. The place you stayed would not even have started construction when I was there by the sounds of it.

I started my journey on that day at around 12.45pm from Vientiane, which in hindsight was probably a little bit late but I figured a 200km road even in Laos surely couldn't take more than around 4 hours? How wrong I was.

Even within Vientiane, after turning off route 13N (Luang Prabang road) to the border road that snakes it's way along the Mekong for the most part, it already turned into a dirt road mess and I hadn't even left the city yet. The Thais were upgrading the road at the time, for a considerable stretch of the way, probably around 80km or so to Nasa (or Na sa) village. Beyond there the road is good for a while and paved until the Pak Lay turn-off, but as it was already around 4pm at that time and I didn't want to drive in the dark I figured it would be much quicker to continue driving along the border road, which more or less hugs the Mekong, even though it wasn't indicated on my map and not even Google Maps indicates this road.

After crossing the Mekong on a car ferry, which was pretty expensive for the car mind you (130,000 Kip), I ended up on the other side and eventually found a Lao language sign stating "Kenthao 53km". I checked my map and determined Kenthao, a town I had never previously heard of (yes I do admit that I didn't prepare myself that well on this trip not even knowing the names of towns en-route but I did have a map at least) was actually very close to the border so I continued. After a very dusty drive and when I was within 10-15km of Kenthao it started to get dark and with absolutely no other traffic although I did see a dump truck off in the distance which would later pass me, I came to a junction with no signs, took the straight road and eventually ended up in a village consisting of a few dirt roads and some thatched roof houses, which turned out to be the outskirts of Kenthao. A little later I made it to the main road that I identified as the Kenthao-Saiyabuli highway, which was the first paved road I had seen for the last 2-3 hours. It was after 7pm at that time, so I was glad to finally arrive after a nice dinner and some confusion over the price - the owner was dealing in Baht I was expecting Kip, I was relieved that it ended up being the Kip price as I was pretty shocked that a small meal of larb, grilled fish and some sticky rice could cost 600+ Baht. Luckily it was more like 200ish Baht. The guesthouse down the road, located 6km from the border was where I stayed since I knew the border would close at 6pm so unfortunately I couldn't make it across the same day as I had planned.

Next morning I got lost en-route to the border due to inadequate signage. It didn't take me long to realize my mistake and I was back on track soon enough, but they really ought to put in some better signage there, considering the importance of the road. I've also noticed how in Laos, unlike in Thailand, no signs ever indicate the direction of a town or city in a neighboring country. At most only the border village. Whereas on the Thai side, you have signs and distances to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap, and in the south to places in Malaysia. I wonder why that is? With Laos being such an important "land-linked" country, surely they should respect their neighbors more and also make it easier for people to find their way around if they not only had more signs, but close to the border they should have signs indicating the direction and distance to towns/cities in the neighboring country? For example, in central Vientiane there should be signs to "Nong Khai" not just "Friendship Bridge".

[wilcopops]

I drove up to Xayabouri and then back down to Pak Lay and drove along the Mekong to Vientiane. Im juyst about 100% sure the ferry charged me 6000 kip!

I use OSM navigation in Laos, it seems better informed than Google maps.

After the ferry the road was asphalt... But the latter section that reads as much bigger on the maps was in fact much bigger but not a trace of asphalt and incredibly dusty....it was overcast and I was praying for a bit of rain.

Laos signage is not good, in particular out of VT to the bridge, but I found adequate bsigns on the Xayabouri road....route 4.....and along the Mekong Vientiane was signed at every junction....sometimes one needed to look hard to find them.

PS at Kaenthao, there is also a bank where you can change money and at least one ATM.

Edited January 9, 2015 by wilcopops

[Tomtomtom69]

I drove up to Xayabouri and then back down to Pak Lay and drove along the Mekong to Vientiane. Im juyst about 100% sure the ferry charged me 6000 kip!

I use OSM navigation in Laos, it seems better informed than Google maps.

After the ferry the road was asphalt... But the latter section that reads as much bigger on the maps was in fact much bigger but not a trace of asphalt and incredibly dusty....it was overcast and I was praying for a bit of rain.

Laos signage is not good, in particular out of VT to the bridge, but I found adequate bsigns on the Xayabouri road....route 4.....and along the Mekong Vientiane was signed at every junction....sometimes one needed to look hard to find them.

PS at Kaenthao, there is also a bank where you can change money and at least one ATM.

That's a different ferry service. There's the main one near Pak Lay that you used but the one I used was near Chiang Kham but on the Lao side; it was very much underused and I suspect there are not very regular sailings and sometimes you will either have to charter the whole ferry or just wait for hours. I was lucky and didn't have to wait long.

[wilcopops]

what's the map ref for Chiang Kham? I can't find it..... unless it is in PHAYAO which is miles away?

Edited January 13, 2015 by wilcopops

[Tomtomtom69]

what's the map ref for Chiang Kham? I can't find it..... unless it is in PHAYAO which is miles away?

Sorry it's actually Chiang Khan. Chiang Kham is in Phayao. But anyway I simply used Chiang Khan as a reference point. There is a local's crossing there, but otherwise no infrastructure between the Thai and Lao sides.

[wilcopops]

what's the map ref for Chiang Kham? I can't find it..... unless it is in PHAYAO which is miles away?

Sorry it's actually Chiang Khan. Chiang Kham is in Phayao. But anyway I simply used Chiang Khan as a reference point. There is a local's crossing there, but otherwise no infrastructure between the Thai and Lao sides.

Got it...... that's the crossing near where the Hueang river flows into the Mekong - the road from KaenThao towards Vientiane - I cut that corner out on my way back...and headed to Xanamkhan then to Vientiane - a lot of dirt road and very dusty, but worst of all broken asphalt rather than straightforward dirt road.

Edited January 17, 2015 by wilcopops

[user643543]

just made it today by car - start in the morning from CHIANG KHAN - cross the border north from THALI (Ban Na Kra Seng Border Check Point - Friendshipbridge over the Nam Hueang-River) - lunch in KENTHAO - then a bumpy dirt (laos)-road towards the ferry - 34 km in 95 minutes - the ferry a bit expensive (500 thai-baht! for car and 2 persons) - from the ferry to XANAMKHAN another 24 km in 35 minutes - good allweather-road! stay at brandnew guesthouse (PHONETIP) for 90'000 kip! tomorrow continue to VTE. here the track of today:

DELETED

Edited May 6, 2016 by seedy
non English

[Tomtomtom69]

just made it today by car - start in the morning from CHIANG KHAN - cross the border north from THALI (Ban Na Kra Seng Border Check Point - Friendshipbridge over the Nam Hueang-River) - lunch in KENTHAO - then a bumpy dirt (laos)-road towards the ferry - 34 km in 95 minutes - the ferry a bit expensive (500 thai-baht! for car and 2 persons) - from the ferry to XANAMKHAN another 24 km in 35 minutes - good allweather-road! stay at brandnew guesthouse (PHONETIP) for 90'000 kip! tomorrow continue to VTE. here the track of today:

DELETED

I made that journey in January from Phu Reua to Tha Li then from Kaenthao along the Mekong river to Vientiane via Xanakham. Very dusty road on the left side of the Nam Heuang river. Ferry is a little cheaper if paid in Baht and like you I paid 500 Baht. Don't have a GPS for Laos so I just navigated using my map and already having an idea of which road to follow as I had been there 3 years earlier.

[user643543]

I made that journey in January from Phu Reua to Tha Li then from Kaenthao along the Mekong river to Vientiane via Xanakham. Very dusty road on the left side of the Nam Heuang river. Ferry is a little cheaper if paid in Baht and like you I paid 500 Baht. Don't have a GPS for Laos so I just navigated using my map and already having an idea of which road to follow as I had been there 3 years earlier.

yes it is dusty - but not too much traffic...! - and i guess in the wet-season more difficult to drive! - for the ferry - i think we paid too much - because the ferry near PAKLAY we paid last year only 35000 KIP - about 150 baht this time - one car incl. 3 persons!

anyway it is a nice trip from LOEI to VIENTIANE along the NAMHUEANG and MEKHONG rivers on laos-side!

here the business-card from the brandnew guesthouse in XANAMKHAN