Can a Thai national enter Laos on ID card only?

[arminbkk]

Perhaps this is addressed in some other thread, but I could not immediately find it, so I start a new thread

(also to get more current information).

Can a Thai national easily enter Laos, across land border, on only an ID card?

And what does a Thai need, besides the ID card, if the plan is to just spend a few days in Laos?

More specific: I might take my girlfriend with me when I go for a new visa in Savannakhet, Laos,

staying there 2-3 days. Can she just enter on Thai ID card (she does not have a passport)?

Thanks!

[rasg]

Yes she can. ID card only unless they have changed things since last October.

You will need your passport and about 1500 baht! For your visa.

We entered Laos via the Friendship Bridge in Mukdan and you cannot walk across. We paid for a taxi guide for a few hours who took us to the few places worth visiting. I think it was 1000 baht. There weren't many there in Savannaket. A couple of temples naturally. The way I understand it, the Laos spoken language is very close to Thai. The written language is totally different to Thai with a different alphabet. At one of the temples women were forbidden to enter an area of the temple and I mentioned this to the GF. As it was written in Laos and English and French too. I stopped her going in before uniformed gent headed our way. Most bars restaurants speak Laos and French where we went. The GF could understand the Laos as long as it wasn't written.

I spent almost two months in Thailand last year over four trips and had no tummy problems from the food at all. Until I went to Laos for the day.

I was given another 30 days when we reentered Thailand and the border guard gave me a big wink when she pointed it out. I left two days later to come back to the UK.

Edited March 3, 2016 by rasg

[stoneyboy]

Without a passport entering Laos on a Thai ID card restricts the time to 3 days I believe.

Others with solid knowledge will add further I'm sure

It is a temporary border pass and involves a minimal fee also.

Edited March 3, 2016 by stoneyboy

[arminbkk]

^^ thanks for the replies!

I've been to Savannakhet several times already so I know what is needed for me, but I might take my girlfriend this time.

@stoneboy: we will probably only be there 3 days, but hope someone can confirm what you say.

What I am sure of is that the day you enter, even if it is at 6pm, will count as one full day already.

So if the time limit is 3 days, entering on Sunday evening will mean having to exit no later than Tuesday evening,

which is not actually being in-country 3 full days (i.e. 72 hours).

Hope someone can confirm this time limit.

Thanks!

[SantiSuk]

See Borovik's posting on this very recent Isaan thread (which is about entering Cambodia, but then sidetracks into Laos as ThaiVisa is wont to do!):

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894977-choam-sa-ngam-border-crossing/

Borovik's posting includes the sentence:

"She will get Border Pass at any border check point to Laos.She may stay there 3days/2 nights.It costs about 200B."

You may want to PM Borovik to validate recency and quality of info if you are close to the edge!

[jethro69]

With the border pass is correct, but It's more than 20-30 bath.

If I cross together with the GF, she uses the passport, as I'm fool enough to fill out arrival / departure cards @ both sides Thai and Lao.

Sometimes I cross alone with the bike, and she comes over for a night when I'm near the border. Then she uses the border pass, Thais generally looking for the easiest way for them. I'm not sure if they even have to fill out the paper for that border pass themselves, at least it's nuch less to fill out than the 2x arrival departure cards, and so the consider 20 bath well spend

Although never asked when applying for a Schengen visa or any other country, it might be well worth to have some matching stamps in her and your passport which date maybe some years back. Should be evidence enough that your GF is not a pick-up from last week Soi Cowboy visit.

Edited April 12, 2016 by jethro69