Full set of Thai / Lao border crossings

[Briggsy]

Just for variety, I did my most recent in / out border crossing at Nakhon Phanom to complete a full set of 8 international Thai / Lao border crossings. (Uttaradit is not yet open for international crossings).

Next up, I will work on Cambodian / Thai crossings. 3 out of 6 long since in the bag so 3 to go.

Anyone else share this dull collecting hobby?

[phuketrichard]

i have used 5 of the 6 thai /Cambodian and all 7 of the Thai/Malaysian borders with my own car :-)

Plus 3 of the 4 Burma crossings ( without car)

[Briggsy]

Which one of the Cambos is the missing one?

[phuketrichard]

Which one of the Cambos is the missing one?

Ban Laem

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Briggsy

You sure have me beat!!

Only those crossings to Laos that have Visa On Arrival, correct?

Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai

Huay Khon, Nan

Tha Li, Loei

Nong Khai, NK

NKP, NKP

Mukdahan, Muk

Chong Mek, Ubon

Which one did I miss? Chiang Saen??

The Bung Khan-Paksane crossing will be open for Visa On Arrival someday when the bridge is finished, perhaps three years, OK now if you have a visa.

Phu Du, Uttaraditt to Sayaboury crossing is OK for exit from Laos, but not for entry unless you have a Lao visa.

Mac

[Briggsy]

Briggsy

You sure have me beat!!

Only those crossings to Laos that have Visa On Arrival, correct?

Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai

Huay Khon, Nan

Tha Li, Loei

Nong Khai, NK

NKP, NKP

Mukdahan, Muk

Chong Mek, Ubon

Which one did I miss? Chiang Saen??

The Bung Khan-Paksane crossing will be open for Visa On Arrival someday when the bridge is finished, perhaps three years, OK now if you have a visa.

Phu Du, Uttaraditt to Sayaboury crossing is OK for exit from Laos, but not for entry unless you have a Lao visa.

Mac

I exited at Beung Kan on one trip thus avoided the no visa on arrival issue. It is an international crossing. That makes my 8. I thought they had backtracked on Uttaradit for the time being and it was not international. When I am confident it is open, I will have to do it to keep my full set.

On another thread I wrote about the very little-used Beung Kan exit. The Laos officials there seem particularly lacking in competence and basic skills. 3 Laos immigration officers scoured my passport for a Thai visa for 5 minutes and could not find it before announcing to me I did not have a Thai visa and could not enter Thailand. I pointed out the Thai visa. They then announced to me I did have a Thai visa and could proceed. It was bizarre and very communist. The strange thing is that even without a visa, as a British passport holder, I could get 30 days and it is nothing to do with them. I handed in my customs form to the Lao Customs and he had to ask his colleague what he was supposed to do with a vehicle exit form. What does he do all day?

[sas_cars]

i have used 5 of the 6 thai /Cambodian and all 7 of the Thai/Malaysian borders with my own car :-)

Plus 3 of the 4 Burma crossings ( without car)

You Sir are an inspiration. Which Malaysian borders are the most quiet/deserted you found , to cross on car?

[Tomtomtom69]

Uttaradit opened for international crossings on Feb 8, 2015. I first drove across that border last March and again this March.

​The border there is called "Phu Doo" on both sides.

Might want to check your sources again.

[Tomtomtom69]

There are two Thai-Lao crossings, where there is some confusion about whether they are open for foreigners.

1. Chiang Saen to Ton Pheung (Golden Triangle). This crossing SHOULD be open in theory, to those wanting to visit the Chinese casino (King Romans) on the Lao side; I've even heard that the Lao side issues visas on arrival. No vehicles allowed across, only passengers. However, some people on this forum have claimed it's only open for Thai and Lao. Yet the immigration office on the Thai side has signs in English and Chinese too, suggesting that it must be open to all. It is not a common entry point into Laos though, but certainly, if it's open please give us the correct information.

2. Sri Chiang Mai (Nong Khai) to Vientiane. Apparently this crossing is only open twice a week and you need a Lao visa (or be visa exempt) before being allowed to make the crossing into Laos here. No vehicles, pedestrians only. Hardly worth using unless you live in Sri Chiang Mai and/or happen to know the ferry running times since the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai is just 30km away. Hence hardly anyone would bother with this crossing.

New crossings that are likely to open to foreigners within the next year or two:

Ban Huak, Phayao to Saiyabuli. Once the road infrastructure on the Lao side has been upgraded.

New crossings likely to open to foreigners in the next couple of years:

Ban Lanteuy, Phongsali to Mengkang (Jiangcheng), Yunnan, China. Once the road from Udomsai/Phongsali to the border has been upgraded and finished. Won't be of much use for the average traveler though, as it's in an isolated part of both countries and China won't allow you to drive your own car across it's border hence it would be a challenge for an independent traveler to use. Unless by that time, cross-border bus services will run, taking you to a large city like Pu'er.

[amjamj]

On 6/30/2016 at 11:25 AM, Briggsy said:

I exited at Beung Kan on one trip thus avoided the no visa on arrival issue. It is an international crossing. That makes my 8. I thought they had backtracked on Uttaradit for the time being and it was not international. When I am confident it is open, I will have to do it to keep my full set.

On another thread I wrote about the very little-used Beung Kan exit. The Laos officials there seem particularly lacking in competence and basic skills. 3 Laos immigration officers scoured my passport for a Thai visa for 5 minutes and could not find it before announcing to me I did not have a Thai visa and could not enter Thailand. I pointed out the Thai visa. They then announced to me I did have a Thai visa and could proceed. It was bizarre and very communist. The strange thing is that even without a visa, as a British passport holder, I could get 30 days and it is nothing to do with them. I handed in my customs form to the Lao Customs and he had to ask his colleague what he was supposed to do with a vehicle exit form. What does he do all day?

 

 

Can we get avisa on arrival at BEUNG KAN PAKSAN border now ?

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Briggsy]

3 hours ago, amjamj said:

 

 

Can we get avisa on arrival at BEUNG KAN PAKSAN border now ?

 

Thanks.

 

 

I don't know. They didn't when I crossed there.

[Roota]

On 30 June 2016 at 1:40 PM, sas_cars said:

Which Malaysian borders are the most quiet/deserted you found , to cross on car?

Since no one has answered and I was just there, my vote is Kota Putra - Baan Prakawp. They've just built a fancy new immigration complex on the Thai side but until recently they were using an old container!