The Golden Triangle Rider

davidmc · Cyclist Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

I just crossed the Friendship Bridge into Laos yesterday with my USA registered Transalp. At the Laos customs, I showed the officer my Carnet, which he took and stamped. He seemed to be familiar with the Carnet and how to process it. I didn't think that Laos recognized the Carnet?

After getting the carnet stamped, I asked the officer if I needed any other travel papers or permits to travel around Laos and he replied "no". I then asked him what I should do if stopped by the police, and he told me to show the police my Carnet.

Finally I asked him if there was anything else I needed before I left customs, and he told me I was free to go. I didn't know if I needed insurance or not and figured he would have told me if I needed it.

So I took off and am now here in Vientiane.

This seems completely different from the procedures and experiences stated above, was this because I have a bike from outside SE Asia?

Any comments on this? I am hoping I won't have any issues on the road...

David McMillan & Erika Tunick
Paris to Sydney 2005-2006
www.mototrekker.com

BobS · Biker Legend Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 359 Location: USA

Right now, it is a problem getting a Thai registered bike across at Nong Khai. http://board.gt-rider.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1203

This is due to government agreements between Thailand and Laos. It does not affect your USA registered bike. With a Carnet, you can stay longer as well.

As far as insurance, do you have any that will cover you and your bike in Laos? If not, go buy it. 3rd party is cheap - last time I bought it at the bridge it cost about $3 US for 10 days of coverage.

BobS

"The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right."

davidmc · Cyclist Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

No we don't have any insurance for the bike at the moment. My understanding is that most insurance in Asia is not worth the paper it is written on, so I have only bought insurance when it was mandatory.

I spoke to a guy at a motorcycle rental shop here in Vientiane and he said that insurance is not mandatory for motorcycles in Laos. I figured that if it were mandatory, the border officials would have directed me to the insurance agency prior to releasing me from the border post. After stamping my carnet, they just waived me through...

David McMillan & Erika Tunick
Paris to Sydney 2005-2006
www.mototrekker.com

Davidfl · Posted: 21.02.2006, 23:32 Post subject:

David
Take the insurance - it's cheap & you never know when some little kid is going to come running out of his road side house & sprint across the street, without looking, straight under your front wheel.
For the price of the insurance - a few beers - it might make life comparatively easy if something nasty does happen & you are "covered."

If you're still around in another week we might be able to meet up. I'm down in Pakxe right now, but heading back north to Vte in about 5-7 days. So if you're heading south on R13 from Vte & see a red white Africa Twin flash past, it should be me. It would be good to meet yet another David! Bloody guys all of 'em, I'd say.....

Davidfl
Keep The Power On

BobS · Biker Legend Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 359 Location: USA

"It would be good to meet yet another David! Bloody guys all of 'em, I'd say....."

Too many of them, I'd say.....

BobS

BobS · Biker Legend Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 359 Location: USA

"I spoke to a guy at a motorcycle rental shop here in Vientiane and he said that insurance is not mandatory for motorcycles in Laos. I figured that if it were mandatory, the border officials would have directed me to the insurance agency prior to releasing me from the border post. After stamping my carnet, they just waived me through..."

When I cross at Nong Khai, I get told by the director in Laos that insurance is required. I have crossed with a vehicle that has a Thai International Transport Permit, and the Customs officials want to see the insurance papers before the bike can enter. I would consider those people better informed than a guy at a rental shop.

Again - you are arguing over a few dollars. It's your ass if something happens and you have no insurance.

BobS

"The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right."

davidmc · Cyclist Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

We are up in Vang Vieng now, headed up north then over to the Plain of Jars. Where is insurance available anyway? Is it possible to get it outside of Vientiane? I saw the insurance agency at the border, but I really don't want to go back there (to the border).

David, where are you exiting Laos? We will be in the north at least a week or two before headed back south.

David McMillan & Erika Tunick
Paris to Sydney 2005-2006
www.mototrekker.com

Davidfl · Posted: 23.02.2006, 03:17 Post subject:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by davidmc
 We are up in Vang Vieng now, headed up north then over to the Plain of Jars. Where is insurance available anyway? Is it possible to get it outside of Vientiane? I saw the insurance agency at the border, but I really don't want to go back there (to the border).

David, where are you exiting Laos? We will be in the north at least a week or two before headed back south.

David McMillan & Erika Tunick
Paris to Sydney 2005-2006
www.mototrekker.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Insurance: AGL is everywhere in Laos - open your eyes & you'll see their Blue & White logo in every town, & on almost every 4-wheeled vehicle. Check out the GT Rider Laos map for Luang Prabang & you'll see their office - AGL - shown on the map.
Exiting Laos: Should be Vientiane after Ive paid the overstay fine & treated Miss Khampaen for her birthday..............

Davidfl
Keep The Power On

davidmc · Cyclist Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 11 Location: USA

Thanks David. I do have the GT Rider map now, brilliant map, BTW. Many of the stores in Vientiane were out of it however, it took me a little while to find.

If you get delayed, perhaps we will see you on our way south, but it looks like we will be up in Northern Laos for while, its awesome up here!

David McMillan & Erika Tunick
Paris to Sydney 2005-2006
www.mototrekker.com

T-rex · Pedestrian Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 6

hi guys, we are from Singapore enter Laos via The Friendship Bridge on 2nd March but was disallowed. As the lady in room 6 told us that the new regulation from Ministry of transport says that no motorcycle are allowed to enter Laos with effect on February 2006. theres no point arguing so we turn back to Thailand. What a dissapointment.
We met Go88 at Moc Bai he too was disallow to enter into Vietnam with his Honda cub. Any news from him as he enter Laos via Stung Treng?

Davidfl · Posted: 04.03.2006, 03:07 Post subject:

T-Rex
Didn't know about that - understood that it was only Thai registeerd bikes.
But, no trouble to try another border crossing in the south.
There are three for you to use
1. Tha Khek
2. Savannakhet
3. Vang Tao / Pakxe
and then leave via Friendship bridge / Vientiane, or Houei Xai in the North.

But how was the rest of your trip T-Rex, do you have any trip reprt coming for Sing - PP & PP- Nong Khai /Vte?

Davidfl
Keep The Power On

goasia888 · Cyclist Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 13

Hi T-Rex,

It took 3 days to get a Laos visa in PP. We are now in Kratie and should reach the Laos border on Monday (March 6th). Will keep you posted on what happens at the crossing. We are not sure when we will reach an internet cafe but if it takes a long time to get our answer the chances are that we made it into Laos.

Davidfl · Posted: 04.03.2006, 19:29 Post subject:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by goasia888
 Hi T-Rex,

It took 3 days to get a Laos visa in PP. We are now in Kratie and should reach the Laos border on Monday (March 6th). Will keep you posted on what happens at the crossing. We are not sure when we will reach an internet cafe but if it takes a long time to get our answer the chances are that we made it into Laos.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Veun Kham should be no trouble. Cambobum came thru there a few weeks ago & did not even get any import papers for the bike from the Lao officials -they did not care he said.
For interent in Pakxe I recommend the Vandersar, next to the Lanekham hotel.

Davidfl
Keep The Power On

T-rex · Pedestrian Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 6

I'm still in Bangkok....down my sorrows with bottles of Heineken.....FR will be posted once i reach home...cheers guys

goasia888 · Cyclist Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 13

Today (06/03/06) we were able to cross from Cambodia (road 7) to Laos with our Honda Dream 100cc. The custom officer only looked at our paspports and quickly glanced over the Malay registration papers for the bikes (he actually only looked at one, did not even looked at the papers for the second bike). No stamp and no fees were required. He even made a comment that bigger bikes would be quicker...

Digby · Pedestrian Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Vietnam

Last week two people crossed from Vietnam over to Lao at Na Meo on a Minsk no problems. No mention from Lao guys about any problems with foreign registered bikes. Perhaps its only Lao Bao that is the problem.

Davidfl · Posted: 12.12.2007, 18:32 Post subject:

From
http://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/warning----und-quotfriendship-bridges-und-quot-closed-to-bikes-t3268.html

Not easy to get out of Laos across the from Savannakhet.
_________________
Davidfl
Keep The Power On