Laos Friendship Bridge No Entry

[2wheels]

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Having read the correspondence that David has posted on this thread,
in which no actual reason was given for the Lao authority's ruling,
I am now wondering if a formal submission from GT-R would bring about
a positive outcome for us.
It would be easy to show them the huge impact GT-R has on tourism into Laos.
I'd certainly add my name to a petition; after-all, my tax dollars built that bridge!

[beddhist]

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Hi from NZ,

This guy reports to have entered Laos @ Savannakhet without problems in 2010. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...412#post330773

Seems it's still a lottery.

[Severi]

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Friday 18th Nov 2011 I drove my brand new Kawasaki KLX 250 S over the Frienship bridge from Nong Khai to Vientianne without any problems. Both borders took some extra time as my bike went over the first time and it was not in their databases. Perhaps I was just lucky?
They also forgot to sell me insurance, so I have to buy one on Monday morning.

[2wheels]

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Very interesting Severi; good on you!

I restate my suggestion, which has been totally ignored, as per post #141 above.
What is the actual reason we can't all do as Severi just did?

[Davidfl]

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I restate my suggestion, which has been totally ignored, as per post #141 above.

It was done a few years ago Ron - personal complaints & requests & nothing happened. In fact at the time it did not help the cause & the gentleman concerned most definitely did not appreciate our efforts "rocking the boat."
Since then there has been a realigment of departments & staff in Vientiane, such that quite often bridge entry requests at the border are met with approval on a case by case basis & I see no more need for rocking the boat. Go with the flow is what I reckon.

[TonyBKK]

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It was done a few years ago Ron - personal complaints & requests & nothing happened. In fact at the time it did not help the cause & the gentleman concerned most definitely did not appreciate our efforts "rocking the boat."
Since then there has been a realigment of departments & staff in Vientiane, such that quite often bridge entry requests at the border are met with approval on a case by case basis & I see no more need for rocking the boat. Go with the flow is what I reckon.

Yeah, in my humble opinion a "formal submission" aka shoving a petition in their face is generally not a terribly effective way of getting things done in SE Asia. You're more likely to do more harm than good with such an "aggressive" strategy. Just my two satang.

[2wheels]

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David, how was the submission presented?
Was it a letter? To whom?
A phone call? To whom?

The bottom line is; we usually cant cross into Laos via that bridge (that Aussies $ paid for).
Why not?

If there is a reason; what is it?

If the 'reason' is dubious; why not argue our case?

We should be able to ride our bikes across that f'n bridge!

[Davidfl]

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David, how was the submission presented?
Was it a letter? To whom?
A phone call? To whom?

The bottom line is; we usually cant cross into Laos via that bridge (that Aussies $ paid for).
Why not?

If there is a reason; what is it?

If the 'reason' is dubious; why not argue our case?

We should be able to ride our bikes across that f'n bridge!

2wheels please read
# 5
# 6
# 15
# 19
# 33
# 41
It has been & is confusing; & if you're looking for the inside line with a definitive answer I don't think you will find one.

To summarize: the Lao came up with a ban on bikes entering the country via the Friendship Bridges, enquiries / protests were made by the Lao Director of the Bridge, the Lao tourism office, the Australian consul & the husband of the American ambassador, plus myself in person with the head of the then department of transport in Vte. His response to everyone was NO MOTORBIKES, end of story.

Note that this all started in 2006 & it is now 2011. A lot of water has now gone under the bridge & since then things have relaxed somewhat & bikes are getting across the bridge into Laos at Nong Khai.
Sometimes it works & sometimes it does not.

But you don’t tell the Lao what to do. They always do their own Lao thing.

[2wheels]

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A lot of water has now gone under the bridge

I like that; very good David.
Thanks for the info.

[brian_bkk]

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Just out of interest.. If you cross and the insurance place is closed.. How do you get insurance further on ?
eg.. You don't want to burn half a day waiting for insurance.. Can you buy it at other locations.. like Luang Prabang or other 'major' towns?
or do you just have to sit and wait even if it means over night ?

Cheers
Brian

[Severi]

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Just out of interest.. If you cross and the insurance place is closed.. How do you get insurance further on ?
eg.. You don't want to burn half a day waiting for insurance.. Can you buy it at other locations.. like Luang Prabang or other 'major' towns?
or do you just have to sit and wait even if it means over night ?

From the border I drove to Vientianne to rent some bikes for my customers and Thierry asked about my insurance. Then I realized I did not buy it. But it was too late already. So I waited until Monday and bought 3 weeks insurance (about 70000 kip). The company is almt opposite to Jules rental. It took perhaps 15 minutes.
So I was driving 3 days "illegally" without insurance.

[awabms]

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Hi guys

I was at savannakhet on January 24th 2012 trying to cross the second friendship bridge to Mukdahan.I was stop at the Lao immigration for a while and finally the officer do let me cross the bridge by my Malaysia registered motorcycle but he keep reminding me that motorcycle/bicycle/pedestrian do not allow on the bridge,he told me to pass his message to the bikers out there .

Once I passed the custom, a man at the booth(bridge entrance) stop me and asking me to turn back.I told him I”ve got a clearance from the police/immigration to cross the bridge.Even though he refused to open the gate, he directed me to shift to another booth(a lane for vehicle coming from Mukdahan) and finally I was on the bridge.

The information from Thai immigration office located at the pier in Nakhon Phanom is the ferry service between Nakhon Phanom and Savannakhet is just for a Thai and Lao(indo china) people only,other nationality please take a bus service.The suggestion from the Thai immigration for motorcyclist to cross the friendship bridge( in Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan) into Laos is to bring the bike on the truck/pickup.

[harrythefinn]

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If denied entry at Friendship Bridge 1 or 2 , use the ferry at Bueng Kan approx 140 kms East of Nong Kai . It only operates on weekdays, it is for trucks mainly. Immigration and customs on the Thai side in one building, Laos side also one building. Both sides keep asking for the motorcycle passport, I just keep saying don't have one, and eventually they do the paperwork without it, all the vehicles crossing have one. The ferry is located approx 10kms west of Bueng Kan, if coming from town there is a passanger ferry first, keep going for another 4 or 5kms to the vehicle ferry. They charge me B200 to cross, a bit steep, they open at 8AM, first ferry at 9.

[Davidfl]

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Just a thumbs up to say the "Bridge is open."

I ride into Laos across the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai on 24th April without any problems.

On the Thai side I filled out the immigration forms TM2 & 4, got stamped out of Thailand, then at the Thai customs booth handed over my green rego book for the customs to put the data in their computer (& see my previous entries / departures), print out the form & I was away. NO questions asked about it being a motorcycle - it was just another vehicle.

AND on the Laos side, just the same.
Visa on arrival issued.
Bike papers presented to Laos customs, data put in the computer & temporary import form printed out.
AGL Insurance right by the customs booth cost 110 baht for a week.

[TonyBKK]

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Just a thumbs up to say the "Bridge is open."

I ride into Laos across the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai on 24th April without any problems.

On the Thai side I filled out the immigration forms TM2 & 4, got stamped out of Thailand, then at the Thai customs booth handed over my green rego book for the customs to put the data in their computer (& see my previous entries / departures), print out the form & I was away. NO questions asked about it being a motorcycle - it was just another vehicle.

AND on the Laos side, just the same.
Visa on arrival issued.
Bike papers presented to Laos customs, data put in the computer & temporary import form printed out.
AGL Insurance right by the customs booth cost 110 baht for a week.

That's fantastic news!!!

[schackster]

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Has anybody else tried to cross over since Davids posting ?

[Gary D]

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Gary i have recently crossed to Laos from Nong Khai without any problems on either the Thai side or Laos side. I came back from Savannaketh to Mukdahan and it was even easier. The Mukdahan bridge crossing is much less busy than Nong Khai, both sides extremely helpful and would be my preferred crossing. Matter of fact i will be doing it again soon.

Gary