Entering Laos - Some History

[GS1200Rider]

I was talking with a guest house owner in Pak Beng today and he told me the boarder is open for "big bikes" his words, not mine, at Nam Ngeun / Huai Kon. At least for bikes departing Lao., as he was suggesting I go this route as opposed to crossing at Pang Mon / Ban Huak. Told him is was heading North so would stick to my original plan.

I cannot confirm this, it's just second hand info, but I'll be driving by there on the Lao side on Dec 23ed and will call in and check in case anyone wants to get into Nan by this route

 

[DavidFL]

I was talking with a guest house owner in Pak Beng today and he told me the boarder is open for "big bikes" his words, not mine, at Nam Ngeun / Huai Kon. At least for bikes departing Lao., as he was suggesting I go this route as opposed to crossing at Pang Mon / Ban Huak. Told him is was heading North so would stick to my original plan.

I cannot confirm this, it's just second hand info, but I'll be driving by there on the Lao side on Dec 23ed and will call in and check in case anyone wants to get into Nan by this route

View attachment 150242

The issue i believe is NO Visa on Arrival for foreigners. Thais are ok. The same as at Huak / Pangmone. No Visa on Arrival- get one in Bangkok first.

 

[DavidFL]

Chong Mek / Vang Tao is scheduled to open on 23 May 2022.

Chiang Saen / Golden Triangle was open on 18th May 2022.
View attachment 147900

Mae Sai / Tachilek is still closed as of 21st May 2022. Supposedly there will be a meeeting next week, in another attempt to thrash out an agreement on how to manage the thousands of daily border crossers.
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Mae Sai is scheduled to open on 22 January.

Confirmed again at Chiang Saen immigration VoA is available in Laos at the GT if you want to do a visa run.

 

[DavidFL]

Thanks for the advice Dodraugen and David,

My trip's in December, crossing back into Thailand on the 24th.

I shall try crossing back into Thailand at Pang Mon and report back on how it goes.
Terry

How did you go - where did you exit Laos & enter Thailand?

 

[DavidFL]

FB4 Update 26 January 2023
Sandy from Chiang Khong on a CRF sent in this report

Hi David - - Good eve from Pak Tha !
Well: a 2023 update for your Gt Rider forum from sandy::
Chiang Khong / Huayxai border was a quite easy 90 minutes crossing !
Out from Thailand no problem, got all papers to fill out on spot.
Lao side: Got to "private car" lane, 3pm, just 2 cars before me.
Parked the bike, got to immigration for visa, 1800.thb,
Foto I had, but they make one at the immigration window, then 200 THB for what do I know?
And more 100.-thb for the vehicle insurance sticker.
All in all 2100 thb - - - and you are in Lao on the 25th jan 2023 took 90 minutes, 1.5 hours .... Easy as that pls put it into the gt rider forum if you wish so.
Cheers from Pak Tha on the Mekong at present .... The road ca 15 km after huayxai to here pretty rough, shaking dirt road I'm happy to be with the 250crf baby and NOT the cb 500x
good eve to you ch khong sandy

 

[DavidFL]

Nakhon Phanom / Tha Khek FB3

A rider, Kando Geniesser, crossed from Nakhon Phanom Thailand into Laos at Tha Khek, without any issues on 23rd January 2023.

 

[Dodraugen]

Great! Thanks for sharing….

So now at Chiang Khong its a hit and miss if they try to extort you, mostly they do, sometimes not.

At Nong Khai - its no way getting in without using an agent and pay 2000-2500 baht. But smooth if you have contacted an agent and paid the price

Nakhon Phanom - smooth sailing

Mukdahan - no chance at all to cross with a bike!

How is at at Chong Mek nowadays?

 

[DavidFL]

Great! Thanks for sharing….

So now at Chiang Khong its a hit and miss if they try to extort you, mostly they do, sometimes not.

At Nong Khai - its no way getting in without using an agent and pay 2000-2500 baht. But smooth if you have contacted an agent and paid the price

Nakhon Phanom - smooth sailing

Mukdahan - no chance at all to cross with a bike!

How is at at Chong Mek nowadays?

Not sure 200% about Chong Mek, but I think it maybe ok still.

 

[DavidFL]

Update @ Nakhon Phanom / Tha Khek Sunday 26th March 2023
Info from Frank Mueller

Hello David, we have now arrived in Vientiane.
This morning at 7.45am we were at Friendship Bridge 3 in NKP. We were almost alone.

The people at Thai Immi were very friendly and helpful.
First it was checked whether we could go to Laos without an agent. After a short time we got the go. The Thais helped us with everything.
It was also not a problem that I only had a copy of the Green Book with me and not the original.

On the Lao side it was actually quite easy. The people there were also very friendly and helpful.
At some point someone else in uniform came along and said we needed an agent. But he only ever spoke to one colleague and my wife. Eventually he stopped talking and moved on and we would be processed further.
When we were almost done, one of our colleagues came back and said we had to pay a fine because we didn't have an agent. She then talked to my wife and filled out some things. I then had to pay 500 THB. But I also got a receipt. The 500.- THB weren't worth discussing for me. I paid and no one wanted to know anything from an agency anymore.

The border crossing took 2 hours.
After 6 hours drive we are now in the hotel in Vientiane.
The road from Thakhek to VTE is badly damaged and is currently under construction.
Wasn't fun with the Big Bike.
I haven't seen any big bikes on the whole route and also here in VTE.