entry to Laos
 

Has anyone travelled through Laos with a private vehicle lately? We'd like to do it from south to north in ~April 2010.
The Canadian Auto. Assoc. says the borders are closed to private vehicles.

Charlie

That's nonsense. I was there only a few weeks ago with a French registered bike. Expect to pay a small fee at the border for a Laisser-Passer, but don't volunteer to do paperwork, you may be able to get in without any. No problem on leaving. I don't know whether visa on arrival is available at the Cambodia/Laos border, so you may want to find out beforehand.

If you are going through Thailand be aware that Thai customs may ask you to leave a rather large deposit for your truck on entry, though. (No deposit for bikes.)

I just came in today from Chiang Khong, visa cost 1,500THB and the 'ferry' (a launch even though there was an actual ferry there??) cost 500THB.

Customs was closed when I got here so will try again tomorrow when they open at 8am.

Peter- are you saying I shouldn't bother getting the temp import cert??

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/IMG_1225.jpg

When entering Thailand you must do things by the book. Can take anywhere from 10 mins. to an hour, but it's free.

When the four of us entered Laos at Boten, nobody wanted to process our bikes, so we entered without and had no trouble leaving at different Thai border crossings. I wouldn't bother with Lao paperwork, if they dont' make you do it. Seems a waste of time and money. I'm sure some people will disagree with me, notably David Unkovic of GT-Rider.com...

Well I got my Laos bike paperwork anyhow. Was fairly straightforward and cost 240THB, they even wanted to check the frame/engine no's.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/IMG_1234.jpg