Border crossing problem Laos to Thailand

[Lone Rider]

A month ago I was fined 500 baht as I entered Laos at Nongkhai and the customs people assumed I was leaving at the same border crossing. When I left at the Mueang Ngeun to Nan (Thailand) crossing they would not me out as the green form indicated that I would leave at the Vientiane to Nongkhai crossing. After some 5 minutes arguing with the Customs people, I was told they would let me leave if I paid a fine of 500 Baht.

So make sure that when you enter Laos with a vehicle that you specify where you plan to leave and check the green form if indeed they entered the correct exit border crossing.

 

[CraigBKK]

I had the same problem with my motorbike last summer. Entered at Vang Tao and exited at Nong Khai. I had to report to one of the immigration offices to explain the situation. The officer understood and called Vang Tao to approve my exit. Five minute job, no fine.

 

[Lone Rider]

I was fined again - I entered Laos at Savannakhet and indicated clearly that I would leave Laos at Vientiane. However, at the Vientiane border crossing I was directed to one of the new offices and had to pay a fine of 600 Baht (got an official receipt) as I was leaving at the "wrong" border crossing. Apparently the people at the Savannakhet entered the wrong exit point (R3C10) which apparently "translates" to the Friendship bridge in Savannakhet. As a result they would have to mail my entry papers to Vientiane so they would have a complete set of entry/exit forms for my truck.

So make sure that the Lao customs people at the entry point put in the correct place where you will leave Laos!

 

[Lone Rider]

I was fined again - I entered Laos at Savannakhet and indicated clearly that I would leave Laos at Vientiane. However, at the Vientiane border crossing I was directed to one of the new offices and had to pay a fine of 600 Baht (got an official receipt) as I was leaving at the "wrong" border crossing. Apparently the people at the Savannakhet entered the wrong exit point (R3C10) which apparently "translates" to the Friendship bridge in Savannakhet). As a result they would have to mail my entry papers to Vientiane so they would have a complete set of entry/exit forms for my truck.

So make sure that the Lao customs people at the entry point put in the correct place where you will leave Laos!

The last time I left Thailand for Laos (late March) at the Chiangkhong to Houayxai crossing I made sure that I could leave at the Mueang Ngeun/Nam Ngeun to Chaloemprakiat (Nan) crossing. This crossing is also known as the R2C40 crossing on the green temporary import document at the Departure Date/Crossing as shown below.



As the lady at the Laos border crossing did not know what the Mueang Ngeun crossing was, I gave her one of my maps which showed all the border crossings so she would know the names of the border crossings in English. She had a incomplete list of border crossing names in Lao language and she was so kind to make a picture for me showing the names and the codes they use for the exit points.



Jean Baptiste was so kind to help me with the translation of the names of the border crossings with its codes:

Boten Crossing - R1C10
Panghok (Sophoun) - Tay Trang - R1C40
Nam Soy (Nam Xoy) - Nameo - R2C20
Nam Hueang (Nakrasaeng) - Thali (Loei) - RC30
Nam Ngeun - Houay Khon (Nan) - R2C40
Nam Khan - Nam Can - R3C50
Friendship Bridge 1 Vientiane - Nongkhai - R5C10
Friendship Bridge 2 Savannakhet - Mukdahan - R3C10
Friendship Bridge 3 Thakhaek - Nakhon Phanom - R3C30
Paksan (Pakxane) - Bungkhan - R3C40
Nam Phao (Lak 20) - Keoneua/Cao Treo - R3C50
Na Phao - Chalo - R3C60

So next time you want to cross at another border crossing then the one you entered, make sure they use the right code as otherwise you may have problems to leave unless you are at the correct crossing mentioned on the green form. In the worst case the border crossing people will refuse to let you leave and you will have to return to the border crossing mentioned on the green form or, if you are lucky, just pay a fine (600 Baht with receipt at the Vientiane/Nongkhai crossing or 500 baht without a receipt at the nam Ngeun to Chaloemprakiat crossing).

Generally the customs people will insist that, when you enter at one point, they want you to leave at the same point. However, the customs people at the Vientiane to Nongkhai crossing explained that you can leave at another border point but that for administrative reasons you will have to indicate the border point where you want to leave. This is so that the customs people at the entry point can send the copy of the green form to the exit point so both the original and copy can be filed at one place.

 

[bsacbob]

Thanks Auke, very useful information to double check your exit paperwork.

 

[FritzTheCat]

yes thanks also to all for the very useful informations - when we arrived in laos in february 2018 they asked us, where we want to leave laos - so everything after was fine! no problems - no fines...! just more kips for beer laos...! eye pop

 

[blackwolf]

The last time I left Thailand for Laos (late March) at the Chiangkhong to Houayxai crossing I made sure that I could leave at the Mueang Ngeun/Nam Ngeun to Chaloemprakiat (Nan) crossing. This crossing is also known as the R2C40 crossing on the green temporary import document at the Departure Date/Crossing as shown below.



As the lady at the Laos border crossing did not know what the Mueang Ngeun crossing was, I gave her one of my maps which showed all the border crossings so she would know the names of the border crossings in English. She had a incomplete list of border crossing names in Lao language and she was so kind to make a picture for me showing the names and the codes they use for the exit points.



Jean Baptiste was so kind to help me with the translation of the names of the border crossings with its codes:

Boten Crossing - R1C10
Panghok (Sophoun) - Tay Trang - R1C40
Nam Soy (Nam Xoy) - Nameo - R2C20
Nam Hueang (Nakrasaeng) - Thali (Loei) - RC30
Nam Ngeun - Houay Khon (Nan) - R2C40
Nam Khan - Nam Can - R3C50
Friendship Bridge 1 Vientiane - Nongkhai - R5C10
Friendship Bridge 2 Savannakhet - Mukdahan - R3C10
Friendship Bridge 3 Thakhaek - Nakhon Phanom - R3C30
Paksan (Pakxane) - Bungkhan - R3C40
Nam Phao (Lak 20) - Keoneua/Cao Treo - R3C50
Na Phao - Chalo - R3C60

So next time you want to cross at another border crossing then the one you entered, make sure they use the right code as otherwise you may have problems to leave unless you are at the correct crossing mentioned on the green form. In the worst case the border crossing people will refuse to let you leave and you will have to return to the border crossing mentioned on the green form or, if you are lucky, just pay a fine (600 Baht with receipt at the Vientiane/Nongkhai crossing or 500 baht without a receipt at the nam Ngeun to Chaloemprakiat crossing).

Generally the customs people will insist that, when you enter at one point, they want you to leave at the same point. However, the customs people at the Vientiane to Nongkhai crossing explained that you can leave at another border point but that for administrative reasons you will have to indicate the border point where you want to leave. This is so that the customs people at the entry point can send the copy of the green form to the exit point so both the original and copy can be filed at one place.

Entering Laos in my truck, I've always been asked where I will leave and this is noted in the paperwork. The exit checkpoint should, like the entry checkpoint be written out in Lao language (which I can read) - no one except customs will know the meaning of the codes. In the unlikely event I'm not asked first where I will leave I will tell them and they will enter it into the system. If you can't speak or read Lao or Thai, it may be more difficult for the customs officers to understand you, but many do speak English and thus most people won't have a problem here. It may also depend on the border province entered - the smaller ones have fewer English speakers.

The only checkpoint where you really have to insist is Vientiane. I think there is an unwritten rule that they automatically give you only 15 days and restrict you from leaving the province if you enter there. That and the heavy traffic at that border are the main reasons I've stopped entering there, though I often exit Laos for Thailand from there, which is much faster even with heavy traffic. One time I entered at Vientiane and on the form it said "restricted to province of entry" I went to correct it telling them I would be leaving from a different checkpoint and heading to Vang Vieng, they said "don't worry about it" and didn't change it - if I had told them a minute earlier where I was going perhaps they would have entered the info in the form correctly. I did in fact end up exiting at Vientiane but I also went to Vang Vieng, which, if there were a checkpoint along the way I would have been caught at. Vang Vieng is in Vientiane province, but Vientiane capital is "Kamphaeng Nakorn" or "city wall", which is not the same province as Vientiane. Therefore, I was technically breaking the rules yet it wasn't my fault because customs couldn't be bothered changing the wording on the paperwork. At every other entry checkpoint (and I've entered at practically at Thai-Lao checkpoints except Beung Kan-Paksan) if a mistake is made, customs always corrects it without question.

 

[blackwolf]

I can't seem to edit my post - I was meant to say: "I've entered at practically ALL Thai-Lao checkpoints" not at.

 

[Lone Rider]

I can't seem to edit my post - I was meant to say: "I've entered at practically ALL Thai-Lao checkpoints" not at.

There should be an option to edit your post - look just below the message and you should find options to "Edit Post", "Reply" and "Reply with Quote". Don't forget to Save the changes after you made the changes.

 

[Lone Rider]

Yes, I remember that in the past they were limiting you to the province you entered but they would include other provinces if you would ask them. I have only once being stopped where they checked if I had a permit to be there. However, this system stopped some 10 years ago and after that you could enter and leave where ever you wanted.

This new system started sometime last year and I have been fined now 3 times (once in Vientiane and twice at Nam Ngeun) for leaving at the wrong crossing. At Savannakhet I indicated very clearly that I wanted to leave at Vientiane but they did not enter the right code so I was fined 600 Baht. That was also the reason for me to collect the other border codes (still quite a few to go) so that people can check if the right code has been entered on the green form.

 

[blackwolf]

Yes, I remember that in the past they were limiting you to the province you entered but they would include other provinces if you would ask them. I have only once being stopped where they checked if I had a permit to be there. However, this system stopped some 10 years ago and after that you could enter and leave where ever you wanted.

This new system started sometime last year and I have been fined now 3 times (once in Vientiane and twice at Nam Ngeun) for leaving at the wrong crossing. At Savannakhet I indicated very clearly that I wanted to leave at Vientiane but they did not enter the right code so I was fined 600 Baht. That was also the reason for me to collect the other border codes (still quite a few to go) so that people can check if the right code has been entered on the green form.

Aha i see. Good to know. I have ever since I started crossing the Thai-Lao border by car always made sure to tell the officers where I'll be leaving. It's important also for the form to state your vehicle is allowed to travel around the country "tua prathet" in Lao (or Thai). This is automatic if you specify an exit from a different border.

I have noticed more and more checkpoints around the countryside in recent times (mostly just makeshift ones, not permanent). Mainly they check foreign registrations for insurance. However, they will also ask for your green form and if it says you are limited to the province of entry and you happen to be caught in a different province, you will be fined just like if you don't have insurance. In Savannakhet province heading north towards Khammouane, I was stopped at a checkpoint back in January. Everything went fine for me. However, another Thai car driven by a British expat, his Thai partner and Aussie friend were fined 500 Baht because they couldn't be bothered purchasing insurance. The wife almost had a fit - I told her where to purchase insurance, I'm sure she made him go straight there.