Parking at the Lao border

Post by **let it be** » July 21, 2013, 12:06 pm

I tried the search function but didn't quite get to the right place.

The Missus and i would like to drive to the Lao border and park our car.

A few questions:

Is there secure parking and how much is it?

I'll have a visa and she is Thai. What can we expect about the bus schedule from the border to get to Vientiane? Any info on that? Any place to check on the bus schedule from the border?

Alternate plan. We could leave the car in Udon Thani if we knew where to park there reasonably securely.

We'd like to stay four or 5 days in Laos on this small trip.

Any thoughts?

TIA

Post by **Frankie 1** » July 21, 2013, 1:37 pm

Approximately 150 meters before the border, there is a guarded parking area on the left side of the road. You can park your car there for one day or for a couple of days. They have their own samlor to bring you from their parking area to the border, and to bring you from the border back to your car when you come back.

When you arrive in Laos, several taxi drivers will approach you, asking very high rates for a drive to Vientiane. If you look behind them, then you can see a regular airconditioned city bus waiting at a bus stop. If you are too annoyed by the taxi drivers trying to hassle you, you can also take the regular bus to Vientiane.

Post by **BobHelm** » July 21, 2013, 1:57 pm

As Frankie says there is covered parking, it is not cheap, from memory, so you might want to do a bit of negotiation to get a reasonable price for 5 days!! The outdoor parking there is 80 baht for a day (again, from memory) so I expect that the protected is quite expensive.

There are standard buses to Vientiane that go from just past the Duty Free area. Not very comfortable & not especially cheap (again, from memory) about the 90 baht per person.

As Frankie says you will be inundated with taxi drivers trying to charge the earth to take you as soon as you have completed Laos Immigration. You can get a trip in an aircon Mini Bus for 300 baht (for both of you) providing you don't mind a bit of negotiation. Make sure that you are well aware exactly WHAT the vehicle is that you are going in though..

It is a bit far in the back of a bone shaking tuk tuk I can assure you from experience!!

Don't forget that your wife will need either a passport or a temporary permit go. I think the permit has a short life to it, but would not swear to 3 or 5 days, but I am sure someone will know. Important to find out before you go if you are going for 5 days though..

Post by **FrazeeDK** » July 21, 2013, 2:01 pm

parking 100 meters prior to the bridge on the left. Covered parking.. Don't recall exact rate but think its around 50 baht per day. When you pay at their little office building you can hire an "expediter" that will complete ALL paperwork for you and your wife, walk you through immigration and across the bridge via bus AND coordinate a van ride from the bridge to Vientiane proper... As I recall t'was a 300 baht cost for the expediter and the van for four of us was 300 baht total.

Post by **Balthasar G.** » July 21, 2013, 3:49 pm

BobHelm wrote:Don't forget that your wife will need either a passport or a temporary permit go. I think the permit has a short life to it, but would not swear to 3 or 5 days, but I am sure someone will know. Important to find out before you go if you are going for 5 days though..

B50 and valid for 1 day only, as I understand.

FrazeeDK wrote:Don't recall exact rate but think its around 50 baht per day

B50 it is.

Post by **rick** » July 21, 2013, 4:43 pm

There is a new system coming into operation (not sure if ready yet) of a plastic border pass like the thai id card (for thais only). They have set up British rail/underground style turnstyles to use them. You need to get the border pass from the Tourist information office on the main road into Nong Khai, if your wife doesn't have a passport. But that was 4 months ago.

Post by **merchant seaman** » July 21, 2013, 4:48 pm

Boarder pass for Thai's 3 days/2nights

Post by **747man** » July 21, 2013, 5:29 pm

rick wrote:There is a new system coming into operation (not sure if ready yet) of a plastic border pass like the thai id card (for thais only). They have set up British rail/underground style turnstyles to use them. You need to get the border pass from the Tourist information office on the main road into Nong Khai, if your wife doesn't have a passport. But that was 4 months ago.

Rick, Even IF The Mrs has a Thai Passport ( As Mine does ) She STILL Needs to purchase the new border pass to gain entry to Laos, Don't Understand WHY ??

Post by **Balthasar G.** » July 21, 2013, 5:33 pm

Sorry about that, old chap. I shall give my better half a proper scolding for telling porky pies.

Post by **BobHelm** » July 21, 2013, 5:38 pm

747man wrote:Rick, Even IF The Mrs has a Thai Passport ( As Mine does ) She STILL Needs to purchase the new border pass to gain entry to Laos, Don't Understand WHY ??

I do NOT believe that is the case 747.
It might, however, be a lot quicker to pass through the various immigrations with a pass though...

Post by **rick** » July 23, 2013, 1:24 am

Sorry, lack of my writing comprehension - if passport you do not need the pass.

Post by **rufus** » July 23, 2013, 1:51 pm

No, if you have a border pass no plastic pass is needed.