Border Pass into Laos

Post by **botaknh** » May 14, 2015, 12:27 pm

Does anyone know if you can still get a border pass for Thais at the Friendship Bridge, or is it only at the town hall. Its for my daughter so I assume we would have to use birth cert instead of IC. And finally, can all Thais get a border pass or only those registered in Nong Khai. I have a Thai passport for her but it has less than 6 months validity. If I use her UK passport I get stung for a visa. Hoping a cheap border pass will do the trick for this trip

Post by **BobHelm** » May 14, 2015, 12:45 pm

Just about any of the travel agents in Nong Khai will get you one. It is more expensive that way (about 100 baht) than going yourself to the office but the office is easy enough if you know where it is.
Thais do not have to be registered in Nong Khai to get one there.
Sorry I can answer the birth certificate v ID card question.
I have only ever been involved with adult Thai with an ID getting one.
Don't forget that they only last for a couple of nights, 200 baht a day overstay after that...

Post by **BobHelm** » May 14, 2015, 12:53 pm

Oh, 1 more thing.
Don't forget that when the get to the Laos side of the bridge that they will need to buy a card to get them through the barriers. If you have to buy a Laos visa then that includes the customs duty (or whatever it is) so you can bypass the barriers, but Border Pass holders have to pay it - $1 I think, so probably about 30 baht..

Post by **botaknh** » May 14, 2015, 1:07 pm

BobHelm wrote:Just about any of the travel agents in Nong Khai will get you one. It is more expensive that way (about 100 baht) than going yourself to the office but the office is easy enough if you know where it is.
Thais do not have to be registered in Nong Khai to get one there.
Sorry I can answer the birth certificate v ID card question.
I have only ever been involved with adult Thai with an ID getting one.
Don't forget that they only last for a couple of nights, 200 baht a day overstay after that...

Thanks Bob. We're arriving by train from BKK at 7.45 (hopefully) and want to try to get to Embassy before 11. Will see what my usual agent at the border has to say about how to get a pass fastest. Only need 2 nights there so we're covered with that.

Anyone managed to get a border pass for a kid

Post by **jackspratt** » May 14, 2015, 1:33 pm

This is the google street view of the office where my Thai family goes for border passes:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E0%B ... 52!6m1!1e1

You can also see the map view by clicking on the box on the bottom left corner.

They are usually in and out in about 5 minutes. Cost (from memory) is TBH20.

Post by **botaknh** » May 14, 2015, 1:51 pm

jackspratt wrote:This is the google street view of the office where my Thai family goes for border passes:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E0%B ... 52!6m1!1e1

You can also see the map view by clicking on the box on the bottom left corner.

They are usually in and out in about 5 minutes. Cost (from memory) is TBH20.

Thanks Jack. If its only a 5 minute job then a quick round trip in a tuk tuk will do the job. Any kids under IC age involved in this

Post by **jackspratt** » May 14, 2015, 2:07 pm

Same as Bob - no kids under 5 involved. Also confirm, don't need to be from NK province.

I would bring both the birth certificate and blue house book in your circumstances.

YMMV on the turn-around - it may be a little bit longer if there are many waiting.

Post by **botaknh** » May 14, 2015, 9:08 pm

Thanks guys, all advice taken on board. Got all the bairns stuff ready, If train on time should be no problem, Off to get border pass then back to bridge, Straight to embassy to submit before 11am - if miss then an extra night over there, I can live with that as long as we can get over.

Post by **jackspratt** » July 27, 2019, 7:49 pm

I have heard a rumour the office which issues border passes has moved - see my earlier google street view link above.

If this is correct, does anyone know where the office is now located?

Thanks

Post by **jackspratt** » July 28, 2019, 12:16 pm

OK, it has moved.

Now here: https://www.google.com/maps/@17.8787333 ... 312!8i6656

Post by **semperfiguy** » July 28, 2019, 4:07 pm

A Thai person can enter Laos on their Thai Passport, then there's no need to hassle with a pass.

Post by **rickt2k** » February 7, 2020, 9:50 pm

Just googled and arrived back here where I should've looked in the first place! I'll be needing to obtain a few passes for the wife, kids and in-laws.

Obviously not for me

I'm ASEAN visa exempt.

Thankfully, managed to convince my wife that these kind of info is better searched for in THAI since she might be better served that way. According to the Thai message boards, you want to head to the local government office. Now, in my time here every public service building has been referred to by my Thai associates as a government office.

This is the one we want: ที่ว่าการอำเภอเมืองหนองคาย จ.หนองคาย

In English: Muang Nong Khai District Office and G.Map maps it here: https://goo.gl/maps/Vur8BarfSCrYFftX6

I'll let everyone know if anything changed and maybe how it went for me if anything is worthy of note.

FYI - I told them about the passport option but it turns out that either they believe the "passport" queue is slower or more crowded than the one for the border pass or, in the case of by brother in law, never bothered to ever apply for a passport.

Cheers!