I had crossed this border three times now so I thought everything would be simple enough. Twice I crossed from Thailand to Laos in 2018 and 2023 and one from Laos to Thailand in 2023.
In 2018 I crossed this border alone with Bluey and there was no tour guide required for a solo traveler. In 2023, due to the Malaysian group biker crossing together, the team leader arranged for a Laos Tour guide to ease the process.
In 2018 I crossed this border alone with Bluey and there was no tour guide required for a solo traveler. In 2023, due to the Malaysian group biker crossing together, the team leader arranged for a Laos Tour guide to ease the process.
In fact the rules goes as ambiguously such as, anything more than 2 to 5 foreign vehicle travelling together would require a Laos Tour Guide.
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| Chiang Khong Border - Surrendered Temporary Import Permit to Customs Thailand |
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| Chiang Khong Border - Stamp Out Immigration Thailand |
This time I was crossing alone again and armed with prior experience I thought the process would be simple enough. Exit from Thailand went smoothly with no drama and I surrendered the TIP and stamped out immigration with the whole process barely spending more than 15 minutes.
Previously the TM2 form was stamped out and a copy made for me to pass onto the Laos side but this time the immigration officer told me to take a photo and that it would be sufficient.
I rode across the Thai-Lao friendship bridge 4 and at the Laos immigration, they insisted for the TM 2 stamp out form hardcopy.
I had to ride back to Thai side and request a copy which they grumbled of why this Laos Immigration kept changing their minds every time. Still the copy was produced immediately and back I went again to Laos Border.
I had to ride back to Thai side and request a copy which they grumbled of why this Laos Immigration kept changing their minds every time. Still the copy was produced immediately and back I went again to Laos Border.
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| Huay Xay Border - Immigration Customs |
Immigration requested 200 baht coffee money for the entry stamp which I gave and then it was insurance and the D53 Custom import papers for Bragge.
Insurance at the usual place was closed and I had to walked out of the entry border and crossed over to the exit border of Laos to find a insurance office. Once I found them it was simple to purchase and then back to customs.
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| Buying Laos Insurance for Motorcycle |
Before I could get to customs booth, a Tourist Police waved me over.
THIS WOULD BE THE START OF THE BORDER TOURIST POLICE SCAM.
The tourist police asked for my passport which I gave and then brought me into a small room flanked by three other officers. One barely spoke English and delicately explained to me that I needed a paper to ride my motorcycle in Laos.
I asked to see sample of the paper and it was utterly rubbish written in Laos Language with no English and suspiciously informal. I don't need this I told them and they broke the façade insisting that this was mandatory and that it would cost me 2000 baht for them to prepare it for me.
Stood firm and act brave yet still be as polite and non-aggressive was a delicate balance as I told the Tourist Police that this is not my first time entering Laos with a motorcycle and I have done this through multiple borders throughout the years and know the rules and regulation.
A letter to explain to other Tourist police that I am riding though Laos is not required period.
I asked for my passport back which they refused to give and I refused to give them money. It was fine I told them. If you don't let me in I’ll just turn around and go in through Vientiane anyway.
I asked for my passport back which they refused to give and I refused to give them money. It was fine I told them. If you don't let me in I’ll just turn around and go in through Vientiane anyway.
I had time and there are more than one border. I knew the subtle threat of going through Vientiane means I could also lodge a formal complain there.
The Tourist Police asked me which border I would exit Laos. No idea I told them trying to hide as much information as I can. China, or back to Thailand via Vientine or Vietnam or maybe Cambodia, I’ll decide later depending on how friendly Laos is I told them.
In the end face with no choice, they gave me back my passport after recording it down into their so-called blacklist. I would be permitted entry but I was to only leave through the same border and that if I tried to exit though Boten to China, they would not let me out.
The Tourist Police asked me which border I would exit Laos. No idea I told them trying to hide as much information as I can. China, or back to Thailand via Vientine or Vietnam or maybe Cambodia, I’ll decide later depending on how friendly Laos is I told them.
In the end face with no choice, they gave me back my passport after recording it down into their so-called blacklist. I would be permitted entry but I was to only leave through the same border and that if I tried to exit though Boten to China, they would not let me out.
It was complete bullshit.
Border Crossing with motorcycle only needed two things which was immigration stamp and Customs Temporary Import / Export Permit. Still I smiled and said ok just to retrieved back my passport.
After the good one hour Drama with the Tourist Police, I headed to the customs booth to get the D53 Temporary Import Permit which took a minute and another small coffee money of 40 baht which reasonably I paid.
Border Crossing with motorcycle only needed two things which was immigration stamp and Customs Temporary Import / Export Permit. Still I smiled and said ok just to retrieved back my passport.
After the good one hour Drama with the Tourist Police, I headed to the customs booth to get the D53 Temporary Import Permit which took a minute and another small coffee money of 40 baht which reasonably I paid.
I was good to go and after leaving the border, the first thing I did was find another hotel that was not what I wrote on the immigration papers and hide the bike least they find me later at night to cause trouble.
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| Huay Xai Overlooking the Mekong River to Thailand |
A week later I would exit Laos at Boten to enter China without any issue which re-confirmed the Border Scam that the Tourist Police was trying to pull.
Traveled on: May 2024
