Driving Thai registered car to Laos and Cambodia

[Phuketrichard]

Hey all;
this is all first hand experience with my Thai honda civic car into an out of Laos
back to Thailand and on into Cambodia


Left Thailand going to Laos from Chaing Khong, July 6th ( northern exit point) they asked for lots of papers, purple book and got a computer print out guaranteeing the car be returned, They valued my car at 220,000 baht.
Took about 10 minutes
ferry across the river

At Laos they filled out lots of papers, charged me 500 baht and also had to get insurance. 20 minutes
also they stamped the purple book.

Note the customs for ur car is at the car dock BUT u need drive about 500 meters down the road to immigration to get ur passport stamped in

Leaving Laos back to Thailand at Savannkhet/Mukdahan

Gave laos papers back , They stamped my purple book. crossed the bridge Thai customs took the computer print out and that it.


Leaving Thailand and entering Cambodia at Osmach, Today ( south of Surin) Thai's filled out some papers, I filled out some ( they were not stamped) and gave them back to me. No computer, no stamp in Purple book ( didn't even look at it)
10 minutes
arriving in Cambodia they looked at the papers and said OK!!! 1 minute and that was it.

Only could give me a tourist visa at Cambodia immigration ( $20 no hassles) I asked for a regular ( as wanted to extend ) but they said they did not have any.
Cambodia does not care :-)

So for all u that say u cant do it,

[aging one]

Well done, laid out plain and simple. How were the roads and such?

[BobR]

What is a purple book? Never heard of that before. Thanks.

[Thetyim]

^
Passport for the car

[Phuketrichard]

much of the roads in laos are ok, ( i use the term loosely) up north very windy up and down an there is one section outside Luang Namtha to Luang Prabang that is 70 kms of pure shit.
the road from Vang Vieng is not that good as well to Vientaine.
as most of the driving in the country is hills an valleys you never get to travel fast and its a great drive. Would be excellent on a motor cycle.
did see a few westerns on bicycles as well and i would not want to be them.

The purple book is merely a translation of your cars blue book in english and for Laos and Malaysia they stamp the car in and out as ur passport.
Cambodia didn't even look at it nor did the thai customs going into Cambodia.

Laos is a country that has fantastic scenery and nice people but not much to do, For adventure travel it would be different as many places offer treks and home stays into the villages, ( one day to ...) and mtn biking, kayaking, Elephant camp trips where you can learn to be a Mahout, from 2 days to months

One thing that would be worth it is they offer a kayak trip from Vang Vieng to Veintaine. It takes about 8-10 hours an would be nice.

Note;
after living in Thailand for many years an traveling now thru Laos an having lived in Cambodia, Thailand wins hands down for lower costs, better food and better accommodations

[Kwang]

Elephant camp trips where you can learn to be a Mahout, from 2 days to months

I thought that was a con ?

One thing that would be worth it is they offer a kayak trip from Vang Vieng to Veintaine. It takes about 8-10 hours an would be nice.

Don't you need a river between the 2 places to do that ?

[Phuketrichard]

Kwang;

no con at all;

look at a map;
Vang Vieng is on the Mekong as is Vientaine

Where are you from that you don't know that

[Thailand J]

I am reluctant to drive into Laos and Cambodia where they drive on the right side. Am i worrying too much?

When i drove into Malaysia last year I only had a one page translation of my car book, do i need the "purple book" for Laos n Cambodia?

[Thetyim]

Yes purple book is needed for Laos but not for Malaysia

[Thailand J]

Thanks for the info.

Is it difficult to drive on the right side of the road in Laos n Cambodia when the steering wheel on a Thai car is at the right side of the car?

In US you drive on the right side but the steering wheels are on the left.

[Thetyim]

Is it difficult to drive on the right side

It's not difficult but you do need to concentrate more which makes it more tiring.
So keep your driving hours down and don't drink alcohol.

[Thailand J]

Thanks ..

[Phuketrichard]

driving is easy as its not much traffic in Laos or Cambodia ( except around big cities) passing is a bitch thou!!!

Malaysia u need a paper from the vehicle dept NOT the purple book
Cambodia they do not ask for the book nor did the thai customs when i left to enter.
NOTE;
friend of mine was turned down last week to enter at Paulin crossing and went to Pot Pet were he was told no but after talking they let him in but told him only allowed 30 kms inside Cambodia, He drove to Siem rep and no problem

Take a look at my thread on the Cambodia forum

[boes]

What about car insurance in Laos and Cambodia ?

[brainwashed]

Where do we get the purple book from please? Thanks.

[Thetyim]

^
From your local Department of Land Transport
That's where you register your car every year

[brainwashed]

Thank you Thetyim.

[raylo]

Thank you Thetyim.

Echo that - thank you Thetyim and thank you PhuketRichard (PR).

By the way PR did you drive from Phuket to Chiang Khong?

[Phuketrichard]

Yes; via Hua Hin, Bangkok, Lampang

Car is now siting in my friends locked parking area in Phnom Penh while i enjoy the Ca sunshine and wine :-)

Note the purple book needs be updated yearly after u update ur cars registration

Insurance; Mandatory in Laos 21 days cost me 800 baht
Cambodia ; can NOT be brought

[brainwashed]

Thank you Phuketrichard. So no insurance in Cambodia.

[Michael traveller]

I didn't have as much luck as Phuketrichard. I am English and have bought a car in Thailand. I wanted to take the car to Cambodia for a month on holiday. I got the Purple Book car passport in Thailand and had all documents about the car (e.g. log book). I made the border crossing at Aranyaphtet/Poipet. The Thai border side were happy to let me drive through. The Cambodia side refused me permission to drive into Cambodia. The reason was that my car is left hand drive. I suggested that I might "buy" a special permit but they would not budge. All I could do is turn round and park my car in one of the Casino parking lots between the two borders. From there it was taxi to Phnom Penh where it has been confirmed by my girlfriends brother (a policeman) that left hand drive cars cannot be brought into Cambodia. This is weird as Cambodia used to drive on the left and there are loads of old cars that are right hand drive.

[Thetyim]

there are loads of old cars that are right hand drive.

Yes all illegal
The government hasn't got around to confiscating them yet

[Phuketrichard]

thai cars are right hand drive,
American ( 90 % of cars in Cambodia are from the states, you even see some with Ca and Texas plates on them) are Left hand drive;
all of the rhd cars u see in Cambodia were from Thailand.

Once ur in the country they don't care which side the wheel is on

Koh Kong, Osmach, will let ya in and no, they do not charge u extra.

[Thetyim]

^
RHD cars were banned in Cambodia in 2001.
All cars were supposed to be converted to LHD or be confiscated.
The law has not been enforced but it's still in place

[woodenshoes]

thai cars are right hand drive,
American ( 90 % of cars in Cambodia are from the states, you even see some with Ca and Texas plates on them) are Left hand drive;
all of the rhd cars u see in Cambodia were from Thailand.

Once ur in the country they don't care which side the wheel is on

Koh Kong, Osmach, will let ya in and no, they do not charge u extra.

Any recent experiences with driving Thai registered car to Cambodia? Any tips? Insurance availability?