Houei Xai - Chiang Khong Friendship Bridge Start

Mar 30, 2010
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This is more like GTR Twitter with live updates :)

A lot of people very interested and following closely.

Lets hope common sense prevails and they sort it all out soon.

Cheers
Brian
 

DavidFL

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Three more guys from Malaysia exited Laos across the bridge from Houei Xai - Chiang Khong today

295186=17834-ForumRunner_20131214_183627.jpg


Meanwhile in the morning 230 cyclists On a promo 1 day cycle ride to promote local tourism + the bridge went by ferry.

295186=17835-ForumRunner_20131214_183952.jpg


Supported by the TAT + the CK tourism association cyclists had come from all over North Thailand for the event.
AND ..........Thai immigration refused use of the bridge for the one off event.
Hence the ferry.

295186=17836-ForumRunner_20131214_184431.jpg


The plan then was to cycle through Houei Xai & back.over the bridge with a pre approved Lao police escort.

AND
Still Thai immigration refused. So the bicycles were trucked over, unloaded On the Thai side, the riders bussed over, & then they cycled through back into Thailand.
All a bit unnecessary I thought.

Another 8 guys - 5 Thai + 3 Malaysian crossed into Laos by the ferry late this afternoon by the system described yesterday.

Power On. sent from Sony Xperia AcroS
 
Sep 19, 2006
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Unbelievable System! It defies all Logic that they can operate that way! First they Build a Bridge at Huge cost that can't take Heavy Vehicles then they don't allow any Bikes across either, Amazing!!! Maybe it's a set up to make sure the Ferry Operators still get their "Cut of the Pie"!!!
 
Oct 17, 2006
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for many years was told Thai language does not have a word for logic ,, but after some research and talking to a thai language proffesor at Thammasat UNI he explained that the Thai word for logic does not mean the same as Western logic or even scientific logic its another of those thainess heart words and nearest one can explain is it means an irrefutable truth of possibilities
 
Dec 23, 2007
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any idea what the procedure is for a thai car? Can we cross the bridge and do all our paperwork there?

The ferry in July across from CK to Laos cost me 1,000 for car
 

DavidFL

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Davidfl;295186 wrote:

Meanwhile in the morning 230 cyclists On a promo 1 day cycle ride to promote local tourism + the bridge went by ferry.

attachment.php


Supported by the TAT + the CK tourism association cyclists had come.from all over North Thailand for the event.
AND Thai immigration refused use of the bridge for the one off event.
Hence the ferry.

attachment.php


The plan then was to cycle through Houei Xai & back.over the bridge with a pre approved Lao police escort.

AND
Still.Thai immigration refused. So the bicycles were trucked over, unloaded On the Thai side, the riders bussed over, & then they cycled through back into Thailand.
All a bit unnecessary I thought.

Power On. sent from Sony Xperia AcroS
2 Lao police cars to escort the 230 bicycles over the bridge but still no go!
So the bicycles were trucked over by 2 6-wheel trucks. Both trucks made 4 return trips to get them all.over.
Right now there are a lot of disgruntled people on both sides of the bridge.

Power On. sent from Sony Xperia AcroS
 
Feb 8, 2009
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So, cross the border in Muang Ngeun more easy.

I think its also possible. The first, stamp in the passport to leave thailand at the bridge, after drive the bike to the ferry and up to Laos. Do the papers for the bike on Laos side and get the stamp for the Laos Visa.
 

DavidFL

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phuketrichard;295203 wrote: any idea what the procedure is for a thai car? Can we cross the bridge and do all our paperwork there?

The ferry in July across from CK to Laos cost me 1,000 for car
Richard
The car procedure will the be the same
1. ITP
2. Car ownership book
3. Immigration TM2
4. Customs Export / Import form.

The fees as displayed on the Lao side

295250=17839-IMG_8687.jpg
 

DavidFL

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Lao refused 2 Malaysian bikers permission to exit across the bridge today - pressure from Thai immigration.
The riders had to use the ferry, 500 baht each from the Lao side.
 

DavidFL

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How it looks in google earth.

295296=17856-CH-HX-4thFriendshipBridge.jpg


In the shambles to get across
1. On the Thai side it is 10.7 kms from Thai Immigration checkpoint at the bridge to the Thai ferry crossing upstream.
2. On the Lao side it is 11.6 kms from the Lao Immigration checkpoint at the bridge to the Lao ferry landing upstream.
3. For the record the ferry trip is 1.5 kms between the two ports.
4. For the record at the bridge it is 3.1 kms between the Lao & Thai checkpoints at either side of the bridge.
 
Mar 30, 2010
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I have to say.. It does make me laugh…

Who would have thought they could stuff it up this bad..

Just when you think Thailand can't be any more " Amazing Thailand " it does just that..

We need to all wear our Black GTR Shirts.. March through the streets of Bangkok.
Couple of thousand people should do it.. and tell the PM she needs to resign.. until this is sorted out.
At the very least we will have a fresh election :)

Cheers
Brian
 

DavidFL

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brian_bkk;295298 wrote: I have to say.. It does make me laugh…

Who would have thought they could stuff it up this bad..

Just when you think Thailand can't be any more " Amazing Thailand " it does just that..

Cheers
Brian
Yes indeed & the problem is only the new immigration chief from Chiang Saen. Immigration at CK is now under control of Chiang Saen.
Both Thai Customs staff & Immigration staff that I know in CK have said sorry David.
 
Dec 23, 2007
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Thanks for that,
13,000 kip vs ferry for 1,000 baht for a car!!!

I hated arriving at the ferry at 8 am an than waiting till 10 for the trucks to roll up.

Hope they relax the rules for bikes.
 
Nov 4, 2010
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Hi David
I have just read the whole thread. Sure we were really lucky to go through the bridge "les doigts dans le nez" in french which means literally "fingers in the nose", or in better english "standing on our heads", on December 12th
Cheers
Philippe
 
Nov 7, 2007
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You can trust Thai authorities to apply common sense eventually, once all other possibilities have been exhausted.

Might take a while still...
 

DavidFL

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2015-0923 - Bangkok Post - Chiang Khong customs office expands to speed rising trade

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/704324/chiang-khong-customs-office-expands-to-speed-rising-trade

Chiang Khong customs office expands to speed rising trade

Published: 23/09/2015 at 04:09 PM

CHIANG RAI – The Chiang Khong customs office has expanded with the opening of a new building on 25 rai of land to speed up the movement of cargoes between Thailand, neighbouring Laos and China.

The new building was opened on Wednesday morning by Customs Department director-general Somchai Sujjapongse.

He said Chaing Khong customs checkpoint was responsible for border trade via land and water transport in four districts of Chiang Rai and two districts in Phayao. The previous single-building facility was too small to handle the growing volume of exports and imports between the two neighbours.

Chaing Kong is a main point on the 1,800 kilometre R3A highway linking Thailand and Kunming in China

The new building, built in Lanna style, is 25 rai of land. The new facilities include X-ray equipment for container inspection and a parking area for up to 50 trucks at a time. It will facilitate the movement of shipments between Thailand and Laos, and cargoes in transit between Thailand and China, Mr Somchai said.

According to the Commerce Ministry, bilateral trade between Thailand and Laos was 175.5 billion baht in 2014, up 13.06% from 2013, with Thai exports worth 129.66 billion baht.

For the first seven months of 2015, total bilateral trade was 107 billion baht, up 6.5% from the same period in 2014, with Thai exports totalling 79.7 billion baht, up 4.36%.