Thai–Lao Friendship Bridg

The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai: สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 1, pronounced [sàpʰaːn míttràpʰâːp tʰaj laːw hɛ̀ŋ tʰîː nɯ̀ŋ]; Lao: ຂົວມິດຕະພາບ ລາວ-ໄທ ແຫ່ງທຳອິດ, [kʰǔə mittapʰâːp láːw tʰaj hɛŋ tʰám ǐt]) is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos; the city of Vientiane is approximately 20 km (12 mi) from the bridge. With a length of 1,170 meters (0.73 mi), the bridge has two 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)-wide road lanes, two 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)-wide footpaths and a single 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge railway line in the middle, straddling the narrow central reservation.

The rail gauge is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)

The loading gauge might be 3,000 mm (9 ft 10 in)

The structure gauge (roughly equal to a road lane) might be about 4,000 mm (13 ft 1 in)

History

Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.

The cost was about £19 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.

The bridge was designed and built by Australian companies as a demonstration of their ability to complete major infrastructural projects in Southeast Asia. The concept design of a balanced cantilever bridge was proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL with the final design carried out by Maunsell consulting engineers.

The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south at Savannakhet opened in January 2007.

Road traffic

Traffic on the bridge drives on the left, as in Thailand, while traffic in Laos drives on the right. The changeover at the Lao end, just before the border post, is controlled by traffic lights.

A shuttle bus service operates across the bridge, between the Lao and Thai border posts.

Bicycles and tricycles etc can travel on either the road or the footpath.

Pedestrians can walk on the footpath.

The bridge is part of the AH12 Asian Highway Network.

Railway

A metre-gauge rail track from Nong Khai station runs along the centre of the bridge. Road traffic is stopped when a train is crossing.

On March 20, 2004, an agreement between the Thai and Lao governments was signed to extend the railway to Thanaleng Railway Station in Laos, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from the bridge. This will be the first railway link to Laos (but not the first railway, as a short portage line once existed). The Thai government agreed to finance the line through a combination of grant and loan. Construction formally began on January 19, 2007. Test trains began running on July 4, 2008. Formal inauguration occurred on March 5, 2009.

On February 22, 2006, approval of funding for the rail line from Thanaleng Railway Station to Vientiane, about 9 km, was announced by the French Development Agency.

In November 2010 plans to extend the service from Thanaleng to Vientiane were abandoned.

A posited high-speed rail link from China to Thailand through Laos would make the extension redundant. Although the crossing to Thanaleng has no public buses to connect with the trains that cross, only very expensive taxis, so it is effectively redundant already. It would also necessitate the construction of a new bridge near to the current First Friendship Bridge. In 2011, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's revised plan prioritises domestic rail expansion over the ambitious regional connectivity plan spearheaded by China.

China is looking to build a high-speed line from Kunming all the way down to Singapore, passing through Laos, Thailand and Malaysia, a project that would increase China's GDP and those of the involved nations by US$375 billion, according to China Railway Corp.

Since February 2010 the Eastern and Oriental Express crosses the Mekong via the bridge into Laos.

Immigration

Border crossing procedures at the Friendship Bridge between Thailand and Laos are quite straightforward. All vehicles (including shuttle buses) crossing the bridge are required to stop at the two immigration checkpoints.

Departure/Arrival Procedures at the Thailand side

By Bus

All buses crossing the bridge stop right next to the immigration windows (the left most channel) everyone needs to get off the bus to get 'stamped-out'.

Proceed to window 3D and present your passport together with completed departure form (or border passes for Vientiane or Nong Khai residents) to get 'stamped-out'. The bus driver (Thai-Lao International Bus Service) usually distributes the Arrival/Departure form at the beginning of the journey

Departing Thailand by private car

If you drive your car, just drive to the right lane marked "Private Car" and proceed (in sequence) to window 5D 6D toll fee booth.

1. Window 5D: Present your passport together with the completed departure form (or border passes for Vientiane or Nong Khai residents) and your car documents to get 'stamped-out', and pay any applicable fee here.

Exit Fee (Thailand Departure)

Overtime fee 20 Baht,  Car 200 Baht + 30 overtime fee

2. Window 6D: Get custom clearance here. Lao residence on their return from Thailand are asked to sign the custom clearance form given to them when they entered to Thailand, then the custom officer keeps the form here.

3. Toll Fee Booth: Now that all immigration and custom are cleared, one more thing before you do the actual border crossing is to pay the toll fee. Drive your car through and stop at the booth before the bridge and pay (cash) the fee there.

Toll fee: Car 20 Baht, Pickup truck/minivan 30 Baht, Van 50 Baht

Traffic Note: Traffic on the bridge drives on the left, as in Thailand, while traffic in Laos drives on the right. The changeover at the Lao end is controlled by traffic lights.

Arrival Procedures on the Thailand side

By Bus

Arriving by bus (either Thai-Lao International Bus Service or shuttle bus)

All buses have to go to the left most arriving channel and stop in front of the immigration (windows 2A and 3A), unload and move to the end of the channel to wait for passengers. All passengers must get off the bus here.

Proceed to immigration window (2A and 3A), and present your border pass/passport to get immigration stamp.

Over time and Entry Fee on the Thailand side

Passport holder: No entry fee, No overtime fee

Border pass holder: No entry fee 10 Baht overtime fee. NB. Fees are subject to change without notice.

Once you get your passport/border pass stamped just walk through the customs channel where customs officer(s) sometimes briefly check your travel documents and/or your bag(s). That's it; you've gone through all border crossing procedures. Now just get back on the same bus. If you arrive by the shuttle bus, it takes you to its station about 500 metres away.

If you arrive by the Vientiane - Nong Khai bus (Thai-Lao International Bus Service) it will take you to Nong Khai bus station near Phoxai market, about 5-10 minutes ride.

If you use the Vientiane - Udonthani bus service, it will take you direct (express) to its station near the Central Plaza shopping complex in Udonthani.

Arriving in Thailand by private cars

 Driving the car yourself? Just drive to the "private car" arriving channel on the right (notice direction signs when you exit the bridge). Park your car at parking lots in front of immigration windows and precede to the immigration windows in sequent as following:

4A 5A 6A 6D

1. Window 4A: Present your travel documents (passport or border pass of all passengers traveling in your car and the car documents). The officer usually asks for driver's name, then fills in a form listing all passengers in your car, and gives you arrival/departure form to fill out (according to passports/border passes you presented). S/he then gives this form to you to take to window 5A together with your travel and car documents.

2. Window 5A: Present your travel documents together with a completed arrival/departure form, car documents and the form given to you at window 4A. The officer in this window keeps the form, stamps your passport/border pass and your car document and collects entry fee of 200 Baht per car (this entry fee is not applicable for Thai cars returning from Laos).

3. Window 6A: The officer here asks for the driver's name then fills out a custom form and gives it to you. You must sign this then leave one copy in the tray provided, and take another copy with you.

4. Window 6D: Present the form you got and signed at window 6A to the customs officer at this window. He signs the form and gives it back to you to keep till you return.

On your return, you will sign the form again and then the officer will keep it.

Departure Procedures on the Laos side

Departure procedures at Lao side are similar to those of Thailand's, simple and straightforward. All vehicles crossing at the bridge are required to stop at the immigration check point at the Lao border to get immigration clearance before crossing to Thailand.

This section will explain in details border crossing procedures at Laos side.

The departing area is divided into five lanes/channels as following (from left to right).

1. For Buses such as Thai Lao International Buses, and tour buses.
2. For Diplomatic vehicles (registered under government offices, international organisations in Laos, foreign embassies in Laos, and foreigners working in Laos)
3. For trucks (goods transportation trucks)
4. For private vehicles (general public)
5. For Motorbikes and bicycles

Departing by bus (either Thai-Lao International Bus Service or shuttle bus)

The Thai-Lao International buses drop off all passengers at the left most departing channel then move forward to wait at the end of the channel.

Proceed to one of the immigration windows (D5, D6, D7), present your passport/border pass with the completed Arrival/Departure form to get 'stamped-out' on your passport. Once you have got the exit stamp, walk through to the next window where you pay an exit fee plus overtime fee if you travel outside normal working hours 8:00-16:30 Monday to Friday (you get receipts for all the fees). That's it, you're now ready to get back on the bus for your border crossing.

This process takes around 5-10 minutes, unless you run into an extremely long queue.

Overtime and Exit fees

Passport holders:  No exit fee     10,000 Kip overtime fee

Border pass holders: 10,000Kip exit fee     10,000Kip overtime fee

Over time fee is charged after normal working hours (8:00 - 16:30, Mon-Fri), weekends, or Lao Public holidays.

If you are departing by SHUTTLE bus follow the same procedures (above). The only difference is that you have to buy a ticket for the bus.

Border pass holders (local residents of Vientiane or Nong Khai) don't need to fill out an Arrival/Departure form, just present their border passes to get 'stamped out' and pay fees.

Note: Lao border pass holders need to get a barcode on their border pass prior to getting immigration clearance. The barcode processing booth is right in front of the immigration windows, it costs 1,000kip per trip. Getting multi-trip barcode will save a great deal of time if you do the border crossing frequently.

Departing by private cars

Here are simplified steps you need to take (in sequential order):

Window D2 D1.1 Customs officer and Police Toll fee booth.

1. Window D2: Present your passport together with the completed arrival/departure form, (or border pass for border pass holders), your vehicle documents and passports/border passes of all passengers in your vehicle (if any) to get 'stamped out'.

2. Window D1.1: Once all documents are checked and stamped, they're passed over here. The officer will call out your car number plate when your documents are ready. Here you pay all exit fees including, exit fee for your car (table below), exit fee for all passengers in your car if any (see exit fee for passengers above), plus overtime fee if you depart on weekends, public holidays or non-office hours.

Over time and Exit Fees for private vehicles:

Jeeps, Pickup trucks:  Exit fee 25,000 Kip,  Overtime fee 10,000 Kip

Cars (7 seats or less): Exit fee 50,000 Kip,  Overtime fee 10,000 Kip

Vans (8-25 seats): Exit fee 80,000 Kip,  Overtime fee 10,000 Kip

Trucks (10-12 wheels): Exit fee 80,000 Kip,  Overtime fee 10,000 Kip

3. Customs officers and Police: After all documents are cleared, you need to show them to the police and customs officers at the left side of the channel. The police checks all passports/border passes to make sure they get 'stamped out' and the customs officer checks your vehicle documents. They then ask to see your car and all passengers in the car.

4. Toll fee booth: The booth is about 50 metres from the immigration channel. Drive your car through and pay the toll fee. That's it, enjoy your Laos border crossing to Thailand.

The toll fee can be paid by smart cards or in cash.
Smart card system has been in use for a long while now it helps speed up the process of toll fee payment a great deal. Car owners need to buy the cards (around 40,000kip if I remember it correctly, and top it up at the booth near the immigration booths). 

Toll fee:

Car: 5,000 Kip,   Pickup truck / jeep 8,000 Kip,  Minivan / van 13,000 kip

Bus (15>seats) 27,000 Kip,  Truck (6 Wheels) 41,000 Kip, Truck (10 wheels) 54,000 Kip, Truck (10> wheels) 81,000 Kip

Arrival Procedures on the Laos side

If you DO need to get Visa on Arrival
The Visa on Arrival window opens from 6am to 10pm, and is just a few steps from the shuttle bus (or Thai Lao International Bus) terminal just before the immigration windows.

Note: There is a $1 surcharge on public holidays, weekends or after normal working hours on week days.

If you DO NOT need to get Lao Visa on arrival

If you already have the Lao entry visa in your passport prior to arriving or do not need one (e.g. you're a citizen of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia or one of the ASEAN member countries). Just take normal arrival procedures below.

Arriving by buses

Proceed to the immigration window and present your passport together with completed Arrival/Departure form (the bus drivers usually give out the form before arriving at the border). Once you get 'stamped-in' on your passport, proceed to the customs where you may be stopped to have your bags checked briefly (they rarely check). Then walk through to the 'Entry Fee' booth where you pay a fee. At the last desk is a police officer who briefly checks your passport and welcomes you to Laos.

Arriving by private car

If you arrive by car get your car documents stamped-in at the immigration window and at the customs window. Once that is done, present your car documents to the customs officer and passports (of yours and other passengers in your car if any) to the police officer at the desk outside of the booth. The customs officer inspects your car before he signs it off and the police officer checks your passport to ensure its stamped in.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai%E2%80%93Lao_Friendship_Bridge

http://www.laos-guide-999.com/border-crossing.html#ThaiDepartureBus