Riding across the Friendship Bridge at Chiang Khong into Laos

From Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, the Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge at Chiang Khong is the usual way into northern Laos on a Thai-plated motorcycle. You ride across the bridge on your own bike, get stamped out of Thailand, and handle the Lao visa, the bike's temporary import paper and compulsory insurance at Huay Xai on the far side.

This page covers that crossing only. Rules here change often and staff don't always apply them the same way, so treat this as the latest information we could find and confirm, not a guarantee. Every fact below links to a source from October 2023 or later. Where we couldn't confirm something, we say so.

Quick facts

Crossing

Chiang Khong (Chiang Rai province, Thailand) to Huay Xai (Bokeo province, Laos), Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge [S1]

Hours

Daily, 06:00 to 22:00 [S1][S2][S3]

Best time to arrive

Before about 15:00. The offices that process vehicle papers start winding down after 16:00. Allow about 2 hours to cross if things go smoothly [S4]

Can you ride across?

Yes. Motorcycles are listed as permitted traffic, and riders take their bikes across the bridge. Foot passengers must use the shuttle bus [S1][S5][S3]

Fees for the bike (paid May 2026)

Thai temporary export permit 110 baht. Four Lao-side charges of 50, 200, 40 and 120 baht. Compulsory Lao insurance 300 baht for an 8-day trip. Total 820 baht, not including the visa [S4]

Lao visa

eVisa about US$50, visa on arrival about US$40 to US$45. The exact price depends on your passport. Both are accepted at Friendship Bridge 4, and both give 30 days [S4][S6][S7][S8]

Visa-free

Thai and other ASEAN passports, plus Mongolia, Russia and South Korea, get 30 days. Japan, Luxembourg and Switzerland get 15 days [S7]

How long the bike can stay

15 days for a Thai-registered vehicle. You can extend it by 7 days, but only at the crossing where the bike entered [S4][S9]

Engine size

The official rule is 250 cc or more. Smaller bikes are sometimes let in [S4]

Step by step: crossing on your own bike

1. Before you leave. If you need an eVisa, apply at the official site, laoevisa.gov.la, at least three working days ahead. Bridge IV in Bokeo is on its list of entry points [S6][S8]. Get the bike serviced. Bring spare tubes and the tools to change them, plus small Thai banknotes [S4].
2. Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF). Laos introduced this online arrival form on 1 September 2025 at Friendship Bridge I (Nong Khai) and three airports. It said the form would cover all international checkpoints "from the beginning of 2026". You fill it in at immigration.gov.la within 3 days before you cross [S10][S11]. [FLAGGED: we found no source confirming it is now required at Friendship Bridge IV. Fill it in anyway. It's free and takes a few minutes.]
3. Fill up in Thailand. Fuel on the Lao side costs more and is lower quality [S4].
4. Thai customs: temporary export permit. At the Thai checkpoint, show the bike's green book (registration book) and get the temporary export permit for 110 baht [S4]. Keep it safe. Thai customs collects it when you bring the bike back [S4].
5. Thai immigration: stamp out. Ask for a paper copy of any stamped vehicle form. One rider in May 2024 was told a phone photo was enough, but Lao immigration sent him back for a hard copy [S5].
6. Ride across the bridge to the Lao checkpoint. From the bridge, a 6 km paved road leads to the Huay Xai immigration building [S1].
7. Lao immigration. Get your visa on arrival, or show your eVisa approval letter. For visa on arrival, bring two passport photos [S4].
8. Lao insurance. Insurance is compulsory for vehicles entering Laos. You can buy it at the border [S4][S12]. One rider in May 2024 found the usual insurance office closed, and bought it at an office on the exit side of the checkpoint [S5].
9. Lao customs: temporary import paper. Lao customs issues the bike's temporary import paper. A rider in May 2024 called it the "D53" form [S5]. You'll be asked which border you'll leave from. At Chiang Khong you can answer "undecided" and leave anywhere, but check this with the officer on the day. If you name one exit crossing and use another, you may be charged several thousand baht [S4]. If your bike is under 250 cc, choose "custom vehicle" on the customs declaration form [S4].
10. Keep every paper in a waterproof folder. You'll hand them back when you leave Laos [S4].

If someone asks for extra money

Riders reported this at Huay Xai in May 2024 and in a guide published in 2026. Usually a "tourist police" officer invites a solo rider into a side office. He says you need an extra permit or a guide, and asks for about 1,000 to 2,000 baht [S4][S5]. Neither source names any such official paper. Stay calm and polite, say you know the procedure, and ask to see the fee in writing with an official receipt [S4]. The May 2024 rider refused and was still let in [S5].

Do you need an agent?

At Chiang Khong, usually not. A Chiang Mai rental shop that crosses here regularly says agents tend to slow things down, and charge about 2,000 baht [S4]. Some riders use one for their first crossing for peace of mind [S4]. Nong Khai (Friendship Bridge I) is different. Riders reported in January 2025 and late 2025 that an agent was required there, with paperwork prepared up to three days ahead [S4][S9]. That's one reason this page covers Chiang Khong.

[FLAGGED: Groups. A May 2024 rider said a group of more than 2 to 5 foreign vehicles may need a Lao tour guide, based on his 2023 group crossing [S5]. That's a single report from before October 2023, and we found no official rule.]

Documents checklist

• Passport valid for at least 6 months [S4][S7]
• Two passport photos (for a visa on arrival) [S4]
• Several printouts of your eVisa approval, if you have one [S4][S8]
• LDIF QR code (see step 2) [S10][S11]
• Motorcycle licence, plus an International Driving Permit with motorcycle category. You don't need the IDP if you hold a Thai motorcycle licence [S4]
• Original green book (Thai registration book) [S4]
• Thai road tax certificate and Thai compulsory insurance (Por Ror Bor). You probably won't be asked for them, but bring them [S4]
• Photocopies of the green book and your passport. There's often nowhere at the border to make copies [S4]
• If the bike isn't yours, a power of attorney from the owner (see Rental bikes) [S4]
• Thai baht in small notes. Baht is preferred for border fees. Any US dollars must be the newest design and in perfect condition [S4]

Rental and borrowed bikes

• You can take a rented or borrowed Thai bike into Laos if you carry a power of attorney from the owner allowing it [S4]. [FLAGGED: Thai Customs' own page also requires this, but it was last updated 20 March 2020, which breaks the October 2023 rule. The 2026 source above says the same thing.]
• Rental shops that allow Laos usually charge more per day and take a much bigger deposit, because a bike left in Laos is very hard to get back [S4]. One Chiang Mai shop charges 750 baht to prepare the paperwork [S4].
• Ask your rental shop first. Many won't allow it.
• [FLAGGED: Does the rental shop keep your passport? We found no source from October 2023 or later. Ask the shop before you rent.]
• [FLAGGED: Laos on a 125 cc rental. The official 250 cc rule [S4] means a small scooter may be refused. We found no source from October 2023 or later reporting a 125 cc bike crossing at Chiang Khong.]

Lao-side roads and your first day of riding

• Bridge to Huay Xai: a 6 km paved road leads from the bridge to the immigration building and joins Route R3A [S1].
• Route R3A north (Huay Xai, Luang Namtha, Boten): a two-lane road that is also the main truck route between Thailand and China. Huay Xai to Boten is 219.8 km, about 5 hours [S1]. Expect heavy Chinese trucks.
• Luang Namtha to Boten: a May 2024 rider described this stretch as badly potholed, with the last 20 km into Boten on mud roads. There's now a PTT petrol station at Na Teuy [S13].
• Closure, August 2026: floods and landslides closed National Route 13 North from the Oudomxay provincial border to the Boten (China) border on 29 to 30 August 2026 [S14][S15]. It was still closed in early September 2026 [S16]. [FLAGGED: we found no source confirming it has reopened. Check before you ride north of Na Teuy.]
• Northern Laos in general: many roads are rougher than riders expect. Some "main roads" in the north are still dirt, and some paved roads are badly potholed. Rain turns dirt sections to mud quickly. The south around Pakse has the better roads [S17].
• Bike choice: a dual-sport or enduro bike handles Lao roads best [S17].
• Spares: carry spare tubes, an air filter, oil filter, levers, a clutch cable and a patch kit. Some parts for common bikes such as the Honda CRF are sold in Vientiane and Luang Prabang [S4].
• SIM card: buying a Lao SIM at the border is easier than finding a shop later. Ask at the insurance counter [S4].
• [FLAGGED: Huay Xai to Luang Namtha (176 km, 4 hours 20 minutes on winding mountain roads with heavy truck traffic). This is from a blog post dated 2 January 2025, but its photos are filed as 2017, so we can't confirm when the ride took place [S18].]
• [FLAGGED: Laos drives on the right, unlike Thailand. We found no source from October 2023 or later in this pass, so add one before publishing.]

Coming back into Thailand

Leaving Laos is usually easier. Lao officials collect the papers you were given on entry, and Thai customs takes back your temporary export permit and checks the bike [S4]. If you're in Thailand on a DTV visa, Thai immigration has asked land-border arrivals for proof of accommodation, an onward flight, income and employment. Check the current rules before you go [S4].

FAQ

Can I take a motorcycle from Thailand to Laos?

Yes, if it's Thai-registered and you have the papers. You'll need the green book, a Thai temporary export permit, a Lao temporary import paper and Lao insurance. At Chiang Khong you sort all of this out at the border yourself, for about 820 baht plus the visa [S4]. The bike can stay 15 days [S4][S9].

How do I get from Thailand to Laos?

On your own bike, ride to the Chiang Khong checkpoint and follow the steps above. Without a bike, take a bus or minivan from Chiang Rai Bus Terminal 1 to Chiang Khong. Then go through Thai immigration and take the shuttle bus over the bridge (around 20 baht), because you can't walk across [S3].

What's it like riding a motorcycle in Laos?

It's slower and rougher than Thailand. There are good paved stretches, but expect potholes, broken tarmac, dirt sections in the north, and mud after rain [S17]. Fuel costs more and is lower quality, so carry spares and keep the bike serviced [S4]. In August 2026 floods closed Route 13 North to Boten, so check closures before you go [S14][S16].

Is riding a motorcycle in Laos allowed on a foreign licence?

Carry your home motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit with the motorcycle category. A Thai motorcycle licence is accepted without an IDP [S4].

Can I ride to Laos on a rented bike?

Only with a power of attorney from the owner and a rental shop that agrees to it. Expect a higher daily rate and a bigger deposit [S4].

Do rental shops hold your passport?

[FLAGGED: no source from October 2023 or later. Ask the shop.]

Is the Lao insurance for a Thai-plated bike compulsory?

Yes. Buy it at the border. It cost 300 baht for an 8-day trip in May 2026 [S4][S12].

Is the Lao vehicle permit still limited to one or two provinces?

None of our 2024 to 2026 sources mention a province limit. A Chiang Mai rental shop says you can name your exit border as "undecided" at Chiang Khong and leave anywhere [S4]. A May 2024 rider rode from Huay Xai through Luang Namtha to Boten [S5][S13]. [FLAGGED: no official confirmation either way.]

Do I need an agent?

Not usually at Chiang Khong [S4]. At Nong Khai, riders reported that an agent was required in 2025 [S4][S9].

Can I take a 125 cc scooter?

The official minimum is 250 cc. Smaller bikes are sometimes let in, so look for recent reports before you try [S4].

Last checked

20 October 2026, by BBT. Border rules in Laos change without notice, so check the latest rider reports before you go.

Sources

All border crossings