Ahhh now even you got it. Great :-)

Most of the time yes but sometimes even they learn something so it was worth correcting you so many times.
Happy new year :-)

Its still a good idea to read and quote the whole period and not just the part if that suits your paranoid mind.

I do think that there is a kind of restriction of what thai plated bikes with thai owners and riders that is allowed over from Thailand to Laos and vice versa. I guess Thai government doesnt want heaps of laotians on their bikes riding in Thailand and Laos government doesnt want heaps of thais on motorbikes in their country. Or whatever reason and regulations they have.

But as for foreigners on thai plated bikes to enter Thailand there havent been any such problems. Sometimes the thais are reluctant to let persons cross the socalled "Friendship bridges" border crossings, sometimes they want money for an "escort" over the bridge etc etc. After all this is Asia and every rule, laws and regulations can be bend and quite often seem to be very strongly connected to the mood of the official one happen to meet.

But I have been in Laos on a thai plated bike in 2013, a 750 ccm. Lonerider was there in january 2015 on a 250 ccm, I met a dutch guy in Laos in january/february 2015 on a 100-125 ccm, a norwegian friend of mine rode through Laos on a 500 ccm thai plated bike in november 2014, recom273 has been in Laos on a thai plated bike (he lives in Thailand). And belive it or not - we are not the exceptions! We are the common guys and travellers.

And in addition to this I can add that I on my 2015 trip through Laos and Cambodia with my european plated bike I made the following observations:
There were heaps of vietnam plated bikes in Laos ridden by backpacker type of westerner travellers. I also saw a few of vietnam plated bikes in Cambodia ridden by western travellers. And I also saw cambodia plated bikes ridden by cambodians in southern Laos, not many though.

I strongly recommend persons that are thinking about riding motorbikes in Thailsnd/Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam to search information other places such as for example Rideasia.net and GTriders.com. The (mis)information presented by some member here is simply not correct.

Haha they are renting out way more small bikes. Guess why there is a renting shop for small bikes allmost around every corner? Small bikes are way more common in Asia then any other size of bike but this was not the question. It was just wrong information again :D

So to confirm, there doesn't seem to be an issue if I buy a Honda Wave or such like in HCMC, have the papers for it (but not in my name) for me to cross into neighbouring countries, Thailand maybe an issue?

I arrive in HCMC on Tuesday :D

Cheers
Pete

I will try and help you as you are on limited time.

Laos, Cambodia seem allow the free movement of VN bikes .. There seems to be some kind of reciprocal agreement, but don't quote me on it.

The place that can give you 100% reliable information is Flamingo travel in Hanoi. You can contact him direct and he has also contributed some essential posts to GT-R, if you are thinking of buying a bike in VN.

Thailand won't let a VN reg'd bike in .. because there is no reciprocal agreement that allows Thai bike to VN.

However - There was an advert on FB the other month, a guy was selling 2x CB100's VN Reg'd ( Not in his name ) .. I was very interested and after I got the lowdown from Thai customs, he had left the country and dumped the bikes. So, it is possible - somehow.

Yes, I think the reasons are the bike clogging up the customs queue.

There doesn't seem to be any Lao-Thai customs agreement that allows people to travel freely across the border. As you know, down my way in the South, Malays and Thais work, trade and move between the 2 countries quite freely.

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The thing with the bridges goes back to an incident a few years back when some Thai bikers had an accident and instead of stopping and sorting it - ran to the border, ran over the bridge without stopping Laos side and Thai immigration let them enter Thailand. Since then there has been an issue at the bridges.

I think that Thai immigration / customs enforce the laws on their side of the bridge, as its not worth the grief - they know what will happen if they allow bikes to freely ride over .. the Laotians will just turn them back.

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Yes, if you need to know something - GT-R is full of information. RideAsia has a lot of info too, including the document and instructions on taking a rental bike over the border, another place, which CAN SOMETIMES offer a quick reply is ThaiVisa.com.

Many thanks for the speedy reply & information, much appreciated.

You can ride from Vietnam to Laos and from Vietnam to Cambodia but NOT from Laos to Cambodia and NOT to Thailand. At least they did not allow me with an owned VN bike and all the legal papers even i offered 100US$ bribe...

Once more for your information: Small or big bikes, rented or owned bikes - the same rules appear. If you not own the bike you will need just one paper that shows that the owner oof the bike allows you to take bike to take the bike across borders. Thailand - Laos this goes for.

I spoke to a rental firm in HCMC and they said they would provide the paperwork. They did mention a deposit which is fair enough


Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and India for Christina Noble Children's Foundation. Watch this space

A deposit will probably most rentals take for any hire. And especially when it involves taking a rented bike across a border. It sees fair enough to me.

That's true. Shame about Thailand and Vietnam not allowing plated bikes to pass. Would suit me to buy a 150 and drive home


Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and India for the Christina Noble Children's Foundation. Watch this space

Its correct that the the only border crossing between Laos and Cambodia has been closed for foreigners on motorbikes lately in periods in the direction from Laos and into Cambodia. As I mentioned in a post earlier - this is Asia and anything can happen for any reason etc etc. In the other direction on the other hand - from Cambodia to into Laos ther seem to be no problems whatsoever.
So if someone are planning to travel Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia - plan according to that. And always seek out the latest news about the actual border crossings one plan to use. If a border crossing is closed at one occation for one rider it doesnt automatically means its closed from that point and until eternity...