Lone Rider
Blokes Who Can
Another of my mapping trips so again not really a trip report but just some random pictures. This time my target area for this trip was the northwest of Laos (northwest of Hongsa) as I had not been there for quite some time. I entered at the Huay Khon/Mueang Ngeun border crossing (north of Nan) and left Laos by taking the ferry from Huayxay to Chiangkhong. What bothers me sometime during my numerous crossings from Thailand to Laos and back that almost every border crossing point in Thailand has its own requirements while the Lao side is so much more uniform in terms of what documents are required. On the Thai side you need to fill in the TM 2, TM 3 and TM 4.
- In addition to these forms, the Nongkhai to Vientiane crossing does not require any photocopy but they need to see the International Transport Permit (ITP or the purple book which is a translation of the blue/green Registration book)
- Huay Khon (Nan) needs these documents while both Immigration and Customs want to have photocopies of the passport, the Blue Registration Book (of my truck) as well as photocopies of the ITP.
- Other crossings sometimes want photocopies of particular pages and sometimes want copies of other pages so you never really know what they need/want.
- On the Lao side, just show your passport and the ITP and they will print out the Temporary Import Permit (the green form) and that is it.
The Hongsa Power Plant is progressing well and the roads leading to Laos and Hongsa are busy with a lot of trucks plying the route from Nan to the border and back. Heavy transport is only allowed to be during night time so generally there are no major delays.
One of the heavy transports being readied for the trip to Hongsa. Not sure what "No Humping" means which was printed on the side of, what I assume, is a pressure vessel.
Guess the driver of the rig and his co-drivers have their work cut out for them in these sharp and steep corners
The lignite fired Hongsa Power Plant being built at the moment and the guys who are building the power-lines are hacking out new tracks to construct the pylons
After crossing the border my first stop was Hongsa as I had to deliver some supplies for the Jumbo GH and to have a look at the baby elephant which was born a week earlier or so in Ban Viengkeo a few km. west of Hongsa. Unfortunately, the owner of the elephant had decided to raise the price to have a look from 70,000 Kip (agreed with the Tourism Department) to 100, 000 Kip (close to 400 Baht) so in the end we (four people) decided to stay home and have a cold one instead.
View attachment 14975View attachment 14976
Pictures by Monica from the Jumbo Guest House in Hongsa
The next morning, after some map updating in and around Hongsa, I set off for Luang Nam Tha via Pakbeng. My original plan - to head west to Mueang Khop and then north along the Mekong to HuayXay - was no longer viable as I had spent to much time around Hongsa and as a result I would have to do part of the trip in the dark something which did not appeal to me as the track along the Mekong is single lane with steep drop-offs into the Mekong.
There are lots of ferries at the Mekong crossing to Pakbeng but, their days here may be numbered also as the construction of a bridge over the Mekong has started.
New resort being constructed on the hill overlooking Pakbeng and the Mekong
Along the road from Pakbeng to Oudomxay as well as other areas in the north of Laos the Chinese are busy to grow lots of vegetables and fruit for export to China
This Chinese trailer truck did not quite make it to China as it tipped over on Road 2W.
This was not the only truck which did not make it all the way. At the Huayxay to Chiangkhong ferry crossing a Thai truck was being transported home after it crashed with a load of mangosteen fruit bound for China
The old French Fort in Muang Sing - the sign said No Photos so I shot a few quickies from inside the car.
A new wat and stupa near Mueang Long
The Xiengkok Resort in Xiengkok - from a distance it looked nice.
The Xiengkok Customs and Immigration point
Traditional style home west of Xiengkok.
View of Xiengkok from the south (road 2203)
This boat did not make as it hit the rocks while trying to find its way through the rocks in the river.
Most of the road along the Mekong was quite dry and only a few spots were muddy - here the mud was axle deep and I needed 4WD to get through
The stupa at Wat Xiengdao on the Mekong and its stupa climbing goats
Crossing the Mekong by ferry in Huayxay - there was just a little space left for my truck and a Chinese Pajero with his bonnet under the container.
Lots of Chinese cars crossing from Thailand to Laos and lots more waiting to go to Laos and home
- In addition to these forms, the Nongkhai to Vientiane crossing does not require any photocopy but they need to see the International Transport Permit (ITP or the purple book which is a translation of the blue/green Registration book)
- Huay Khon (Nan) needs these documents while both Immigration and Customs want to have photocopies of the passport, the Blue Registration Book (of my truck) as well as photocopies of the ITP.
- Other crossings sometimes want photocopies of particular pages and sometimes want copies of other pages so you never really know what they need/want.
- On the Lao side, just show your passport and the ITP and they will print out the Temporary Import Permit (the green form) and that is it.
The Hongsa Power Plant is progressing well and the roads leading to Laos and Hongsa are busy with a lot of trucks plying the route from Nan to the border and back. Heavy transport is only allowed to be during night time so generally there are no major delays.
One of the heavy transports being readied for the trip to Hongsa. Not sure what "No Humping" means which was printed on the side of, what I assume, is a pressure vessel.
Guess the driver of the rig and his co-drivers have their work cut out for them in these sharp and steep corners
The lignite fired Hongsa Power Plant being built at the moment and the guys who are building the power-lines are hacking out new tracks to construct the pylons
After crossing the border my first stop was Hongsa as I had to deliver some supplies for the Jumbo GH and to have a look at the baby elephant which was born a week earlier or so in Ban Viengkeo a few km. west of Hongsa. Unfortunately, the owner of the elephant had decided to raise the price to have a look from 70,000 Kip (agreed with the Tourism Department) to 100, 000 Kip (close to 400 Baht) so in the end we (four people) decided to stay home and have a cold one instead.
View attachment 14975View attachment 14976
Pictures by Monica from the Jumbo Guest House in Hongsa
The next morning, after some map updating in and around Hongsa, I set off for Luang Nam Tha via Pakbeng. My original plan - to head west to Mueang Khop and then north along the Mekong to HuayXay - was no longer viable as I had spent to much time around Hongsa and as a result I would have to do part of the trip in the dark something which did not appeal to me as the track along the Mekong is single lane with steep drop-offs into the Mekong.
There are lots of ferries at the Mekong crossing to Pakbeng but, their days here may be numbered also as the construction of a bridge over the Mekong has started.
New resort being constructed on the hill overlooking Pakbeng and the Mekong
Along the road from Pakbeng to Oudomxay as well as other areas in the north of Laos the Chinese are busy to grow lots of vegetables and fruit for export to China
This Chinese trailer truck did not quite make it to China as it tipped over on Road 2W.
This was not the only truck which did not make it all the way. At the Huayxay to Chiangkhong ferry crossing a Thai truck was being transported home after it crashed with a load of mangosteen fruit bound for China
The old French Fort in Muang Sing - the sign said No Photos so I shot a few quickies from inside the car.
A new wat and stupa near Mueang Long
The Xiengkok Resort in Xiengkok - from a distance it looked nice.
The Xiengkok Customs and Immigration point
Traditional style home west of Xiengkok.
View of Xiengkok from the south (road 2203)
This boat did not make as it hit the rocks while trying to find its way through the rocks in the river.
Most of the road along the Mekong was quite dry and only a few spots were muddy - here the mud was axle deep and I needed 4WD to get through
The stupa at Wat Xiengdao on the Mekong and its stupa climbing goats
Crossing the Mekong by ferry in Huayxay - there was just a little space left for my truck and a Chinese Pajero with his bonnet under the container.
Lots of Chinese cars crossing from Thailand to Laos and lots more waiting to go to Laos and home
