Drone in Laos

[siam garden]

A friend of mine, was NOT allowed to cross into Laos with a drone in his luggage.
He spend hours at the Lao immigration, but No way

 

[CraigBKK]

Which crossing? Why was his luggage searched in the first place?

A friend of mine, was NOT allowed to cross into Laos with a drone in his luggage.
He spend hours at the Lao immigration, but No way

 

[siam garden]

Which crossing? Why was his luggage searched in the first place?

First, sorry for my bad English...
It seems that at some borders, now they control the luggage that is easier to check, like suitcases and motorcycle bags. To my friend, happens at the border close to me, Huai Khon-Muang Ngeun, Nan province

 

[Lone Rider]

First, sorry for my bad English...
It seems that at some borders, now they control the luggage that is easier to check, like suitcases and motorcycle bags. To my friend, happens at the border close to me, Huai Khon-Muang Ngeun, Nan province

The Huay Khon - Mueang Ngeun crossing (north of Nan) is a crossing I try to avoid if possible as the Lao officials are doing their utmost best to find something wrong. Last weekend we crossed there in my truck going back to Thailand. My friend was not allowed to sit in the truck while driving over the border line - he was ordered out of the car to walk 2 meters over the line whereafter he could get back in the car.

This is also the border crossing where they sometimes check if your exhaust is to loud. If they consider it being as too loud you are being sent back to Thailand to have it "repaired".

 

[siam garden]

The Huay Khon - Mueang Ngeun crossing (north of Nan) is a crossing I try to avoid if possible as the Lao officials are doing their utmost best to find something wrong. Last weekend we crossed there in my truck going back to Thailand. My friend was not allowed to sit in the truck while driving over the border line - he was ordered out of the car to walk 2 meters over the line whereafter he could get back in the car.

This is also the border crossing where they sometimes check if your exhaust is to loud. If they consider it being as too loud you are being sent back to Thailand to have it "repaired".

I never had problems at this border. As I live close to it, I often listen to people that cross it. Many good experience, and some not. So, I guess, is a kind of luck. If "good" officials are on duty, is ok.

 

[blackwolf]

I never had problems at this border. As I live close to it, I often listen to people that cross it. Many good experience, and some not. So, I guess, is a kind of luck. If "good" officials are on duty, is ok.

Huay Kon/Muang Ngern was the most "thorough" of all border crossings I've been to but not overly so. The tall official is kind of cocky - I was made to declare the agricultural goods in the back of my pickup and then my fiancée was asked to walk across the border line. Once across the first gate, everything went relatively smoothly. I don't need a visa on arrival so got stamped in quickly. However, there was some confusion about which process to undertake first. You have to stamp in first THEN do your car/motorcycle documents. Without being stamped in, the customs guy won't process your documents yet the customs office comes first.

There is a second checkpoint where an official checks all your documents to make sure they are stamped properly and then he lifts the barrier.

I have a dash cam on my car and interestingly, the officials didn't see it (or didn't care) even though I was filming them the entire time.

I definitely prefer other crossings though - don't think I'll be returning to Huay Kon for a while. The 4th Friendship Bridge (Chiang Khong - Huay Xai) and Phu Doo (I've been there twice) are better. However, Phu Doo requires a Lao visa in advance for entry, unless you are visa exempt for Laos (ASEAN / Swiss / Luxembourg / Liechtenstein / Russian / South Korean / Japanese passports).