Four (4) Immigration Checkpoints in Chiang Saen

[Lone Rider]

Passing through Chiangsaen yesterday I noticed that there are now Four Chiangsaen Immigration Checkpoints.



The most northerly checkpoint (N20.35376 E100.08189), called the Sam Liam Thong Khum Checkpoint is located next to the Golden Triangle Casino office and seems to serve almost exclusively people who want to go to the casino in Myanmar



Number 2 , a bit further to the south (N20.34567 E100.08367) was opened in May 2012 and is called the Sop Ruak International Checkpoint and serves people who want to go the King's Roman casino (saw vans from King's Roman waiting here to bring and pick up people from Chiangrai Airport) as well as to the Thon Pheung International Border Crossing Point also on the Lao side.

The Sop Ruak Immigration Checkpoint with a van from the King's Roman Casino waiting for the gamblers to come back from the Casino

Number 3 is further south in Chiangsaen city is another Chiangsaen Immigration International Checkpoint (N20.27432 E100.08820) which basically serves the river traffic (boats to and from China, Myanmar and Laos)

Number 4 is quite a bit further south is the Chiangsaen Commercial Pott with its Immigration Checkpoint (N20.23835 E100.13653) which at the moment serves the freightboats coming and going to China, Myanmar and Laos)

The One Stop Office with Immigration on the left side

All the offices are open from 08.00 till 18.00 every day although the Sop Ruak Checkpoint is said to be open till 20.00 hours.

Thai - Laos Border Immigration Check Point 08.00 - 18.00 daily hrs
The Golden Triangle Immigration Check Point 08.00 - 18.00 daily hrs
Chiang Saen Port Immigration Check Point 08.00 - 18.00 daily hrs
Buck Port Immigration Check Point 08.00 - 18.00 daily hrs
Source: http://immigration.go.th/FAQs/faq07/en/imm5.html

The two most southerly checkpoints in Chiangsaen city and at the Commercial Port have also Customs checkpoints as both serve river transport (fruit, etc. from China, etc.) but I am not sure if you would be able to get your bike on a boat with all paperwork completed for Temporary Export. On the Lao side, the Thon Pheung checkpoint has facilities for Visa on Arrival and has a Customs checkpoint but again I am not sure if they will issue temporary Import Permits for Bikes

Some additional info - Source: Travel Golden North

As of July 2012 foreigners are now allowed to exit or enter Thailand at Sop Ruak and exit/enter Laos at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) with the King's Roman Casino directly across the Mekong River. Full immigration procedures are now in place which means full cost for 30 day visa for Laos which is about $30 to $35 US for most foreigners. Thai visa on arrival is free and valid for 14 days. The bad news is the lack of public transport on the Laos side as you arrive in the casino area of the SEZ which does not have tuk tuk or songtaew bus service yet to take you south to Ton Phueng or north to Ban Mom, as far as we know. You might be able to charter a speedboat for this transport on the Lao side of the Mekong but we haven't verified this option yet. Maybe try to charter a speedboat on the Thai side to take you over to Laos immigration and have it wait for you to clear immigration and then take you to Ban Mom (Laos to Myanmar border crossing) or Ton Pheung.

 

[bsacbob]

So this is just for foot traffic to the casino's, no chance of putting a bike on a boat then Auke?

 

[Lone Rider]

As far as I know you can not yet put a bike on the boat and cross over as there is no customs checkpoint on the Thai side.

What you can do is to cross over to the other side, get a visa on arrival in Laos and cross back to Thailand and get a Visa on Arrival in Thailand. So it looks like that this is another option for a "Visa Run" albeit you will get only 15 days here. This seems only possible at the second border crossing called the Sop Ruak Immigration Checkpoint and probably also at the third crossing in Chiangsaen city.

However, don't take my word for it as it seems to be a fluid situation (there appears to be politics involved) and I am quite sure that somehow in the near future they will consolidate some of these checkpoints.