questions about roads in laos

[FritzTheCat]

sabai dee - hello - we are planning again a trip for end of february 2018 with our 4-wheel-drive-car SUV mazda cx5 AWD to laos.
questions:

1. is the border thailand-laos here:

https://goo.gl/maps/To91whxcxxj

(near [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]Phu Sang, Phu Sang District, Phayao 56110, Thailand)
[/COLOR]
already open for international border crossings by car/motorbike?

if not - we will cross the border in HUAY KHON - NAM NGEUN towards PAKBAENG - we live actually in chiangrai province, but we do not want to cross the border again in chiang khong to houay xai, because the custom and immigration are a rip-off, if you arrive with a car! all other borders we cross already are always free of charge - only in chiangkhong they charge you fees without bills!

2. does someone already drive (or does somebody know) the road ALONG THE MEKHONG-river for the following parts?

a) from PAK BENG up to HOUAY XAI - or is there another road?

b) from HOUAY XAI up to XIENG KOK - i know from houay xai to the golden triangle (kapok-city - king romans group casino-town) is a very good road
but from there to xieng kok - is it possible to drive with our car?

3. is it possible to drive by car from NAMO (between nateuy and oudomxai) to BOUN-TAI?

4. is there a road between PHONGSALI towards NAMBAK? that we not have to take 2 times the same road?

thanks and we wish you happy travel in 2018

 

[Lone Rider]

sabai dee - hello - we are planning again a trip for end of february 2018 with our 4-wheel-drive-car SUV mazda cx5 AWD to laos.
questions:

1. is the border thailand-laos here:

https://goo.gl/maps/To91whxcxxj

(near [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]Phu Sang, Phu Sang District, Phayao 56110, Thailand)
[/COLOR]
already open for international border crossings by car/motorbike?

if not - we will cross the border in HUAY KHON - NAM NGEUN towards PAKBAENG - we live actually in chiangrai province, but we do not want to cross the border again in chiang khong to houay xai, because the custom and immigration are a rip-off, if you arrive with a car! all other borders we cross already are always free of charge - only in chiangkhong they charge you fees without bills!

2. does someone already drive (or does somebody know) the road ALONG THE MEKHONG-river for the following parts?

a) from PAK BENG up to HOUAY XAI - or is there another road?

b) from HOUAY XAI up to XIENG KOK - i know from houay xai to the golden triangle (kapok-city - king romans group casino-town) is a very good road
but from there to xieng kok - is it possible to drive with our car?

3. is it possible to drive by car from NAMO (between nateuy and oudomxai) to BOUN-TAI?

4. is there a road between PHONGSALI towards NAMBAK? that we not have to take 2 times the same road?

thanks and we wish you happy travel in 2018

1. is the border thailand-laos here:

https://goo.gl/maps/To91whxcxxj
already open for international border crossings by car/motorbike?

NO, For as far as I know this is still a local only border crossing


2. does someone already drive (or does somebody know) the road ALONG THE MEKHONG-river for the following parts?

a) from PAK BENG up to HOUAY XAI - or is there another road?

No, there is no road yet from Pak Beng to Houay En (Mekong Ferry Crossing) but from Houay En you can drive north to Houay Xai. Other options are from Nam Ngeun (Mueang Ngeun) via Mueang Xienghone and Mueang Khop to Houay En or from Pak Beng to head a bit (about 5 kn.) north-east along Rd. 2W and then via Rd. 2201 via Mueang Pha-Oudom to Houay Xai (see attached map)



b) from HOUAY XAI up to XIENG KOK - i know from houay xai to the golden triangle (kapok-city - king romans group casino-town) is a very good road but from there to xieng kok - is it possible to drive with our car?

This should in principle be possible but there have been many landslides, etc. during the last rainy season so I don't know if in practice this is possible at the moment


3. is it possible to drive by car from NAMO (between nateuy and oudomxai) to BOUN-TAI?

Yes, that is possible (I have done that with my truck) but again the condition of the road after the last rainy season is not known


4. is there a road between PHONGSALI towards NAMBAK? that we not have to take 2 times the same road?

No, there is no road yet which goes straight from Phongsali towards Nambak.

 

[FritzTheCat]

sabai dee and a great kraphchaidöö to @Lone Rider - will report after our trip with all details and experiences!

we wish you all a successful and interesting and successful year on the roads in paradise laos! :RO