Border crossing at Chong Mek (Paksé-Ubon R.)

[prb]

Hi,

 

Is this a friendly border crossing for Visa Exemption entry ?

 

I have a UE Schengen Passport and under the annual quota for Visa Exemption via land crossing.

 

Thanks

Edited March 11, 2019 by prb

[jacko45k]

It is some time ago for me but it was straightforward and I easily found transport on to Ubon City.

[Peter Denis]

Hi, I used the Chong Mek border crossing 2 months ago, and it was quite easy and efficient.

The fee you have to pay for your entry-visa is posted on the wall just near the office window, but you need to pay 1 US dollar extra.  Euro and Thai bath are accepted.

After giving your passport and the money at the first window, you then need to wait around the corner at second window to get your passport back with the visa inside (took about 15 minutes).

Then you need to walk through a long underground tunnel to cross the no-man's land and arrive in Laos.

There are mini-vans driving from Ubon bus-station to Chong Mek (and back) in case you just want to get the visa and come back 1-2 hours later.

There is also a 'VIP' bus which leaves every hour from Ubon bus-station to Pakse.  It's approx 1.5 hour ride to the border. The bus waits at the border till all non-Asean passengers have their passports back, so that's quite convenient. From the border to Pakse it's approx 1 hour more.  If you booked a Hotel in advance, best to check its wherabouts as the bus will have to drive through Pakse to the bus-station which is a little bit out of town.  But you can ask to drop you off when you are near your hotel/hostel.

Everywhere in Pakse you can buy a ticket for the bus to go back to Ubon (the price includes transport to the bus-station).  A cab or motorcycle will pick you up at your Hotel and drive you to the bus-station.  Best to make clear arrangements that they pick you up at with a car at least 1/2 to 1 hour before leave of bus.  They picked me and my wife up 15' beforehand with a motorcycle with sidecar, and we barely managed to get our luggage inside, and we just made it to the bus station (the bus was already on the verge of leaving when we arrived).

 

 

[prb]

Thanks Denis but i will fly from Cambodia to Pakse and then cross from Pakse to Ubon, so i am more concerned about the Visa Exemption i will get from Thai Immigration.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, prb said:

Thanks Denis but i will fly from Cambodia to Pakse and then cross from Pakse to Ubon, so i am more concerned about the Visa Exemption i will get from Thai Immigration.

No problem to get the visa exempt entry there unless you have already done 2 of them this year at a land border crossing.