Customs
Asia
Laos Customs Regulations
Import & export rules, duty-free allowances, prohibited items, and traveler health advisory
500 cigs
Tobacco allowance
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Import Regulations
- 500 cigarettes or
- 100 cigars or
- 500 grammes of tobacco
- 2 bottles of wine
- 1 bottle of other alcoholic beverages
- 500 grammes personal jewellery
- The equivalent of up to 500USD can be legally enter or leave the country but must be declared at the customs department and should be exchanged at banks or exchange bureaus upon entry. All local currency is completely prohibited from entering or leaving the country.
- Illegal drugs
- Weapons, Explosives and ammunition
- Chemicals and fertilizers
- Fuel Oil
- Plant and plant products
- Knives and deadly weapons
- Live Animals
- Right driving cars
- Medicine
- Any written or recorded material which could be judged to be against the public interest
- Household materials older than 50 years
- Counterfeit money and goods
- Images of God and Buddha – unless permission has been obtained
- Pornographic material
- There is a 10 USD Embarkation Tax levied on all passengers leaving Laos on an international flight. Travellers heading for a domestic location will need to pay a 5,000 LAK tax.
- All weapons and ammunition are restricted unless permission has been obtained from the Ministry of Commerce beforehand.
- Any receivers or transmitters through satellites, internet, equipment for radio broadcasting and television stations are restricted unless permission has been granted from the ministry of Information and Culture.
- Any games or material which is judged to negatively affect the morality and wellbeing of the children and teenagers inside the country could be removed by the customs department.
- Images of Buddha and god made from copper, glass, wooden, bone, ivory, stone and other materials will also require permission from the Ministry of Information and Culture to be granted entry to enter or leave the country.
Export Regulations
- No information available
- Illegal drugs
- Weapons, Explosives and ammunition
- Chemicals and fertilizers
- Fuel Oil
- Plant and plant products
- Knives and deadly weapons
- Live Animals
- Right driving cars
- Medicine
- Any written or recorded material which could be judged to be against the public interest
- Household materials older than 50 years
- Counterfeit money and goods
- Images of God and Buddha – unless permission has been obtained
- Pornographic material
- No information available
Health & Security
Basic health information for travelers to Laos
Basic security information for travelers to Laos
🩺 Basic Health Information for Travelers to Laos
- A yellow fever vaccination is required for all travellers coming from an infected area. All visitors to the region are advised to obtain the necessary vaccination prior to entering the country.
- Tap and other local water sources should be considered contaminated and thoroughly boiled before being drunk. Travellers are advised to stick to bottled water whenever possible throughout their stay inside the country. Milk and dairy products might be unpasteurised and should be avoided for safety reasons. All meat, fish and vegetables should be well cooked and served boiling hot whilst fruit should be peeled prior to consumption.
- A wide variety of food and water based diseases are present throughout Laos and travellers should exercise considerable caution throughout their visit to the country and obtain the necessary protection against the many infectious diseases in the region. Amongst the potential dangers include Hepatitis A, E, Cholera, Polio and Typhoid. Cases of schistomiasis have also been reported and all travellers are urged to avoid swimming in any local pools, lakes and other non chlorinated water sources which might contain the risk of infection.
- Malaria is a serious risk in this country and is present year round except in Vientiane. Once weekly dosages of Mefloquine may be of use in combating some of the symptoms of the disease but all travellers are still strongly advised to obtain large sums of insect repellent for defence. The disease is passed by mosquitoes so close clothing that exposes little raw skin is also advised.
- Other insect based diseases present throughout Laos include Dengue Fever. Outbreaks of the disease have been reported in Vientiane municipality, Borikhamvay, Khammouane, Savannakhet, and Champassak. Much like Malaria, insect repellent and close clothing are the primary methods of defence against the threat of infection and all travellers to the region are strongly advised to seek out immediate medical assistance if infected.
- Blood related diseases including HIV and Hepatitis B are present and all travellers to the country should exercise great care when dealing with bloody or dirty needles or when engaging in sexual activity during their visit.
- Travellers to the country are advised against any contact with wild dogs or other animals whose bites might contain Rabies. If bitten, travellers should immediately clean the wound and seek out medical assistance to check for any signs of infection.
- Temperatures can reach up to 35 degrees Celsius during the summer period and any visitors to the country during this period should obtain plenty of bottled water to prevent any additional risk of dehydration.
- The overall standard of available healthcare is extremely limited throughout the country. Travellers with serious health conditions or visiting remote areas are strongly urged to bring along an emergency medical kit containing any medicines which might be expensive or difficult to obtain inside this country. The Primary Care Centre in Vientiane is supported by the French embassy and may prove to be of use for travellers requiring medical assistance although doctors are likely to request immediate payment for any services rendered. Hospital conditions may be less clean and efficient than most travellers are used to. All travellers to Laos should make sure that they have obtained complete health and travel insurance prior to beginning their journey and travel to Thailand or another nearby country may be required in the event of a serious accident or illness.
🛡 Basic Security Information for Travelers to Laos
- There have been reports of several small-scale battles between anti-government forces and government troops in isolated areas along the Lao-Thai border and all travellers to the country should exercise considerable caution throughout their visit.
- Theft of passports and other valuables is a serious danger if visiting Laos and all visitors to this country should keep their valuables in a safe and secure location for the duration of their visit and avoid any obvious displays of wealth which could serve to attract unwanted attention. Reports of sexual assaults against female travellers have been noted and all women visiting Laos should avoid travelling alone throughout the country after dark.
- There is a serious danger from unexploded bombs and other dangerous ordinance throughout Laos. Particularly dangerous areas include the Xieng Khouang Province (Plain of Jars), Luang Prabang Province (as a result of scrap metal collection) and areas of the Lao-Vietnamese border. Foreign visitors to these regions should exercise great caution and avoid any travel off the main roads and should immediately report any suspicious or unusual looking objects to the authorities.
- There are occasional bombings and acts of civil disobedience throughout the country and all visitors to the region are strongly advised to avoid any large gatherings or protests which could quickly turn violent or dangerous and should stay informed regarding the current social and political situation inside the country.
- The roads and vehicles are generally seen to be in a poorly maintained state and all foreign drivers should exercise considerable caution at all times. Car related accidents are reported to be on the rise and all foreign drivers should avoid driving after dark down the often poorly lit and sometimes dangerous roads. Any foreign visitor to Laos should keep a copy of their passport with them at all times throughout their visit in the event of an emergency.
- The rainy season runs between May and September and frequently results in landslides and flooding. All visitors to the country during this period should check with the local authorities before embarking on any potentially dangerous journeys. A 6.8 earthquake recently was recorded on the Thai/Burma/Laos. Although there were no recorded fatalities, Earthquakes and tremors remain a minor danger to any potential visitors to the region and all travellers should immediately contact their nearest embassy in the event of a serious disaster occurring throughout their visit.
- All forms of sexual relations between foreigners and Lao nationals are expressly forbidden and could lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment. All visitors to Laos should respect all local laws and traditions at all times during the course of their visit and should avoid any actions which could bring them to the attention of the police or the government forces.
- Unauthorised religious preaching, including the distribution of religious material, is prohibited and may result in arrest or deportation and any strongly held political views are best not stated too strongly in public for fear of repercussions.
- Photography of important government, military or religious sites is illegal in this country and can be removed and destroyed without warning by the security services. Travellers hopping to take photos or any local buildings or people should remember to ask permission first in order to avoid any potential confusion.
- Whilst homosexuality may not be formally illegal in this country, overt displays of affection between same sex couples may serve to attract attention and are not recommended.
Contact Information
For further assistance please contact the Lao Customs authorities directly. They will provide the latest information about customs regulations and export-import procedures.
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