Vietnamese authorities have reported that over 500 Lao-registered vehicles, including luxury models, have overstayed in Vietnam after entering under temporary import arrangements.
On 14 August, Vietnam’s Tuoi Tre Online reported that these vehicles crossed from Savannakhet Province, Laos, into Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, via the Dansavanh-Lao Bao border gate but remained beyond the 30-day limit allowed under the Lao-Vietnam Transport Agreement.
The Dansavanh International Checkpoint, where the crossings took place, is located in Sepon district, Savannakhet Province, about 43 km from Sepon town and 240 km from the provincial capital, Kaysone Phomvihane.
Lưu Viet Hung, Head of the Lao Bao Customs Office, stated that vehicles from Laos remaining in Vietnam beyond the permitted period without returning are considered illegal.
He added that while some cars had been located in repair garages or seized as part of criminal investigations, the whereabouts of about 500 vehicles remained unknown.
The customs office reportedly requested support from multiple agencies, including the Vietnam Road Administration, national traffic police, and provincial authorities, to track and detain the vehicles.
Officials acknowledged that enforcement is challenging without coordinated action across sectors.
According to Lao Bao Customs, the problem of overdue Lao-registered vehicles has persisted for years, and authorities have repeatedly called for stronger cooperation between border control, police, and road management agencies to address it.