Another Vientiane trip from BKK

well last week I needed to go and get a tourist visa so I thought I would try Vientiane - I normally pop down to Sing.

I thought I would take the bus to NongKhai for speed then take the train back

so first into a taxi for the run to the morchit bus station

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then as I arrived at 0930 the next bus out was the Udon Air bus , got a ticket from booth 118 on the second floor - 450 baht and rushed off to the bus.

left morchit

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took in the scenery

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and arrived in NongKhai bus station at 1730 - an express run - then declining the generous tuk tuk fcukwits offers I walked down to the river and walked down to the Mutmee guesthouse which had an online presence. I did not book ahead but found when I got there the it was full. oh well , I had passed a few places walking to it so I turned around and stopped at another on the way back - the Chong Konh Guesthouse and got a 300 baht room. Basic , but more than adequate for me , and it was in town right on the waterfront. just across the street was a bar/resturant , apples bar , which had a fair western menu with reasonable prices and the food was good.

Chong Konh Guesthouse 17°53'3.42"N 102°44'40.96"E

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view from the guesthouse to the Mekong

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I went for a bit of a walk around and stopped for a beer at a couple of places - I ended up stopping at a hole in the wall bar whose music , though a little dated , was preferable to the other bars playlists , the beer was on ice and the women friendly

J-Lo Bar 17°52'51.65"N 102°44'51.21"E

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morning over the Mekong

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got up the next morning and discovered that a guesthouse across the road from mine had decent ground coffee via an expresso machine at 30 baht a pop - so got a couple of heart starters in me.
it looked a quite new concrete block building - so it might be worth trying if you have more class than I ( they might let you stay )

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then 40 baht for a Tuk Tuk to take me to the bridge

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on the other side , I was accosted by the standard and thinking I would be prepared to pay 150baht to get taken to the embassy , but ended up in the back of a Tuk Tuk with about 3 Laos Ladies and a price of 100 baht to go to the embassy first - no worries

got to the embassy at around 0945 and recieved number 226 :o
got my paperwork in order and over heard someone saying that this embassy would issue a dual entry tourist visa if you just put x2 beside where you had ticked the tourist visa box - ok done

Thailand Embassy in Vientiane 17°57'53.46"N 102°37'27.70"E

watched the ebb and flow of the scrum around the application window marveling at how the fcuk people had made it this far with out being able to read simple instructions posted on a large board and masses of information on Teak Door - handed in my application , 2 mugshots , copy of main passport page and copy of TM card and stamp and went inside the main building to wait to pay the cash. when they asked for 2K baht I realised that they were issuing dual entry tourist visas.

Off to a great start, I love these types of threads.

now I though I would walk back to the Mali Namphlu guesthouse that had been recomended , so off I went in the general direction

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it turned into a bit of a hike - but took a couple of happy snaps

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arrived at the Fountain area but could not find the Mali with DDs precise directions so I asked at a couple of places for a room but they were either full or only had 1 room left ( yeah right ) so I kept looking for the Mali. I found it behind the fountain , but on enquiring they told me they were full - so I went into the place next door and took a 500 baht fan room. bit of a dive , but it would do

Mali NamPhlu Guesthouse 17°57'54.89"N 102°36'30.59"E

wnet to an Indian resturant on the street to the river opposite the fountian and got a good gutful for 200 baht - it was quite acceptable.

at around 1730 I headed along the river bank and chose a shack to sit and have a beer whilst watching the sun fulfill its daily obligation

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and some boys netting the creek

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then off to the Bor Pen Yang rooftop bar to sample some of this Beer Laos Dark you cnuts have been raving about

Bor Pen Yang Bar and Resturant 17°57'51.22"N 102°36'6.95"E

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walked around and had a few more before heading back to the room at 1130 on streets that were quiet.

went for a walk around in the morning watching the hordes of backpackers

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headed back to the embassy and arrived at 1220 and hopped into the small line - by 1 pm it was a fair length and it had been a hot wait. while I had been waiting I had had a chat to a seppo bloke there and he said that if I was heading to the bridge straight away that I was welcome to hitch a ride in a vehicle he had available and was all paid for - no worries.

recieved my passport back with a dual entry tourist visa - nice - and headed back to the border

took a Tuk Tuk to the NongKhai Train Station and found that there was only 2nd class seating left for the train that evening - no dramas as I had sort of had the intention to stay a night again in NongKhai after the boredom of Vientiane - so I booked and paid for a 2nd class sleeper aircon leaving the next afternoon at 1825 - 758 baht

NongKhai train timetable

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fare prices in thai

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and the standard fares for Tuk Tuks

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with that all sorted I went got a Tuk Tuk back to the Chong Konh Guesthouse , had a feed at the apple bar and an hour of Thai massage at a place on the street and back on the piss for the evening.

got the train the next evening back to BKK , basically sat in the dining car till 2230 drinking overpriced beer ( 120 baht for a large Leo ) and dribbling sh1t with a pommy git and then back to the alcove to snore the rest of the journey away . hopped off at Laksi at 0600 and caught a taxi home.

was not a bad trip.

Trains depart from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Railway Station to Udon Thani our nong khai every day. Call 1690, 0 2223 7010-20 for more information. The 8.30 p.m. Nong Khai Express (No. 69) from Bangkok arrives in Udon Thani at 6.33 a.m. on the next day. Rapid trains leave Bangkok on the Nong Khai line at 6.15 a.m. and 7 p.m. arriving in Udon Thani at 3.56 p.m. and 5.15 a.m. The first class fare is 569 baht, 2nd class is 457 baht and 3rd class is 95 baht plus applicable charges for sleeper and express services. In the reverse direction the No. 4 express leaves Udon thani at 7 p.m.
contact state railways of Thailand Tel : 0-2222-0175, 0-2621-8701, 0-2220-4567

info for getting to issan and beyond from bangkok

nice pics.

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Originally Posted by baldrick

then off to the Bor Pen Yang rooftop bar to sample some of this Beer Laos Dark you cnuts have been raving about

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Did you like it or did it have too much of a beer flavour for you?

Nice thread & pics. Thanks. :)

This was a very helpful post, thank you. I was wondering when you went though because I had heard that the Thai Gov is offering free visa's right now. Any details on that would be appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Loni

because I had heard that the Thai Gov is offering free visa's right now

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what come out of a politicians mouth and what happens is normally not the same.

no free visa's - it still cost me 2k baht for a dual entry tourist visa.

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Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Did you like it or did it have too much of a beer flavour for you?

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it was ok , had 3 small ones . I would rather be drinking whisky.

Great place for a drink the bor pen nyang bar. Had many a drink there. I know a couple of the owners. Good blokes.

Double entry visa was a total score .

Are those coordinates from a hand held gps or mobile phone ?

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Originally Posted by Ghandi

Are those coordinates from a hand held gps or mobile phone ?

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mobile phone first ( Nokia 6110 navigator ) , then refined via google earth

I think if people can add in GPS co-ords to their trip reports , even if they just go to google earth to pinpoint the location , it can make it much more useful as many people now have some sort of mobile positioning locator with them.

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Originally Posted by baldrick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ghandi

Are those coordinates from a hand held gps or mobile phone ?

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mobile phone first ( Nokia 6110 navigator ) , then refined via google earth

I think if people can add in GPS co-ords to their trip reports , even if they just go to google earth to pinpoint the location , it can make it much more useful as many people now have some sort of mobile positioning locator with them.

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I think you're slightly ahead of most people there.

Did you prefer the bus or train as a mode of getting to Nong Kai ???

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Originally Posted by Ghandi

Did you prefer the bus or train as a mode of getting to Nong Kai ???

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train was ok - not as good as seems to be hailed elsewhere - only 1 small dining car ( only half is space for customers )

the 7-7 1/2 hour bus trip to nongkai was bearable on the udon air VIP bus - only 3 seats wide .

maybe I would say bus for speed - ( the driver was acceptable , I was at the front on the top deck so was watching his judgement )

Nice piccies and running commentary Baldrick.:)

I must have been there same time Balders. I got there Monday morning 0715 and ended up No.15, by 0745 there must have been over a hundred there. My advice is get there early or if you see the fat cnut filling forms out for 100bt ask him if you can buy a number. Also said fat cnut who offers to fill out forms will say you need a copy of your Laos Visa which you dont need at all. No issues with using a downloaded form either.

I stayed at Phetmanyxay on Mahosot Rd which is 2 mins away from the bus station and about a 15 min walk from the consulate, 480bt A/C, hot water and cable TV but as mentioned in other threads it closes at 2330 sharpish. I thought of changing hotels as the room was small and a bit grotty but when I asked a few backpacker style places and they were asking 450 for their rooms I stuck with it.

Collecting the next day is the same, the consulate opens at 1300 but get there around midday and you should be in the first 70 odd punters. The collection is fairly organised for a Thai operation I was No.70 and got served by 1330.

There are untold muppets in the queue, one lad next to me was trying to apply in the afternoon so I sent him on his merry way, moron.

For my first time there I would say it wasnt too much hassle as long as you get there early to drop off and collect. I got a single entry Non Imm O which was 2000bt. I needed a copy of the wifes house book, a copy of her ID card, copy of marriage cerificate and a copy of my passport main page, copy of TM card and I threw in a copy of the last page with a Thai stamp for good measure.

According to someone I can get this Non Imm extended for 2 months, so over 5 months I have to do 1 visa run rather than 2 visa runs for 6 months if I had a double entry tourist visa.

I don't know how many times I have been to Vientiane now, never been sober enough or awake to watch the sun go down over the Mekong River :(

Too much of this

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And DD missed this. The photo is on the piss because I was too.
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I went for an overpriced "English" breakfast one morning, I didnt fancy this though.
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Quote:

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Originally Posted by baldrick

I think if people can add in GPS co-ords to their trip reports , even if they just go to google earth to pinpoint the location , it can make it much more useful as many people now have some sort of mobile positioning locator with them.

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Err I dont think they do.

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Originally Posted by melvbot

Quote:

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Originally Posted by baldrick

I think if people can add in GPS co-ords to their trip reports , even if they just go to google earth to pinpoint the location , it can make it much more useful as many people now have some sort of mobile positioning locator with them.

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Err I dont think they do.

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169 phones with GPS

Phone Finder results - GSMArena.com

I have met people who don't even realise their phone has a GPS

It would be great if we had a sticky thread with GPS coordinates to popular places in Thailand. Example government buildings, favorite bars, guest houses, attractions etc. I use Google earth as much as I can but some places are hard to find especially in Bangkok if you want to drive yourself.

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Originally Posted by baldrick

I went for a bit of a walk around and stopped for a beer (...) , the beer was on ice and the women friendly J-Lo Bar 17°52'51.65"N 102°44'51.21"E

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According to these coordinates the bar must be in the Soi Nittapat, a nice place to pass an evening.

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I'll go and visit them in march 12, thanks for your report, nice to read! :)