My latest Thai Misadventure!!!

While for some of you getting visa's is old news. This is my first time staying in thailand for longer than a month at a time. I have been to thailand several times including 90 days in the last 6 months. So I was a little worried about staying for 4 months. So I asked here on the forum what I should do. The consensus was to go to Vientienne and get a tourist visa.

I took a thai bus from Surin to Khon Kaen. Some of you dont know me so I will tell you I am a little on the large side. I sat in the three seat side with a thai girl and I was taking up two seats and part of hers. The bus got so full ,people where standing in the aisle at which time I was asked to move over. As much as I tried I could only spare enough for one Thai cheek. I felt so sorry for the poor girl at the window side. About 6 hours later and no ac I made it to Khon Kaen. When I got there it was about noon so I was going to look for a bus to Nong Kai. Well of course all where full and they tried to put me a couple of buses that stopped along the way but they were also full and I was going to have to stand. So I just decided to to stay for the night.

Khon Kaen was uneventful, I had stayed there before so not much problem.
After a good night sleep and a handful of beer I started early in the morning to the bus station. Where again all buses where full. Well of course they tried to put me on a few buses that did not go to Nong Kai one of which was going to Korat. I finally got on a bus going to the right place but no seats so I had to stand for most of the way.

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Originally Posted by bbigman21

I finally got on a bus going to the right place but no seats so I had to stand for most of the way.

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doh.

you obviously made it though.

You took a non ac bus? That sounds hellish.

did you try the Hatkins diet ? it will get anywhere you want without a problem :)

Sorry I was not able to finish my story before I ran out of battery for my laptop. So on with my story.

Yes I made it to Nong Kai were I had planned to stay the night before I crossed the border. So for 100 baht I got a tuk tuk to take me to about six hotels all of which where full. At that point I asked the driver if he could take me vientienne at which point he said need visa this that and the other. I say how much take me to this. He says well 24 k to Vientienne. So 500 baht for everything. Of course I now I am getting ripped but I just didnt know how much. So the guy drives me one more block to a rip off place that makes visas. He wants his 500 and they want 10,000. And what pisses me off is I almost did it. Eventually I convinced my self they were trying to rip me off. So I asked the driver to just take me for the 500 we agreed on. So he took me to the border which was another couple of meters. So I only really got ripped the 400 but it just irkes me. It was 25 baht for the bus, 36 us dollars at the border for my visa and I was in. I am still in Vientienne going to get my visa today or tomorrow just relaxing a bit you now beer:)

^10,000 baht???!!! That's quite a rip-off. It's been a few years since I've been up there, but from the Nong Khai bus terminal, it shouldn't be more than 100 baht to the border. I think I might have even paid 50 baht. Once there all you need is 1000 baht and a photo of yourself -- visa sorted.

The funny thing is that when you're at the border, there's a bus that comes and takes you across to Vientiane.....for free. But there are asshole taxi dudes standing there trying to charge 600 baht for unknowing tourists.

Welcome back, bigman.

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Originally Posted by Milkman

Welcome back, bigman.

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seconded.

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Originally Posted by bbigman21

and a handful of beer

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Didn't it drip through your fingers? ;)

It is so easy to get shafted every step of the way right up to the Consulate, if you hurry and panic, which I did when on my own there last year.

Don't get too pissed before getting on the bus back, those fat conductors can be kunts.

You should have read this thread first

Read this before coming back to Thailand