Stekmer

2 hours ago, bignok said:

Udon has buses to NP

Thanks,

I was hoping that the old bus that went from Nong Khai to Nakhon Phanom via Bueng Kan was still operating.
I gather a bus from Udon Thani to Nakhon Phanom is a bit faster and will investigate the departure times if no bus from Nong Khai.

2 hours ago, Issanman said:

 

Thank you.

I'll investigate the options for a bus from Nong Khai to Ban Phaeng and on to Nakhon Phanom.

I originally posted this question in the Central Forum - possibly the wrong place.

I'm after information on getting from Nong Khai to Nakhon Phanom - either direct bus links or options from Udon Thani.

I'm heading to Nong Khai (flight from Bangkok) on Nov 17th and have been searching to try to find out if the old Bus from Nong Khai is still running along the river front route to Nakhon Phanom.

I've taken this old bus twice before and quite enjoyed the slow pace and scenery along the way.

All I can find is that the Phetprasert Bus Company has a Chiang Mai to Nakhon Phanom bus that stops in Udon Thani at 0715 am - but - their website is in Thai only and the 4 or 5 booking websites I've tried show nothing operating at all.

Is there only 1 bus a day from Udon Thani Bus Station 1 to Nakhon Phanom - or - am I looking in the wrong places.

Thanks in advance for any local insights.

I'm after information on getting from Nong Khai to Nakhon Phanom - either direct bus links or options from Udon Thani.

I'm heading to Nong Khai (flight from Bangkok) on Nov 17th and have been searching to try to find out if the old Bus from Nong Khai is still running along the river front route to Nakhon Phanom.

I've taken this old bus twice before and quite enjoyed the slow pace and scenery along the way.

All I can find is that the Phetprasert Bus Company has a Chiang Mai to Nakhon Phanom bus that stops in Udon Thani at 0715 am - but - their website is in Thai only and the 4 or 5 booking websites I've tried show nothing operating at all.

Is there only 1 bus a day from Udon Thani Bus Station 1 to Nakhon Phanom - or - am I looking in the wrong places.

Thanks in advance for any local insights.

20 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

My primary SIM is AIS.

Second one DTAC for internet on the road.

 

I've since found a couple of comparison websites that report network coverage and it does sound as though AIS is the better option. Having said that, the other 2 seem to rate not that far behind.
I got a really good deal (A$2.70 - after A$5 promo discount ) on TruemoveH from Klook with 100 baht call inclusions, cheaper IDD code and unlimited data for 16 days - so I'll start with that and see how it goes.

7 hours ago, DJ54 said:

Live in NE Isaan use True H … works good I mainly use for data… 

Thanks - good to know ????

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Thanks for the information.????
I'm flying into DMK  (which would presumably have similar options) so I will keep an eye out.
The sim deals that Klook have (DMK only) are appealing - but - good coverage is also appealing.????

2 minutes ago, Woof999 said:

I can't remember any major problems with my True SIM card around the Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan areas.

 

Many trips there.

Good to know - thanks ????

I used to buy an AIS sim after arrial in Bangkok and got generally good reception in the north and nort east.

For my trip in February, I'm thinking of using KLOOK to buy a sim card for collection at Don Muang Airport but they offer only DTAC or TrueMove sim cards.
Travel plans are Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, Mukdahan and Nakhin Phanom.

Will DTAC or TrueMove provide decent data and call network connection - or - do I stick with AIS and buy the day after arrival?
A general Google search shows reports (variable) mainly for tle popukar tourist spots.

I'd really value comments based on local experience in the places I'm travelling to.

12 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Yes times have changed, some things for the better, others, not so much.

I'm basically after a train ride from Bangkok to somewhere that I can then catch a bus to smaller places along the Mekhong, to revisit some familiar places and a new place or two along the way - hence Khon Kaen. Connections from Udon Thani are probably better but I didn't take to UT when I visited a few years back now.
I haven't taken Roi Et or Surin off my 'must see list' - maybe next trip :-)

16 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The bus station in KK has moved, it is now in an area where there are few hotels, if any, and you certainly can’t walk from it to anywhere with the good eating places and nightlife.

 

it’s at the bottom of the map

Thanks for that - very helpful.

Do you know if there a songthaew route from the centre to the bus station?

13 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

First of all, ignore the linked article as the only review/comment there is pre-covid and things have changed mightily since then. There is no bus terminal website that gives any timings, except for buses to Bangkok, maybe one or two other large centres but not Mukdahan. You might as well be trying to find the time of rockets to the moon. Very frustrating.

 

I used to take that route many times and the bus passed my house. It used to run every hour, sometimes half-hourly, but no longer. There is now, when I travelled recently, only ONE bus a day leaving at about 1.30pm from KK. The replacement are vans that you use at your peril and they run at about the same frequency that the bus used to. A ride for the whole route would take around four hours or more and be very uncomfortable as well as risky. Both a bus and at least one van have been involved in accidents with at least one death.

As someone else has written, there are no hotels near the new bus terminal, but a taxi from the city centre will only cost you 200 baht or so. At least the one bus a day is probably at a convenient time for you. Good luck and wave as you pass my house ????

 

 

Thanks Barry
Your right, trying to find a bus schedule is impossible and I take you point that the minivans that replaced the older, slower bus services are both uncomfortable and dangerous in equal measures. (I have fond memories of old buses with wooden floors that averaged about 60 km an hour with frequent stops - but - were safe).
Are there any bus company offices in KK centre - or - are they all at the bus station?

I've found an email address for Petchprasert Bus company and hopefully will hear back from them.

Thanks again for your reply

Stephen

My first trip back to Thailand since COVID and planning to visit places I haven't been before, plus a few favourites - comming from Australia via KL and Penang to Bangkok in early March.

Plans so far are to get a train to Khon Kaen and then hopefully, to get a direct bus to Mukdahan before heading up to Nakhon Phanom.

Any information on the following would be greatly appreciated:

• accommodation in Khon Kaen that is close to the bus station and walking distance to night markets or other eating options would be most appreciated.
• bus time tables from Khon Kaen to Mukdahan

Thanks for the reply. 

I'll see if the hotel responds to email or Facebook messages.

Hi,
I'm taking a Nok Air flight from Bangkok to Lampang in early October.

Can anyone tell me what transport options there are from the airport to downtown and how much they cost?

I'm staying in the Pin Hotel that I gather is quite central.

Thanks in advance

Update to original post.

With GBK's help - AIS have now refunded the 213 baht that was taken from my balance when the data plan 'auto' renewed itself.

It took only 3 business days so I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

Thanks again to GBK and to all those who have replied to the original post with some very helpful and constructive comments and suggestions.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all :-)

13 hours ago, willie555 said:

It must be because of roaming charges, I was just in the same situation in Canada when I forgot to switch my usual SIM to roaming provider in time. I am almost sure it is the reason. 

It was just that the data plan (1 Gb for 30 days) automatically renewed itself.

It looks like it pays to turn data off, if you have subscribed to a data plan - tries to renew itself when you turn the phone back on.

On / Off codes for data are given earlier in the thread.

12 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Try as I might - I cant find a way to register on the AIS website, other than for the newsletter and promotion updates - some pages only display in Thai (despite having an EN button option that doesn't seem to work).
I wonder if this is only possible from within Thailand?

 

Seems relatively straight-forward:

 

1.) Go to http://www.ais.co.th/eservice.html enter your 10 digit AIS mobile phone number, wait for the 4-digit OTP, enter it, validate with the associated passport or Thai ID number, change language to EN, then you can pretty much do anything you want, including review account activity. Alternate link: https://eservice.ais.co.th/eServiceWeb;jsessionid=3OUof1DxhUyE39YHLaH9uk2I.undefined  toggle to EN.

 

or

 

2.) Download the AIS e-Service app, for example: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ais.mimo.eservice&hl=en download and install the app. request an OTP, do the same.

 

I assume these apps are targeted primarily for use in Thailand; no clue how well they'd work (i.e. delivering an OTP via SMS while roaming internationally) outside the country?

 

Edited to add: one could download the AIS Play app  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ais.mimo.AISPlay&hl=en and then watch Thai TV, via WiFi. No clue if this works outside of Thailand, or if it does work via VPN presence inside Thailand?

Thanks mtls205,

That worked a treat :-)

I entered my phone number > received sms within 30 seconds (in Australia) > entered OTP code > changed to EN and could see all my account details.

I wasn't asked for passport details or to enter anything else. It had my full name (inc middle name) displayed so I assume it had correctly retained all my details from when I registered the sim in the AIS shop back in early February 2016.

Oddly (and thankfully) enough - when I go back to the http://www.ais.co.th/eservice.html  page it now has an EN button that seems to work (couldn't see it when I first used the page).

Might try the AIS app next.

Thanks again :-)

In addition to the help from GBK, the AIS email ([email protected]) and Facebook Messenger replies have been really quite good.

The data is now turned off (no more auto renewal) and I've also just found the automatically created ' .Dataonoff' codes in my AIS contacts - as mentioned by tutsiwarrior above.

Still waiting for the promised refund of the 213 bht.

A useful learning curve.

Try as I might - I cant find a way to register on the AIS website, other than for the newsletter and promotion updates - some pages only display in Thai (despite having an EN button option that doesn't seem to work).
I wonder if this is only possible from within Thailand?

3 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

If validity was  until July 2017, why would you have to turn it on to keep it active ?  The validity is the good until date isn't it?

I have AIS and it has always been good when I return because the validity date had not been passed. Last year for 5 months the phone sat in the 'Thailand' drawer not even charged until I got ready to return to Thailand.

I was told to use it every 90 days or it would become inactive, even if the expiry date was much longer.

8 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Why not pay for extension of valid time foe phone number before you leave Thailand? Easy and cheap. Avoid the problem.

It was valid to 15/7/17 with 251 baht credit but I was told to send an sms every 90 days to keep it active.

Hence I turn it on to send an sms ..... an expensive excercise to send a 9 baht sms back to Thailand :-(

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Drop an email to [email protected] and ask.

 

Hard to know what exactly happened; my best guess based on what little information is provided is that you had previously subscribed to some sort of recurring plan, like 199 baht, which hit one more time before your balance dipped below the threshold for that plan?

 

There are some stories recently re: providers recycling numbers based on no activity for 90 days - owing to a shortage of numbers - but these seem pretty rare, and technically against NBTC "laws".

 

Int'l roaming typically won't allow data now without a few warnings and consent, and that's ~ 280+ VAT per day so doubt that was the issue.

 

 

Ahh - a possibility.

I wonder if the 1 Gb data for 30 days at 199 (+GST),  that I set up in October tried to renew itself. The 220 baht drop would be just about the right amount.

2 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Why not pay for extension of valid time foe phone number before you leave Thailand? Easy and cheap. Avoid the problem.

When I left Thailand it had 251 bht credit with July 2017 expiry.

I was told that the sim would be cancelled if I did not at least send an sms every 90 days.

5 minutes ago, GBK said:

PM me your Name and the number and I'll ask them for you. 

 

They may not tell me, but if I explain that you are in Australia, they might. 

 

Nothing to to lose except 3 minutes. 

Thanks GBK - PM sent