2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

That would be the 30-passenger tourist boats?

This is different......small working cargo vessels, you would have a cabin.

Noooo     they use to do fast speed boats.  Crammed in tight with life jackets and helmets.   Bags tied to the front  .  Took about 8 hours for the Boat journey  finished at Chiang Kong.   Mini bus to Chiang mai.   2 day option  available     

GOD, if the train does not go all the way to Vientiane proper then the Lao tuktuk will equal the international train fare.

 

Those Lao tuktuk guys are non-negotiable rip-off artists with their no brake-pad scam taxis.

On 6/10/2024 at 4:09 AM, MarkBR said:

Got trapped for 7 months in Vientiane by COVID. Not good.  Not the most interesting city on the planet although food was good & very very cheap.

7-hours is usually my threshold nevermind 7 months....

Something about that city of all cities that makes you both restless and bored stiff at the same-time.

 

Never experienced anything like it anywhere.

 

Did you get 1-2-1 counselling  ?

11 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Just a final push of the CCP in China to get its goods and political nonsense into Asia. At this point China does not have any choice, but to expand into Asia. It is its last choice. US is re-shoring, Europe is slowly coming around. Question is can it assimilate all of Asia before its total "or almost" total exit from the US. To little to late IMHO. But, what will happen is the continued anti Western campaign in Thailand. Thailand is falling in line. Land scape will change drastically in the next few years. I expect Thailand to go down hill about like Hong Kong.. A slow and steady decline.  And with the help of the CCP it will all be the US and its allies fault. All western tourists and expats will stop visiting.  Just a matter of a few years now.

Nahhh... sounds like American sour grapes, a manifestation of the Thucydides Trap. The US empire and influence are waning fast. Like it or not, China owns Asia now.