Can you get a coach from Chaing rai to khon kaen if yes details please I dont want to fly to bkk and then to k k.

Can you get a coach from Chaing rai to khon kaen if yes details please I dont want to fly to bkk and then to k k.

There are regular buses run across the North of Thailand.

I haven't traveled West to East but came From Udon Thani to Chiang Rai last year. It took about 12 hours. A quick look at my map suggests the CR to KK route would be quicker.

I suggest you visit the main bus station and find the departure times to Khon Kaen.

Which you won't. But then again you can book Chiang Rai to Udon Thani and then hop on a bus to Khon Kaen from there. They have buses going from Udon to Khon Kaen quite regularly so there's no problem finding one. They have two bus stations in Udon but if I remember correctly the one you get to from Chiang Rai will stop at the one the buses to Khon Kaen goes from in Udon.

If you are on a visa trip you should do a Lao visa in Chiang Rai and when you get to Udon Thani hop on the bus going straight to Vientiane. Very smooth but they require that you have a visa for Laos already.

I use Sombat Tour for this trip, their office is on Prasobsuk Rd. across from where they sell yellow clothes.

There is a bus CR to KK at 19.30. Its not listed on the timetable.

Yeah, they have them....just ask.

I couldn't imagine them having a direct bus to Udon and not to Khon Kaen which is the Isaan "capital".

I'd also be curious to learn where you can get a Lao Visa in Chiang Rai.

Well, at one of the tourist offices that say "lao visa" (without being smug). Really, why not get the visa to Laos arranged here? Of course they send your passport to the embassy in Bangkok but if you have a few days why not?

Ok, sorry for being a little bit no no on the bus to Khon Kaen, I'm 6f3 and prefer buses that can contain me, Sombat Tour has some of them.

I never thought of doing it through an agency, I suppose they would charge well though. I got a Chinese visa through 4 Lens and it was about 2000B on top of the visa cost.

I always used to get my Lao visa on entry with out any problems, or go to the Consulate in Khon Kaen where it took about three hours.

I too am around 6'3" and very heavily built (fat) but handled the trip from Udon quite well. There's a good stop at Phitsanulok to take a break and I'd recommend any one with back problems to take anti-inflammatorys.