Is it possible to travel from ch. ra. to khon kean by coach or do i have to go via chiang mai could someome help me with timings and cost etc.

THIS GIVE YA SOME BITS ON FLIGHTS & WHO GOES IN AND OUT, MIGHT HELP

http://www.flightshotelstours.com/thailand...hts/chiang-rai/

GOOD LUCK

CHRIS

Is it possible to travel from ch. ra. to khon kean by coach or do i have to go via chiang mai could someome help me with timings and cost etc.

There should me direct buses. The route I always drove (and saw plenty of buses) is C'rai, turn off at Ngao, through Phrae, Den Chai and south to Phitsanulok, then hang a left through Lom Sak, and direct to KK.

I've never ridden the bus, but I suppose 8 hours would be about right. (I've driven C'rai to Udorn in 8 hours). Cost, I'll leave that to someone else.

Edited March 9, 200818 yr by klikster

Traveling via chiang mai is about 100km more than traveling via phitsanulok. Phitsanulok is the place to change the bus.

I have seen buses with the destination Khon Kaen on them. So for sure you should be able to get a direct connection. Go to the bus station and get them to write you a piece of paper with times and prices. How expensive the bus depends on whether you take first class, second class, vip, aircon, fan etc. The best is vip. The place to ask is at the bus station. Also possible to fly between udon thani and chiang mai with nok air.

Nakhonchai Tour or Nakhonchai Air has overnight buses that go to Khon Kaen.

I've done it several times both ways. There are no VIP buses, only 1st class.

It's 12 hours each way, with one stop half way for crmby meal.

Not a comfortable ride - as there are poor quality loud movies for most of the ordeal.

Thailand hasn't figured how to make a road that connects C.Rai and Issan in a moderately straight line, so all buses go directly south for 7 hours and then make a right angle turn to the left to go directly east for 5 hours.

I hope you don't get the type of bus that (for window seats) has a cold metal bar one Cm away from your ear (if you're over 5'6" tall. So, if the bus rocks at all (which it does every few seconds), you bang your ear (or side of skull) against the metal bar. Not a great design feature.

Sounds like an mp3 player and/or industrial strength foam ear plugs, and a small baby pillow, is the plan, then....

Thailand hasn't figured how to make a road that connects C.Rai and Issan in a moderately straight line

They would need the cooperation of Laos to do that.

Thailand hasn't figured how to make a road that connects C.Rai and Issan in a moderately straight line

They would need the cooperation of Laos to do that.

And if you got it there would be the visa for you, the visa for the car... easier to drive around the border. It's fairly straight once you get to Phitsanulok. Route 12 to KK and 12 and 228/210 to Udon.

There are actually shorter routes .. although in my experience, not faster. I once (about 10 years ago) visited Sirikit Dam (50 km east of Uttaradit), then decided to drive to Udorn via "the closest road along the Mekong". I came across several places where the deserted road had caved off all the way to the centerline, and the road was getting narrower and narrower.

I wondered what would happen if the road caved off both ahead of and behind me .. so I turned around and decided to take the "second nearest road to the river" .. and promptly came to a military area where they wouldn't let me enter. Maybe the road didn't go through?

Anyhow, I finallly made to to Chiang Khan, albeit by a more circuatous route. Things may be better now.

But about Sirikit Dam .. it is the most beautifully landscaped site I have see in Thailand .. and rivals Mae Fa Luang gardens. It's sure worth a visit. Nice little golf course as well.

Edited March 14, 200818 yr by klikster

Thanks for that Klik, it's been a long term goal of mine to follow the Mekong as far as possible in Thailand.

Thanks for that Klik, it's been a long term goal of mine to follow the Mekong as far as possible in Thailand.

Yup, same here. That's why I went to Chiang Khan. I've driven Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong .. which is a great drive .. then Chiang Khan to Mukduhan .. also really nice. Maybe some day I'll fill in the gaps.

What made the drives worthwhile to me was what I ran across on the way .. like the coffee shop and guest house between CS and CK that has manicured organic veggie gardens instead of flower gardens .. a long walkway above a rice field .. and bungalows overlooking Laos. I spent about an hour talking to the owner, drinking coffee on the deck overlooking it all.