Tourist Visa

[wildpikey]

I have to do a run to another country to get a proper tourist visa.

Where is the most simple and fool proof place to go to get this done from Chiang Mai?

[Mario2008]

Thai consulate in Laos, vientanne.

See this tread for more info: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Vientiane-La...sa-t158561.html

[elektrified]

Vientiane, Laos for sure. If you decide to travel by bus, shop around for a good VIP bus. Buy tickets way in advance and ask to see photos of the bus. I once traveled there on what I thought was a VIP bus. The bus was at least 15 years old, uncomfortable, the seat was broken, no A/C in the hot season, and I was seated right by the toilet. It was miserable. It is a long trip.

Likewise for the return trip from Udon Thani.

[eek]

elektrified, do some of the VIP buses actually differ then? I went once to udon via what was advertised as a VIP bus, but was more like a shack on wheels, but when i went up to Mae Sai on VIP, it was a dream. Looks like ill be going via bus to udon again as Nok Air have stopped flying, so any info about the buses would be great. Such as, do "better" vip buses run on certain days or is it really just luck?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I have to do a run to another country to get a proper tourist visa.

Where is the most simple and fool proof place to go to get this done from Chiang Mai?

if you need a two entry visa then Vientiane is the clear choice. I was just there 2 weeks ago and interesting and fun place to visit.

The downside is that Nok Air discontinued the affordable CM to Udon Thani route which means its a 12 hour bus ride plus another 2.5 hours of bus and taxi to get to Vientiane. It ends up being 16 hours door to door to travel from CM to VTE.

If you just need a single entry then consider Kuala Lumpur because you can shoot a Air Asia flight from CM to KL and be there in 90 minutes + 60 minutes on the Air Asia bus to KL sentral. Prices are a little bit higher for hotel or guesthouse in KL but fascinating and fun place to visit. really depends on if you need a 2 entry or want to avoid about 16 hours on the busses.

Sure you can fly to VTE(vientiane) from CM on Lao or Thai airlines but its so pricey it takes away cost advantage of VTE for a single entry.

Good luck and happy travels. Either are a slam dunk for getting a TV but Vientiane is no problem for 2 entries.

[elektrified]

elektrified, do some of the VIP buses actually differ then? I went once to udon via what was advertised as a VIP bus, but was more like a shack on wheels, but when i went up to Mae Sai on VIP, it was a dream. Looks like ill be going via bus to udon again as Nok Air have stopped flying, so any info about the buses would be great. Such as, do "better" vip buses run on certain days or is it really just luck?

eek, yes they do. The "shack on wheels" you refer to was probably the same one I took one time. That is run by Chakapong Company whose office is inside the Arcade Station. They are terrible. Also the driver told my friend that he had been driving 48 hours without sleep! Makes you feel real safe.

We took a very nice VIP bus another time run by a company whose name I can't recall. Their office is somewhere in the city, not inside Arcade. You will have to ask around as I didn't go to pick up the tickets myself. Also on the way back from Udon, the default bus returning to CM is also Chakapong, so get your return ticket from the bus company next to the noodle shop accross from the Udon bus station - not inside the station. They have brand new, super-clean and comfortable, double-decker buses. The company is very popular with Thais and tickets sell out 2-3 days in advance. Buy your ticket as soon as you arrive in Udon Thani. Their number is 042346391 - no English spoken. There is not a bus everyday of the week.

[eek]

Thanks so much!

[dageshi]

Did this a few weeks back, a friend booked a vip bus to Udon Thani and it was pretty good, not the best I've been on but ok main complaint was being stuck above what I guess was the toilet meaning I couldn't stretch my legs out. But other than that driver was nice and smooth. When you get to udon thani be careful where you ask for, if you ask for vientienne the tuk tuk drivers will take you to another bus station which has a straight through bus to vientienne but you have to have the visa for laos already! you can;t get a bus to the border from here. So ask for the border town which I think is called Nong Khai but check that. You'll get ripped off for about 500 baht at the border by the laos visa people, price should be 33 dollars for me, I ended up paying 1500baht, not much you can do about this unless you take dollars and if you do take dollars they have to be 100% pristine, look completely new, no marks or tears anything else and they'll probably refuse them and try and scam you on the baht, they might well do this anyway.

Other tips are, make sure you take some passport photo's with you, you need two, on the way back when your in between borders, checkout the duty free, you can buy 24 bottles of beer lao dark (best beer in asia in my opinion) for 30 baht a bottle, costs 90 here in Chiang mai that's if you can get it, bars been having problems recently. Reasonable selection of whisky at half decent prices as well, worth a look.

And your right about the bus back, we asked a tuktuk for the bus to chiang mai, ended up on a not so nice bus, air con worked but they really overcrowded it, crammed as many people on including those sitting in the aisle worse than that the driver was a lunatic, couldn't drive steady to save his life and pretty burnt the brakes through, constant smell of burning rubber.

[eek]

Anyone have more info about the alternative bus company going to/from Chiang Mai to Udon? =]

[ASHTONITE]

Yes... i am looking for that NICE DOUBLE DECKER VIP too.... the guy that started this thread said he just booked with Chakapong and i read so many bad things about.

I really want to find the NICE BUSES... but nobody seems to have any information

[rickthailand]

Yes... i am looking for that NICE DOUBLE DECKER VIP too.... the guy that started this thread said he just booked with Chakapong and i read so many bad things about.

I really want to find the NICE BUSES... but nobody seems to have any information

there are 2 bus companys that do vip busses from chiang mai to Udon. they go on alternating days one is the chakapong one(horrible) but next to their small window (on the right side) in arcade bus station is another company this is the company that has the nice blue new vip busses with the good driver. this month chakapong does the vip service on even days and the other one on odd days the other company has thai letters on its window the company name starts with ooo something (sorry cant remember)

rick

[rickthailand]

i found the companies name it is osuksatour

rick

[ASHTONITE]

HEY.... Thanks a lot. I will go tomorrow and let you know.

Regards,

--Ashtonite