I want to drive down the Mekhong from the golden triangle [Chiang Saen] all the way to Issan [Nong Khai [and beyond].

Have driven most of the way,Chiang Saen to Chiang Khong and have driven from Chiang Khan to Nong Khai.....nice scenery along the river.

But what remains a mystery is the section from Chiang Khong [Chiang Rai provence] to Chiang Khan [Nong Kai provence?]. Nan is the only big town along the way??

Have searched this forum [and others] for info like places of interest, places to stay, eat, road conditions, and how long this leg takes.

Anyone done it or will be breaking new ground??

sorry to disappoint you, but Ive done it-mainly by bus and in various stages-all along the mekong, from near Ubon to the golden triangle and Mae sai.. But if a bus can go through-so will a car.

The main draw-since Laos opened up-is in fact the riverside village of Chiang Khong-ferry to Laos. After that you get Chiang Kham, Nan is not on the river. The main obstacle is where Laos points into Thailand and the river is not the border. After that it used to be the well-trodden backpackes trail: Chiang Khan toward Nong Khai, from north of Loei=that is a major town, bigger as Nan. The area in between Nan and Loei was for a very, very long time ''suspect'' in Thai govmt. circles-this was the hiding ground of the communists-till well into the 70ies. It still sees very little traffic-kind of border area between north Thai and Isan.

and next: in my own language there has just been a book published from an expat-writer, living in Chiang Mai since many years: along the Mekong-starting from the source in China/Yunnan and roughly following it-even further as your intedned trip.

any minor Thai provincial town will have some hotel-of sorts, and this is Thailand-so food can never be a problem. In fact that old trustworthy-a guidebook-will have much more detail on this area as you may expect.